To Combat Coronavirus, Cornyn, Cruz Urge FEMA, SBA to Coordinate With State, Local Officials

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release:

Following President Trump's national emergency declaration, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent him a letter urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to work closely with State of Texas emergency management officials and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to increase awareness of the many financial tools available to assist Texans experiencing the economic impact of the coronavirus.

They wrote: "We commend your decision to declare a national emergency under the authority of the Stafford Act, which will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide disaster medical assistance teams, mobile hospitals, military transport, and other forms of assistance to areas most affected by COVID-19."

"We urge FEMA to work hand-in-hand with state emergency management officials and other state institutions to allocate FEMA resources efficiently and effectively. Only by working together can federal, state, and local leaders stop the spread of the virus."

You can view the signed letter here, and text is below.

The Honorable Donald Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D.C. 20500

Mr. President:

We thank you and your administration for working closely with state governors as they combat the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19. Governor Abbott has demonstrated strong leadership by declaring a State of Disaster in Texas. This declaration will allow the state government to bypass certain regulatory burdens and expedite the distribution of critical resources to local communities who are on the front line of the outbreak.

We commend your decision to declare a national emergency under the authority of the Stafford Act, which will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide disaster medical assistance teams, mobile hospitals, military transport, and other forms of assistance to areas most affected by COVID-19. We urge FEMA to work hand-in-hand with state emergency management officials and other state institutions to allocate FEMA resources efficiently and effectively. Only by working together can federal, state, and local leaders stop the spread of the virus.

As you are aware, this outbreak has also had a significant impact on the business community. We were encouraged by the Small Business Administration's (SBA) commitment to work with state governors to provide low-interest loans to small businesses that are struggling to make ends meet. SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans are a critical tool for small businesses, the backbone of our economy, during times of crisis. We encourage SBA to work with state and local officials to increase awareness of the many financial tools your administration and Congress has made available to small business owners and their employees in response to COVID-19.

Thousands of public officials across the state of Texas stand ready and able to combat the spread of the virus alongside FEMA, SBA, and all other federal agencies. We thank you for your continued leadership in mobilizing the full inventory of federal resources to combat COVID-19, and we look forward to working with our colleagues in Congress to address the needs of our country during this time.