Biden administration wants $30 billion more for COVID-19 response
Washington — The Biden administration is gauging potential support on Capitol Hill for $30 billion in new federal funding to pay for the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on more money to pay for testing, treatment programs and development of vaccines to fight the virus and future diseases.
The issue of additional aid has been the subject of discussions across Washington in recent weeks, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the administration is seeking more money to address future needs.
"While we continue to have sufficient funds to respond to the current Omicron surge, in the coming weeks, our goal has always been to ensure that we are well-prepared to stay ahead of the virus," Psaki said at a White House briefing on Tuesday.
The new money would come after Congress has already allocated record-setting sums totaling trillions of dollars to buoy the American economy and beleaguered state and municipal governments reeling from a lack of tax revenue caused by the COVID downturn. But with states and cities lifting COVID-related restrictions and the economy continuing to grow at a record pace, the political appetite for more federal funding is unknown.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-administration-wants-dollar30-billion-more-for-covid-19-response/ar-AATTsSj
