CARSON CITY, Nev. – Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak blasted President Donald Trump for denying the Nevada’s request for the federal government to fully fund the Nevada National Guard’s COVID-19 response efforts through the end of 2020.
“Since the Guard’s activation in early April, federal Title 32 funding covered 100 percent of the related costs. In early August, the White House officially announced the federal government would fund 75 percent of the Nevada National Guard through December 31,” Sisolak said. “Since then, President Trump has approved full funding of National Guard duties in five states to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
“As a result of the President’s decision, Nevada will use Coronavirus Relief Funds to cover the State’s share of the cost burden to keep the Nevada National Guard activated through the end of December.”
The governor said his office made multiple requests to the White House to fully fund the Guard. Apparently yesterday, though, the Governor’s Office was informed the White House would not approve the request.
“There is no rational justification for providing some states full federal funding for the Guard and denying a state like Nevada, which is still facing an increased transmission risk in our largest counties and devastating economic impacts as a result of this pandemic,” Sisolak said. “The Nevada National Guard has led our State in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be critical to the success of our recovery efforts going forward. I am disappointed in the President’s decision and urge him to reconsider based on Nevada’s current situation. As Governor, I will continue to advocate to bring in more federal funds to help Nevada’s ongoing response efforts.”
The Nevada National Guard’s coronavirus response marks the largest state activation in history, he added. Its work includes four community sample collection sites and staffing 24 mobile sample collection teams around rural Nevada.
Ten of the mobile teams traveled to Indigenous communities throughout the state, and Guard soldiers and airmen maintained the state’s strategic stockpile and warehouses.
“The Guard has been instrumental in Nevada’s emergency response to COVID-19,” Sisolak said.
