Why it matters: The deal comes after the White House had sounded the alarm about insufficient funding to prevent future pandemics and COVID outbreaks, although it is still a long way from what top Democrats say is needed. Details: All $ 10 billion in funding goes to services within the Department of Health and Human Services and is offset by unspent COVID assistance funds, according to a outline by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Sumer.
$ 9.25 billion goes to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, the service that oversees vaccines, treatments and tests. At least $ 5 billion of that must be spent on treatment. The other $ 750 million is earmarked for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to research, develop and build vaccines for future COVID variants.
What is not included in the bill is the $ 5 billion funding that Democrats hoped to include to boost the distribution of COVID vaccines in other countries. What they say: Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah), the Republicans’ chief negotiator, said in a statement that the legislation “deserves broad bipartisan support.”
“While this agreement does not include funding for the US Global Vaccination Program, I look forward to exploring a financially viable solution to support global efforts in the coming weeks,” Romney added. Sumer similarly said he would work to include this funding in “separate legislation”, but added that both chambers would have to “act quickly” to get the deal through. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) Said he was “deeply disappointed” by the lack of global vaccine funding, which he described as “short-sighted”, “a serious mistake” and “financially stupid”. He added, however, that “I intend to vote in favor of this bill.”
