WASHINGTON, D.C. – $315 million in federal funds will be awarded to the state of Michigan to expand its coronavirus testing operations, Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced this week. Peters and Stabenow were able to secure the funding as part of a $25 billion testing package for Michigan they fought to be included in the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. The senators helped enact the act last month.

“We know that dramatically expanding testing capabilities is a necessary step towards reopening the economy in Michigan and across the country,” Peters said. Peters is also the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “That’s why Senator Stabenow and I fought to ensure the final bill was heavily improved to include funding for testing.

“This will help prevent the spread of this devastating virus so workers, families and small businesses can all work toward a new normal in a safe and healthy way. Ultimately, however, we still have not seen a thorough plan to ramp up widespread testing on the federal level and I urge the Trump Administration to work with Congress on ways to prioritize increased testing moving forward.”

“Widespread testing is absolutely critical to keeping us and our loved ones safe as we reopen our economy,” Stabenow said. “I fought for this funding in the last COVID-19 bill so that Michigan could expand its testing capabilities. This is a good start, but the administration must provide more funding so that our state can safely reopen its economy, get people back to work and limit the spread of COVID-19.”

The $25 billion Peters and Stabenow secured in the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act includes $11 billion going to federal testing funds for individual states and $14 billion going to federal agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This funding will support research, development and deployment of tests.