Letter To The Editor

Band-Aids On Bullet Wounds: Incomplete Pandemic Response By Congress

Posted

Dear editor,

The Global Health Security Act (H.R. 2166) has been sitting in Congress for over a year now. Frankly, it should have moved through the House much earlier. H.R. 2166 is designed to help with pandemics and combating infectious diseases. The Global Health Security Agenda has been approved by 30 countries, and this bill would allow the United States to join this group. Yet, no action was taken upon its original introduction. The bill has not even been moved into a committee. Now, we have a worldwide health crisis. I would like to know why.

Since I started my college internship with The Borgen Project, a campaign to end global poverty, I have learned a lot about the impact preventative task forces can have on public safety. The Global Health Security Act has 49 cosponsors, with none from Maryland. Congressman Brown has attempted to be proactive in assisting his constituents with COVID-19. His virtual town halls and support options are nice, and I thank him for the effort. Frankly, however, he is putting Band-Aids on a bullet wound. If he really wants to help fight coronavirus, he should co-sponsor the Global Health Security Act or at least begin to look at this pandemic from a big-picture, worldwide scope.

Sincerely,

Anne Bennett
Emerson College - Journalism Major

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