House Democrats Pass Emergency Funding Bill to Respond to Coronavirus
For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2020
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
MESSAGE FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER
This week, House Democrats moved swiftly to pass an $8.3 billion funding bill to ensure federal agencies, states, and localities have the resources necessary to respond to the coronavirus. The legislation, which was signed into law by President Trump today, would provide funding for prevention, preparedness, and response efforts; for the development of treatments and a vaccine; and for low-interest SBA loans to support small businesses that have been affected. House Democrats are committed to a coordinated, fully-funded response to this public health emergency, and I urge the Administration to work with us and respond in a thoughtful and transparent way, rather than the opaque and chaotic actions we’ve seen from the Administration thus far. We are also urging all Americans to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which you can find here.
This week, the Supreme Court announced it will hear the Texas v. United States case, a partisan lawsuit led by the Administration and Republicans to strike down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety, including protections for those with pre-existing conditions. The current public health crisis we are facing underscores the importance of quality, affordable health coverage that has been made possible by the ACA. While Republicans have been trying to dismantle the law since day one of its enactment, House Democrats will continue to defend it in Congress and in court. I hope the Supreme Court will carefully consider the impact of overturning the ACA for Americans across the country and decide to strongly uphold the law and its protections.
I am also closely following the June Medical Services v. Russo case in the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the Court heard oral arguments to determine the constitutionality of Louisiana’s admitting privileges law, which requires physicians who provide abortion care in Louisiana to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of a clinic. This law is part of a coordinated effort by Republican state legislatures across the country to undermine Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court has previously struck down an identical Texas law in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt just three years ago and ruled that admitting privileges laws are unconstitutional because they shut down clinics without providing any health or safety benefits to patients. Based on precedent, the Court should also strike down the Louisiana law. As the Court heard arguments, I joined my House colleagues in marching over to meet with those rallying outside of the Court in support of a women’s right to make her own health care decisions, and we will continue to stand with them and all women against efforts to undermine reproductive health rights.
Sincerely yours,
Steny H. Hoyer
P.S. Please invite your friends and family to sign up for this newsletter to learn more about how House Democrats are working For the People. You can also get the latest updates and join the conversation on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.
DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE
Hoyer Statement on the Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill to Address Coronavirus
Hoyer Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision to Hear Affordable Care Act Case
Fact Sheet: What’s at Stake if Republicans Win Their Lawsuit to Eliminate the Affordable Care Act
Hoyer Remarks at a Congressional Tri-Caucus Press Conference on the 2020 Census
This week, House Democrats moved swiftly to pass an $8.3 billion funding bill to ensure federal agencies, states, and localities have the resources necessary to respond to the coronavirus. The legislation, which was signed into law by President Trump today, would provide funding for prevention, preparedness, and response efforts; for the development of treatments and a vaccine; and for low-interest SBA loans to support small businesses that have been affected. House Democrats are committed to a coordinated, fully-funded response to this public health emergency, and I urge the Administration to work with us and respond in a thoughtful and transparent way, rather than the opaque and chaotic actions we’ve seen from the Administration thus far. We are also urging all Americans to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which you can find here.
This week, the Supreme Court announced it will hear the Texas v. United States case, a partisan lawsuit led by the Administration and Republicans to strike down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety, including protections for those with pre-existing conditions. The current public health crisis we are facing underscores the importance of quality, affordable health coverage that has been made possible by the ACA. While Republicans have been trying to dismantle the law since day one of its enactment, House Democrats will continue to defend it in Congress and in court. I hope the Supreme Court will carefully consider the impact of overturning the ACA for Americans across the country and decide to strongly uphold the law and its protections.
I am also closely following the June Medical Services v. Russo case in the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the Court heard oral arguments to determine the constitutionality of Louisiana’s admitting privileges law, which requires physicians who provide abortion care in Louisiana to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of a clinic. This law is part of a coordinated effort by Republican state legislatures across the country to undermine Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court has previously struck down an identical Texas law in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt just three years ago and ruled that admitting privileges laws are unconstitutional because they shut down clinics without providing any health or safety benefits to patients. Based on precedent, the Court should also strike down the Louisiana law. As the Court heard arguments, I joined my House colleagues in marching over to meet with those rallying outside of the Court in support of a women’s right to make her own health care decisions, and we will continue to stand with them and all women against efforts to undermine reproductive health rights.
Sincerely yours,
Steny H. Hoyer
P.S. Please invite your friends and family to sign up for this newsletter to learn more about how House Democrats are working For the People. You can also get the latest updates and join the conversation on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.
DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE
Hoyer Statement on the Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill to Address Coronavirus
Hoyer Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision to Hear Affordable Care Act Case
Fact Sheet: What’s at Stake if Republicans Win Their Lawsuit to Eliminate the Affordable Care Act
Hoyer Remarks at a Congressional Tri-Caucus Press Conference on the 2020 Census