As much as we respect Dr. Anthony Fauci’s service to our country and medical opinion, we disagree that his current positions on the virus outbreak provide the best path forward. Instead, discouraging states from reopening will only prolong a long-term public health and economic crisis.
Fauci and company have relied on models that were later found to be deficient. He even has suggested that he...Read more
Last week, there was much discussion over “unmasking,” where Obama administration officials flagrantly violated the constitutional rights of American citizens, including those of their political opponents.
To be sure, this behavior was abhorrent, and I gladly participated in putting this information out in public for all to see.
Outrage erupted from my friends on the Republican side — how could they have done this? Who let them? Who will pay the price for this?
I’m heartened by this outrage. But will it translate into true action to protect the privacy of...Read more
The coronavirus pandemic is testing the American workforce in ways no one has ever seen. According to some estimates, the heavy-handed stay-at-home orders imposed in many states could lead to unemployment rates on par with the Great Depression before the end of summer. But a crisis like this doesn’t just create hardship; it also gives us reason to innovate and meet the needs of today.
Two generations ago, only the milkman would make deliveries to your door. Now, with a few taps of a smartphone, you can order a gallon of milk and all your other weekly groceries, complete with GPS...Read more
What if I had told you a month ago that some sort of contagion would be unleashed upon our country that would cause 20 million people to lose their jobs and for us to go $6 trillion further into debt?
Many pundits would have likely responded, “That’s crazy. It could never happen.”
And yet it did – the economic calamity didn’t come from the coronavirus directly, but from our response to the contagion.
The virus has now caused more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. and hundreds of thousands have been infected. The tragedy is a personal one if you lost a loved one or if you’...Read more
As we face the pandemic’s many challenges, Americans are stepping up and working together to help equip our medical professionals with the masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) they need on the front lines of the fight.
President Trump said on Sunday that “cargo planes have delivered almost … 300 million gloves, almost 8...Read more
I did not quarantine while awaiting a coronavirus test because I did not meet the criteria for quarantine. In fact, I did not meet the current criteria for even being tested, much less quarantined.
I have not had an encounter with anyone that health officials recommended quarantining or testing.
I took the test because my wife and I had traveled extensively during the weeks prior to COVID-19 social distancing practices, and I am at a higher risk for serious complications from the virus due to having part of my lung removed seven months ago.
I did attend Louisville...Read more
Did you know that the bipartisan coronavirus bailout bill will provide nearly everybody in my family with a check? And I’m not poor. I’m a United States senator.
As a member of the Senate, I think it’s an abomination for the government to send checks to U.S. senators.
But according to the 2018 tax data used for calculating eligibility, which shows that my wife Kelley and I earned only the Senate income, we will be eligible for a government bailout check.
My grown kids will also be eligible for checks. I have one son in college who will get a check, and I have two...Read more
This weekend, the Senate will likely vote on Phase 3 of the federal coronavirus response. As they do so, I urge aggressive but prudent actions.
As a physician, we learn early and take an oath to “do no harm.” This is an important principle to apply to both the medical and the economic steps taken to combat the current situation.
I’ve put together agenda items that fit this description. They will help. They are prudent. They are short term, and they are not an overreaction or a misdirection.
Right now, every special interest in Washington is fighting to lard up the...Read more
As a physician, I understand the need for an “all hands on deck” response from our medical community to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic. That means speedy access to diagnostic testing and medical supplies, and, most importantly, it means preparedness to care for every Kentuckian in need.
As your senator, I am committed to doing whatever I can to ensure big government doesn’t stand in the way of that care.
When we face a health emergency, government should trust community, academic, and public health labs to do what they are already trained and certified to do. With all of...Read more
It is important to approach the current Coronavirus pandemic with equal measures of prudence and hope. Practical solutions to stop the spread of a novel disease are not new. They have worked in the past, and they do not need to lead to fear or panic. In fact, looking at our history of fighting and winning against so many diseases should give us optimism.
My life has been spent mostly as a physician and scientist. My current life is that of a member of the Senate, including on the committee dealing with Health Care. I’ve spoken to many in and out of government in the...Read more
