Sinema underscored the importance of including direct funding for states and local governments in the next coronavirus response package
PHOENIX – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema hosted her weekly call with Arizona mayors and county leaders to discuss their coronavirus-related concerns and provide an update on the recent Congressionally-approved coronavirus relief package. Sinema also recommitted to ensuring direct funding for state and local governments be included in future coronavirus response packages.
“Hearing direct, regular feedback from Arizona’s local leaders helped us secure increased resources for small businesses, Arizona hospitals, and our state’s testing capacity in this week’s relief package. I’ll continue working across the aisle to ensure Arizona’s needs are met during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Sinema.
The recent Congressionally-approved coronavirus relief package includes $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, $60 billion for smaller, disadvantaged businesses, $60 billion for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and grants, $75 billion for health care providers, and $25 billion for testing, including $11 billion directly to states. Sinema also worked to include in the bill additional funding for testing and a national strategic testing plan outlining the assistance that will be provided to states for testing and increasing testing capacity.
Sinema issued a statement in response to a proposal for states and local governments to declare bankruptcy, stressing the need to put politics aside and support revenue-replacement to ensure firefighters, police, health services, and job and business opportunities can be resilient during the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier this week, Sinema secured 7,500 masks and 7,500 acrylic shields for the Professional Firefighters of Arizona through the IRONMAN Foundation’s Operation IRONAID Face Masks in partnership with Framebridge.
Sinema also recently facilitated a donation of personal protective equipment from General Dynamics to the Arizona Alliance of Community Health Centers through Protect AZ, an Arizona non-profit connecting front-line health care workers to critical medical equipment during the coronavirus outbreak. Sinema also led the Arizona Congressional delegation in urging the President to grant a Major Disaster Declaration for Arizona, allowing Arizona to access more public safety resources to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Sinema has also added a resources page to her website, www.sinema.senate.gov/corona, for Arizonans looking for the latest information on coronavirus.