BOSTON - Federal stimulus money will be an important piece of efforts to get Massachusetts through the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate President Karen Spilka said Friday.

The Ashland Democrat, in an interview with Boston 25 News, said she’s been in close contact with the state’s Congressional delegation and is lobbying for support from the federal government.

“When there was the very big recession of 2009, ’10, ’11, the way that the state helped get through that time period was with a lot of federal stimulus dollars and strategically and targeted use of those dollars in the commonwealth,” Spilka said. “I believe that needs to happen again. This last round of federal stimulus did not include anything for the state or cities and towns.”

U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark and Joe Kennedy III have said that securing aid for state and local governments will be among their priorities in the next coronavirus relief package.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said state governments are seeking about $500 billion in federal funding, about the same amount as was separately requested by municipalities and counties.

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