Schatz: Hawai‘i Receiving At Least $21.3 Million To Boost COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing
$16.3 Million For Testing In Hawai‘i Included In Latest Funding Package Passed By Senate This Week; $5 Million From CDC Through CARES Act
HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i will receive at least $21.3 million in new federal funding to support the state’s testing capacity, including for the research, development, validation, manufacturing, purchasing, and administration of tests and testing supplies.
“The only way we can begin to reopen our economy is by ramping up testing,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This new federal funding will give Hawai‘i additional resources to test more people for COVID-19, conduct contact tracing, and help stop the spread in our state.”
Hawai‘i will receive at least $16.3 million specifically for testing through the new $500 billion coronavirus relief package passed by the Senate on Tuesday. The bill is expected to pass the House of Representatives later today.
Today, Hawai‘i is also receiving $5 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This funding was provided by the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law in March.
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