Date Time ASM Hails $1.75 Billion for Viral Sequencing in American Rescue Plan Act Passed by House The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) strongly supports provisions to bolster genomic surveillance and sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 included in H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act passed tonight by the House of Representatives. The inclusion of $1.75 billion for CDC’s Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) program, and related provisions to support public health infrastructure, training, and expand existing partnerships to conduct this work, is critical if we are to get ahead and stay ahead of the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. ASM also supports the additional resources included the bill for COVID-19 testing, for vaccine distribution and for research relief to grants funded by the National Science Foundation.