On Wednesday, the nine members of Colorado’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to request an extension of grant funding for a half dozen programs to enable Colorado’s response to coronavirus.

“While we understand this request falls out of the traditional grant management protocols, this funding is critical for the State of Colorado’s efforts to prepare for and fight the potential spread of COVID-19,” wrote the delegation, referring to the scientific designation for the novel coronavirus. “We request that the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coordinate with the State of Colorado to ensure essential, robust, and swift funding.”

CBS4 reported earlier this week that Gov. Jared Polis spoke with Vice President Mike Pence to request a “staffing surge” and to speed access to emergency preparedness grants.

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $8.3 billion in supplemental funding for research into potential vaccines and aid to states and localities. U.S. Rep. Ken Buck was one of the two representatives to vote no, accusing Democrats of having “politicized” the virus.

“In typical fashion, the House passed a spending package of $8.3 billion with vague plans about how the extra money would be spent,” Buck wrote on Twitter. “Throwing money at a problem without adequate forethought is not the answer.”