Administration's Potentially-Dangerous Management of Coronavirus via U.S. Repatriation Program

“Rep. Danny Davis Will Conduct Oversight the Administration’s Potentially-Dangerous Management of Coronavirus via U.S. Repatriation Program”

Washington, D.C.- On Friday, February 28, 2020, Congressmen Danny K. Davis (D-IL) vowed to work quickly and closely with the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, Richard Neal, and his Democratic colleagues to examine the Trump Administration’s potentially dangerous management of the coronavirus that could have contributed to the spread of the virus in the United States. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support with jurisdiction over the U.S. Repatriation Program, Congressman Davis has oversight responsibility for the program connected to the whistleblower complaint that employees within the Department of Health and Human Services were sent into quarantined areas to meet “…without personal protective equipment, training, or experience in managing public health emergencies, safety protocols, and the potential danger to both themselves and members of the public they come into contact with.”

“I am deeply troubled that management decisions by Department of Health and Human Service may have exposed Repatriation Program employees and the broader public to the coronavirus,” Rep. Davis said. “These public servants executed their duties as directed by their supervisors. They were sent into harm’s way without appropriate training, lacking information about procedures if they experience symptoms, and absent any monitoring while assisting evacuees or after leaving the quarantined sites as they traveled home across the country. The Repatriation Program has traditionally assisted Americans repatriated due to wars and natural disasters; it has never played a significant role in responding to a mass health outbreak. I am concerned that the Administration’s request of an additional $9 million for the Repatriation Program indicates a plan to expand the unsafe practice of deploying human services staff without training or protective equipment.”

Rep. Davis continued, “It is disturbing that the Administration appears to take actions without coordinating its response with the experts on public health in a manner that puts Americans at risk. I applaud Chairman Neal for his rapid demand for answers from the Secretary of the Health and Human Services and for investigations by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services and by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office.”

The letters can be found at the following links:

https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/documents/Azar%20Letter.pdf

https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/documents/Dodaro%20Letter.pdf

https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/documents/Grimm%20Letter.pdf

###“Rep. Danny Davis Will Conduct Oversight the Administration’s Potentially-Dangerous Management of Coronavirus via U.S. Repatriation Program”

Washington, D.C.- On Friday, February 28, 2020, Congressmen Danny K. Davis (D-IL) vowed to work quickly and closely with the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, Richard Neal, and his Democratic colleagues to examine the Trump Administration’s potentially dangerous management of the coronavirus that could have contributed to the spread of the virus in the United States. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support with jurisdiction over the U.S. Repatriation Program, Congressman Davis has oversight responsibility for the program connected to the whistleblower complaint that employees within the Department of Health and Human Services were sent into quarantined areas to meet “…without personal protective equipment, training, or experience in managing public health emergencies, safety protocols, and the potential danger to both themselves and members of the public they come into contact with.”

“I am deeply troubled that management decisions by Department of Health and Human Service may have exposed Repatriation Program employees and the broader public to the coronavirus,” Rep. Davis said. “These public servants executed their duties as directed by their supervisors. They were sent into harm’s way without appropriate training, lacking information about procedures if they experience symptoms, and absent any monitoring while assisting evacuees or after leaving the quarantined sites as they traveled home across the country. The Repatriation Program has traditionally assisted Americans repatriated due to wars and natural disasters; it has never played a significant role in responding to a mass health outbreak. I am concerned that the Administration’s request of an additional $9 million for the Repatriation Program indicates a plan to expand the unsafe practice of deploying human services staff without training or protective equipment.”

Rep. Davis continued, “It is disturbing that the Administration appears to take actions without coordinating its response with the experts on public health in a manner that puts Americans at risk. I applaud Chairman Neal for his rapid demand for answers from the Secretary of the Health and Human Services and for investigations by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services and by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office.”

The letters can be found at the following links:

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