Rep. Carson Statement on COVID-19

Statement

Congressman André Carson released the following statement on the U.S government's response to the outbreak of COVID-19, otherwise known as the Coronavirus.

"The outbreak of COVID-19 presents an unprecedented global public health emergency. All Hoosiers, and all Americans, should not panic, but be vigilant and practice common-sense preventive measures. This includes frequent hand washing and staying home when sick. However, all of us should be deeply concerned by this Administration's response so far to the outbreak of this virus. Since his first days in office, the President has worked to weaken our nation's health care infrastructure and rip coverage from millions through efforts to destroy the Affordable Care Act. The Trump Administration has left critical positions vacant, including those in charge of managing pandemics at the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, his current budget proposal slashes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's funding by nearly 20% at a time when it's vital for this agency to remain strong and well-funded to keep Americans safe.

"Additionally, I hope Vice President Pence learned from his previous mistakes responding to our state's avoidable spike in HIV infections that occurred when he was Governor. As he takes the helm leading our nation's efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, I urge him to heed the advice of our nation's top public health experts and local officials.

"We absolutely cannot let partisan politics prevent us from swiftly and effectively protecting everyone from this virus. I encourage all Americans to do their part to stop this epidemic and stay updated on important developments at CDC.gov."

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