Above: New Bridge Medical Center’s new alternative care facilities built with federal resources from the bipartisan CARES Act.

On April 22, 2020, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined state and local leaders in visiting new alternative care facilities built at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, including the conversion of the Center’s gym into a 30-bed facility and a new 100-bed medical tent. This construction was made possible through federal resources from the bipartisan CARES Act rescue and relief package, which has been supporting North Jersey with hundreds of millions of dollars in direct relief. The construction of these alternative care facilities, which was coordinated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is to help create overflow room for patients battling the coronavirus at area health care facilities. New Bridge Medical Center is located in Bergen County, the hardest hit county in New Jersey, which has had more than 13,600 cases.

Gottheimer highlighted how federal resources from the CARES Act has been helping North Jersey’s health systems, their front-line medical workers, and first responders with PPE and additional resources; local businesses with grants and forgivable loans; and residents with direct relief payments and enhanced unemployment insurance. 

Gottheimer also highlighted the new bipartisan interim emergency package being considered in Congress this week to combat the economic and public health crises — the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.

“Here in North Jersey, we are one of the hardest hit areas in the entire country, and that’s putting great strain on our local health care systems, our communities, and our businesses and residents. The transformation of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, through the work of the Army Corps of Engineers to create space for more beds, shows the great progress that can be made when our federal partners, the state, and local facilities are all working together,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “I’ve been helping lead the fight to get more federal resources back to North Jersey, and this week Congress has come together around a bipartisan package that secures federal investment for small business relief, to help hospitals and health care workers, and for expanded coronavirus testing. I’m looking forward to voting on this important bipartisan bill in the coming days.”

The Senate passed this bipartisan legislation earlier this week and the House is expected to vote on it in the coming days.

Gottheimer continued, “Both our local businesses and hospitals, and the brave men and women who work there, are all hurting, and it is vital that the federal government step up to support them all — just like the great work that’s been done here at New Bridge Medical Center.”

The new bipartisan interim emergency package includes more than $300 billion for small businesses by strengthening the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), $75 billion to provide resources to the frontlines for hospitals and health care workers, including Personal Protective Equipment, and $25 billion for coronavirus testing, which is key to be able to eventually safely reopen our economy and recover.

Below: New Bridge Medical Center’s new alternative care facilities built with federal resources from the bipartisan CARES Act.

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