Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Focuses Coronavirus Response on Public Health Crisis

Press Release

Over the past month, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) has been working hard to make sure that Federal, state, and local governments are best equipped to serve the healthcare needs of Americans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Congress must stay focused on serving the American people in the midst of the coronavirus public health care crisis. Essential to defeating this virus is contact tracing, testing, and isolation, ensuring personal protective equipment for our first responders and frontline healthcare workers, and strengthening our healthcare system to respond to those who are in need of care," said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. "The economy will not recover unless we stand together as Americans to defeat this virus."

Last week, she introduced H.R.6609 with Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) which directs the President to use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to acquire and manufacture necessary components, materials, and supplies to conduct molecular and serological COVID-19 medical testing nationwide.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has constantly made frontline healthcare workers and first responders a priority, working to get them the PPE and resources they need. She urged House Leaders to support essential workers and to adopt labor rules that would ensure they receive full pay as they work to serve others during the pandemic. She also called for first responders and emergency service workers receive hazard pay as well as additional resources for supplies -- especially PPE -- so they can keep safe while protecting Americans during this crisis. Rep. Gabbard has called for specific provisions to protect frontline healthcare workers, including financial assistance, preventing pay cuts, and protecting these critical workers against retaliation for things like wearing their own personal protective equipment or whistleblowing on unsafe practices in their facilities.

Rep. Gabbard led a letter with Rep. Ed Case (HI-01) that urged the House Ways and Means Committee leaders to provide more funding for Hawai"i through the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, which in the past has consistently failed to account for the unique costs of providing medical services in the state. And, to help protect our kūpuna who rely on prescription medications, she and over 50 of her colleagues called on House Leaders to take legislative action to cap prescription drug prices as Americans are already under great financial strain during the crisis. Rep. Gabbard has consistently prioritized fully funding Medicaid. This is all the more urgent as Hawai"i's healthcare system is under enormous additional stress from the COVID-19 coronavirus. She is fighting to lift the Medicaid cap to territories to ensure full coverage for all Americans, as well as preventing Medicaid funding rollbacks by states.

And, to ensure that our keiki still get the healthcare services they need, even as this pandemic strains our healthcare infrastructure, Rep. Gabbard -- along with over 140 bipartisan Members of Congress -- wrote to House Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy calling for specific relief for children's hospitals. Rep. Gabbard also recognizes the importance of not-for-profit blood centers in our healthcare system, and is committed to ensuring that blood centers can continue to provide lifesaving blood components to patients in communities across the country.

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