April 23, 2020

Kilmer Calls for National COVID-19 Testing Strategy

On Wednesday, Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) called on the President to develop a federal strategy to dramatically increase the production and availability of testing for COVID-19.

“As governors contemplate strategies on how best to open their respective states’ economies, a strong federal response is necessary to massively increase the capacity, accuracy, and simplicity of our nation’s testing infrastructure for this highly communicable and often asymptomatic virus,” Kilmer and Members of the House wrote.

The members urged the President to take the following steps:

  • Develop a comprehensive, national testing strategy to test front line health care workers, workers in critical industries, asymptomatic individuals who may encounter many people, and people returning to the workplace
  • Include that plan in any guidelines for reopening the economy
  • Fully mobilize the Defense Production Act to procure all testing components including – but not limited to – test kits, swabs, and reagents

Source: Mason Web TV