House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy visits Omaha, talks coronavirus and other topics

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy stopped in Omaha Saturday night for the Douglas County Republican Party fundraising dinner.

© Provided by KETV Omaha Rep. Kevin McCarthy visits Omaha

The congressman still had work on his mind. On his way to Omaha, he said he was working on a supplemental bill to add billions more dollars to the White House's emergency coronavirus funding.

"It's not just something America has to do. The entire world has to combat this," he said.

He said that years ago the Republican Party played a part in adding necessary funding if something like this happened.

"We increased the funding of the National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by almost 40 million dollars in the last five years. And something that we created: the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Fund," McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he spoke with President Trump about the need for a coronavirus cure on Friday.

"The number of scientists and researchers they have around them to help with this is, I think, one of the best team's we go. And remember, America has the very best healthcare. What we need to do is strive to find the vaccine for that," he said.

On the subject of healthcare, the GOP leader criticized Democratic Party frontrunner Bernie Sanders' 'Medicare for All.' McCarthy said taking away private insurance would cause a loss of jobs in Omaha.

"Not only would it harm our healthcare system, think of what it would do economically to Omaha. Devastation. Your home prices will go down because so many people are laid off," he said.

McCarthy was the special guest speaker for the fundraising dinner. Representative Don Bacon was also one of the guest speakers, including Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley, Senator Ben Sasse and Mayor Jean Stothert. Congressman Lee and Robyn Terry were honored at the event.

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