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.
Unfortunately, Chairwoman Eshoo trampled minority rights in the calling of this hearing. I sent Chairwoman Eshoo a letter earlier this week outlining these egregious process fouls. While I am grateful that Chairwoman Eshoo finally stepped off the sidelines and called a hearing on this topic, I am disappointed in the delay our committee experienced. There is so much work to be done, and Congress needs to get in the back to working for the people. I have been calling for a hearing on COVID-19 since January, yet my pleas fell on deaf ears.
In the past week, I wrote letters to Chairwoman Eshoo requesting hearings on five different topics that I think are paramount for the top committee on health care to investigate:
The unprecedented impact of this Coronavirus on our nation has led Congress to taking extraordinary measures to protect the health of our economy and people. Now is the time for Congress to be monitoring real-time problems and conducting oversight over relief measures that have already been passed into law.
I’m ready to get to work to lift our nation out of this crisis. When will the Democrats stop pointing fingers at the Trump Administration and join me?
I’m reminded of President Reagan’s words on the AIDS epidemic: “America faces a disease that is fatal and spreading. And this calls for urgency, not panic. It calls for compassion, not blame. And it calls for understanding, not ignorance…This is a battle against disease, not against our fellow Americans.”
