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Medical personnel

Senators Urge Administration to Fully Utilize Defense Production Act for COVID-19 Response

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Jon Tester, and 13 colleagues have called on the Administration to make full use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to address the nation's staggering shortage of medical supplies. The Senators' letter to Vice President Mike Pence highlights the Administration's slow response and lack of coordination, which has left the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other health care providers struggling to secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), test kits, ventilators, and other essential supplies.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Senators urge the Administration to fully invoke the DPA to address the nation's shortage of medical supplies and support the VA in its critical mission to protect veterans and health care workers.
  • The Administration's failure to act decisively has left the VA relying on a broken federal procurement and distribution process, forcing the Department to implement austerity measures that have left health care workers on the front lines scrambling to protect themselves and veterans.
  • The Senators note that the national stockpile is running on fumes and that the Administration must act quickly to increase the usage of the DPA to provide needed supplies for the nation.
  • The VA is caring for nearly 200 non-veteran civilians and has committed to providing 1,500 more beds for FEMA to use in national response efforts, but the Administration must ensure that VA has the resources it needs to safely care for millions of veterans and take on its bourgeoning humanitarian missions.
  • Health care personnel at VA are being told they can reuse PPE or bring in homemade PPE to protect themselves and veterans, despite working in an environment where the disease is present and spreads very easily.
  • Over 3,500 VA health care personnel are currently quarantined and unable to work because they have been exposed to the virus, and more than 20 VA staff have passed away from COVID-19.

Statistics:

  • The VA is caring for nearly 200 non-veteran civilians.
  • The VA has committed to providing 1,500 more beds for FEMA to use in national response efforts.
  • Over 3,500 VA health care personnel are currently quarantined and unable to work because they have been exposed to the virus.
  • More than 20 VA staff have passed away from COVID-19.
  • The Administration has authorized piecemeal use of DPA authorities for ventilator and mask production, but has failed to utilize the DPA beyond its directives to General Motors, 3M, and a handful of medical device companies.

Sources:

  • Letter to Vice President Pence, April 23, 2020 (https://www.veterans.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2020-04-23%20Letter%20to%20Pence%20re%20COVID-19%20FEMA%20and%20DPA%20final%20signed.pdf)
  • News Release, April 24, 2020 (Washington, D.C.)

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