Norcross, Pallone Lead Entire NJ Delegation in Urging Secretary Azar to Extend the Public Health Emergency

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressmen Donald Norcross (NJ-01) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) led the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation today in sending a letter urging U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to quickly extend the current public health emergency due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, the lawmakers requested the federal government back a centralized effort to increase testing and manufacturing of personal protective equipment.

“The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread at an alarming rate across the country and is surging in several states,” the lawmakers wrote. “According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been nearly 3.5 million cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in the United States, and nearly 137,000 deaths. This is a tragedy. In order for states and the federal government to have the full scope of authorities to respond to the pandemic, we urge you to extend the current public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently set to expire on July 25, 2020.

“With over 60,000 new cases each day and testing still not meeting the necessary standards to open the economy or help contain the spread, we need to continue putting all available resources into our efforts to control the outbreak,” the lawmakers continued. “By extending the current public health emergency we can help save lives, right our struggling economy, and bolster our recovery.”

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).

Full text of the letter is available here.