Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, called on House Democrats to focus on providing solutions for Americans rather than a manufactured crisis for the U.S. Postal Service. 

As Prepared for Delivery:

There is a sudden sense of urgency to address the financial stability of the postal service. Where was the sense of urgency from House Democratic Leadership at the start of this pandemic? The postal service issues did not surface only this week, they have been ongoing for years; however, the postal service will not go bankrupt tomorrow. You have called us here to vote on an issue that you have blown out of proportion.

I called for hearings on the coronavirus at the Energy and Commerce Committee in February and my requests were dismissed. Congress has since provided support in the form of funding for vaccines, testing, and more. We should continue to support our nation’s pandemic response in these ways, which is why I have introduced legislation in line with the Senate.

We should come together to provide our country with resources to fight this invisible enemy. House Democratic Leadership does not seem up to this task.

My legislation provides $29 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to develop additional medical countermeasures and vaccines. A safe and effective vaccine is the strongest arrow we could have in our quiver to help society return to normal. Importantly, my bill would provide $2 billion for the Strategic National Stockpile and $20 billion for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority for medical countermeasures. The House continues to waste its time on partisan bills that will be dead on arrival in the Senate instead of delivering results for Americans.

There are commonsense, bipartisan ways to help our nation respond to this coronavirus, but House Democrats have turned their backs on the needs of America. I urge my fellow Members to vote against the Previous Question.