Members of the Nevada National Guard install social distancing stickers while setting up a new temporary coronavirus testing site Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Las Vegas.
Gov. Steve Sisolak says the White House has denied Nevada’s request to have the federal government fully fund the state’s National Guard's ongoing COVID-19 response efforts through the end of the year.
He said as a result, Nevada will use coronavirus relief funding to pay the state share of the cost.
He said the rejection came after multiple requests to President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to cover the costs of community based testing, lab and logistical support, food distribution and staffing in the emergency operations center.
“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 out largest counties and devastating economic impacts as a result of this pandemic,” Sisolak said.
He called on Trump to reconsider the ruling and promised to advocate for more federal funding to support Nevada’s response efforts.
In recent months, the Nevada guard has established four community based sample collection sites, staffed 24 mobile sample collection teams in rural Nevada. Mobile teams have traveled to tribal communities across the state and has been instrumental in the state’s emergency response to the virus.
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