As Coronavirus Surges, Select Subcommittee Releases White House Reports Contradicting President Trump on Testing, Masks
Washington, D.C. (October 20, 2020) — Today, Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, released six weeks of White House Coronavirus Task Force reports obtained by the Select Subcommittee.
Washington, D.C. (October 20, 2020) — Today, Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, released six weeks of White House Coronavirus Task Force reports obtained by the Select Subcommittee. These reports—which were shared privately with state governments each week but not disclosed to the public—reveal that the White House has been aware for more than a month of an alarming rise in cases nationwide and the need for more testing and mask mandates to save American lives—even as the President has continued to publicly downplay the crisis and hold crowded events contributing to the virus’s spread.
The Task Force reports released today confirm that current testing levels are too low to contain the virus, contrary to the President’s claim that the country has “done too good a job” on testing. On September 20, 2020, the Task Force called for all 50 states to increase testing, lab capacity, or testing surveillance activities.
- Nebraska: On September 13, the Task Force warned: “Without statewide mask requirements, Nebraska will continue to stay at high levels of community transmission in rural and urban areas. COVID-19 is introduced in nursing homes from community transmission.” Yet Governor Ricketts has refused to implement a statewide mask mandate. The state was ranked number five in the country for both new cases and for test positivity in the Task Force’s October 18 report. Cases are up 62% and deaths are up 77% in the past two weeks.
- Tennessee: The Task Force’s September 13 report recommended: “Establish statewide mask mandate. COVID-19 is being brought into nursing homes through community transmission.” Governor Lee refused and instead signed an order repealing many coronavirus-related restrictions effective October 1. The state remains in the “red zone,” and cases are up 46% in the past two weeks.
- Florida: On September 20, the Task Force wrote that Florida “should continue the strong mitigation efforts statewide and strengthen mitigation efforts in university towns,” and, “Mitigation efforts must continue including mask wearing, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and avoiding all crowds.” Five days later, on September 25, Governor DeSantis took the opposite approach, signing an order lifting most coronavirus-related restrictions across the state, including ending occupancy restrictions on restaurants and bars and repealing fines for violating social distancing and local mask mandates. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have recently started to rise again in Florida—with cases up 25% over the past two weeks.
