Davids Calls On Biden Administration to Ensure Inclusion of Small-and Medium-Sized Manufactures in American Rescue Plan Funding

Representative Sharice Davids has called on the Biden Administration to ensure that funds from the American Rescue Plan, which included $10 billion for domestic manufacturing of medical supplies, are targeted towards small-and medium-sized businesses.

This comes on the heels of Davids re-introducing her bill, the SUPPLIES Act, which would provide grants for small-and medium-sized businesses who shift their production to the supplies needed to fight COVID-19, such as face masks and testing materials. Importantly, the bill also has strong measures to boost American manufacturing and eliminate price gouging of these life-saving materials.

In a letter to Timothy Manning, the COVID-19 Supply Chain Coordinator, Davids wrote: "Our small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses stand ready to assist the U.S. with increasing its stock of high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing and vaccine supplies, but have long been undermined in the market by foreign competitors [...] Increasing domestic production is vital to containing this pandemic and protecting jobs here in the United States. It is also in the best interest of our national security to strengthen our domestic manufacturing of these critical supplies, and that must include small- and medium-sized manufacturers as well."

The American Rescue Plan, which Davids voted to pass, provides $10 billion for domestic manufacturing of PPE and testing and vaccine supplies. President Biden has also announced that his administration will be utilizing the Defense Production Act much more broadly to ensure health care workers do not continue to face supply shortages and to improve our national response to crises like COVID-19.

A full copy of the letter can be found here.