Patrick Leahy: “As Senators are preparing to return home to their home States over the Fourth of July, it is frustrating to me that we…”

“As Senators are preparing to return home to their home States over the Fourth of July, it is frustrating to me that we once again kick the can down the road on providing needed funding to address the ongoing COVID pandemic. For months, the administration, scientists, and healthcare experts have raised the alarm that we don't have the resources we need to stay ahead of this virus. And actually with COVID, if you are not staying ahead of it, you are slipping behind, to the detriment of all Americans. To keep our recovery afloat, we have robbed Peter to pay Paul. Earlier this month, the administration announced that it is repurposing $10 billion that we appropriated in Congress--$10 billion--to purchase additional vaccines and additional therapeutics because our stocks are running low. The action by the administration, unfortunately, was necessary. Projections indicate that as many as 100 million Americans--100 million Americans--nearly 1 in 3, will be infected or reinfected with COVID this fall and winter as our immunity from this disease wanes. The President requested COVID funding. President Biden requested that 3 months ago. Republicans have blocked this funding. Without new funding appropriated by Congress, the administration is left with no choice but to repurpose that $10 billion. Even that, experts across the board agree, is totally insufficient to prepare for the coming surge. But even this necessary choice has consequences.…”