WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC), the Healthy Future Task Force Security Subcommittee Chair, joined Security Subcommittee Members Jim Banks (R-IN) and Tom Cole (R-OK) in unveiling solutions to ensure the United States is prepared for future health security threats. The solutions were announced yesterday by Republican Leader Kevin McCarthyand Healthy Future Task Force Co-ChairsVern Buchanan (R-FL) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY).
In an op-ed for the Washington Times, Representatives Hudson, Banks, and Cole released proposals to strengthen our medical supply chain, secure our borders from illicit drug trafficking, hold China accountable for their role in exacerbating the COVID-19 pandemic, and make needed reforms to improve transparency and accountability at leading health agencies.
"Our country wasn’t fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed numerous shortcomings in our public health security infrastructure, as well as vulnerabilities to threats from abroad," wrote Security Subcommittee Chair Hudson and Members Banks and Cole. "That’s why, through the Healthy Future Task Force, we are focused on solutions to ensure a critical medical supply chain, secure our borders from illicit drug trafficking, reform our public health security leadership, strengthen public-private partnerships, and ensure accountability from adversarial nations like China at the root of the pandemic itself."
"America learned a costly lesson regarding our public health security as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to Representatives Hudson, Banks and Cole for their work on developing the Republican recommendations to ensure America is well-prepared for future health emergencies. Public health security is national security, and Republicans are ready to tackle future health crises head-on to keep Americans safe and help save lives," said Healthy Future Task Force Co-Chairs Buchanan and Guthrie.
Overview of solutions:
Strengthen America’s supply chains and hold China Accountable: Provide tax reform that energizes domestic manufacturing and innovation, support investigations into COVID-19 origins, ensure American research dollars are not funneled towards foreign adversaries, permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances
Ensure America is prepared for future pandemics: Strengthen and clarify the role of the Strategic National Stockpile, streamline leadership and delineate authority across public health security and response infrastructure, require the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with the private sector, build upon the successes of Operation Warp Speed to combat future infectious diseases
Secure public health: Require transparency from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the data used to develop their guidance and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hold NIH and CDC accountable to their core missions and not political agendas, ensure flexibility and authority to state and local governments for public health decisions, conduct thorough oversight over all federal taxpayer-funded public health programs, especially those dollars sent overseas
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy created the 17-member Healthy Future Task Forceto develop solutions to modernize the American health care system to lower costs, keep Americans healthy, develop better therapies and cures, and provide Americans with more choices. The Security Subcommittee is one of five subcommittees also focused on Treatment, Affordability, Doctor/Patient Relationship, and Modernization.
Click HEREto view the Treatment Subcommittee solutions announced last month.