Democrats to Urge Trump to Declare National Virus Emergency

(Bloomberg) -- Senate Democrats lead by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are preparing a letter formally calling for President Donald Trump to issue an emergency declaration to make more than $40 billion available to assist state and local governments’ coronavirus response, according to a Senate Democratic aide.

The request would allow Federal Emergency Management Agency funds currently available in the Disaster Relief Fund to assist governments in efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health, said the aide, who requested anonymity to discuss matters not yet public.

Also signing onto the letter will be Washington Senator Patty Murray, ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Michigan Senator Gary Peters, ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Wasson in Washington at ewasson@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman, Kathleen Hunter

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