Rep. Brown: Maryland Delegation Helps Secure Major Disaster Declaration, Unlocking Additional Federal Resources to Fight COVID-19

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Maryland, issued the following news release:

The full Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, announced Saturday that the federal government will be covering the full cost of deployment of the Maryland National Guard in support of public health and safety during the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Team Maryland has been united in assuring critical federal resources are available for the state and local governments during this public health crisis.

"The Maryland National Guard forms a crucial part of the State's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Guard will perform humanitarian missions across the state, such as helping mobile screening facilities, distributing food and medical supplies, ensuring resilience of supply lines, disinfecting public spaces, and supporting public safety when required. It is appropriate that FEMA fully reimburse DOD for these and related costs," the delegation wrote to the president Thursday, imploring quick approval of the support for the Maryland National Guard.

In addition to relieving the financial burden on the state, this will allow Maryland National Guard service members to get access to Tricare medical coverage, military hospital facilities, federal workers' compensation, death gratuity, GI Bill accrual, and retirement points for service.

The full letter to President Donald Trump is available at this link (https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.cardin.senate.gov_download_maryland-2Dnational-2Dguard-2Dfull-2Dreimbursement-2Dletter-2Dto-2Dpotus&d=DwMFAg&c=L93KkjKsAC98uTvC4KvQDdTDRzAeWDDRmG6S3YXllH0&r=fm4cnUTiSwLux7xd48OMy8e-hd68YuSXPufU305EVpM&m=Bj4N_180jJ8e4zom9edNKEX5QtghEpNmw1F-ADU2Yqk&s=dsvPpxjZU1c5PVZMF2G8lHtkmG7Q4ShKWGOFiDntA2M&e=).