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.
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. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- 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 - County Executive 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
- City of Milwaukee Bi-Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Dec 9th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin Announces Over $17.7 Million to Tackle Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis in Wisconsin
May 7th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinWisconsin receives increased funding following the passage of Baldwin-led legislation
Baldwin, Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge USDA to Strengthen Coordination in Avian Flu Outbreak Response
May 7th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinLetter comes after Baldwin called on Biden Administration to take immediate action to contain the avian flu outbreak and protect dairy farmers, producers, and consumers
Baldwin Notches Wins for Wisconsin in Senate Farm Bill Framework
May 6th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBill supports Wisconsin farmers and bolsters rural communities
