Senator Lamar Alexander praised the action of The White House for requesting additional funding in response to the deadly coronavirus.
Senator Alexander, chairman of the U.S. Senate Health Committee, on Tuesday said, “Every year, Senator Blunt and Senator Murray fund the programs that ensure we are prepared to address public health emergencies, and this is the right way for the White House to request additional funding for a specific public health threat. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will work to make sure that the federal government has the resources it needs to respond to the coronavirus.
“The Administration is doing an excellent job of keeping Americans safe so far—10 days ago there were 14 infections and today there are 14 infections, plus the 39 Americans that were brought back from China and Japan, mostly from the cruise ship. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has taken the extraordinary action of quarantining Americans coming from certain locations affected by the outbreak for the first time in 50 years and is coordinating with state and local public health departments to help with the response.
“As Chairman of the Senate health committee, I will continue to work to make sure that the Administration is implementing the preparedness and response framework for emerging public health threats that Congress has already provided. Next Tuesday, the committee is holding a hearing to find out more about what the Administration is doing to prevent spread of the coronavirus and what steps have been taken to coordinate the federal response.”
He also said the Trump Administration and state and local health systems are “doing their job” to protect Americans against the coronavirus – a viral disease that was first detected in Wuhan, China – and asked U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about specific steps the Administration is taking to help control this public health threat.
“Looking around the world, there is reason to be alarmed. Ten days ago, for example, there were over 49,000 confirmed cases (of coronavirus) in the world. Today, there are over 79,000 confirmed cases in the world. But, now looking at home, we had 14 cases ten days ago and still have only 14 cases today, plus the 39 Americans that were brought back from China and Japan, mostly from the cruise ship. With this alarming situation in the world, what have you been doing right here at home?
“My guess is 20 years of preparation by Democrats and Republicans on this committee and Democrats and Republican presidents to be ready for pandemics, number one. Number two, it's the extraordinary public health system we have in this country, state and local, doing their job. And number three, the first and most aggressive quarantine requirements that have been done in 50 years.”