U.S. SENATE —Yesterday, at a U.S. Senate Finance Hearing with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Senator Steve Daines stressed the need to end the nation’s reliance on China and other nations and bring critical life-saving drugs and medical supply equipment jobs back to the U.S.
Click HERE for the full clip.
“It’s long overdue we end our reliance on China to produce our medical supply equipment like PPE as well as life-saving drugs. Over 70 percent of our personal protective equipment and over one third of our antibiotics are imported from China. Being dependent on China is a threat to our national health and national security. America will be safer and America will be stronger when we bring our pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing supply chains and those jobs back to America.” Daines said.
Daines also asked the FDA on how the agency can strengthen the U.S. medical supply chain as well as the best way to ensure China remains in compliance when it comes to the exporting of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to America and elsewhere around the globe.
Background:
On May 6th, 2020, Daines introduced legislation that would authorize the president to sanction foreign officials who suppress or distort information about international public health crises, including China for the cover up of the coronavirus pandemic.
On May 4th, 2020, Daines he is pushing legislation to end the United States’ reliance on China for drug and medical equipment manufacturing and bring those jobs back to the United States.
On April 10th, 2020, Daines sent a letter to President Trump urging him to end the U.S. government’s reliance on medical supplies and equipment from China and bring back drug manufacturing jobs to America in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 3rd, 2020, Daines sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to work with our allies around the world and fully investigate China’s response to the emergence of the virus causing COVID-19.
Daines has been leading the efforts in Congress to respond to the coronavirus outbreak impacting the country. To read about Daines’ COVID-19 related efforts, click HERE.