Bill seeks to bolster supply of personal protective equipment

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) recently introduced a measure designed to increase the nation’s supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies.

The COVID-19 Emergency Manufacturing Act authorizes the federal government to manufacture medical products, including by contracting with existing manufacturers, to ensure the nation has an adequate supply of critical materials to avoid rationing during the pandemic.

“We need to radically increase our supply of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies to attack the coronavirus crisis head-on,” said Warren, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. “We have an Administration that is failing to lead and failing to ensure health care providers and patients have the resources they need.”

She said the bill would produce the equipment and supplies that Americans are counting on and need to be included in the next relief package.

Schakowsky said the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for health care workers, long-term care residents, and families nationwide.

“Our COVID-19 Emergency Manufacturing Act will ensure we’re not held hostage by the private sector,” said Schakowsky, chair of the Energy and Commerce Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee. “We must include this bill in the next relief package so that the United States can rapidly develop these critical supplies and be ready to ramp up our pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity when a vaccine is discovered.”