To add to the many moving pieces in response to COVID-19, the Administration yesterday sent an emergency spending request to Congress to add another $45.8 billion to the FY2020 appropriations bills.
The request was officially made by the White House Office of Management and Budget yesterday. The request includes $50 million for the National Science Foundation to “support near real-time research at molecular, cellular, physiological and ecological levels to better understand coronavirus characteristics such as genetics, modes of action, transmission, virulence and population dynamics.” Funds would be distributed through NSF’s Rapid Response Research mechanism to “rapidly fund quick-response research related to
COVID-19.”