Washington D.C. -House Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued the following statement about President-elect Biden’s plan for the COVID-19 vaccinations.
“The COVID-19 vaccines are the key to ending this pandemic, saving lives, keeping at-risk populations healthy, and reopening America’s economy. Because of the medical breakthroughs made possible by Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the country can see the light at the end of a very long and challenging year. We need to keep building on OWS so people trust the vaccine and communities are equipped to vaccinate as many people as possible. While President-elect Biden needs to provide more critical details, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee will continue our efforts to ensure robust oversight as the administration implements its vaccine plan. Many of the incoming administration’s solutions-like activating pharmacies, increasing access points, and improving ways to reach vulnerable populations-are already underway by the current administration. I agree that work must continue. It’s also critical that the federal government keeps coordinating with state governors to implement proper guidelines that ramp up distribution. We cannot afford failures like in New York where unused vaccine doses were thrown away," said Rodgers.
“In addition, it’s vital we also take additional actions to bolster our pandemic response, further secure our supply chains, and prevent more deaths in this crisis, which include the deaths of despair related to suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol abuse. People need hope-hope that we never see a year like this again and their way of life will be restored. That’s why Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee will build on our bipartisan pandemic response efforts from the last Congress led by Congressman Richard Hudson, like strengthening the Strategic National Stockpile, addressing the COVID-19 health disparities, and doing more to fight the opioid and substance use disorder crises."
