Lujan Questions Witnesses on Trump Administration's Failed Response to COVID-19

Press Release

Today, U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) participated in an Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on how the Trump administration ignored repeated warnings from the medical and scientific community on the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic -- including Personal Protective Equipment shortages.

Assistant Speaker Luján questioned Dr. Richard Bright, the former Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) who was removed from the position after raising concerns over President Trump's promotion of malaria drugs as a treatment for COVID-19 despite a lack of supporting evidence. Luján noted parts of Dr. Bright's whistleblower complaint that describe the mounting political pressures for BARDA to make these drugs widely available to the public at the behest of the White House despite safety liabilities.

Luján also questioned Mike Bowen, an executive for an American face mask manufacturing company who offered to help the federal government procure face masks and warned government officials of a global face mask supply shortage as early as January. As noted by Luján, the Trump administration's failure to distribute PPE where it was needed led to states competing against each other for critically-needed medical supplies.

"We must put science before politics to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It's clear that President Trump has repeatedly undercut and sidelined public health officials, including by promoting unsafe and unproven treatments for COVID-19. I also remain concerned that the Trump administration's lack of a national strategy will continue putting lives at risk and jeopardizing the paychecks of millions," said Luján. "The White House first ignored warnings of the COVID-19 pandemic and possible shortages and then failed to provide adequate support for states across the nation. It's a failure that did not need to happen."

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