Menendez, Booker Announce Over $1.5M to Boost State's COVID-19 Response

Statement

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker today announced the awarding of $1,559,216.90 in Public Assistance (PA) grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) to support their response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"New Jersey has been on the frontlines of this pandemic since the very beginning and I applaud the Department of Health for steering our state through this turbulent time," said Sen. Menendez. "Our state's response efforts have helped lower the infection rate and undoubtedly save lives. As the virus continues its course, I will continue fighting for greater federal resources to ensure our state has what it needs to contain COVID-19 and protect New Jersey families."

"The health of New Jersey families, frontline workers, and seniors is dependent on a robust federal response to this public health crisis," said Sen. Booker. "Federal funding like this is another important step toward fighting this pandemic and protecting the health and safety of all New Jerseyans."

The senators have secured $163 million in PA grants to help the state's pandemic response. The CARES Act included $45 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund to help states, like New Jersey, which were included in the President's Major Disaster Declaration, provide for immediate needs and essential services to protect citizens and recover from the outbreak.

In May, Sen. Menendez introduced the bipartisan Local Community Emergency Relief Act, to eliminate cost-share payments required of states and communities included in federal disaster declarations in 2020. Sen. Menendez has led bipartisan requests from both the New Jersey congressional delegation and his Senate colleagues calling on President Trump to completely eliminate the local cost-sharing for FEMA disaster grants.

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