We cannot risk leaving any community behind — urban, suburban, rural, and everywhere in between. Right now, the current legislation to address coronavirus leaves smaller communities behind. Localities with populations less than 500,000 cannot receive any stabilization funds directly, further complicating rapid response efforts.

These communities have faced enormous costs in response to COVID-19 and in attempting to prepare for it. Many lack the infrastructure at small, community hospitals to address a pandemic and are in need of additional resources.

 

Without additional, targeted stabilization funding, smaller communities will not be able to provide critical services.

 

That's why I've cosponsored legislation to provide stabilization funding for communities of all sizes and written to the Treasury Secretary urging him to take similar action.

 

I'm in good company, too. More than 100 of my colleagues in Congress are calling for our next emergency relief package to include robust stabilization funding for towns with populations of less than 500,000 people.

 

More soon,