Coronavirus

Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Madam President, for the second Monday now in a row, we have received tremendous news about the prospects for a COVID vaccine.

Last week, Pfizer announced that the initial results of its COVID vaccine showed a greater than 90-percent rate of effectiveness. And yesterday, Moderna announced its COVID vaccine is showing a similarly high effectiveness rate, raising the possibility that not one but two COVID vaccines may be available in the very near future.

This success is a tribute to the innovative power of the private sector and the efforts of Congress and the Trump administration to expedite development of COVID vaccines. Operation Warp Speed has helped fund development of Moderna's vaccine and will help fund distribution of both Moderna's and Pfizer's products.

While vaccine trials and development continue, so does research into new COVID treatments. Drugmaker Eli Lilly just received emergency use authorization for an antibody drug that will be used to treat COVID in patients with mild or moderate illness. Another company, Regeneron, has also filed for emergency use authorization for a potential antibody treatment. And there are a lot of other clinical trials going on right now for COVID vaccines and therapeutics, meaning there may be more good news to come.

Meanwhile, we are also strengthening domestic production of personal protective equipment for medical personnel and other essential workers.

And 3M, which manufactures N95 masks, received two contracts under the Defense Production Act to expand N95 production. I recently visited the 3M plant in Aberdeen, SD, to celebrate the opening of the plant's new N95 manufacturing lines. These new lines will help 3M's N95 production increase from 22 million to more than 95 million respirators per month. That is critical progress on the PPE front, not to mention the jobs that are being created.

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