WASHINGTON, DC -E&C GOP Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) along with House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), and House Republican Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) held a press conference to provide updates on coronavirus.
Walden said he will be traveling to Umatilla County in his district on Friday, where a recent case of coronavirus was announced, to meet with local health and public safety officials.
“I’m confident the U.S. government has the tools necessary to deal with this. We are blessed with an incredible array of scientists - the National Institutes of Health, CDC and elsewhere that are on this," said Walden.
WATCH →Walden on past legislation to prepare U.S. for coronavirus
Last Congress, you know we modernized the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, PAHPA, to set up the framework to deal precisely with this type of an outbreak. Congress acted and the President signed it into law last June and it is in place. This accelerates advanced research, development, federal purchasing of medical countermeasures like treatments or vaccines, or standing up programs to expand the capacity of our health facilities. Congress has acted. This will arm our local public health services battling the coronavirus on the frontlines, funding local communities through local health authorities is where this will all take place.
WATCH → Walden on the supplemental to combat the coronavirus
Congress is not done, we obviously need to do the emergency supplemental to make sure that we continue to provide our local health authorities and national interests the funding they need.
WATCH → Walden on setting the record straight: Trump Administration has not cut funding
But under President Trump, NIH has not seen their budget cut. In fact, since 2017, just the opposite has occurred. In 2017 to 2020, the CDC budget is up 10%. 10%. And over the same period, the National Institutes for Health budget is up 22%.
