Coronavirus: Warren Accuses Feds Of Taking MA Medical Supplies

BOSTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is looking for answers from federal officials as to why they seized at least two recent orders for hundreds of ventilators and other protective equipment that Massachusetts hospitals need to combat the new coronavirus crisis.

In a five-page letter, Warren asked Peter Gaynor, the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to explain how the agency is ensuring states aren't outbid by the federal government for supplies. The Democratic senator also accused federal officials of interfering with states' efforts to track down medical supplies, according to The Boston Globe.

"Massachusetts state officials are continuing to face federal impediments as they scramble to find essential medical equipment to respond to a public health emergency," Warren wrote in her letter. "This is unacceptable, and I request answers on behalf of the Commonwealth."

Warren asked Gaynor to explain where the supplies the state requested ultimately went, the priority process for getting FEMA aid and why President Donald Trump has been slow to invoke the Defense Production Act for companies to make more supplies.

Trump was asked during his Sunday night coronavirus briefing about a weekend report that some states, such as Florida, have received 100 percent of their requests from the national stockpile filled while Democratic-leaning states, such as Massachusetts, have only received 17 percent.

"We're dealing with the governor very strongly, and trying to get things to Massachusetts as rapidly as possible," Trump said, adding the story was falsely reported and that the governors were "happy."

But Baker and governors in other states such as New York have since said the exact opposite and expressed concern over consistently getting outbid for supplies by the federal government.

As Baker talked about supplies such as masks and ventilators last week, had to stop himself from cursing.

"I'm telling you, we're killing ourselves trying to make it happen," Baker said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was also distraught because of his state's inability to get the supplies it needs as hospitals prepare for the possibility of having to treat tens of thousands of patients. He said FEMA has "bigfooted" the market.

"I can't buy a ventilator," Cuomo said in a news conference Tuesday. "It really comes down to the federal government distributes (them)."

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