Rep. Granger says US needs to do more in fight against coronavirus

U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) said the federal government must strengthen its capacity to produce pharmaceuticals to fight the novel coronavirus.

“For years, I have fought to ensure that funds are available in case of a public health emergency, and I was assured the Administration has the resources to address the coronavirus and will let Congress know if additional funding is required. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and our national public health infrastructure are working exactly as they are supposed to,” Granger said.

But Granger, the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, voiced concerns about the approach to responding to the coronavirus, which originated in China in 2019.

“However, I am deeply concerned that it was reported that up to 90 percent of the ingredients the United States uses for pharmaceuticals originate from China. This is unacceptable, and we must strengthen our domestic capacity to produce these ingredients,” Granger said. “I will continue to work with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to ensure that funds are made available to address the coronavirus and that China’s dominance in the drug supply chain is met with a robust American response.”

There have been about 15 reported cases of the coronavirus in the United States, and there have been about 1,300 deaths in China from the virus.