Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs votes against coronavirus funding
Mar 5, 2020, 11:01 AM | Updated: 12:53 pm
U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona. (AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX – Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona said Thursday he voted against Congress’ $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus package because the plan became politicized and bloated.
Biggs and Ken Buck, a Republican from Colorado, were the only no votes in the House; 415 colleagues voted yes Wednesday.
The bill, “isn’t designed to address the immediate needs,” Biggs told KTAR News 92.3 FM and “is not straight up for coronavirus.”
In a statement issued after the vote, Biggs called the bill “bloated” and “larded-up.”
The Senate passed the bill Thursday by a 96-1 vote and sent it to President Donald Trump’s desk, with only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., joining Biggs and Buck in opposition.
The White House asked for $2.5 billion to spend on a plan to deal with the global virus that has now caused the death of more than 10 in the U.S.
“… We could have given them the $2.5 billion last week when (Democrats) asked for it,” Biggs told KTAR News. “And if they needed additional funding or money we could have voted on it.”
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The legislation would provide federal public health agencies money for vaccine development, tests, and potential treatments, including $300 million to deliver such drugs to those who need it.
The federal Health and Human Services department pledged $500,000 to Arizona’s effort to fight the outbreak.
The state has had two cases of the virus – one confirmed and the other a confirmed presumptive case. Both patients have been in Maricopa County.
More than $2 billion would go to help federal, state and local governments prepare for and respond to the coronavirus threat.
An additional $1.3 billion would be used to help fight the virus overseas.
“They don’t need $8.3 billion … they will not be able to spend the $2.5 billion even within the next six months,” Biggs said.
The second-term congressman from Gilbert added that there was no plan to pay for the proposal.
The Trump administration, Biggs said, “had a plan and we knew where we were getting the money from out multi-trillon dollar budget.”
Lawmakers are briefed by experts daily, he said.
“Believe me, I’m in a coronavirus hearing now.”
Biggs said elected officials were taking the virus threat seriously, but tripling the budget didn’t have to happen.
“Basically, they throw a bunch of money at it to say, ‘We’ve taken care of it.'”
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
