Murray, Schumer, Pelosi, Pallone Joint Statement On The Trump Administration’s Disappointing National Testing Strategy Report

Washington, D.C. – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor & Pensions, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released the following statement today after the Trump administration submitted a new report to Congress outlining their national testing strategy:

“After six months and nearly 100,000 lives lost, the Trump Administration still does not have a serious plan for increasing testing to stop the spread of the virus.

“This disappointing report confirms that President Trump’s national testing strategy is to deny the truth that there aren’t enough tests and supplies, reject responsibility and dump the burden onto the states.

“In this document, the Trump Administration again attempts to paint a rosy picture about testing while experts continue to warn the country is far short of what we need. We still need clear explanations for how targets were set, how they will be met, and what will be done if they are not. The Trump Administration still does not take any responsibility for ramping up our nation’s testing capacity, instead pushing the burden onto the states — forcing states to compete with each other to procure vital supplies to administer tests from the private market.

“To reopen our economy safely, we need testing to be free, accurate, reliable, and accompanied by tools like contact tracing so we can slow the spread of the virus and prevent outbreaks.  Senator McConnell must stop obstructing the House-passed Heroes Act, which would deliver a clear strategy and $75 billion for the testing and contact tracing necessary to stop the spread of this vicious virus.

“We will continue to hold the president’s feet to the fire, and we are going to push Republicans in Congress to join us in demanding the accountability, transparency, action, and leadership the American people deserve from their president.”