STATEMENT: Sanders, Khanna, on Firing of Defense Production Act Coordinator, Jennifer Santos

Washington, DC – Responding to news that the Trump Administration fired Jennifer Santos, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy and the point person at the Pentagon overseeing manufacturing under the Defense Production Act, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), authors of the Emergency Medical Supplies Procurement Act, issued the following joint statement:

"The dysfunction, incompetence and loyalty tests within this administration are disturbing, and have led to deadly consequences. It has long been clear that the Trump administration is failing to utilize the full powers of the federal government, including the Defense Production Act, to ensure that we manufacture the protective gear, tests, and medical equipment that our doctors, nurses, and frontline workers desperately need.

"In the face of the continued failure of the Trump administration to manage this global health pandemic, Congress must act decisively. In the next legislative package to tackle this pandemic, Congress must adopt our Emergency Medical Supplies Procurement Act to require this administration to respond to the dire need for health care supplies, allocate $75 billion to the task, and wield much-needed oversight to hold the federal government accountable."

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About the Office

Congressman Khanna represents the 17th District of California, which covers communities in Silicon Valley. Visit his website at khanna.house.gov. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RepRoKhanna.