Accelerating our National COVID Vaccine Plan February 6, 2021Dear Friends,Since the beginning of America’s national vaccine rollout, state and local health departments have faced serious headwinds distributing and administering the COVID vaccine. After the Trump Administration chose to focus COVID efforts almost exclusively on vaccine development with only small amounts of contradictory guidance on preventing spread through mask wearing and social distancing, the lack of clear vaccine guidance and support has had a catastrophic impact. Whether due to a lack of transparency in vaccine allocation to states each week, inconsistent guidance on who to prioritize, surprise revelations about the absence of vaccine reserves, or simply a lack of vaccines available, the only constants throughout this process have been confusion and frustration.Fixing America’s COVID vaccine distribution needs to be treated as the emergency it is.  This week, I spoke at our first Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing of the new term on the status of America’s vaccine distribution and lessons we have learned so far. We heard from state public health experts who shared their experiences with the vaccine rollout thus far, problems they face and steps we can take to expand and accelerate vaccinations. These experts made clear that we need to move swiftly to speed up vaccine production and significantly expand and accelerate distribution in ways that are more efficient and equitable.President Biden has taken quick action to strengthen our nation-wide vaccination effort. He has committed to reaching 100 million doses administered in his first 100 days in office. To achieve this goal, the Biden-Harris team has:Pushed for $20 billion for a national COVID-19 vaccine program, as part of the broader $1.9 trillion COVID rescue package Democrats are advancing swiftly through Congress, to speed distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines, including funding specifically for getting vaccines to underserved communities;The plan also includes setting up community vaccination sites nationwide, scaling up testing and tracing, providing paid sick leave to contain spread and making needed investments so schools can reopen safely.Crafted a national COVID-19 strategy starting with ten executive orders that include creating a public dashboard with real-time national and state-level COVID-19 vaccination and spread data as well as other COVID-19 response priorities;Invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to increase the supply of materials necessary for COVID-19 vaccination, an action I had been pushing the Trump Administration to take from the beginning weeks of this pandemic;Committed to provide state vaccine allocation estimates at least three weeks ahead of shipment; and Increased vaccine allocations to states 16 percent, totaling 10 million doses each week.We don’t have time to waste. I continue to support Biden-Harris Administration efforts to push these emergency response proposals. I strongly urge my Republican colleagues in both the House and Senate to do the same. Look honestly and candidly at this crisis and its ongoing impact on our lives, our families, our businesses, our communities and our great nation. See the pain felt each day by so many Americans in our own hometowns and beyond. Join us in taking swift, bold action to face down this pandemic and rescue our struggling communities. Each day brings us closer to the end of this crisis. Swift, bold leadership and a nation united in a common purpose can bring that day even closer. Let’s get it done. And, as always, thank you for reading.Your friend, DID YOU KNOW?Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind here is some information from the FHA that may be of interest to you:The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced that it will extend the deadline for borrowers with FHA-insured mortgages who are struggling financially due to COVID-19 to request and receive mortgage payment forbearance from their mortgage servicer. The new deadline is March 31, 2021, allowing borrowers additional time to request and obtain up to six months of an initial pause in their mortgage payments.Borrowers needing assistance must engage with their servicer to obtain an initial COVID-19 forbearance on or before March 31, 2021.The extension aligns with FHA’s recent extension of its foreclosure and eviction moratoria for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages, also extended through March 31, 2021. Borrowers with FHA-insured mortgages seeking additional information on available options should visit FHA’s COVID-19 Resources for Homeowners web page on FHA.gov. Other borrowers are encouraged to visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Coronavirus Mortgage and Housing Assistance web pages.
Representative Paul D. Tonko
 

Accelerating our National COVID Vaccine Plan
 


February 6, 2021


Dear Friends,

Since the beginning of America’s national vaccine rollout, state and local health departments have faced serious headwinds distributing and administering the COVID vaccine. After the Trump Administration chose to focus COVID efforts almost exclusively on vaccine development with only small amounts of contradictory guidance on preventing spread through mask wearing and social distancing, the lack of clear vaccine guidance and support has had a catastrophic impact.

Whether due to a lack of transparency in vaccine allocation to states each week, inconsistent guidance on who to prioritize, surprise revelations about the absence of vaccine reserves, or simply a lack of vaccines available, the only constants throughout this process have been confusion and frustration.

Fixing America’s COVID vaccine distribution needs to be treated as the emergency it is. 

This week, I spoke at our first Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing of the new term on the status of America’s vaccine distribution and lessons we have learned so far. We heard from state public health experts who shared their experiences with the vaccine rollout thus far, problems they face and steps we can take to expand and accelerate vaccinations.

These experts made clear that we need to move swiftly to speed up vaccine production and significantly expand and accelerate distribution in ways that are more efficient and equitable.

President Biden has taken quick action to strengthen our nation-wide vaccination effort. He has committed to reaching 100 million doses administered in his first 100 days in office. To achieve this goal, the Biden-Harris team has:

  • Pushed for $20 billion for a national COVID-19 vaccine program, as part of the broader $1.9 trillion COVID rescue package Democrats are advancing swiftly through Congress, to speed distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines, including funding specifically for getting vaccines to underserved communities;
    • The plan also includes setting up community vaccination sites nationwide, scaling up testing and tracing, providing paid sick leave to contain spread and making needed investments so schools can reopen safely.
  • Crafted a national COVID-19 strategy starting with ten executive orders that include creating a public dashboard with real-time national and state-level COVID-19 vaccination and spread data as well as other COVID-19 response priorities;
  • Invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to increase the supply of materials necessary for COVID-19 vaccination, an action I had been pushing the Trump Administration to take from the beginning weeks of this pandemic;
  • Committed to provide state vaccine allocation estimates at least three weeks ahead of shipment; and
  • Increased vaccine allocations to states 16 percent, totaling 10 million doses each week.

We don’t have time to waste. I continue to support Biden-Harris Administration efforts to push these emergency response proposals. I strongly urge my Republican colleagues in both the House and Senate to do the same. Look honestly and candidly at this crisis and its ongoing impact on our lives, our families, our businesses, our communities and our great nation. See the pain felt each day by so many Americans in our own hometowns and beyond. Join us in taking swift, bold action to face down this pandemic and rescue our struggling communities.

Each day brings us closer to the end of this crisis. Swift, bold leadership and a nation united in a common purpose can bring that day even closer. Let’s get it done.



And, as always, thank you for reading.


Your friend,
https://tonko.house.gov/UploadedPhotos/Thumbnails/35a628c4-c4ec-4b4d-ab6e-6e41902c78cb.jpg




DID YOU KNOW?

Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind here is some information from the FHA that may be of interest to you:

  • The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced that it will extend the deadline for borrowers with FHA-insured mortgages who are struggling financially due to COVID-19 to request and receive mortgage payment forbearance from their mortgage servicer. 
  • The new deadline is March 31, 2021, allowing borrowers additional time to request and obtain up to six months of an initial pause in their mortgage payments.
    • Borrowers needing assistance must engage with their servicer to obtain an initial COVID-19 forbearance on or before March 31, 2021.
  • The extension aligns with FHA’s recent extension of its foreclosure and eviction moratoria for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages, also extended through March 31, 2021.
  • Borrowers with FHA-insured mortgages seeking additional information on available options should visit FHA’s COVID-19 Resources for Homeowners web page on FHA.gov. Other borrowers are encouraged to visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Coronavirus Mortgage and Housing Assistance web pages.
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