U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) recently unveiled a bipartisan bill that would would authorize $500 million annually through fiscal year 2024 to improve the nation’s ability to quickly scale up manufacturing of critical medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) and upgrade the Strategic National Stockpile in preparation to respond to future public health emergencies.
“One of the key lessons of the COVID-19 crisis has been the need to break our dependence on China for the production of critical medical supplies,” Rep. Walorski said on Monday. “Throughout the pandemic, I saw firsthand the obstacles healthcare workers and first responders faced in obtaining quality personal protective equipment to keep themselves and others safe.”
“To better prepare for the next crisis, we need to strengthen U.S. manufacturing of PPE and ensure we have a robust Strategic National Stockpile,” said the congresswoman. “Our bipartisan bill would incentivize production of critical medical items here in America so we can maintain a reliable reserve of lifesaving supplies.”
On May 21, Rep. Walorski signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act of 2021, H.R. 3463, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) to implement a supply chain flexibility manufacturing program that would create incentives to geographically diversify production of medical supplies and establish and maintain domestic reserves of such supplies, including PPE and diagnostic tests. H.R. 3463 also would refresh and replenish existing stocks of medical supplies in partnership with industry, according to the text of the bill.
The Health Industry Distributors Association has endorsed the bill. “Representatives Dingell and Walorski are showing true bipartisan leadership by proposing to expand the use of public-private partnerships to strengthen the stockpiling and distribution of critical supplies,” said Matthew J. Rowan, president & CEO of the Health Industry Distributors Association.