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Rep. Payne, Jr. Requests Funds to Support Dialysis Workers and Patients during Coronavirus Crisis

April 17, 2020

Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. wrote a letter today to the leadership of the House of Representatives to include dialysis patient and provider relief in the upcoming coronavirus relief package.

In the letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Payne, Jr. said that adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical for the safety of patients and the front-line workers. Dialysis patients are one of the most vulnerable populations for coronavirus infections and must travel frequently to receive treatments despite stay-at-home orders in many states. Rep. Payne is a dialysis patient and he was supported on the letter by 27 members of Congress.

"Many Americans must travel outside their homes for dialysis treatment and can potentially become exposed to COVID-19 in the process," wrote Rep. Payne, Jr. "Being a dialysis patient myself, I have unique firsthand knowledge of this. As states and cities impose stay-at-home orders, public transportation options are becoming more difficult and medically risky for patients. These Americans simply do not have the luxury of being able to socially distance until the pandemic is over."

Rep. Payne, Jr. has been working diligently to help get life-saving aid to his constituents and all Americans during this difficult time. He co-wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a ventilator design that could help supply local hospitals in New Jersey and the rest of the country immediately. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery of the House Committee on Homeland Security, he has been in constant contact with FEMA officials to press them on when supplies will be available nationwide. Recently, he asked FEMA to establish a third federally-funded coronavirus testing facility in New Jersey in a letter signed by the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation.

In addition, he has supported three coronavirus-related aid bills in the House. The first one, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 6074), provided $8.3 billion to fund medical efforts. The second one, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), provided free coronavirus testing for all Americans and mandatory paid sick leave for all workers.

The third and most recent one, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748), provided more than $2 trillion in emergency financial aid to Americans through direct payments, unemployment benefit increases, and funds to state and local governments to combat this global public health threat. The bill authorized direct payments of $1,200 to Americans who earn less than $75,000 and $2,400 to families who earn less than $150,000 as well as $500 for each child. Also, provided $349 billion to assist small businesses, $150 billion to state and local governments to help them handle coronavirus-related expenses, and $200 billion to support America's hospitals and health care workers.

In addition to Rep. Payne, Jr., the letter was supported by Reps. Neguse, Velázquez, Clay, Van Drew, Richmond, Norcross, Larson, Gallego, Fitzpatrick, O'Halleran, McGovern, Johnson, Beatty, Hayes, Soto, Correa, Hastings, Bishop, Thompson, Torres, Rush, Butterfield, Pascrell, Lynch, Norton, Sires and Jackson Lee.

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