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Costa Works to Ensure Everyone Who Wants a Vaccine Can Get One

March 6, 2021

(FRESNO) Congressman Jim Costa released the following statement after seeing firsthand federal government efforts to protect Americans from COVID-19 at a United Healthcare vaccination clinic at Hoover High School in Fresno, California. At the event, which was attended by educators and essential food and workers getting their first round of COVID-19 vaccinations, Rep. Costa talked about the recently passed American Rescue Plan:

"The American Rescue Plan is about hope for the future," said Costa. "It provides the resources needed to put money in the pockets of struggling Americans, children back in the classroom and people back to work. It also provides a robust national vaccination program that ensures every American who wants a vaccine can get one. This bill will help us crush the virus and get our economy moving again and I'm proud to support it."

"We take great pride in being the community leader in COVID-19 testing with over 90,000 COVID-19 tests performed last year alone. Now we are leading the effort to vaccinate our communities including over 150,000 patients of United Health Centers. Our staff are highly trained and experienced in testing and vaccinating as many as several hundred a day. Today we are administering the Moderna vaccine to employees of the Fresno Unified School District with vaccine shipments coming directly to us from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). UHC is one of 25 community organizations across the nation to receive the first of weekly vaccine shipments and one of only five locations in California." - Justin Preas, Deputy CEO of United Health Centers

The coordinated national vaccine program in the American Rescue Plan aims to:

  • Provide enough vaccines for all Americans through research, development, manufacturing, production, and purchase;
  • Distribute vaccines out to all Americans quickly and equitably through community vaccination centers;
  • Build confidence in vaccine and educate all Americans on when, where and how to get a shot.


The American Rescue plan, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and recently passed in the U.S. Senate, will also scale up testing and tracing, address shortages of personal protective equipment and other critical supplies, invest in high quality treatments, and address health care disparities. It also provides much-needed direct payments to individuals, extends small business assistance and helps local governments and schools recover from the impacts of the pandemic.