Peters Statement on National Emergency Declaration to Combat Coronavirus and Need for More Action

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, this week called on President Trump to declare an emergency making additional resources available, and led bipartisan legislation to provide disaster unemployment assistance to people who are unable to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Peters issued the following statement after President Trump declared a national emergency today:

“The current Coronavirus outbreak is an unprecedented threat to our public health and my top priority is protecting the health of Michiganders. I welcome the steps announced today, but there is no question that we must take additional aggressive action quickly, including to provide relief to impacted workers and families and to address the shortage of testing available. A national emergency declaration is the right decision – an important step I urged President Trump to take to make all of the federal government’s emergency resources available. It’s important that Michigan immediately request these newly available funds so that health care providers, public health officials and state and local leaders on the frontline can get the funding and supplies needed to respond to the pandemic.

“This emergency is far from over. I will continue pressing the Administration to take additional aggressive actions to expand eligibility for unemployment assistance to workers impacted by this pandemic, because Michiganders shouldn’t be put in the position of choosing between paying their bills or putting food on their table if they can’t work due to the Coronavirus. We must also slow the spread of the outbreak, dramatically increase our testing capabilities and prevent our health system from becoming overwhelmed.”

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