Murphy On Biden's COVID-19 Relief Package: This Is A Plan That Will Rescue America

Press Release

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, on Friday joined Protect Our Care in a press call addressing the COVID-19 vaccine distribution crisis, and the need for quick action on an additional comprehensive relief package that will provide resources and federal leadership to get Americans vaccinated. Murphy was joined by Dr. Nicole Lurie, MD, former Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dr. Brent Schillinger, MD, frontline medical professional and member of the Palm Beach County Medical Society's COVID-19 task force; Zac Petkanas, Director of Protect Our Care's Coronavirus War Room; and Laura Packard, Stage 4 cancer survivor and Health Care Voter Co-Chair.

"[I]t is absolutely devastating to think that 40,000 Americans have died of a preventable pandemic just in the first 15 days of this year," Murphy said.

Murphy continued: "I've spent this week at vaccination clinics, at testing centers in Connecticut. It's a mess. And it is a mess created by a dangerously broken vaccine distribution system created by the Trump administration."

"Joe Biden's plan allows us to walk and chew gum at the same time: continue to expand testing and fix a badly broken vaccine distribution system. Wednesday cannot come quickly enough for this country," Murphy said.

Murphy praised the Biden plan to scale up testing and the national vaccine program, operationalize the Defense Product Act--which Murphy has called for since the beginning of the pandemic--and put money directly into the pockets of suffering Americans and small businesses.

Murphy also praise Biden's plan for safely reopening schools and helping kids make up for lost time in the classroom: "I weep for students with special needs and learning disabilities who have not had the wraparound services that they need. Joe Biden's plan is going to allow a generation of kids to catch up for lost time and to make sure that the most vulnerable kids out there are able to get their learning back on track."

A full transcript of Murphy's remarks can be found below:

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