Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan asked the Trump administration to “weigh in” and ensure the states receive $500 billion in immediate fiscal assistance they say they need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor said in a statement.
Mr. Hogan, in his role as chair of the National Governors Association, held a teleconference with Vice President Mike Pence on Monday.
“As I have said from the very beginning, this is not a time for politics,” Mr. Hogan said in a statement. “I have spoke to the leaders of Congress in both parties about the need for this relief. We have asked the administration to weigh in so we can break this logjam in the Senate and get this done for the American people.”
On Saturday, Mr. Hogan, a Republican, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the association’s top Democrat, issued a joint statement calling for Congress to approve the $500 billion bailout.
The money would go toward state budget relief that, according to the governors, is crucial for a state-led fight against the pandemic and to help the “effort to get people back to work.”
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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