Norcross, NJ Delegation Call on FEMA to Establish a Third COVID-19 Testing Site

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) joined the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation today in calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a third federally-backed COVID-19 testing site that would expand access to testing to residents throughout the state.

“Seniors are among the most vulnerable groups of people to COVID-19; approximately 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the U.S. occurred in adults aged 65 years and older. The southern region of New Jersey has numerous townships which are among the localities with the highest percentage of seniors in the entire state,” the delegation wrote to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor. “For these reasons, we ask you for swift and fair consideration of Governor Murphy’s request for a third federally backed testing site in New Jersey.”

The bipartisan letter was signed by Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Tom Malinowksi (NJ-07), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

Norcross and the New Jersey Congressional Delegation on Thursday urged New Jersey US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to immediately utilize the authority delegated to him by the President under the Defense Production Act to ensure that sufficient equipment is being manufactured to keep our communities safe and halt the spread of COVID-19.

The entire bipartisan New Jersey Congressional Delegation also asked Congressional leadership to prioritize robust funding and flexibility for the Community Disaster Loan (CDL) program, which provides operational funding for local governments to continue to operate after a substantial revenue loss caused by a major disaster. Additionally, the NJ Delegation urged FEMA officials to set up four, 250-bed federal medical stations (FMS) in order to increase capacity in the state’s already taxed health system with COVID-19 cases on the rise. These rapidly deployable units contain beds, supplies and medicines, which can quickly turn a pre-identified building into a temporary medical shelter.

Full text of the NJ Congressional Delegation letter to FEMA can be downloaded here.

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