Baldwin Leads Wisconsin Congressional Delegation in Calling on FEMA to Support Governor Evers' Request for More Testing Supplies and Personal Protective Equipment for Wisconsin

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today led every member of the Wisconsin congressional delegation in calling on FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor to immediately support Governor Tony Evers' requests for additional testing supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders and health care workers in Wisconsin.

On March 28, after still not receiving many of the supplies previously requested from the federal government, Governor Evers asked FEMA for expedited processing of his request for testing supplies and PPE for Wisconsin health care workers and first responders. Last week, Governor Evers also requested additional testing supplies from FEMA to help Wisconsin ramp up testing for COVID-19 at state and private labs.

“Wisconsin needs additional supplies and test kit production in order to effectively respond to this pandemic. Epidemiologists and other public health experts confirm widespread testing is effective for preventing and slowing new infections,” wrote the members in their letter.

“The supplies most in need include personal protective equipment (PPE), viral transport media, test collection swabs, testing kits to support rapid point of care testing, and the reagents listed on the emergency use authorization list. PPE requests are being made from the Strategic National Stockpile, but Wisconsin is also requesting FEMA assistance in sourcing items for the specific requests included in the two enclosed letters from Governor Tony Evers.

“Finally, while the State of Wisconsin greatly appreciates efforts to date to fill requests for PPE from the Strategic National Stockpile, materials received to date fall short of addressing the need and requests for certain supplies still await action at the National Response Coordination Center. We are requesting that you expeditiously see to these requests.”

The full letter from the Wisconsin delegation is available here.