Transcripts For CSPAN2 HHS Secretary Azar Testifies On COVID

CSPAN2 HHS Secretary Azar Testifies On COVID-19 Response July 12, 2024

Person and others may appear remotely via webex. Since some of the members will be in person, me first remind everyone that pursuant to the latest guidance in the house, all individuals in attendance and searing in person must wear a Face Covering. Those who are not wearing a Face Covering are not permitted to remain in the hearing room and will not be recognized for intent to speak. Let me also make a few reminders about other hearings. For those members who appear in prison, he will be able to see members appearing remotely on the two monitors in front of you. And one monitor you will see all members appearing remotely at once. And what is known in webex as a special mode. On the other monitor you will see each person speaking during the hearing when they are speaking. Including members who are appearing remotely. For those members of repairing remotely can also see each person speaking during the hearing whether they are in person or remote if you have your webex set to an active speaker mode. If you have any questions about this. Please contact the staff immediately. The master money of of the house procedures there applying to these hearings. For members appearing in person a time or is in the room directly in front of you. For those who may be promote, we have a timer should be visible on your screen and when youre in the active speaker with some mud that he will have a timer. Rep. James clyburn for members and maybe appearing remotely, a few of the reminders. The house rules require that we see you. So please have your cameras turned on at all times. Not just yo when youre seated. Members are not recognized to remain muted. To minimize background noise and feedback. Our recognize members verbally and members can seek the right to be recommended. Members will be recognized in seniority order for questions. If you are a remote want to be right in front recognized outside of the order. You man did divide that in several ways. You may use the check function, the senate request, you may send an email to the staff. Or you may unmute your mike to seek recognition. Obviously we do not people wanting to be talking over each others of my premise is that you use the check function or the email to facilitate verbal wrecking nation formally. Im aware of the request and i will recognize you. As members of the committee are likely aware, we expect folks to be called in the middle of this hearing. Out of respect for each member, and the witnesses time, and because of the Long Duration of each vote, during this Public Health and ministration free to do not play the risk is hearing for the minister vote. Committee members including those who are recognized for question, while the vote is ongoing, will have sufficient time to step out of the hearing, cast their vote and return to the hearing. We will begin hearing in just a moment. When they tell me they are ready to begin the live stream. [background sounds]. Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Without objection, this hearing is authorized to declare the committee at any time. And i recognize myself for an opening statement. Today, the subcommittee welcomes secretary of health and Human Services alex lazar, the Trump Administration Health Official the top one. For the first time secretary alex azar has testified before congress. In the seven months since her last appearance in february, more than 207,000 americans have lost their lives to the coronavirus. And over 7 million have been infected. In all of us woke up this morning. Thats good news. The first family, and at least one of the close Staff Members have been diagnosed with covid19. We wish for all of them a speedy and complete recovery. We pride ourselves as americans being the most scientifically advanced nation in the world. We have the best doctors, and Public Health experts. We have led the world in countless medical breakthroughs. From the polio vaccine and mapping the human genome. And battling ages for unit and ebola. That is why it is been so heartbreaking to watch the administration squander this legacy by refusing to lead in ignoring our scientists. And putting in politics over the health of the American People. Let there be no doubt that the pessimist response to the coronavirus the crisis has been a failure of historic for potions. Covid19 has claimed more american lives in the battles over world war one. The korean war, vietnam war, Afghanistan War in iraq war combined. While the president claims that he saved millions of lives. More people died from the virus in the United States than in any other country on earth. We hav have 4 percent of the wos population but 20 percent of the coronavirus debts. More than 140 other countries have had fewer deaths per capita from this virus that we have had in the United States. Behind me are images of a few of the americans we have lost. To my far right, the daughter of 21st responders in michigan, scott was a healthy five yearold who lived playing dressup and dreamed of becoming pediatric dentist drill. She died from the coronavirus in april. Next is cheryl. Anyone years old she was sharp as a tack and love visiting with family and friends. She died in april. After contracting the coronavirus. She also had a daughter, allison, told her mothers story to our committee in june. Two immediate left is jason. Any people like i saw jason as he drove his bus. He was 50 yearold bus driver in detroit. He caught the coronavirus asked hepathway passenger is yelled ot in disgust. He died in early april. His best friend and colleague, spoke to our committee in may about jason and the dangerous that the front line workers from country. The final story is demi bannister. Demi was a 20 yearold thirdgrade teacher in my home state of south carolina. In my hometown. The columbia. She tested positive after returning to school for training early in september and died. She died three days later. Last sunday, debbies mother, also died from the coronavirus. She tested positive for the coronavirus the day her daughter died. Surely with a 57 yearold constituent applying. And served as chair of the Nursing Department at the technical college. Tragically, so hard to see why americatheamericans like skylel and jason, demi and shirley, were more likely to die the people in most other countries. Even though the president knew early in february that the coronavirus, deadly stuff. In march he said, and i am quoting him. I wanted to always play it down. Sitting with his desire, the president has refused to step up and lead in national response. To stop the spread of this deadly virus. Rather than implementing National Strategy, the white house deferred to the states. Reportedly because they believed blaming democratic governors for the coronavirus debts would be in the words of a Public Health expert involved in the discussions affected political strategy. The result was wide spread testing shortages and delays that let the virus spread widely throughout the country. And also refuse to distribute masks. In other protective equipment. President trump saying that i and i am quoting him again. We are not shipping place. As a result, the National Stockpile overseeing that and they quickly ran out. The states were supposed to compete for scarce supplies while First Responders medical workers reused all the masks. They were garbage bags to try to stay safe. As the secretary in the first chairman of the task force inspector, shouldve at the helm of a vicious national response. Rather than try to hide or alter or ignore the signs whenever contradicted the president s wish. To downplay the crisis for perceived political advantage. This morning, my staff released the report. This report identifies 47 separate times that political appointees interfered with the scientists who try to help americans stay safe. During this pandemic. Fortyseven documented times. The president complained of the cdc guidance on reopening schools. And according imparted very tough and expensive. How expensive was the life. Into into that classroom. After the president complained. Is revealing too any new coronavirus cases. In all called him again. Slowly down the testing. Hhs altered key testing guidance. They claim the people without symptoms did not need a test. Even if there were exposed to the virus. That decision was reversed only after this select subcommittee and any others objected. When the president complained, deep state at the fda is not moving fast enough to prove treatments for the november election, the fda recommended thousand therapy of their rejection of top scientists. The secretary, president of the press conference. In repeated false statistics about the therapies effectiveness. Now the ministration appears intent on politicizing vaccine. In the president is pressuring the fda to approve the vaccines before election day. And cast doubt on the efforts to ensure that the vaccine would only be approved based on science. I know there are about four companies the move to their face testing. But i would hope that whatever they them up with. Eventually there will be mark one vaccine. Im hopeful there will be a safe and effective vaccine with even the best scarce scenario, that the doctor said last week, dr. Fauci said most would not receive the vaccine until midtolate 2021. The means americans to be waiting up to another year to get vaccinated. Often sure the public the nose around when were the only vaccine. The remember political decisions that were made for the vaccine. The insured any remember salt vaccine. And then another vaccine the cell vaccine required shot in the arm. Saline vaccine was little drop of serum read envelope of sugar. Ill yield to the Ranking Member for his opening statement. On it thank the chairman and i want to thank the secretary a star to coming. Actually to get to the facts of what is happening. To the great work that your team is done. The first i want to express my prayers and support to President Trump right in the first lady melania trump. We know the tested positive. I know how tough and strong look person President Trump and how tireless he is. Note is going to continue to work in the market people. But jennifer and i keep e and the first lady in our prayers. For a quick and speedy recovery. And joining with the chairman and expressing those thoughts. Secretary alex azar, truly want to thank you as well as the 80000 men and women who work for your agency who have been working tirelessly so well for the American People completely focused learning more about this virus. Which we learn more about everyday prayed as well is working now towards finding one or more vaccines and copies which by the way your agency is already identified and approved number of therapies there working with the save lives. Truly saving american lives. As we speak. There is not gone without notice. The tireless work that youre men and women in hhs and all of the healthcare workers across this country are doing across this country to save american lives for their at the here is of this virus. Today, the republicans on the subcommittee releasing a report. President trumps plan the whole of an american response. Yes there is a plan. For those who choose not to read the plan, they might walk around saying theres no plan party there tens of thousands of pages of plans and continue to be updated by your agency and so any other federal agencies that are all directly involved in helping us get through this. The plans cover so any things from how to properly protect yourself and your family and how to safely reopen schools remove actually hearings on a number of items of those plans and we talked about and we given them websites links, to the people who denied his plan to hold her head in and say there is no plan. Again just because you do not want to read plan does not there is not a plan. And so in this report, we detail so any aspects of the plan. Want to go through some of the Trump Administrations national and some of the things that he has done. Mr. Scalise includes thousands of pages guidance backing all of these of the party first and is a plan to procure personal protective equipment. And this is, any times. March 29, and 2020 President Trump launched project your wrist. And began to carefully and thoughtfully leverage the defense production act. This right. Present multiple times is invoke the defense production act. To secure ppe to secure ventilators. The resources to combat this pandemic. As of september 20th, 2020 the Trump Administration coordinated the delivery and production of 240 3m and 95 masks. 1. 1 billion surgical and procedural masks. Fortyfive and half million fine face shields. 41,201,000,000 gallons and coveralls. A number 27 and half billion gloves targeted further as of september 20th, september 10th. At 2020, the strategic National Stockpile is fully stocked with 135,784 ventilators. There is not one hospital in america ran short of ventilators. Not one american useful pandemic that was denied the ventilator who needed one in fact. Today most doctors will tell you if someone comes in, less and want to is put them on a ventilator because of science has advanced. Doctors know a lot more. About this virus tonight and they did just a few months ago. I credit our medical community for learning and sharing that information with others as we learn more everyday to save american lives. That has been part of President Trumps plan. In addition, the plan to slow the spread. On march 16th, 2020. Present trump announce National Guidelines entitled 15 days to slow the spread. And dr. Fauci testified right where you are sitting just a few weeks ago before this committee. When i asked him, was a part of the president s plan and said yes. Nice to do that plan save american lives and he said yes. President trump made those decisions and that was part of the president s plan. These guidelines outline how to slow the spread and give her most highrisk populations safe and get is been are more about this virus, we learned does not affect everyone equally. And so as their population that we identify highrisk populations, part of the plan is to and as the secretary is well aware of, secretary alex azar is aware of, the testing machine to every nursing home in america. Right there at the table, just a few weeks ago this committee to talk about that aspect of President Trumps plan. And how its carried out today to protect the nations seniors. Which we uncovered over 40 percent of all deaths americans came from less than 1 percent of the americans population that is seniors Nursing Homes. Through the work of some of us on this committee we identified that the ask for the five governors actually follow the president s plan. To seek the guidelines that were issued to powell Nursing Homes could properly take care for seniors in Nursing Homes. Those part of president s plan part of an unfortunate five governors monitor blood that plan but they ignored the plan. Completely through the trash cans in, were going to do our own thing. Sadly, in a deadly consequences. At least 25000 seniors died in sonoma died Nursing Homes because those five governors went against the president s plan as we know in america. Those were at the state level at the federal level. God its came from the federal level but these five governors chose to go the other way. And some of them are still trying to hide if the facts. Any of us have asked on this committee to get the specs. And elaborated was majority would join us in getting the facts from those families. Thousand families who still want deserve answers why the loved ones died. They cannot even go and visit their father, rent, the grandmother. Who died in those Nursing Homes and who should not have died at if those five governors would have followed the guidelines. Should not be a political issue. Fortyfive governors got right republicans in and impressed. We should all find out why those others got it wrong if i know any people actually were victimized by those decisions. The fact the months and months later, we still dont know. In the data is being hidden. By those five governors and that is a disgrace. Everybody should be demanding those answers but again, the president laid out that plan 45 governors followed it. A plan have increased testing. I may on the fourth 2020, the Trump Administration released a report to Congress Called covid19 strategic testing plan. Which built on the april 27th National Testing blueprint. This report explains that state plans must establish a Robust Testing Program that ensures adequacy of covid19 testing including test for Contact Tracing and surveillance of asymptomatic persons to determine community spread. Including these robust testing plans to President Trump built the worlds greatest testing apparatus from scratch. And even know this disease existed at the beginning of this year. China was lying to us and is Committee Still as you tear a single hearing unwilling china accountable for their role in creating and spreading this virus on the lives of the world, and hoarded the ppe. From us and every other country. Now to have that hearing. The through the robust testing plans with president dead, to build this from scratch, allow the u. S. To connect over 100 million us in only five months. 100 million test. The testing number continues to grow every day. We continue to seek more Companies Come up with testing equipment that is been approved by the fda to test people for covid19 quicker, fas

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