Vern Buchanan: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my strong support the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic…”

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my strong support the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The coronavirus is one of the most serious public health threats we have ever faced, particularly for our seniors and people with underlying health conditions. That's why I was pleased to see members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and the Trump administration work together to craft this $2 trillion emergency relief bill addressing the coronavirus pandemic--the largest emergency aid bill in history. This legislation provides much-needed financial assistance for individuals, families, small and medium-sized businesses, hospitals, medical facilities and state and local governments. The bill also includes significant resources for our front-line health care workers and first responders to ensure they have the vital equipment and medical supplies they need to protect the American public and themselves. Going forward, we need to dramatically ramp-up the supply of test kits, increase the number of locations where people exhibiting symptoms can easily get tested, and accelerate the process of getting results back--hopefully in less than 24 hours. We also need to accelerate the development of an affordable, effective vaccine, continue to implement proper quarantine and self- isolation procedures, and ensure the safety of our health workers who are testing, diagnosing, and treating confirmed cases.…”