Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health joined Newsmax TV’s Sean Spicer & Co. to talk about the government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Here are the highlights:

 Spicer: With member of Congress announcing self-quarantine, how does this affect the Congress’ ability to do its business?

Burgess: “It is important for us to do our business. I know just like you I'm hearing the rumors of an extended recess. I personally don't think that's a good idea. I think it sends [a wise] signal by us continuing to be at our post and do our job. Yes, there's going to be individual times where perhaps someone who's exposed or someone even gets ill, but we need to stay on the job, we need to stay on the post.”

Keith: Do you think his [the President] response has been the best or should he pivot and kind of sound the alarm bells a little more?

Burgess: “I don't know how you could sound the alarm bells more than they've been sounded. The President made precisely the right decision in late January [regarding restricting travel]. I was grateful that next Friday afternoon Secretary Azar said we are stopping all flights to and from mainland China. Exactly, exactly the right decision to be made at that point. Now you're never going to keep the virus from coming here completely, I mean the world just doesn't work that way. It gave us some additional time to prepare.”

Keith: “Last week we saw the president sign an $8.3 billion aid package and you know obviously a lot of the issue is supply and demand but is that money being used quick enough and appropriately to get some of these tests up to speed, to get some of these aid workers what they need?”

Burgess: “Well and that's going to be the big challenge. Now the good news there is the money and it doesn't have to go through the myriad of Congressional committees and hearings. Look when the President first recommended $2.5 billion package, I wondered at the time if maybe a little bit more robust number would not be in order. Again, to give people the confidence that, you know, Congress is taking this seriously, the Administration is taking this seriously.”

To watch the full interview, click here.

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