WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to distribute more than $6 million to New Mexico as part of the funding allocated by the bipartisan, bicameral, coronavirus emergency supplemental Appropriations bill to states, localities, territories, and Tribes.
New Mexico will receive $5,974,364 for the CDC Public Health Crisis Cooperative Agreement (CoAg) and $500,000 for Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity. The funding announced today is part of the nearly $8 billion emergency supplemental appropriations bill passed by Congress last week to bolster the U.S. coronavirus response.
“With confirmed cases in New Mexico, this funding will support our public health professionals who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. Their work is critical in ensuring the health and safety of our communities, and they deserve our support,” said Udall . “I am happy that the CDC is swiftly disbursing this funding that is vital to New Mexico’s ability to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and will continue to work with the entire delegation to ensure we have the necessary resources to protect all of our state’s communities. In the meantime, the Trump administration absolutely needs to step up its response to this crisis.”
“During a public health crisis, every single day matters. This funding will allow New Mexico’s health care professionals to quickly and more effectively assess, inform, and care for residents across the state and maintain confidence in their resources,” said Heinrich. “My office and the entire New Mexico delegation continue to be in close communication with federal, state, tribal and local agencies and are working to ensure that our state continues to have the resources it needs to protect public health and keep families safe. I wish a full recovery to the patients in New Mexico who are sick, and I urge New Mexicans to follow the advice of trusted federal, state and local public health officials to keep themselves, their families, and our communities safe.”
"As Congress proactively works to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, New Mexico's doctors, nurses, receptionists, caretakers, and vital health care workers will also be working around the clock to keep our loved ones healthy. They are our heroes especially in times of public health threats, and this funding will ensure they can act at full capacity to keep our communities safe while maintaining their own safety," said Luján.
“We’re doing everything we can to address this health emergency, but the Administration is not performing at the speed and efficacy that it should. As a delegation, we acted swiftly to pass emergency funding to keep families safe and healthy, and now those funds are being distributed to New Mexico so that our health departments across the state are prepared and ready to address this public health emergency,” said Haaland.
“As public health officials work around the clock to respond to the coronavirus public health emergency, the $6 million in CDC funding is a welcome first step in supporting New Mexico’s efforts to keep our communities healthy and safe. I will continue to coordinate efforts with Tribal, state, and federal leaders, work to provide consistent federal support to our first responders, and closely monitor the distribution of these resources,” said Torres Small.
New Mexicans can visit the New Mexico Department of Health’s website at https://cv.nmhealth.org/ for the latest updates on COVID-19.
