Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) has forwarded correspondence to President Donald Trump advocating for the full restoration of federal funding for the National Guard’s COVID-19 response efforts.
Bustos said the funding allotment is slated to expire at the end of the year.
“With the confirmed case count growing exponentially across the nation and the activation of National Guard deployment set to expire at the end of the year, I am once again calling on the Trump Administration to immediately restore funding to support our National Guard in full – to protect the health of our people and the health of our nation,” Bustos wrote.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Guard has been deployed nationwide to assist with public health responses. Earlier in the year, the Trump administration covered 100 percent of the associated costs for deployment.
In August, states were informed the federal government would no longer cover the full costs, forcing many states and territories to cover 25 percent of National Guard deployment while exceptions were made for Florida, Texas, Arizona, Connecticut, and California.
“You alone have the power to extend the current Title 32 authorization, and you have the power to restore the 100 percent federal cost-share covered by your original Title 32 authorization,” Bustos said. “Time is running out. Forcing governors to sit and wait over a three-week delay between your Administration and the next will inflict unnecessary, easily avoidable suffering. You must restore 100 percent federally-funded Title 32 National Guard support now.”