Chair DeLauro Holds Hearing on Federal Government’s COVID-19 Response, Calls for Virtual Hearings
WASHINGTON, DC — (May 6, 2020) Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, today released the following statement after holding a critical hearing with the Subcommittee's Democrats and Republicans on the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hearing panelists included Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Dr. Caitlin Rivers, Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Subcommittee members and the panelists discussed: Congressional funding for public health, biomedical research, and emergency preparedness programs; strategies to contain the spread of COVID-19, including testing, isolation, contact tracing, and quarantining; the economic implications and the public health risks of reopening the economy too rapidly; data collection efforts; medical supply chains; our public health system's ability to handle a surge of cases; and the behavioral health ramifications of the pandemic.
"Today's hearing with my Democratic and Republican colleagues laid out the necessity for a broad federal response to defeat this public health crisis and safely reopen our economy," said DeLauro. "While the White House did everything it could to avoid accountability by blocking Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying today, our Subcommittee was able to shed light on the COVID-19 pandemic and what needs to be done to stop it with the help of our expert panelists. Dr. Frieden and Dr. Rivers helped our Subcommittee better understand the broad scope and scale of federal response necessary to defeat this public health crisis—particularly through references to the ‘National coronavirus response: A road map to reopening' plan of which Dr. Rivers is a co-author. But the fact is that the United States has no universal testing plan, and no contact tracing plan. That is unacceptable. The Congress must make robust investments in our public health infrastructure to defeat this crisis, and the White House and the Executive Branch need to have a plan to execute on the trillions of dollars of resources we have already provided and will continue to provide. There are no easy answers or silver bullets. Instead, it comes down to federal leadership on testing, isolation, contact tracing, and quarantining."
"Congress must continue its important legislative work to defeat COVID-19, and that means all Members and Committees should be heard," continued DeLauro. "That requires moving as quickly as possible into the 21st century to conduct virtual hearings. Every Member should be able to participate in the work of the Congress as they did previously. I greatly appreciate so many of my colleagues coming to attend this hearing in-person on behalf of their constituents. Their questions and adherence to safety guidelines set an example for our nation and our people. Congress's work is essential, and it cannot be put off if we are not able to meet regularly in person. I urge House leadership to quickly establish the technological guidance necessary to ensure our Committees can continue business virtually. The safety of the American public depends on it now more than ever."
A video and transcript of DeLauro's opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, can be found here and here, respectively. Links to full videos of her exchanges with panelists can be found below, along with transcripts of each exchange:
Congresswoman DeLauro: Dr. Frieden and Dr. Rivers, both of you have provided recommendations about the type of state and local capacity that needs to be in place before scaling back limitations on economic or social activity. According to reports disease modelers are projecting the country is moving in exactly the opposite direction. According to a range of projections of new daily cases COVID-19 could surge this month and some are projecting that deaths could rise to 3000 each day. I would just like to ask a series of questions of each of you. To the best of your knowledge, is there a single state that is not the necessary parameters to ease restrictions?
Dr. Rivers:We suggest in our AEI report that you mentioned at the beginning of the session that there are four criteria that states should meet in order to save the reopen. And not all states have adopted these criteria, but I'll review them just as a starting point. The first is to see the number of new cases declined for at least two weeks and some states have met that criteria. But there are three other criteria that we suggest they all be met. The other is in the public health capacity to conduct contact tracing on all new cases. Enough diagnostic testing to test everybody with COVID like symptoms not just those people with severe illness and enough healthcare system capacity to treat everyone safely. To my knowledge there are no states that meet all four of those criteria.
Congresswoman DeLauro:Dr. Frieden, is there any single state that meets the criteria laid out?
Dr. Frieden: I have not looked at all of the data from all states but I would make two comments: one, there may be areas within states that are closer than others to meeting that and second, as I said in my opening testimony, open versus closed is not a straight on off switch. there are things that are always open, essential service, essential retail hospitals, emergency facilities and are things that might be first to open. Out-of-doors is way less risky than inside. Lower risk businesses, takeout from restaurants, outdoor recreation, even day care if done very carefully and safely may be lower risk. I think we did think of this as a dimmer rather than an on off switch.
Congresswoman DeLauro:Just a quick follow up here and then I want to get to a couple other items. Any state testing 1% of its population every week? No? No? Okay, thank you. any state or region been able to reduce the basic reproductive number below one come beneath the epidemic is to longer growing?
Dr Rivers: There is some evidence some states have.
Congresswoman DeLauro:Okay. Dr. Rivers, you are the lead author of the report where you're making recommendations to the Governors. To be clear reopening will increase the risk of COVID-19 spread, therefore it's important for leaders to know that getting things open again will increase the risk of individuals, contracting covid-19 and there is no way to completely guard against that. Let me ask this of both of you: Should the country be reopening now? Are we ready? Is it irresponsible to open the economy without adequate testing?
Dr. Rivers:I think there's an enormous need to balance public health with the economic pressures, so I think that's always a factor into decisions. I think even as we move towards reopening and as some states make that decision, we still need to be focusing on increasing our capacities to do diagnostic testing and to do contact tracing. The window we have to implement those inventions is to open and so I don't think it's either/or.
Dr. Frieden:I would say that we need to continue to rapidly ramp up our ability to do all of the four things I mentioned. Not just test but also isolate people who are infected, contact trace, and quarantine. By having all those things in place, we can come back safer and sooner, and restart our economy without a risk of explosive spread.
Congresswoman DeLauro: I believe it was, I know it was, it was Dr. Fauci who the last several days said how many deaths and how much suffering are we willing to accept if you want to get back to some sense of normalcy. What is your sense of what is acceptable in terms of deaths or suffering to be able to get back to normalcy? If we don't have the public health professionals advising us?
Dr. Rivers: I think we need to continue to prioritize public health. we have seen that several other countries have regained control of the outbreak. South Korea, Singapore, Australia. We can do that too. It's going to be difficult and is going to take a lot of investment in our communities, but that option remains open to us.
Dr. Frieden: We have to ensure that we protect our health care workers and other essential workers. they are not making a choice. They are doing their duty of protecting and providing essential service and we have to do everything possible to keep them safe and we have to pay particular attention to the most vulnerable such as nursing homes, large congregate facilities, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, large factories were many people are working together where we can see explosive spread that cannot only cause a lot of suffering death but also seed infections elsewhere in the community.
Congresswoman DeLauro:Just quickly. The issue is, is that what the criteria is how many deaths and suffering are we willing to accept, in your view?
Dr. Frieden:I think this is a balance. we need to reopen so we can restart important medical care. We need to reopen for our economy, but we need to do that in a way that is careful and doesn't risk an explosion of cases that sends us back into our homes.
Congresswoman DeLauro: To follow up for a second. The American people deserve the truth.The American people—on the one hand it is here on the one hand it is that. Where? And we are looking to you to understand. You know, we hear on TV and this is the ordinary person—we have probably access to other kinds of information. But it is vaccines—how many are being reviewed? What are various different lines of review? What are the main ones? Are there 40? And of those 40, are there only two that are real? And is there a national plan? I believe you said no! We do not have a national testing plan. We do not have a national contact tracing plan. We do not have PPE. No command in control of what that is and where that is going. And the American people are scared. They are scared and they do not know what to believe. And they may not go into that business that Dr. Harris talked about. And they are not—look at the polling data—they are not going. So, when do we get to? And where are the CDC guidelines on testing being followed. I mean yes or no? Because I want to be mindful of my colleague's time as well. Are those CDC guidelines being followed? About who gets tested and who doesn't. Or is it just a jump-ball? That's the way it appears to me. That we do not have, kind of a central control of what is happening as you have pointed out. In the worst pandemic going back to 1918. So how are the American people going to get the answers that we need? How are we? You need to tell us. What public policy initiatives need to be put in place? You have a subcommittee here that is bi partisan. It is critically important, and so many of these pieces are in our jurisdiction. We need to understand. We are not foolish enough to know that there is not absolute clarity. But hell, give us more clarity in order to be able to provide the wear with all for those who are in charge to carry out their mission. On testing quick question: Should the CDC be in charge of that effort? Should the states be in charge of that effort? I need quick answers because I'm going to run out of time.
Dr. Frieden: The federal government needs to establish the guidelines, provide the resources, the implementation is done at the state and local level.
Congresswoman DeLauro: Okay—our state and local level does not have the resources they need to do its job. Yes?
Dr. Frieden: There are not enough tests currently.
Congresswoman DeLauro: In a normal set of circumstances the public health structure in this country is weak. And it is being overrun. Not that it does not want to do its job, but it is being overrun. We need to do something about that. Look—is there a plan if we have a vaccine? How does it get manufactured? How does it get prioritized? Are there people sitting down as far as you know now—and I am looking at the scientists, I am looking to you because we know what havoc politics can play and let's put that aside. You are the guideposts, give us the plan and let us know absolutely and when the American public can say—it is not going to happen for 18 months. They are not dumb. We need truth and facts at this time. I was not prepared to go in this direction, but we cannot say on the one hand this and on the one hand that if we are going to get out of this. And give us the posts to get out of this and the pillars that help us to gain that control. So that we can move forward.
Congresswoman DeLauro: Thank you very much. The thought process on this was that the Subcommittee, is that we are at the center of the program, the portfolio, in other words of so many of the issues that we face in this pandemic. So, I want to thank both of you for your willingness to be here this morning. I don't know what kind of difficulty that was and your own concerns and changing your lives. And your own concerns and your safety. A particular thank you to my colleagues who have come from all over to be here today. And Jamie, travelled the farthest today. It is a testament to the interest of every single Member on the Committee. Everyone we spoke with wanted to be here and for one reason or another some could not. And that is why at the opening of my remarks, I talked about these conversations are so critical to the health and safety, and the economic health and safety of the country. And we ought to be discussing them now, in real time as we are putting together the public policy. The commitment of serious resources, which is what we are doing and is what we will continue to try to do since we are working through and thinking about where to go with the CARES 2 Package.
A couple of the things we have talked about. I will just say to my colleague Dr. Harris—I wrote down the education piece of this very, very important. But then I watch the news, and I see the beaches who are smart people, and it doesn't make any difference. And then I see people in various places around the country, storming the bastille if you will into city halls, storming in saying no, this is not what we should be doing. Even with the education that is out there at the moment and with the scope of the number of cases and the scope of the number of deaths. That in and of itself should pause to make you think about what your own behavior ought to be in this time of crisis.
I also said at the outset of my comments that I am angry. Why? And you have helped a lot here, with why we can't get our arms wrapped around the testing? And the federal government and its role in laying that out for the states and that collaborative effort in taking on responsibility. And I see it at the federal level. After New Orleans with Katrina, there was a writer named Michael Ignatieff he wrote a piece "When the Levies Broke". He spoke about government and citizens as there being a covenant. And that when you reach a place where the circumstances in your life or environment are overwhelming. When the challenges are so overwhelming that you cannot do something about it. That is the role of the federal government—to step in. To take charge. To make sure we can build those bridges. Those bridges that can allow for us to move forward. And he talked about when the levies broke, the covenant broke at that time. Well I think we have a similar situation here. The levies broke, and the federal government is not at the center of the determination of how we gain control going forward.
You all have written very substantial plans. And we asked about plans—is there a national plan? The road map to reopening lays out very specifically the kinds of things we ought to do with Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and the fourth phase is how we rebuild.
Dr. Frieden: You have laid out a roadmap of the agencies that can move us forward. Where are we going? In a forward way. There are going to be people looking backward, we want on this committee, to look forward. What are things that we can do to make sure we can prevent this. But I am asking you again, box it in. Test, isolate, find, treat, quarantine. This is a roadmap. And at the federal level what we ought to be doing is speaking with one voice and giving simple directions to our states, to the agencies of our states, and most of all to regain the confidence of the American people. And letting them know that how difficult as this road is. And as I said earlier, they are looking for the truth. No matter how hard it is. That is how I have always felt—tell people straight. Give them the sense that while we do not have all the answers, we do have a focus and a direction forward to safeguard themselves, their families, their health, their loved ones. And to safeguard their economic future and their economic security for the future.
So, I cannot thank you enough for doing this. You have written it out, you have laid it out. We need work very closely with you, to keep speaking about this with the kind of standing that you all have. We believe in doctors, and researchers, and scientists. We believe in data. That is the foundation on which we will need to build to regain control of this scourge. Which is what it is.
So, I know you are not afraid, but don't be afraid to speak out. You have people who want to listen, who want to work with you—have you help us get to where we want to go. And with that, this hearing is concluded. Thank you very much.