Dem Sens Will Urge Trump To Declare National Emergency For Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 03: Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to the media following the weekly Democratic caucus luncheon where U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Health and Human Serv... WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 03: Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to the media following the weekly Democratic caucus luncheon where U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and members of the coronavirus task force briefed senators on March 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) will demand President Trump issue a national emergency declaration over the coronavirus outbreak, a Senate Democratic aide confirmed to TPM Wednesday.

The Democratic senators are preparing to send Trump a letter urging the national emergency declaration, Politico Playbook and CNN first reported Wednesday morning.

Politico noted that an emergency declaration for the coronavirus would permit FEMA to allocate $40 billion in the Disaster Relief Fund to state and local governments in their efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

TPM exclusively reported Tuesday on Washington state’s wish to apply for a Medicaid waiver that would allow the state to give residents more options for where they receive care — but such a move requires a national emergency declaration from the President in order to be enacted.

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  1. Avatar for noonm noonm says:

    There should be no need to demand as a competent adminstration would have declared an emergency at the first sign of non-travel related/community infection.

  2. Politico noted that an emergency declaration for the coronavirus would permit FEMA to allocate $40 billion in the Disaster Relief Fund to state and local governments in their efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

    Never happen: that’s $ 40 billion that won’t be spent on building the wall. Never happen.

  3. He will … in a month or so.

  4. Better late than never, I suppose.

  5. Asking for something totally contrary to Donnie’s self-serving instincts?? “Snowball’s chance in hell” comes to mind.

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