President Donald Trump unveiled new guidelines for states to follow to reopen their economies, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is convinced there is still something missing.
“It’s called testing,” Schumer said. “If we don’t have a strong, adequate testing regime, we’re going to have real trouble.”
He noted the only way to send employees back to work is by knowing who has the virus and who does not.
Watch his comments below:
Schumer pointed to a $30 billion proposal rolled out by the Senate Democratic leadership to implement an immediate plan for testing as a solution to the problem.
“The testing regime is scattershot and totally inadequate for the job that’s needed to get the country back to work,” Schumer said.
MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski pointed out to Schumer that Trump has repeatedly said testing should be done at the state and local level as opposed to the federal level.
“We agree but not, each state can’t come up with its own test. Many of the states are inadequate to come up with their own test,” Schumer said. “We need a national program, distribute it to the local governments.”
Trump’s guidelines are on how states could reopen their economies on a phase by phase basis, as IJR previously reported.
The first phase is for states that see a downward trend in new cases. This phase allows for some businesses to open if they can maintain social distancing guidelines.
In phase two, non-essential travel can resume and schools and daycare centers can reopen.
The third phase allows employees to return to work and hospitals and nursing homes to allow visitors.
As of Friday afternoon, the United States has over 672,000 confirmed cases and more than 33,000 deaths.