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WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 20, 2022) — Today, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, chaired by Rep. James E. Clyburn, held a remote hearing with Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser to discuss how the governments of states, territories, and the District are responding to the spread of the Omicron variant. At the hearing, witnesses testified about the harmful impact of Republican-driven misinformation about the coronavirus, which Governor Inslee described as a willingness “to infect people with falsity.” Witnesses also highlighted what actions can be taken at all levels of government to slow the spread of the virus and save lives, and how vaccinated and boosted Americans can live their daily lives with minimal risk to themselves and their communities.
Chairman Clyburn said in his opening statement:
“The past two years have shown that federal-state collaboration is critical to mounting an effective response to the coronavirus. We saw the dire consequences of the Trump Administration’s abdication of federal leadership and refusal to provide support to states in acquiring and distributing critical personal protective equipment, tests, and other supplies during the first year of the pandemic—forcing states to fend for themselves. Since taking office, President Biden has emphasized the importance of working with the states, territories, and the District of Columbia to respond to the pandemic.”
Chairman Clyburn continued: “It is increasingly clear why so many Americans continue to doubt the safety and effectiveness of lifesaving coronavirus vaccines: Republican politicians are one of the most vocal proponents of the misinformation that is generating those doubts. … Other Republican politicians simply emphasize your right not to be vaccinated, rather than presenting the decision to get vaccinated as the consequential patriotic duty that it is. Because getting vaccinated doesn’t just protect yourself—it protects your loved ones, your communities, and your fellow citizens.”
During the hearing, Representative Bill Foster echoed the patriotic nature of getting vaccinated against the coronavirus, saying:
“[T]oday’s Republican party has raised individual—not freedom—but selfishness to a level that it would be inconceivable to the Greatest Generation,” noting: “When the soldiers who got drafted for World War II, they did not get to say, ‘my body my choice.’ They were asked to take a significant risk to fight the Nazis. They were not allowed to say, ‘well I’m going to wait for more scientific data to see if it is safe to fight the Nazis or not.’ They were asked to take a risk and to do something for their country to keep their fellow citizens safe.”
Hearing witnesses provided the following additional testimony:
Bipartisan Governors Agreed that Increasing Vaccination and Booster Rates Prevents Hospitalizations and Saves Lives
- According to Governor Inslee, Washington state’s high vaccination rates have been “pivotal” to the state’s ability to combat the coronavirus. He noted that “80 percent of the people that are in our hospitals are the unvaccinated. This is a serious disease of the unvaccinated at this moment.”
- Governor Polis said, “[t]he lifesaving vaccine is our single best tool against the virus, especially in severe illness and death from the virus.” Governor Pierluisi added that Puerto Rico has been able to keep coronavirus deaths “comparatively low due to our high rates of vaccination.”
- Governor Ricketts testified: “The State of Nebraska just released a report last week that showed, with our data, that if you are unvaccinated and un-boosted, you are 46 times more likely to be in the hospital. And if you are just vaccinated, but un-boosted, you were 11 times more likely to be in the hospital.”
Republican Politicians’ Politicization of the Pandemic Response and Right-Wing Misinformation Campaigns Impede Governors’ Efforts
- Governor Inslee described the “virus of deception” driven by Republican leaders, stating: “There are two viruses. One is a virus of COVID, and one is falsity.” He denounced Republicans who “continued to belittle the effectiveness” of public health measures like vaccines, stating that the spreading of false information has contributed to “a profound difference in the vaccination rates between the red and blue counties in my state.”
- Governor Inslee noted that “the top reddest areas” in Washington state have a death rate that is “six times higher” than that of the bluest areas, stating: “This is an enormous tragedy.” He explained that this tragedy stems from the fact that “the Republican party has created an identity, unfortunately, that had bred mistrust of science, a mistrust of governmental actions in this regard, and a sense that you can’t be a good Republican if you get vaccinated. I think this is a tragedy in our country, and I urge all of my Republican colleagues to resist that.” He added, “We need the Republican Party to take some responsibility here and not put their members who are spreading this dangerous filth to America. And I’m urging all Republicans of good faith to do that.”
- Mayor Bowser stated that elected officials who spread misinformation about vaccines and masking are “especially problematic because they themselves have been vaccinated and boosted and are enjoying the benefits of those vaccines. And they know better.” She added, “Nobody should die in our hospitals attached to a ventilator, and have to say goodbye to their families, when there is a safe and effective vaccine. And we all need to be saying that.”
The Biden Administration Is Providing States with Critical Support and Resources to Combat the Coronavirus and Build a Thriving Economy
- Governor Inslee contrasted President Biden’s support to states with former President Trump’s refusal to provide states the resources they needed: “When we started this, the defeated president continually belittled the importance of this – said it was going to be over by Easter. I remember asking him for help early on in this pandemic. He said it wasn’t his job to help the states.” By contrast, Governor Inslee said, President Biden “is really helping out every time we ask for help.”
- In response to a question from Rep. Nydia Velázquez regarding federal pandemic relief funding, Governor Pierluisi detailed the ways in which the American Rescue Plan—which every Republican in Congress voted against—has been a “blessing” to Puerto Rico. He explained that using these funds, Puerto Rico has been able to provide “hazard pay for workers, essential workers who were out there in the middle of this pandemic,” including support for hospitals, clinics, and first responders.
- Governor Polis underscored that without the robust support from the Biden Administration, the virus would not only “have been much more fatal to members of the public in many states—it also would have been much more devastating to the economy without all those areas of federal support.”
Ensuring Equitable Treatment for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico Is Critical for Their Pandemic Response
- Mayor Bowser explained that statehood status would have enhanced the District of Columbia’s coronavirus response, describing how “all of the vulnerabilities” the District has faced throughout the pandemic, “can be traced back to the fact that even though D.C. has stood up and managed a strong state-level COVID-19 response throughout this pandemic D.C. is not treated as a state.”
- Mayor Bowser testified that D.C. “received $755 million less than we should” have because Republicans refused to allow D.C. to be treated as a state in the CARES Act and that this funding shortfall “was a huge distraction.” She expressed thanks to the current Congress for its help in restoring that funding via the American Rescue Plan in 2021, which “allowed [the District] to maintain our very critical government operations and the emergency response.”
- Governor Pierluisi testified that “Puerto Rico is regularly asked to ‘do more with less.’” He added, “We can only envision just how resilient our small island could be if there was less disparity in federal funding for our health care programs. When treated equally with the states, as we have been for much of the COVID-related distributions, Puerto Rico has been able to accomplish a high standard of care for the citizens of our territory.”
- Mayor Bowser agreed in response to a question from Rep. Carolyn Maloney that Congressional Republicans’ efforts to overturn the District of Columbia’s vaccine requirements would undermine the District’s response, explaining that “[W]e have to have strategies in place that will keep our residents and our cities safe.”
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