Policy
More than half a million medical supplies seized from price gougers to be redistributed
The federal government has seized hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment (PPE) from price gougers with the intent of redistributing them to frontline workers working amid the COVID-19 crisis in New York and New Jersey. The items -- which included around 192,000 N95 respirator... Read More »
Sen. Peters seeks answers from Trump officials on PPE shortage
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) is urging the Trump Administration to address the nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and emergency responders. In his home state, Peters cited the travails of the Detroit Police Department, which has had to quarantine... Read More »
Ohio receives thousands of medical supplies from Strategic National Stockpile, will not meet immediate or future needs
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) received its share of personal protective equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile in full this week, granting an equipment influx of hundreds of thousands to meet the threat of COVID-19. Ohio was among early requesters for additional equipment and its... Read More »
Food and Drug Administration, Department Health and Human Services seek COVID-19 treatment plans
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) is urging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of the Health and Human Services (HHS) officials to provide plans addressing COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. McCaul recently sought feedback from FDA Commissioner Stephan Hahn and HHS Secretary Alex Azar on... Read More »
Fire chiefs say more relief needed for firefighters during COVID-19 crisis
Leadership at the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) commended the $2.2 trillion relief bill signed by President Trump last week, stating more relief is still needed for firefighters and emergency workers. IAFC President, Fire Chief Gary Ludwig, said the CARES Act is a significant... Read More »
Sens. Menendez, Hirono urge increased public health preparedness program funding
A group of lawmakers recently pushed for increased funding for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program (PHEP) and Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) led 24 of their colleagues in forwarding correspondence to the Senate’s Subcommittee... Read More »
Sen. Menendez seeks greater support from health organizations
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is encouraging expanded regional and multilateral health organizations’ support as the global confrontation of the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Menendez, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently forwarded correspondence to Secretary of State... Read More »
HHS accepts 31 million doses of potential COVID-19 treatments in Strategic National Stockpile
The Strategic National Stockpile grew by 31 million doses of various medications this weekend, as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) took on donations that may, eventually, aid clinical trials or be used to treat those hospitalized with COVID-19. To be clear, none of those... Read More »
Reps. Yoho, Soto introduce bill to create national stockpile of personal protective equipment
U.S. Reps. Ted Yoho (R-FL) and Darren Soto (D-FL) introduced a bill to ensure the United States builds its stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE). The American-Made Protection for Healthcare Workers and First Responders Act will address the PPE shortage and build the national... Read More »
New REAL ID enforcement deadline established due to COVID-19 crisis
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials said the agency has extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline one year to Oct.1, 2021, in the wake of COVID-19. The extension is in accordance with directives from President Donald Trump, and DHS will publish a notice of the new deadline in the... Read More »
WHO Director-General presses G20 for unified response to fighting COVID-19 pandemic
The world is at war, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the G20 Leaders Summit this week, and every country needs to unite to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. “You have come together to confront the defining health crisis of our time: We are at war... Read More »
HHS implements Executive Order targeting medical supply hoarders
In a system severely taxed by the COVID-19 pandemic, hoarding of health and medical supplies has become a serious concern, and a new Executive Order, to be enforced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is now in effect to tackle that concern. “Today, we designated a set... Read More »
Rep. Katko introduces bill to address shortage of personal protective equipment
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) introduced a bill Wednesday to address the shortage of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other medical supplies. The Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act would require the president to use the authority invoked under the Defense Production Act to produce... Read More »
Lawmakers urge first responder COVID-19 support
A bipartisan group of lawmakers said they are seeking bolstered legislative support for first responders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) joined Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Peter King (R-NY), Mike Bost (R-IL), and over 100 of their... Read More »
HHS offers $100M in COVID-19 preparation aid for U.S. Healthcare Systems
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced this week that $100 million would be given to U.S. healthcare systems to help handle a continuing surge in COVID-19 patients at nationwide hospitals. The $100... Read More »
Illinois partners with manufacturing, biotech industries to procure medical supplies
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has formed partnerships with the manufacturing and biotech industries to increase the state's supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies to battle the coronavirus. The partnerships with the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) and the... Read More »
Rep. Thompson seeks more information on protective equipment from HHS
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) is seeking more information from Trump administration officials on the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical medical equipment and supplies available in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The Federal Emergency Management... Read More »
Infectious disease experts urge Defense Production Act to spur medical equipment production
Heads of various medical and infectious disease associations called on President Donald Trump to swiftly invoke the Defense Production Act and use it to force private industry to meet the current demands for medical supply and equipment production. As one, the presidents and chairs of the... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Murray seek report from Trump administration on COVID-19 response
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Patty Murray (D-WA) are calling on the Trump Administration to report to Congress on the federal government’s COVID-19 response. Specifically, they are seeking information about nationwide testing capacity, hospital bed space, personal protective equipment... Read More »
Measure seeks to strengthen US supply chain
A bipartisan group of senators recently baked a measure they said strengthens the nation’s supply chain. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Strengthening America’s Supply Chain and National Security Act as a means of building off the plan he released last month to address the nation’s... Read More »
Lawmakers implore total implementation of Defense Production Act
A group of lawmakers recently urged President Donald Trump to immediately implement all Defense Production Act (DPA) powers to expedite the production of needed materials during the coronavirus emergency. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently joined 18 of their... Read More »
FDA issues hand sanitizer manufacturing guidelines
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Friday two guidelines regarding the temporary manufacturing of certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer products in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are aware of significant supply disruptions for alcohol-based hand sanitizers,” FDA... Read More »
Bill targets expedited healthcare access, FDA approvals
A group of legislators introduced last week legislation designed to increase healthcare access while expediting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatments approved in other countries. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), James Lankford (R-OK), and Mike Braun (R-IN)... Read More »
Experts plead for COVID-19 response to be led by public health officials
While the preparations for COVID-19’s rapid spread through the United States have been widely noted as lacking, public health experts now are calling for public health officials -- not healthcare providers or politicians -- to take charge of the crisis and guide both the response to it and... Read More »
Washington state lawmakers seek Medicare, Medicaid COVID-19 waiver
A delegation of federal lawmakers representing the state of Washington is seeking a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMMS) national emergency waiver to aid in addressing COVID-19. The Senate and House of Representatives members have forwarded correspondence to CMMS Administrator Seema... Read More »
Air Force Chief of Staff addresses COVID-19 protections, mission fulfillment
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein recently provided insight into the branch’s COVID-19 protection efforts while also focusing on mission fulfillment and obligations. Goldfein indicated as of March 18, there have been seven confirmed coronavirus cases among active-duty personnel,... Read More »
Naval ship deployed to New York Harbor to serve as floating hospital
The USNS Comfort, a U.S. Navy ship, will be deployed to New York harbor to serve as a 1,000-bed hospital ship that will be used to treat coronavirus patients. The ship, due to arrive in April, will also have 12 fully-equipped operating rooms and increase New York's hospital surge... Read More »
Exclusive conversation with former Strategic National Stockpile director about the U.S. government’s COVID-19 response.
Listen to Homeland Preparedness News' discussion with Greg Burel, the former director of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The SNS' massive inventory of critical medical products and drugs are essential in dispatching lifesaving supplies to the nation's emergency responders on the front lines... Read More »
IDSA endorses Trump administration’s effort to slow spread of COVID-19
The measures announced by the Trump administration to control the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus have been endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and its HIV Medicine Association. IDSA officials said an “all-sector, all-society response” is essential to reducing... Read More »
Sen. Menendez advocates Defense Production Act be invoked
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is urging President Donald Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) as a means of accelerating COVID-19 national response, supply production and readiness. “In the midst of a pandemic, state and local governments should not be left on their own scrambling to... Read More »
Lawmakers seeking rural COVID-19 response coordination
Senate lawmakers are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to galvanize Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) efforts to enhance rural COVID-19 response coordination. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) joined 22 other legislators in... Read More »
Sen. Peters proposes legislation to remedy coronavirus testing shortages
Looking for solutions to the nationwide shortages of coronavirus testing, despite the ongoing pandemic, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) proposed legislation this week that would make testing free and rapidly distributed both to communities and health care providers. Calling on both the Trump... Read More »
Trump signs Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act into law
President Donald Trump signed into law the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, which is designed to help secure America’s telecommunications supply chain. The enactment of the bill was applauded by its sponsors, Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Greg Walden (R-OR), Doris Matsui... Read More »
Research firm offers assessment of Space Force
The research organization RAND Corporation recently offered an assessment of the Space Force’s role, determining most space activities in the Department of Defense should be moved into the new service. “Launching a Space Force offers the opportunity to increase U.S. military capability,... Read More »