ICYMI: More Money for PA-07, as Rep. Wild Announces Major Federal Contracts for Local Company

Statement

Washington D.C. -- Just last week, a $205 million contract was awarded by the Department of Defense to Bethlehem-based company OraSure Technologies, Inc. Wild helped facilitate critical meetings with senior federal officials for OraSure and has discussed the work of the company during congressional hearings. OraSure also received $13.6 million in funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority (BARDA) as part of the Department of Health and Human Services' investment in their rapid test.

"I'm thrilled to have helped OraSure navigate the federal procurement process so that they were able to secure these investments into the ground-breaking work being done right here in the Greater Lehigh Valley," said Rep. Wild. "The rapid tests OraSure created will help keep Americans safe and assist in the fight against COVID-19 but also create good-paying jobs for Pennsylvania workers. This contract is incredible news for my constituents and for anyone who cares about beating this pandemic once and for all."

"This contract is…meaningful to the Lehigh Valley at large," said OraSure CEO Stephen S. Tang said, "It will bring good-paying jobs to Bethlehem, a large number of them in South Bethlehem on the former site of Bethlehem Steel. We are proud to know that with this federal contract we are carrying on the tradition of building America and making it stronger."

OraSure's rapid self-test for COVID is a highly accurate test that an individual can take and quickly get a result from, like an at-home pregnancy test, rather than having to book an appointment, go to a public place, and wait for the result to come back from a lab.

Rep. Wild has engaged with OraSure throughout the pandemic, including a public conversation with Stephen S. Tang last August, and discussed their work with President Biden during his visit earlier this summer.

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