The federal government will fund the Texas National Guard until the end of 2020, covering the cost of deploying soldiers to fight COVID-19.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced the decision on Tuesday.

"The Texas National Guard plays a vital role in our response and recovery efforts, and I thank President Trump for extending this federal funding,” Abbott said in a news release. "The Lone Star State remains vigilant in our efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 and we will continue to work alongside our federal partners to keep Texans safe."

Abbott activated the Texas National Guard in March. Soldiers have provided assistance with COVID-19 testing, sanitized medical facilities and provided support to health care workers, among other tasks.