Wuhan province overseas with suspected exposure. From the first evacuees from china to more than 120 passengers from the diamond princess cruise ship, to those who will soon arrive from the grand princess cruise ship, the big dedicated healthcare prices have been hitting on all sorts. So far Lackland Air Force base has been used according to hundred 35 evacuees with hundreds more to arrive in the coming days. I must say they have done a a d job of w managing this rapidly evolving situation, but thats not to say there havent been challenges. Of a few weeks ago i organize a meeting with officials from the city of san antonio including the mayor and two City Council Persons as was the department of health and Human Services and the Defense Department to discuss the ongoing mission, and any concerns that the city might have. Anytime officials at every level of government are working together, whether its in response to a Natural Disaster or Public Health emergency, coordination is the key. Youve got to make sure everybody is operating on the same page and regularly sharing information come something that was a challenge in the beginning and remains a challenge today. At one point were able to get everybody in same room to discuss not only the response to the virus but the steps to be taken to protect the general public in the surrounding area. Of course that work doesnt start and end at lackland and san antonio. Hospitals around the state are facing a great deal of pressure and uncertainty surrounding the virus, and working to ensure that they are prepared to True Potential coronavirus patients without impacting the normal operations is an urgent concern. Last week i helped organize a Conference Call with the Texas Hospital Association and officials from health and Human Services in the Texas Department of state Health Services to discuss some of the issues of concern to hospitals serving on the front line all across our state. There have been a lot of news stories about the shortage of masks and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and subsequent price gouging, and thats a a big concern for these hospitals. Many would serve rural populations. As i i told folks on that call, communication in the situation is critical. It seems obvious but not done unless you insist upon it. I was particularly glad to hear personally their concerns we can make sure we are doing whats needed on our end here in washington, d. C. To support them. I appreciate texts incredible Healthcare Professionals who have been working to treat patients in their care and prevent the coronavirus from spreading to the general public. The city of san antonio i had to single out in particular has been carrying the weight of the struggle for as number of weeks now and its, quite a significant cost to city taxpayers. Wortley, the president signed last week and 8. 3 billion funding bill to support our nations responds to the coronavirus. He will send vital funding to treating and preventing the spread of the virus, including the purchase of masks and personal protective equipment, as well as supporting the development of a vaccine. But to the point, the funding bill will also include money for state and local communities, including san antonio which have been at the forefront of the battle at home. That0 makes 950 million available for reimbursement for costs taxes and other states have incurred while monitoring and treating these individuals. And at the start of the process to repay san antonio for the work that theyve done to help our nation mitigate the impact of the coronavirus. I appreciate chairman shelby and Ranking Member leahy for including this reimbursement of legislation working so closely with all of us to get to relief on the way as soon as possible. Over the last couple of days weve witnessed the Ripple Effect that the coronavirus threat has had on the markets, and the next big question on everyones mind is how this virus will impact the economy. Yesterday, we had the opportunity to discuss potential options with President Trump and Vice President pence and secretary mnuchin, and will continue to work to identify the best path forward. Unfortunately, there doesnt seem to be a bipartisan effort to try to reach a consensus, something we need. One of her democratic colleagues suggested that the best way to prevent economic damage is to stop the spread of the virus. Well, i cant argue with that logic, but alas that senator know something that the rest of us dont know, thats not exactly a productive use of our time. We know we need to stop the virus, but we also need to deal with the economic fallout as well. Well, when we were in position in 2014 with the ebola crisis, we didnt hear a lot of griping about what president obama was doing. We found ways to work with him for the betterment of our communities and the country. And so i would hope that at the time when were confronting this threat, that we can Work Together. That includes the speaker and the minority leader here, all of us together to try to solve this problem. Its not a time to play politics. Its a time for us to Work Together in the nations interest. Keeping the American People safe and healthy and keeping our economy strong should be a shared bipartisan goal. I hope our colleagues, all of our colleagues will keep j thatn my just as we did when we worked with president obama in 2014. While the American People are rightly taking precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones, its important to remember theres a reason to panic. Preparation, yes. Panic, no. The leaders at the centers for Disease Control and the department of health and Human Services continued when all of us that the risk for the average american remains low, and the best defense against the virus is to use the same personal hygiene practices that are mother taught us when we were young. To help communicate o what those practices are as well as other information can office has created a unique webpage on my official website, cornyn. Senate. Gov. This will serve as the platform to provide information all texans with questions about the virus, and maybe, maybe of interest to anybody who is concerned about what the government is doing to deal with the virus. So if you are looking for information how to prevent the spread, what congress is doing to help, where you can find the latest number of cases in texas, we have compiled all the relevant links in one place. I know i speak a map of all texans when ial think the dedice Healthcare Professionals around the state h and around the natin for providing the highest quality care for people who come down with the virus. Im grateful for everyone who is unified in this fight and who are working to stop the spread of the virus, and ultimately develop a vaccine. On one final note that we just a word about my friend and colleague, senator cruz. Over the weekend he announced that he wouldom self quarantine after coming into contact with someone who was later determined to have the coronavirus. I want to thank him for having the courage to step forward and to do what any one of us should do if we are exposed to somebody with the coronavirus. We know to monitor health, make sure we dont spread to others and to seek care from a healthcare professional should we begin to come down with worrisome symptoms. This is a great reminder for all americans to take this potential risk seriously and that we should all be joined together to do everything we can to keep our communities safe and healthy