Alexander Statement on Administration Witnesses for Upcoming Hearing “COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School”

Alexander Statement on Administration Witnesses for Upcoming Hearing “COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School”

MARYVILLE, Tenn., May 9, 2020 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement regarding the upcoming committee hearing “COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School,” scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.

“After working with the Trump Administration, the Senate health committee scheduled a hearing with four Administration witnesses on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. We recently received news that two of our witnesses, Dr. Stephen Hahn and Dr. Robert Redfield, have self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution after being exposed to COVID-19.

“I asked the White House to allow Dr. Hahn and Dr. Redfield to testify by videoconference at this important hearing which is less than three days away. I am grateful that White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, approved a one-time exception to the Administration’s policies about hearings, and has agreed that Dr. Hahn and Dr. Redfield will testify at this hearing by videoconference due to these unusual circumstances.”

Background:

The hearing is an opportunity for senators to hear an update from officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about what federal, state and local governments are doing to help Americans go back to work and back to school as rapidly and safely as possible.

Witnesses:

•            Dr. Anthony Fauci— NIH

•            Dr. Robert Redfield — CDC

•            Dr. Brett Giroir — HHS

•            Dr. Stephen Hahn — FDA

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