Washington (January 20, 2021) – As newly-inaugurated U.S. President Joseph Biden prepares to sign executive orders today calling for a bold, whole-government response to the public health crisis, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) announced his commitment to re-introduce two pieces of public health legislation to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The Encouraging Masks for All Act, legislation that would encourage states to require the use of face masks in all public spaces and outside when one cannot maintain social distance, was originally introduced in November 2020 with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and would provide an additional $5 billion to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund available to states who implement masking requirements. 

 

Senator Markey also plans to reintroduce legislation to require the President to appoint a permanent Pandemic Prevention and Response Coordinator, housed on the National Security Council. This legislation was originally introduced in March 2020 at the beginning of coronavirus pandemic, after the Trump administration eliminated the global health and biothreats “czar” position in 2018.

 

“President Biden has made fighting the coronavirus pandemic a day one priority for his administration,” Senator Markey said. “With a single qualified individual to help lead our global health efforts and incentives for states to implement mask mandates, we can make significant, lifesaving progress in our fight against COVID-19. Starting today, science will finally dictate our country’s response to this health crisis.”

A copy of the Encouraging Masks for All Act can be found HERE.

 

A copy of the coronavirus czar position legislation can be found HERE.