Days to slow the spread, initially it started at 15. Were you part of the decision to implement that decision . I was very much involved in that. Did that decision save lives, dr. Fauche . I believe it did. Then when President Trump met with you and dr. Birx to extend that another 30 days, do you agree with that decision that President Trump made to extend that . Yes, i was very much involved and i agree with it. Did that decision save lives, dr. Fauche . I believe it did. So i know weve heard a lot about disagreements, clearly there are many decisions made. In fact, there is are many very internationally respected doctors that are involved in each of those decisions, is that correct . Yes. By and large would you say that President Trump has been in agreement on most of those decisions. We were in agreement on virtually all of those. I appreciate that. Now i want to ask you, dr. Giroir, admiral giroir, on the testing that youve been involved in to help carry out parts of President Trumps plan, you just talked about over a million testing machines, is aminute machine, that will be brought into Nursing Homes across this country. I know ultimately its going to be 15 n. O. W. Over a thousand machines that are going to be delivered already. The is that plan in place in moving forward based on President Trumps guidance . It is. And that money in part was taken from the cares act, the bill that we worked with President Trump to pass in a bipartisan way through this congress, is that correct . Yes, sir, thats correct. And i have heard specifically from nursing home directors who have told me that this decision will save more lives in Nursing Homes. Have you heard the same . There is no question. I dont think any single decision has had more positive feedback than that one. And i know early off cms put out guidelines back in march. These were part of many of the guidelines that cms put out on guidance to prevent covid spread in Nursing Homes. We know that 45 governors followed this guidance. Five governors did not follow this guidance, and we saw in those states tens of thousands of seniors in Nursing Homes died who shouldnt have died if this guidance was followed by those governors. Do you think that would have saved more lives . As i have testified here before, i think its a very concerning practice to send an infectious person back to a nursing home. Well, thank you, and i wish those governors would have followed the guidance that President Trumps team put out as part of a major overall plan. Now, dr. Redfield, i want to talk about you about reopening schools. I know youve been very involved in this. Cdc has put out multiple documents for guidance of reopening schools, here, checklist for parents and for teachers, guidance kthrough 12 administrators on the use of cloth face masks in schools. I know some people want to make that controversial. This is President Trumps plan, part of his plan to safely reopening schools, talks about the use of masks. Here youve got school decisionmaking tool for parents, caregivers and guardians. Are these all parts of the president s plan to safely reopen schools . Yes. Have you been involved in developing that with President Trump . Yes. Do you think that schools should safely reopen this fall with inperson learn . Yes. I think its important to realize that its in the Public Health best interest of k through 12 students to get back in facetoface learning. Theres really very significant Public Health consequences of the school closure. El, for example, they lack the ability to detect child abuse that occurs and is detect often in schools. Do you know how much child abuse will not be detected if children arent returning to the school . Clearly were seeing less reporting of it it, and, again, i think its a direct consequence of the school closures. 7. 1 million kids get their Mental Health services at school, two traditional support as we mentioned from schools. Were seeing an increase in drug use disorder as well as suicide in at less ent individuals, so i do think its really important to realize its not Public Health versus the economy about school opening. Its Public Health versus Public Health of the kthrough 12 to get the schools open. Weve got to do it safely and be able to accommodate. I a that and know were out of time. I hope the School Systems follow President Trump and the great medical doctors guidance and help the kids in safely reopening. I thank the witnesses and, mr. Chairman, i yield back. The chair now recognizes mr. Maloney for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman and thank you, mr. Rank member marx and i want to thank all of our witnesses today, particularly dr. Fauci who was born in the great city of new york in the beautiful borough of brooklyn. New yorkers are very proud that you were a new york raised and new york doctor before you became americas doctor, and i must say that as the chairman mentioned when we had our hearing on march 11th which i was privileged to chair when i asked you how was it going to go, you say its going to get worse and worse and worse, and the next day everybody started closing down. Sports clubs, museums and treating it with the seriousness that the disease had to be treated with. At that hearing when asked about testing, you said, and i quote, that were not really geared up to do what we need right now. In fact, you said, and you called it failing. Now its five months later. Where would you rate us now in our efforts . I know my city and other cities have worked diligently trying to respond. Where would you put us now with testing, and what do we have to do to continue to get better . Well, i think you can get a more detailed response from admiral giroir, but ill comment. I think that things are considerably different and improved now than it was several months ago, both for the numbers of tests that have been improved as well as for the efforts that are going into to expand our capability. In other words, to more prudently have screening testing done in one segment as well as testing to determine diagnosis and followup in others. Dr. Giroir is much Better Qualified to give you the details of that have. But i would like to now move to vaccines. Thats the challenge now. The and i recall reading are one of your reports on aids and you said i will never retire until we have a vaccine. We still dont have a vaccine for aids. Ebola took five years. How realistic is a vaccine . Is it dreaming or is it a reality or are the protocols as safe as they probably could be as weve always had for vaccines . Can you give us an honest assessment of where our country is in Vaccine Development. Its reality, congresswoman maloney. I think it will occur. I think the difference between hiv and coronavirus is so different that i dont think you compare them because the body does not make a have good i municipal response against hiv so it makes Vaccine Development very difficult about the body does make a robust immune response against coronavirus which tells us that i believe that we can get to that goal. I know to some people seems like it is so fast that there might be compromisinging of safety and in scientific integrity it, and i can tell you that is absolutely not the case. The rapidity with which were doing it is as a result of very different technologies at getting from the time we recognized this pathogen in the beginning of january to the time we were able to get into a phase one trial to the time we were able to do phase two and then, as i mention just this past monday, we started a phase three. That was not reckless rushing. That was technology and doing things in a way that does not compromise any of the steps. So i believe that its realistic, as i mentioned in my Opening Statement, that the early data from the phase one trial shows that this candidate and im sure other candidates will do it also. This is not the only vaccine. There are more than one. There will are about a dozen, five or six that the federal government is actively involved with, is going into phase three trials over the next few months, as i mentioned, one of which is already in. The response that was induced is really quite favorable and ive said off and will repeat it for the record now. Theres never a guarantee that youre going to get a safe and effective vaccine, but from everything that weve seen now in the animal data as well as the early human data, we feel cautiously optimistic that we will have a vaccine by the end of this year and as we go into 2021, so i dont think its dreaming, congresswoman. I believe its a reality, and it will be shown to be a reality. Thats a very good news. The second step is how do we distribute it, and also reports are that china and russia are involved in their tests and that they have advanced tests across the recalled would. They are testing in brazil, indonesia for their vaccines. Should they develop one earlier, would we manufacture it here . When we develop, it how do we plan to distribute it . We also have to think about the world because if we dont cure it in the world, then we havent cured it, so the steps forward after the vaccine is developed. Sure. A couple of questions there. Ill try to answer them quickly, congresswoman. So, the first thing is i do hope that the chinese and the russians are actually testing the vaccine before they are administering vaccine to anyone because claims of having a vaccine ready to distribute before you do testing i think is problematic at best. We are going very quickly had. I do not believe that there will be vaccines so far ahead of us that we will have to depend on other countries to get us vaccines. I believe the program that is being sponsored by us right now and being directed and implemented by us is going at a very rapid speed, prudent but rapid. Now, with regard to distribution, already right now there are plans as was mentioned i believe by Ranking Member ask a lease, that were taking at risk, financial risk, not safety risk, but financial risk the development of doses of vaccines right now as we speak so that they will be ready by the time we do show safety and efficacy well be able to dust beaute it, and it will be done by a number of mechanisms, the standard mechanism working with the recommendation by the acip together with the cdc now being complimented by recommendations from the National Academy of medicine and in collaboration with the department of defense and the cdc working together it will be distributed. Thank you. My time has expired. Thank you very much, dr. Fauci. The chair now recognizes miss walowski for five minutes. Thank you, gentlemen, for your service. Arguably the most important thing that the federal government is working on, and im an optimist, still optimistic that well use the term when if not when getting through a vaccine and that we have manufacturing and distribution to get it across the country quickly. I believe that. President trump has announced operation warp speed to achieve the goal of offering 300 million doses of a vaccine by january 2021. Its leveraging the public and private partnerships that are there and becoming partnerships, unprecedented in this country and i salute that. Astrazeneca told the energy and Commerce Committee that this deal with the federal government stipulates that it will sell 300 million doses to the government at no profit. Johnson johnson similarly said it will provide its vaccine at a notforprofit price and other companies have offered low prices. Between the promises of low prices and existing Government Programs that cover the costs of a vaccine, is it safe to say that every american will will be able to get a vaccine once its approved . Given what youve mentioned which i agree, the promises of the company about hundreds of millions of doses, i believe ultimately over a period of time in 2021 if we have and i think we will have a safe and effective vaccine, that americans will be able to get it. I dont think that well have everybody getting it immediately in the beginning. It probably will be phased in, and thats the reason why we have the committees to do the prioritization of who should get it first, but ultimately within a reasonable period of time the plans now allow for any american who needs a vaccine to get it within the year 2020. Right, and that is the plan. Staying on the topic, dr. Fauci, its my understanding that operation warp speed enabled Clinical Trials for the most promising vaccine candidates to be run multily which will get a vaccine to market much more faster than normal. My understanding from listening to you a few minutes ago, we have eliminated no safety steps in the vaccine approval process, correct . That is correct. Again, just to be clear, so the folks that are watching there are hearing this clearly, concisely and truthfully from you, the fda is not compromising Safety Standards in order to speed up vaccine process approval, correct . Well, i would say it a different way. Okay. We at the nih are doing the vaccine studies with the companies. The fda will look at that data and on a sciencebased decision will make a determination as to the safety and fkase and whether or not it will be approved so the fda is a sciencebased decisionmaker. But as far as you know in that, i agree, but the fda is not compromising Safety Standards . No. No way, no how is the fda compromising Safety Standards and their answers and approvals are based on science. Historically the fda have based their decisions on science. They will do it also, im sure. Appreciate it. Thanks for the a i insurances well have a safe, affordable and widely available vaccine for america. All of america is praying one of these promising candidates comes through. Thats why im so disappointed weve seen some on the other side of the aisle speculate aloud that the Administration Much rush an unsafe vaccine to the market before the market to help President Trump politically. This irresponsible rhetoric only serves to plant irrational fears in the minds of americans. Im worried that enough of these types of attacks could result in people avoiding an approved vaccine when it does come to market, when it is available for americans. Dr. Fauci, can you address this once and for all. Would the administration approve a vaccine thats not safe, and do you share my concern about the danger of undermining faith in the Vaccine Development process . The commission of fda dr. Stephen hahn has assured me and spoken publicly that he would make sure that any decision on the part of the fda will be based on sound Scientific Data proving the safety and the efficacy. Hes told me that and hes been very public about that. Given that, i think the American Public should be assured that in the process of determination the safety and efficacy the proper steps have been taken to determine that it, and when a vaccine becomes available its important for their own health and for the health of the country to take that vaccine. Appreciate that. Thank you, gentlemen. I cant let this moment pass without bringing to all of our attention again and to the chairman that just last week the Justice Department indicted two chinese nationals for hacking had companies that are working on a vaccine. We sent a strong message to china that this will not be tolerated. Im glad the administration took action by naming and shaming those involved as well as closing down a chinese consulate that was a hub for intellectual property and trade secret theft. We must hold china accountable, mr. Chairman. We have to. Mr. Chairman, before i close, can you commit to holding a hearing on the threat of chinese espionage on chinese products, vaccine producers, mr. Chairman, whoever is sitting in for mr. Chairman . Will you prompts me that we will hold a hearing on the threat of chinese espionage on vaccine producers . The chairman is not here to answer the question. You have a few seconds left. Your time has expired. Mr. Chairman, this is a grave threat. Thank you. For the record, this is a threat of Chinese Companies hacking our country and i seriously hope the chairman will take my recommendation. I yield back. I will now recognize myself for five minutes. On july 10th the Trump Administration ordered hospitals to change how they reported hospitalization rates, testing numbers and other data related to the coronavirus. Instead of reporting to the cdc, which hospitals have done for more than a decade, they were instructed to start reporting data to the Trump Administration directly, specifically the department of health and human services. They were given just two days to prepare for this drastic change leading Health Groups warned that the changes in data reporting will worsen our ability to mitigate, suppress and recover from our national Public Health emergency, unquote. The other experts are concerned that this decision may have been made so that the Trump Administration could control and hide data it finds politically inconvenient. Dr. Redfield, when did you first learn that the administration planned to move the data from cdc to a different portal run by hhs . Well, congressman, we werent directly involved in the final decision, but what i can say is that cdc then and now continues to have access to all data, does all Da