Topic: Covid 19 Funding

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged Congress to pass additional COVID-19 funding to prepare for future variants and research. The administration is blaming Republicans for funding delays that have left small businesses in the testing industry unreimbursed. Many businesses that scaled up testing operations are reportedly only receiving half of their expected government reimbursements, leading to financial distress.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that federal programs for COVID-19 testing, monoclonal antibodies, and antiviral treatments will be scaled back if Congress does not provide $22.5 billion in emergency funding. The administration claims that the lack of funding will leave the U.S. unprepared for future variants. Critics view this as a political setup to blame Republicans for any future resurgence of the virus after funding was stripped from a recent spending bill.