Issue Position: Coronavirus

Issue Position

So many of our neighbors are struggling--some with disease, some to make ends meet, but none are without worry and concerns. I am working to respond to individuals and small businesses to ensure access to needed resources.

I worked to provide significant support for our public health system and health care workers, including legislation approving $6.5 billion to develop vaccines, treatments, and cures. I continue working to prevent monopoly pricing for these life-saving pharmaceuticals developed at taxpayer expense. Here are just a few of my actions I took to respond to COVID-19, including before it was called a pandemic:

*Throughout January and February, as Trump falsely assured us that the federal government had coronavirus "under control," I urged stronger action. On February 13, I along with Rep. Castro contacted the CDC seeking information about the precautions being taken at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, where infected patients were being held. I was deeply concerned about the lack of communication or support from the federal government. The CDC failed to address these concerns, and erroneously allowed a patient who had tested positive to leave the base and enter the San Antonio community, putting residents in danger.
*On February 20, after HHS Secretary Azar refused to promise that a vaccine developed with taxpayer dollars would be widely accessible, my colleagues and I raised concerns about the affordability of a vaccine developed with the private sector. A week later, the administration reversed course and directed its teams to ensure that anything resulting from partnerships with the private sector would be made accessible.
*When it came to my attention that the Department of Commerce was encouraging the export of medical supplies that we knew would be in critically short supply in the case of an outbreak, I asked Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross for an explanation as to why these critical supplies were being exported when we would need them here in the United States.
*On February 26, Trump said, "we're testing everybody that we need to test. And we're finding very little problem." However, on March 5, Vice President Pence stated that the administration would not be able to deliver on a promise that FDA Commissioner Hahn made to Congress regarding coronavirus testing. I was alarmed by the administration's complete failure to ramp up testing as cases and deaths grew and knew Trump's statements were false. On March 6, I led a letter to FDA Commissioner Hahn requesting a more accurate timeline and estimates regarding urgently needed testing. That same day, I wrote Secretary Azar seeking estimates of the costs of coronavirus testing. I was concerned that tests developed with taxpayer dollars in public-private partnerships would be out of reach for many Americans and leave us all without the protection of widespread testing.
*On March 13, I led an effort urging Secretary Azar to establish a Special Enrollment Period for Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage. I knew that our ability to combat the coronavirus rested on our ability to provide care that tens of millions of Americans could not afford.
*Speaking to Governors on March 16, President Trump said, "respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment -- try getting it yourselves." I was disturbed by this lack of initiative and disregard for vulnerable States. On March 17, I joined colleagues asking about specific Department of Defense resources that had not been utilized in our coronavirus response, urging use of the Defense Production Act.
*On April 1, I urged Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Rettig to reconsider their decision not to send payments to Social Security and Supplemental beneficiaries automatically and instead require them to submit a tax return before receiving funds. Millions of beneficiaries do not normally file returns, which unnecessarily created a substantial delay for the most vulnerable Americans.
*On April 9, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and I urged Vice President Pence, Secretary Mnuchin, and Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Vought to act on troubling provisions in the coronavirus relief bill. These provisions sheltered large amounts of income and would reduce government revenue by almost two hundred billion dollars over ten years, constituting massive tax giveaways. Even more troubling is the fact that the provisions may have been designed to help Trump's businesses and those of his associates who have influence in the White House. We requested communications and analyses regarding these provisions in order to understand why the administration would have pushed for such provisions during a time when Americans are in need of financial support.
*After learning of widespread testing inaccuracies, Representative DeLauro and I sent FDA Commissioner Hahn a letter on April 9 asking for information about the FDA's response and policy aimed at ensuring test accuracy.
*On April 23, I urged Secretary of Education DeVos to help insure that students are able to continue seeking federal funds for college with the FAFSA, the Free Application for Student Aid. The economic recession triggered by the coronavirus is forcing millions of students to reevaluate their options, and the guidance we urged from the Department of Education will help them better navigate the challenging situation.
*When FDA Commissioner Hahn failed to respond to our April 9 inquiry, Congresswoman DeLauro and I followed up on April 29 in writing. We asked that the FDA revise its oversight policy regarding the manufacture of coronavirus testing. The FDA has ceded regulatory authority and decided to waive steps that ensure medical products on the market are safe and reliable, putting patients at risk and allowing faulty tests to stay on the market. We requested information regarding testing accuracy, the FDA's current oversight, and specific action plans to rectify inaction.
*In response to the Texas Workforce Commission's inability to address unemployment claims in a timely manner and deliver relief to desperate Texans, my Democratic colleagues from Texas and I urged Governor Abbott on April 28 to waive the two-week recertification requirement, which would make the system more efficient and provide for the more than 1.4 million Texans who have lost jobs due to the coronavirus.
*Again, Rep. DeLauro and I took steps to ensure the affordability of coronavirus drugs. On April 30 we urged HHS Secretary Azar to provide a breakdown of expenditures and sources of funding which the federal government has spent on the research and development of remdesivir, a possible new coronavirus treatment. We asked for transparency to ensure that a drug developed with taxpayer money would be available to everyone and better mitigate the spread of the virus.
*On May 4, I urged Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day to provide information regarding the production, distribution, and pricing of remdesivir, a possible new COVID-19 treatment. We pointed out that remdesivir would not have been developed without taxpayer dollars and sought information that will help us hold Gilead accountable and ensure that the treatment is available to all who need it.

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