Congressional delegation weighs in on coronavirus in Colorado

By Joey Bunch- Colorado Politics

There for a brief moment, perhaps, the Republicans and Democrats agreed on something this week: the fight against coronavirus, and its suspected arrival in Colorado, is serious.

Members of the delegation reacted Thursday as the state's first two reports of the potentially deadly illness were announced, after Congress approved an $8.3 billion funding package to take on the illness.

The Coloradans in Congress sent a jointly signed letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Preparedness and Response about the outbreak and the needs for Colorado to prepare and respond.

"We are writing to request your full and fair consideration of requests by the State of Colorado to suspend the current application process and extend current contracts with the same funding levels for the following grants, so state public health professionals can focus on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response," the letter states.

"While we understand this request falls out of the traditional grant management protocols, this funding is critical for the State of Colorado's efforts to prepare for and fight the potential spread of COVID-19. We request that the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coordinate with the State of Colorado to ensure essential, robust, and swift funding."

Read the full letter by clicking here.

Individual lawmakers released statements, as well.

Sen. Michael Bennet:

"Earlier today, the Senate passed the bipartisan, bicameral emergency supplemental funding bill to respond to COVID-19, which includes at least $9.3 million for Colorado. The health and safety of every Coloradan remains my top priority and I am grateful to our state's health officials who have been working diligently to care for and protect our communities. My office is actively monitoring the situation and is working with Governor Polis, state and local officials, and Colorado's Congressional Delegation to ensure Colorado has the resources it needs to respond to and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Tonight, our thoughts are with the affected patients and their families. In the face of this public health crisis, I urge all Coloradans to heed the advice from public health officials when it comes to caring for their families and themselves."

Sen. Cory Gardner:

"Since the first reports of COVID-19 in the United States, I have been in close contact with local, state, and federal officials to ensure the state of Colorado is prepared for COVID-19, with two presumptive cases confirmed today. The Senate, with my support, approved $8.3 billion today for efforts to contain and combat the spread of COVID-19 and I will continue to work my colleagues in the Colorado congressional delegation and the Governor's office to provide necessary resources as we work together to address COVID-19."

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck

"In typical fashion, the House passed a spending package of $8.3 billion with vague plans about how the extra money would be spent," Buck tweeted Wednesday. "Throwing money at a problem without adequate forethought is not the answer."

He subsequently tweeted, "Since day 1, Democrats have politicized the coronavirus. The president's initial $2.5 billion request was a thoughtful proposal to address our coronavirus response needs."

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow:

Retweeted Gov. Jared Polis' Thursday afternoon announcement about a presumptive case in Summit County.

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette:

"Colorado may have its first case of coronavirus," she tweeted Thursday night. "A man from out of state who was visiting Summit County has tested presumptive positive. I am working closely with state officials to ensure CO has all the resources it needs to protect our communities."

Earlier Thursday, DeGette tweeted, "Ensuring our hospitals and laboratories have the tools they need to quickly and accurately diagnosis patients is essential to protecting public health."

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn:

"I am glad that Congress is taking the threat from the coronavirus seriously. Today, we came together and worked in a bipartisan manner to safeguard the well-being of our constituents. This bill will speed the development of vaccines, increase access to testing and treatments, and expand access to telemedicine services so that more people can see their doctor remotely. I will continue to monitor the situation closely and encourage everyone to visit CDC's website for regular updates."

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse:

"The spread of coronavirus into Colorado and into Summit County is understandably concerning. Although at this point these cases appear to be isolated incidents and unrelated, I am in close communication with state and medical officials who are well-prepared to respond to a possible outbreak. The safety and wellbeing of my constituents and your loved ones is of greatest importance to me and my staff and we are doing everything we can to collect and disseminate accurate information on detection, prevention and response. As with any public health crisis, I urge all Coloradans to seek accurate, validated information and heed the recommendations of local, state, and federal officials to protect themselves from the virus."

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter:

"I am closely monitoring the two confirmed cases in Colorado. Everyone should remain vigilant and continue to follow CDC guidelines for prevention," he said, retweeting Polis' announcement about Colorado's first suspected case.

U.S. Scott Tipton:

"As CO embraces two 'presumptive-positive' cases of COVID19, my staff and I have been in contact with hospitals and health centers across the district to make sure they are as prepared as possible for a worst-case scenario. I am glad to report the overall sentiment is positive," he tweeted Thursday night.

Tipton earlier tweeted, "I will keep fighting to ensure rural Coloradans have the resources needed should the outbreak worsen."