Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is taking a swing at federal leadership for what she claims is a lack of implementation of measures to conduct contact tracing and testing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
While she acknowledged states are able to take part in the national effort to combat the coronavirus, she is also aware that their power is limited in certain aspects.
According to Warren, there are also a few things missing from the federal level.
“You’re saying we need competence and leadership, and that’s what’s missing at the federal level,” Warren told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
She added, “The problem is there are many things the states can do by themselves and God bless them they’re out there trying to do it every day, to open more emergency hospitals and to do all kinds of work to try to keep their citizens safe.”
Watch her comments below:
Sen. Warren on need for federal leadership on COVID-19 testing and contact tracing: "The notion of saying to the 50 states…'you all are on your own, good luck to you, and try outbidding each other for what is necessary,' that is not only wasteful, it costs people's lives." pic.twitter.com/pikh6PzkfP
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 13, 2020
Warren claimed states are not able to implement a national plan for contact tracing and testing.
She recognized Americans are constantly moving from state to state, which is something states cannot control on their own.
Warren called on the federal level to produce and distribute test kits including swabs and test tubes.
Warren expressed she believes leaving states to their own abilities is “wasteful” and “costs people’s lives.”
“The notion of saying to the 50 states and to Washington and to Puerto Rico, ‘Hey you all are on your own, good luck to you, and try outbidding each other for what is necessary,’ that is not only wasteful, it costs people’s lives,” Warren said.
She continued, “It wastes dollars and it puts us further and further behind in responding to this crisis.”
The nation continues to battle the coronavirus, and according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the outbreak is not “completely under control,” as IJR reported.
As of Wednesday morning, there are more than 1,370,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States and over 82,000 deaths.