HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has requested that the National Guard be allowed to continue supporting the state’s coronavirus response efforts through the middle of next year.
The governor, in a letter to President Donald Trump, also requests that the federal government pick up 100% of the cost of using those troops. The current authorization is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31.
“Between constructing mobile field hospitals, delivering PPE, supporting the needs of nursing homes, and assisting the operations of testing sites, the Connecticut National Guard has been a critical component of our state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Governor Lamont said. “And it must also be noted that the Guard’s support goes beyond assistance to state government – this authorization means it can provide assistance to our towns, cities, and health care providers to help protect our communities. I thank the Guard for its commitment to the citizens of Connecticut and the impact they’ve made here.”
More than 1,000 members of the Guard have been deployed in Connecticut during the pandemic, performing tasks such as setting up field hospitals, distributing personal protective equipment, assisting in nursing home inspections, and helping to run COVID-19 testing sites.
Read the letter from Lamont to President Trump:
