Baldwin to Trump: Wisconsin Needs Medical Supplies And Personal Protective Equipment Now To Stop the Spread of Growing COVID-19 Outbreak
"We cannot afford more of your empty promises, and we cannot afford to wait."
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Wisconsin experiences one of the most serious outbreaks of COVID-19 in the nation and shatters daily records for new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is once again calling on President Donald Trump to take urgent action to deliver the medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) that health care providers and other essential workers in the state of Wisconsin need.
Senator Baldwin has previously called on President Trump and Vice President Pence to deliver critically-needed medical supplies to Wisconsin. In April, Senator Baldwin called on President Trump to act to deliver supplies to Wisconsin. In August, Baldwin wrote to Vice President Mike Pence, Chair of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, about reports of federal diversions of testing supplies from Wisconsin, which is leading to a reduction of COVID-19 testing and the suspension of pre-procedure testing for several surgical specialties.
Today, Senator Baldwin wrote to the president, “On April 13, 2020, I wrote to you on behalf of Wisconsinites calling for the supplies needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In my letter, I urged you to act to deliver this assistance swiftly. It is now six months later, and Wisconsin is still experiencing supply shortages, which couldn’t come at a worse time. Wisconsin is currently experiencing one of the most serious outbreaks in the nation, and health care providers continue to share concerns about supply shortages. It is long past time for you to show leadership and take action to support our state with the supplies that we need and deserve.”Hospitals across Wisconsin are overcapacity and reporting that they do not have needed medical supplies or beds available for patients. In her letter to President Trump, Senator Baldwin details concerns from Dr. Imran Andrabi, the President and CEO of ThedaCare, a community health system in Northeastern Wisconsin, that is still facing diversions of testing supplies, and is currently preparing for a shortage of N95 masks, which are critically needed to safely treat patients with COVID-19. ThedaCare’s situation is not unique. Frontline health care workers at Bellin Health in Green Bay are wearing N95 masks for longer than recommended while facing a potential shortage of surgical gowns. For months, Bellin’s administrators have struggled to identify a reliable supplier. Since April, UW-Health in Madison has experienced consistent shortages of the reagent needed for a number of their testing platforms. In August, Advocate Aurora, a non-profit health care system with a presence in Wisconsin, was forced to suspend pre-procedure testing due to supply diversions directed by the Trump administration. And on October 6, the Greenfield Fire Department tweeted at President Trump, expressing their need for testing equipment and N95 masks.
“Throughout this crisis, I have called on you to provide Wisconsin with the supplies we need to combat COVID-19. However, you have mismanaged the federal distribution of medical supplies we need and failed to work constructively with Congress to reach agreement on additional COVID-19 relief funding that our state desperately needs. On October 11, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said the federal government was ready to help Wisconsin in its current COVID-19 surge. Now, more than ever, Wisconsin needs your leadership to provide us with testing supplies and N95 masks. We cannot afford more of your empty promises, and we cannot afford to wait,” Senator Baldwin wrote to the president.
The latest letter to President Trump is available here.
An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Governors Tony Evers, JB Pritzker, Tim Walz, and Gretchen Whitmer Issue a Joint Statement Concerning Reports that Donald Trump Gave Russian Dictator Putin American COVID-19 Supplies - Gov. Tony Evers - Oct 11th, 2024
- MHD Release: Milwaukee Health Department Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Jan 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin, Colleagues Force Vote on Trump’s Illegal War in Iran
Mar 18th, 2026 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinWATCH: Baldwin takes to Senate Floor to advocate against Trump’s war of choice
Baldwin Successfully Pushes Trump Admin to Release $1 Billion for Blatnik Bridge
Mar 18th, 2026 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBaldwin voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has relentlessly fought to fund Blatnik Bridge project under Biden and Trump.
Baldwin to Trump: Back My Bill to Support Made in USA Products Online
Mar 17th, 2026 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinPresident Trump’s Executive Order aligns with Baldwin’s bipartisan bill requiring online retailers to clearly disclose their country of origin
