New York State has been the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it critical that the federal government signal strong support for ongoing emergency response efforts now and in the future, wrote U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) in a letter sent last week to the president.
“As New York State continues responding to the devastating impacts of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we write to respectfully request a 100 percent federal cost share for assistance provided under the Major Disaster Declaration issued for New York on March 20,” wrote Rep. Katko and his home-state colleague U.S. Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY).
Increasing the federal cost share for COVID-19 response efforts would help New York sustain public health initiatives and mitigate any budgetary shortfalls that threaten the ability of the state and its local governments to maintain essential services, according to the lawmakers’ letter, which noted that since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 165,000 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 23,722 individuals have lost their lives to the disease.
“‘Our state and local governments continue working to effectively respond to this pandemic, however, crippling shortfalls in revenue threaten their ability to maintain essential services for our constituents in the months ahead,” Rep. Katko and his colleague wrote.
As of May 19, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) has obligated more than $1.1 billion in federal support to New York while the federal government has helped facilitate the delivery of medical supplies and the establishment of alternative care facilities for hospital patients, according to their letter.
“These efforts have played a vital role in addressing the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on New York, however, our state will need additional federal support to maintain a strong response and facilitate a full recovery from this crisis,” wrote Rep. Katko and his colleague.
The 100 percent federal cost share specifically would help the state address “the sustained threat that COVID-19 poses to our state, as well as mitigating the potential long-term impact this crisis could have on the lives of our constituents,” the members wrote.