May 18, 2020 Dear Friends, This morning, Moderna made a big announcement that positive data emerged from the Phase 1 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service announced an extension of waiver approvals through June 30, 2020 for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a paper about the partn... Read more

May 17, 2020 Dear Friends, We have all heard about them. We have seen them. We may even know them. There are many stories of the unsung heroes working selflessly to serve others during these difficult times. In our homes, in our hospitals, and in communities across our state – Texans are showing up to put others first. Whether it’s a doctor or nurse working overtime, a neighbor volunteering to make masks, or a friend taking time to deliver groceries for the most vulnerable, let’s take the time ... Read more

May 15, 2020 Dear Friends, Today, the House of Representatives considered two actions. The first, was a rule change to allow members to vote via proxy. And the second was H.R. 6800, known as the HEROES Act. Now do not be deceived by its name because it will not help our heroes battling COVID-19 on the front lines. During March and April, Congress passed four emergency appropriations bills. Implementation of these pieces of legislation is just beginning. It is critical that Congress is deliberat... Read more

May 14, 2020 Dear Friends, Today, the Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on an administration whistleblower complaint. As I said in my opening remarks, every whistleblower deserves to be heard. Dr. Bright has raised serious allegations that should be investigated. Whistleblowers must have their rights protected and deserve to have their allegations investigated with policies and procedures that have been long established and upheld as independent and fair. Unfor... Read more

May 13, 2020 Dear Friends, Tomorrow, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will be examining a week-old whistleblower complaint before a proper investigation. This week, I sent several letters to Subcommittee Chair Eshoo requesting additional hearings on relevant information surrounding this pandemic. National Update: The Trump Administration announced Operation Warp Speed, an initiative to remove every unnecessary barrier in order to bring COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnosti... Read more

May 12, 2020 Dear Friends, On February 5, President Trump laid out a plan for a prosperous nation with a robust economy that benefited all sectors of society. Speaker Pelosi literally tore that plan to shreds and has now provided an 1,815-page messaging bill. During March and April, Congress passed massive spending bills to provide aid during this crisis. It is now time for Congress to be deliberate, study and learn from implementation of the previous legislation, and see what next steps need t... Read more

May 11, 2020 Dear Friends, Today, I again sent a letter to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Chair Anna Eshoo. It is critical that the committee holds a hearing on the impact COVID-19 is having on Americans’ mental health. This is just another example of essential work the committee should be doing but is being ignored by the Majority. National Update: Health and Human Services (HHS) released more information on how the Provider Relief Fund dollars have been allocated to hospitals in C... Read more

May 10, 2020 Dear Friends, On Friday, I sent a letter to Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health Chair Anna Eshoo (D-CA) urging her to schedule a hearing on the federal government’s supply of medical countermeasures for public health emergencies, the Strategic National Stockpile. It is Congress’ duty to conduct oversight and improve this important national resource that has been stretched to the limits during the COVID-19 pandemic. National Update: The Office of the Assistant Secre... Read more

May 8, 2020 Dear Friends, Moderna announced that it will soon begin the Phase 2 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric vaccination, which reveals a decrease in ordering and administering of childhood vaccines. The National Institutes of Health began enrolling hospitalized adults with COVID-19 in a new clinical trial evaluating antiviral remdesivir in combination with ant... Read more

May 7, 2020 Dear Friends, The Department of Health and Human Services extended the deadline to 45 days for health care providers to attest to receipt of payments and accept the Terms and Conditions from the Provider Relief Fund. National Update: The Food and Drug Administration released a revised Emergency Use Authorization for disposable filtering facepiece respirators manufactured in China that do not meet NIOSH standards due to concerns about the level of protection certain products offer. T... Read more