U.S. Lawmakers From Both Parties Express Concern Over Trump Administration’s Response To Growing Coronavirus Threat

The Hill: Lawmakers raise alarms over Trump coronavirus response
“Lawmakers in both parties on Tuesday expressed growing alarm that the threat of coronavirus in the United States is serious, and that the Trump administration is not doing enough to fight it…” (Sullivan/Hellmann, 2/25).

The Hill: GOP chairman of Appropriations panel worries Trump ‘lowballing’ coronavirus funding request
“The GOP chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee said Tuesday he is concerned the Trump administration is ‘lowballing’ its request for emergency coronavirus funding and that he will recommend a ‘higher’ number. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said he has heard complaints that the $2.5 billion requested by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is not enough to prepare for a possible pandemic…” (Hellmann, 2/25).

POLITICO: Coronavirus triggers swift bipartisan backlash against Trump
“…The grim news and the angst on Capitol Hill is threatening to overwhelm the messaging from President Donald Trump and some of his aides, who have been trying to downplay the situation in hopes they can put a lid on the stock market tumble and cable news coverage of mounting deaths around the world. Trump’s advisers and political allies are increasingly concerned that a botched response could hurt the U.S. economy and put his reelection prospects at risk. Tuesday’s events showed the White House may need to come up with a new way to limit the damage…” (Roubein et al., 2/25).

Additional coverage of U.S. lawmakers’ response to the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak is available from FOX News, Global Biodefense, The Hill (2) (3), and Reuters.

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