Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, issued the following statement after United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the Biden-Harris Administration’s support for the temporary waiver of some Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) rules to accelerate the manufacturing and distribution of coronavirus vaccines:
“I commend the Biden-Harris Administration on today’s announcement in support of the temporary waiver of certain intellectual property rules in order to accelerate the delivery of much-needed coronavirus vaccines to people around the world. The coronavirus pandemic is a global crisis and requires global solutions. As we have watched the virus devastate countries around the world, it has become increasingly clear that our nation’s ability to fully emerge from this crisis is threatened by the spread of the virus elsewhere."
“Today’s announcement will not only help vulnerable populations in other countries, but it will protect all Americans from the risk of variants that threaten to undermine our recent success in administering vaccinations and reducing infections. Ensuring that our global partners have the tools they need to deliver safe and effective vaccines to people around the world as quickly as possible is crucial in order to save lives and bring the coronavirus pandemic to an end."
