WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) today issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed an $8 billion emergency funding package aimed at combating the coronavirus:

“This is an all hands on deck situation. Our nation must have the resources necessary to protect the health and safety of all Americans.

“This funding will be critical to help ready an effective, affordable coronavirus vaccine, ensure we have the resources for timely testing, and provide our state and local health officials with what they need to keep communities safe.

“The Problem Solvers Caucus helped get this funding across the finish line. Both Democrats and Republicans came together recognizing the shared goal eclipses party affiliation. Our health is at stake.

“But make no mistake: preventing a spread of the coronavirus here in the United States remains our focus. We need to remain vigilant. This funding is an important step, but families should continue to follow the guidelines issued by the CDC to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.”

The latest updates and additional information on the coronavirus are available at www.cdc.gov. Upton continues to share updates, safety tips, and other information on his social media channels,

On Tuesday, March 3, Upton and members of the Problem Solvers Caucus met with Vice President Mike Pence and Coronavirus Response Coordinator, Dr. Debbie Birx, to discuss solutions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Upton on Monday, March 1 joined the Problem Solvers Caucus in calling for leaders in Washington to put politics aside and focus on bipartisan solutions.

On Friday, February 28, Upton and his office reached out to local health officials in Michigan’s Sixth Congressional District to open up direct lines of communication with the folks on the ground.

In early February, Upton and Rep. Debbie Dingell addressed a letter to Azar, Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, and Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun asking for the U.S. government to work to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on the supply chain of American automotive firms. Hundreds of thousands of Michigan jobs depend on the auto industry and auto manufacturing and millions of more jobs rely on other Chinese exports.

As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Upton helped lead the passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), important bipartisan legislation to help government agencies better coordinate to protect the American people from public health emergencies. President Trump last year signed into law the reauthorization of PAHPA.

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