SALT LAKE CITY — As states begin to reopen and people return to work, Sen. Mike Lee is cosponsoring legislation to let states approve and distribute diagnostic tests during a declared public health emergency.
The Right to Test Act would empower states to reduce testing delays and more rapidly respond to the evolving health needs as they work to curb the spread of COVID-19 and future health threats, according to the four Republican sponsors in the Senate.
“Our federal bureaucracy simply has not moved fast enough during this crisis,” Lee, R-Utah, said in a statement. “We need to empower the creativity of Americans to solve this crisis, and allowing states to cut through regulatory delays will do just that.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who wrote the bill, said Congress must remove bureaucratic barriers that limit the availability of tests as states navigate the next steps in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. He called it a “common sense solution” that would allow states to more effectively reduce the spread of the virus.
“Testing is so important to getting the American economy booming again, and we can’t afford more bureaucratic setbacks when it comes to getting those tests to Americans and businesses,” Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., said in a statement.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., said strengthening testing capabilities remains a top priority as states enter a new phase in response to the pandemic. The bill would let states expand capacity in future pandemics without needless delay and bolster flexibility to provide tests for those who need them, he said.