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In an incredible testament to American innovation and ingenuity, we now have a vaccine for COVID-19 that is headed to every state. President Trump and the administration’s Operation Warp Speed backed our brightest scientists, and they developed, tested and produced a safe and effective vaccine in record time. It’s encouraging to see some light at the end of a very long year.
This is the season of giving, and many of us have an opportunity to personally give back to those recovering from COVID-19. Blood donations have plummeted during the pandemic, and the Arkansas Blood Institute (ABI) is in desperate need of donations, especially convalescent plasma to save the lives of those in critical condition due to COVID-19.
Democrats and many media outlets are claiming that Republicans do not have a health care plan. This is unequivocally false. We have a solution, a bill with more than 500 pages of legislative text introduced in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Fair Care Act of 2020 (FCA) is based on years of research and provides answers to some of the most pressing health care concerns facing the nation.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) introduced the Fair Care Act of 2020 in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. U.S. Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) and Lloyd Smucker (R-Penn.) joined the bill as original cosponsors.
It’s no secret that America’s health care system is broken. You don’t need to look any further than the recent presidential debate, where both candidates sparred over health care proposals and what should be done on a federal level. Many people are saying that Republicans don’t actually have a plan, but that simply isn’t true. U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and I have teamed up to introduce the Fair Care Act of 2020 (FCA), a health care bill that takes more than 75 bipartisan provisions and many other ideas and brings them together into a comprehensive bill.
Eight months into a global pandemic, we’ve learned a lot about the virus and how to respond, but a lot of questions remain unanswered. With schools and universities reopening and more employees going back into the office, effective testing for COVID-19 is more important than ever. In fact, we already have the technology for widespread, at-home testing. Why is it not more available?
With more and more people headed back to schools, universities and workplaces, we need a comprehensive plan to mitigate COVID-19 more than ever. In fact, we already have the technology for widespread, at-home testing. Why is it not more available?
Let’s look at the background. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for COVID-19 testing in three categories:
"There are the protected and the unprotected," Peggy Noonan wrote in a 2016 op-ed. "The protected make public policy. The unprotected live in it. The unprotected are starting to push back, powerfully. The protected are the accomplished, the secure, the successful--those who have power or access to it. ... They are protected from the world they have created."
With COVID-19 taking up so much of the news cycle, it can be easy to forget about those living with debilitating illnesses like ALS. Even as scientists continue researching a coronavirus vaccine and working to make the impact as small as possible on America, I believe we need to continue providing cutting-edge treatment and medications to those with chronic illnesses. Unfortunately, the approval process for many of these prescription drugs is time-intensive and burdensome, causing those who need the medicine most to experience delays in care.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) joined U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) to introduce the Promising Pathways Act, a bill that would increase access to treatments for those with life-threatening illnesses.