McGovern Announces Nearly $1.3 Million in Federal Funding for Coronavirus Testing in Greenfield and Worcester

Washington, May 12, 2020
Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, Family Health Center of Worcester, and Community Health Center Of Franklin County Receiving Federal Grants from CARES Act Passed by Congress

WORCESTER – Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, announced nearly $1.3 million dollars in new federal grants through the Expanding Capacity for Testing Program that was authorized by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which McGovern brought to the House Floor for a vote on March 27, 2020.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded health centers can use this funding to expand the range of testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their local communities. The money can be used to purchase protective equipment, train staff, procure and administer tests, and expand contact tracing of COVID-19 patients.

“As Massachusetts continues to expand our testing and contact tracing capabilities, it is critical that we provide our community health centers with the money they need to protect public health, said Congressman McGovern. “We cannot have a healthy economy without healthy workers and families. I’m glad we were able to overcome Republican opposition and get this important funding included in the CARES Act. The testing and tracing going on at our community health centers is absolutely critical and we must continue to support and empower them however we can.”

The total amount awarded through both grants is as follows:

Health Center

CARES Act Awards

Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center

$529,324

Community Health Center Of Franklin County

$222,589

Family Health Center of Worcester

$533,344

Total Funding Awarded in MA-02

$1,285,257

McGovern has pushed the Trump Administration to respond to the coronavirus crisis with the scale, scope, and urgency necessary to protect the health, safety, and economic welfare of the American people. He has helped introduce emergency legislation to prevent families from going hungry, demanded an end to the Trump Administration's attempts to cut food assistance, and called on Congress to prioritize nutrition assistance programs. He has secured personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers in Massachusetts, and helped secure $4.9 million dollars for COVID-19 relief in Central and Western Massachusetts. He successfully passed legislation creating a new investigative panel to make sure hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent on the small businesses and workers who need help because of the coronavirus, and he has come up with a plan to ensure that Congress can keep legislating on behalf of the American people during this crisis.