WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) ─ As Republican-led states like Georgia begin the process of reopening, House Democrats are urging for a more unified approach.
“If we follow this totally Helter-Skelter, disorganized path of reopening we will thrust back quickly into further outbreaks,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, said.
Raskin said that’s why his “Reopen America Act” is needed. The legislation outlines the proper way to reopen the country with steps supported by science and medical advice.
“The only thing that we’ve got that’s been able to establish a truce with the disease at this point is social distancing,” Raskin said.
Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, and Peter Welch, D-Vermont, agree that increased testing is a vital part of a safe reopening strategy.
“At the end of the day the only way we’re going to control this, is we’re going to need to find out who tests positive and who doesn’t,” McGovern said.
“The plan that we have acknowledges that there is a road map about how to attack a public pandemic and it is the self isolation at first, but then the testing, the contact tracing and the quarantining,” Welch added.
So far, the legislation has more than 60 co-sponsors, but Republicans have yet to sign onto the plan.
“It’s going to take science, it’s going to take evidence, it’s going to take testing, it’s going to take financial commitment,” Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, said.
Reed has introduced his own bipartisan plan to reopen the nation and said the response to both the health and economic crises must be balanced.
“If you don’t couple it with the economic measure you’re just not getting the magnitude of the crisis and how deep it is,” Reed explained.
