WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement after convening a call with public health officials and hospitals from across the state on preventing the spread of Coronavirus in Michigan:
“As Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, keeping Michiganders and all Americans safe is my top priority. Earlier today, I convened a call – with Michigan public health officials, hospitals, the Michigan Governor’s office and the Department of Health and Human Services – to discuss how the federal government can best provide support and guidance to state and local health departments to prepare for and help prevent the spread of Coronavirus in our communities.
“I heard from today’s experts that there are a lot of mixed messages and misinformation circulating about Coronavirus, and I will be pressing the federal government to provide clear guidance and adequate resources to state and local government officials working to help Michiganders protect their families. Having a clear plan of action, as well as sharing best practices and proper protocols, can be the difference between life and death in a situation like this. I will continue working with national security and public health experts to ensure that Michigan is prepared to respond as this public health threat continues to develop.”
Peters has pressed for a strong federal response to the Coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this year, Peters joined Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) in requesting detailed information about the Administration’s strategy for responding to the emerging outbreak and called on the Trump Administration to fully fund pandemic preparedness and response efforts in the 2021 budget. Peters has been briefed at the White House on the Administration’s ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak, and he convened a roundtable discussion with public health and security leaders to examine the federal government’s actions to limit the spread of the deadly virus. Peters also joined his colleagues in calling on the Administration to appoint a global health security expert to the White House’s National Security Council (NSC) to coordinate the Administration’s Coronavirus response efforts. The NSC has been without a health expert for almost two years.
###