U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on May 28 sponsored a bipartisan bill focused on ensuring the United States takes the necessary steps to mitigate the impacts of future national emergencies, improve responsiveness and save lives.
“Our response to the September 11th terror attacks was ‘Never Again.’ We must have that same exact response to COVID-19. This landmark, bipartisan legislation does just that,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said.
The congressman introduced the Made in America Emergency Preparedness Act, H.R. 3584, with cosponsors including U.S. Reps. Pete Stauber (R-MN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) to authorize the creation of a National Commission on United States Preparedness for National Emergencies.
Modeled on the 9/11 Commission, the preparedness commission would be tasked with examining the response by both the federal government and private sector to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to report its findings to Congress and the president on how to ensure America’s effective response to future national emergencies.
If enacted, the authorized commission also would be required to provide a report and recommendations to the president on domestically manufactured goods that are essential for a response to national emergencies, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Fitzpatrick’s staff.
“We simply cannot outsource our public safety and national security to foreign nations,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “We must reconstitute our healthcare and public safety supply chain back to the United States.”
Medical products, personal protective equipment (PPE), pharmaceuticals, emergency response equipment, and any critical items and materials needed to respond to a national emergency must be produced domestically for domestic consumption, “especially during a critical, time-sensitive crisis,” he added.
Rep. Stauber agreed, saying the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangers of America’s reliance on China and other foreign nations for critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, and PPE. “We must take the tough lessons learned from COVID and begin to build an even stronger and more self-reliant nation than ever before,” said Rep. Stauber.
Additionally, to incentivize businesses and manufacturers to come into compliance with the federal procurement requirements and encourage domestic production, H.R. 3584 would allow immediate expensing for firms that incur costs associated with expanded pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturers within the U.S., the bill summary says.
“Ensuring the public health and safety of all Americans should be a bipartisan mission,” said Rep. Bacon. “This independent commission is needed to investigate the who, what, when, where, and why of COVID-19 and to develop a report on the U.S.’s response to its handling of the pandemic.”