Respirators used in manufacturing and in mining and in construction could be used in health care settings. They are very similar but not the same but could be used that way. And the only thing thats keeping a lot of manufacturers from selling those masks to the Broader Health care population is because of Liability Provisions or lack of liability protections. There is the public readiness Emergency Preparedness act passed in 2005 that basically indemnifies manufacturers, distributors, and users of these mafpks pardon me of users of products defind as a device or covered counter measure. So i happen to be on the staff that did that legislation in 2005. We did not consider a situation like this today. We thought about cac vaccines. Therapeutics. But not respirators to be the first and only line of defense for Health Care Workers. Thats an important capacity and capability is to include language or modify the prep act to include language to include rest pritory protective devices for that
The committee will come to order. I thank all of our witnesses for returning this morning. We appreciate the recognition of our interest and oversight responsibilities. This is a crisis that is evolving quickly. Since our hearing yesterday, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. Cdc has now reported that we have almost 1,000 confirmed cases. That is up from 100 reported cases a week ago. A 900 increase. Americans are worried. They are scared. It is essential that we are able to hear directly from the Health Officials leading this effort with just the facts. Im going to go to the republican side first which is where we left off. Before i do that, without objection, the following three letters we sent on march 3rd to hhs and cdc requesting basic information including about t t testing are entered into the record. We have not gotten any response to those letters. And with that, i recognize mr. Higgins. Thank you, madam chair. Gentlemen, thank yo
He is the Ranking Member of the energy committee. Here in the studio is bob cusack, editor in chief of the hill newspaper. I want to begin with fridays vote and the procedural moves forced in part by congressman massey. A number of your colleagues became very upset they had to make a trip back to washington to force the vote. What were you hearing . Rep. Walden well, it was unfortunate, unfair and unnecessary. We all get a voting card. We have a right to privileges on the house floor. He exercised his. It was just not necessary at all. We have the votes. We had the quorum in the house, as was easily identified and we moved on. In the end it did not have a delay in effect, but it did discomfort some members. You know, frankly, we are 435 actually we are down a couple of members. There are a lot of members that have certain illnesses and are dealing with things that make them even more vulnerable to the virus. I dont know. It was a waste. It is really unfortunate. Host so did that move p
The screen, it is off the coast of Half Moon Bay out in the ocean since the ship came into the bay area the grand princess has been close enough to see from land and as far away as 100 miles. Now the cruise crew spent the day getting ready to dock in the port of oakland in the grand princess cruise ship was held at the after several onboard started showing sides of the crime virus, 21 of them on board tested positive Elissa Harrington joins us live at the port of oakland right now so pick up the story from there and good morning. Reporter good morning, the ship will sail onto the outer harbor area of the port of oakland right near the bay bridge officials are preparing to unload thousands of people when it does arrive it what will happen we talk to a bay area is passengers will disembark internal Medicine Specialist and taken a different federal about the coronavirus and some facilities where they will immediately going to quarantine of the misinformation being those who need medical c
Eventually it is scheduled to dock at port of oakland around noontime today. 3500 people on board, some people have tested positive for the corona virus. There was some debate, ali, whether or not the port of oakland was the spot for the ship to dock. It was determine that had where itll come is indeed the port of oakland, not San Francisco. Thats because of the size of the ship and the size of the port of oakland, what it can handle. Oakland mayor raised her hand and said, yes, we rise to the duty. It also has a good proximity to Oakland International airport, which is where some of the passengers on board will depart oakland and Travis Air Force base here in the east bay and its important as we hear the oakland mayor and governor trying to assure oaklanders no one on the ship will come into daily contact with people on the ship. The port of oakland was selected because of the area that the ship can dock there and remain isolated from a lot of people. A good setup area and medical wor