Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Local Governments & Hospitals Heroically Responded To COVID Outbreak, Ripping Holes In Their Budgets To Obtain PPE, Cleaning/Disinfecting Facilities, Testing, Tracing, And More
Senators Say FEMA Funding – At a 100% Federal Cost Share – Will Reimburse Wyoming County For Costs Related to Pandemic Response
Schumer, Gillibrand: Federal Funding Will Help Keep Up The Fight Against COVID-19, Give Wyoming County The Booster It Needs
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,333,634 for Wyoming County from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover costs associated with the County’s COVID responses. The funds reimburse Wyoming County for expenses related to purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectant, medical supplies, and contract services to perform emergency protective measures by assisting first responders and medical care facilities like the Wyoming County Community Hospital and nursing care facilities owned by Wyoming County. This funding is provided at a 100% federal cost share, which Schumer fought hard to include for NY since the pandemic began.
“Wyoming County, and so many other entities throughout New York heroically stepped up to fight the pandemic on the front lines, resulting in increased spending, while experiencing significant revenue losses, so I am proud to deliver this funding that will help prevent tax hikes, keep essential services running, and rebuild the local economy,” said Senator Schumer. “Western New York hospitals are on the frontlines battling the many variants of COVID, I saw firsthand the tremendous need for assistance in my visit to Wyoming County in December and I am proud to deliver over $1.3 million in federal assistance for the Wyoming County to help them continue their essential work to keep our community safe.”
“Local governments have grappled with unprecedented challenges throughout this pandemic,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The investments Wyoming County has made in PPE and other safety measures have undoubtedly slowed the spread of the virus and helped save lives. This federal funding will reimburse those expenses and help the county recover from the financial toll of COVID-19. I’ll keep fighting to ensure the county and the state bounce back strong.”
Schumer has a long history of fighting for the Wyoming County Community Hospital to ensure it is able to continue its essential services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In the April 2020 CARES Act, Schumer led the charge in Congress to create the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) – managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – to provide funding to healthcare providers and hospitals caring for patients with COVID-19 and who suffered high expenses and lost revenues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2021, following his personal visit to push for struggling Western New York to get the help they need and accelerate the distribution of the PRF, Schumer successfully secured over $1.8 million from the next round PRF for the Wyoming County Community Hospital. To date, NY hospitals and providers have received over $13.5 billion in grant funding through the Provider Relief Fund alone with billions more still awaiting to be disbursed.
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