{"id":1187626,"date":"2022-01-04T15:51:32","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T20:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1187626"},"modified":"2022-01-04T15:51:47","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T20:51:47","slug":"fundamental-lack-of-strategy-gop-sens-blunt-burr-demand-answers-from-biden-administration-on-covid-test-shortage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fundamental-lack-of-strategy-gop-sens-blunt-burr-demand-answers-from-biden-administration-on-covid-test-shortage\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Fundamental Lack Of Strategy\u2019: GOP Sens. Blunt, Burr Demand Answers From Biden Administration On COVID Test Shortage"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffundamental-lack-of-strategy-gop-sens-blunt-burr-demand-answers-from-biden-administration-on-covid-test-shortage%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1187626&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>On Monday, GOP Sens. Roy Blunt (MO) and Richard Burr (NC) sent a scathing letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, asking for an explanation on the shortage of COVID-19 tests available to the public.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith over $82.6 billion specifically appropriated for testing, and flexibility within the Department to allocate additional funds from COVID-19 supplemental bills or annual appropriations if necessary, it is unclear to us why we are facing such dire circumstances now,\u201d the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/1-3-22_letter_to_admin_re_testing.pdf\">letter<\/a> read. \u201cIt does not appear to be because of lack of funding, but a more fundamental lack of strategy and a failure to anticipate future testing needs by the administration.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In late December, President Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/we-didnt-reject-it-biden-claims-white-house-didnt-reject-mass-testing-before-the-holidays\">told<\/a> members of the media that his administration did not reject a \u201choliday testing surge.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDeparting the @WhiteHouse for Marine One with @FLOTUS, @POTUS is asked about the @VanityFair article alleging his administration rejected a holiday testing surge,\u201d Steve Herman tweeted on December 27. \u201c\u2018We didn\u2019t reject it,\u2019 he replies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Departing the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WhiteHouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@WhiteHouse<\/a> for Marine One with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@FLOTUS<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@POTUS<\/a> is asked about the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@VanityFair<\/a> article alleging his administration rejected a holiday testing surge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe didn\u2019t reject it,\u201d he replies.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Steve Herman (@W7VOA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/W7VOA\/status\/1475519967189733378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 27, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<p>More recently, Biden was asked when Americans will get free COVID-19 tests \u2014 he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/watch-biden-stares-blankly-ahead-when-pressed-on-when-americans-get-free-covid-tests\">stared ahead blankly<\/a> and did not answer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">REPORTER: \u201cWhen will Americans get those free COVID tests, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>BIDEN: *stares blankly ahead* <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WBtJ0MtuPU\">pic.twitter.com\/WBtJ0MtuPU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RNCResearch\/status\/1478096233218650131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 3, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Two weeks ago, Biden announced that the government would mail COVID-19 tests to anyone who wanted them. He stated:<\/p>\n<p>We also need to do better with at-home testing.&nbsp; So, I\u2019m announcing today: The federal government will purchase one half billion \u2014 that\u2019s not million; billion with a \u201cB\u201d \u2014 additional at-home rapid tests, with deliveries starting in January.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll be getting these tests to Americans for free.&nbsp; And we\u2019ll have websites where you can get them delivered to your home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We have arranged for it to be easier for you to find a free COVID testing site near you on Google.&nbsp; Just enter \u201cCOVID test near me\u201d in the Google search bar and you can find a number of different locations nearby where you can get tested.<\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019re going to continue to use the Defense Production Act as we did earlier this month to make sure we\u2019re producing as many tests and as quickly as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The letter sent to the administration by the senators began by reminding Becerra of the legislation passed in 2020 to fund the HHS for \u201ctesting-related activities.\u201d Five bipartisan bills were passed in 2020 that gave $34.8 billion to the department. In 2021, an additional $47.8 billion for testing was included in the reconciliation package. The senators wrote, \u201cYet today our country faces a testing shortage, with long lines to obtain a PCR test, and empty shelves for Americans seeking to purchase rapid tests.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sens. Blunt and Burr went on to ask the administration a series of questions regarding the government\u2019s strategy for COVID-19 testing, finishing with a request for answers. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe appreciate your prompt attention to this matter,\u201d the letter concluded. \u201cAs we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that Congress, and the American people, have an understanding of the administration\u2019s strategy and accounting of how the Department is using taxpayer funding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">member<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Monday, GOP Sens. Roy Blunt (MO) and Richard Burr (NC) sent a scathing letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, asking for an explanation on the shortage of COVID-19 tests available to the public.\u00a0 \u201cWith over $82.6 billion specifically appropriated for testing, and flexibility within the Department to allocate additional funds &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1187626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1187626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/324"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1187626"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1187626\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1187626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1187626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1187626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}