Schumer and Gillibrand announce $16M in upstate coronavirus funding, Tonko points to potential $1B more

WASHINGTON (NEWS10) — Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced nearly $17 million in emergency federal funding for coronavirus testing in upstate New York on Wednesday, and Rep. Paul Tonko identified $1.3 billion in the House’s proposed Heroes Act that would be earmarked for the region.

The $16,790,380 announced by Schumer and Gillibrand will expand testing capacity for health centers, and comes from the Department of Health and Human Services. Of that total, $2,241,012 will support programs in the greater Capital Region:

On the other hand, Tonko’s funding is only potential, included as part of a proposed $3 trillion House bailout bill that Republicans have signaled they will not back.

Referred to as the Heroes Act, the bill includes funding for first responder pay, relief for workers and families, and also provides for expanded testing, contact tracing, and treatment. Unlike the funding announced by Schumer and Gillibrand, which goes toward health care organizations, Tonko focuses on funding that would go toward local governments.

Tonko says nearly $50 billion would fund counties and municipalities throughout the state, while $1.3 billion would head to the five upstate counties in his district: Albany, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Montgomery.

A Wednesday press release from Tonko did not cover what might be apportioned to Greene, Columbia, Fulton, Warren, and Washington Counties under the Heroes Act.