Letter to Vice President Mike Pence - Congressman Mo Brooks to Vice President Pence: Thanks for Stopping Giveaways of American Medical Supplies for Foreign Countries

Letter

Dear Vice President Pence:

It is our understanding that the White House Coronavirus Task Force has placed a moratorium on shipments of medical supplies to foreign nations from the stockpile maintained by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) while it undertakes a review of all U.S. aid procedures. We applaud this decision, and commend the Task Force for taking decisive action as it manages this once-in-a-century health crisis.

Our health care professionals are doing an admirable job caring for COVID-19 patients and preparing for the anticipated surge of future cases. However, many of our hospital systems currently lack adequate amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical equipment to protect our health care workers and treat our citizens who have been infected with COVID-19. Given that our current domestic stockpiles are rapidly diminishing, it is crucial that any PPE and medical equipment currently in the USAID stockpile that may be or are needed for use in the United States to combat COVID-19 not be sent overseas, but directed for domestic use.

As has been publicly reported, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States has exceeded 214,000, including over 5,000 deaths. We whole-heartedly agree with what you said yesterday: "These are not numbers, these are Americans. They are our loved ones and we are doing everything we can to keep them safe." Until we have the capacity to produce enough PPE and medical equipment to fill anticipated supply gaps in our health care system and to replenish our domestic stockpiles, we respectfully request that the Task Force continue its moratorium on shipments of government-owned medical supplies to foreign nations.

Sincerely,