WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today Christian County, Kentucky received $58,008 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance. These federal resources, made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, will be used to assist the county’s coronavirus response efforts. Senator McConnell introduced the CARES Act, which became the largest economic rescue package in history, and led it to enactment in about a week.
The funding is part of DOJ’s Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program, which allows local governments to support efforts to control the spread of coronavirus. It can be used for overtime pay for first responders and medical professionals, to address the needs of local jails, as well as to purchase personal protection equipment such as masks, gloves, sanitizer, and other coronavirus-related priorities. Last week, Senator McConnell visited several hospitals across Kentucky to thank the healthcare workers on the frontlines of this virus.
“It was a privilege to personally thank Kentucky’s healthcare heroes for their efforts to defeat this virus. I’m proud my CARES Act continues to support Christian County’s coronavirus response,” said Senator McConnell. “Those on the frontlines of this pandemic, including our first responders, deserve our support and our gratitude. As Senate Majority Leader, I’m constantly working to deliver the resources to overcome the coronavirus crisis and begin to safely and smartly reopen Kentucky.”
To date, the Christian County community has received more than $2.5 million as a result of Senator McConnell’s CARES Act and his subsequent coronavirus response legislation. That funding includes $1.4 million for Hopkinsville Community College, $700,000 for testing and treatment at Pennyroyal Healthcare Service, and $500,000 for local housing programs.
Christian County Judge-Executive Steve Tribble thanked Senator McConnell for his help: “Christian County appreciates the $58,000 grant from the Department of Justice. We will use the funds to help with COVIID-19 related expenses such as purchasing PPE and for law enforcement related expenses at this time. Thank you for your help.”
Recently, Senator McConnell expressed his gratitude to members of the 531st Hospital Center stationed at Fort Campbell who returned home after supporting New York’s coronavirus response.
In April, he announced the Department of Defense agreed to his request to move forward with the new Fort Campbell Middle School. Senator McConnell secured nearly $63 million for construction of the school, but the funding was later delayed. He consistently pressed Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on the importance of this project to families of servicemembers stationed at Fort Campbell and urged him to restore the funding.
Last month, the Army announced it will move forward with building a long-sought Fort Campbell maintenance facility, which Senator McConnell secured funding for last year.
In addition to these federal funds, the CARES Act has had an $11 billion impact in Kentucky so far. Senator McConnell’s legislation has delivered $3.6 billion in relief to address urgent housing, transportation, healthcare, education and economic development priorities. His legislation also created the Paycheck Protection Program, which is helping more than 45,000 Kentucky small businesses access over $5 billion in loans to keep their lights on and employees on payroll. Kentucky families have also received more than $3.2 billion in Economic Impact Payments from the U.S. Treasury.
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