Billions from FEMA: Chuck

The feds’ declaration of New York as a “major disaster area” eligible for “emergency protective measures” must bring a speedy influx of government cash, Sen. Chuck Schumer urged Saturday.

“FEMA needs to get to work NOW to open these MANY billions in direct aid for New York and individuals to help save lives and protect public health,” the New York Democrat tweeted.

New York, with more than 10,000 confirmed cases, has more coronavirus sufferers than any other state — with more than 8,000 in the city alone.

According to a statement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, money for “emergency protective measures” would be available for state, local and tribal governments — along with certain nonprofit organizations.

President Trump mentioned the New York emergency declaration Saturday, and said a similar declaration may soon be made for California.

Elsewhere in Washington, lawmakers continued talks on an economic recovery package that Trump said could end up costing $2 trillion.

Trump said lawmakers were “getting very close” to enacting a bipartisan coronavirus economic stimulus package that would include $1.3 trillion to $1.4 trillion in direct spending and about $600 billion in loans that would have to be paid back.

He praised both Republicans and Democrats and lauded a spirit of “solidarity” in the U.S. “We had the greatest economy in the history of the world,” Trump said. “We can be back very, very quickly.”

Also during his news conference, Trump reiterated his recent boasts of the government’s “tremendous response” to the pandemic. “We’ve had a tremendous response in the federal government,” he said. “We’re working very hard.”

Nearly 200,000 Americans have completed testing for coronavirus, officials said.

Vice President Pence said he and his wife would be tested for coronavirus after a staffer in his office tested positive.

Both tests came back negative on Saturday night.

Trump also repeated his claim that the pandemic was totally unexpected despite reports that he received dire warnings about the impact as early as January.

“The magnitude is something that no matter who you were, where you come from, nobody ever thought a thing like this could happen,” Trump said. A Washington Post story that outlined the warnings was “a disgrace,” the president said.