Senator Marsha Blackburn wants to hold China accountable for its role in the spread of COVID-19 to the United States. She says:
“This pandemic is worse, because of their actions. I think we should quarantine China because of what they have done to the global economy, to the U.S., our economy and our citizens.”
Recently, the Tennessee Republican, alongside Senator Martha McSally of Arizona, introduced the “Stop COVID Act”. The bill holds China responsible, both legally and financially, for the coronavirus.
“They knew they had the virus, they lied about it, they withheld information. They were not transparent, they tried to blame it on the U.S. military. Passing that to send China this message that we know what they did and why, that is vitally important,” Blackburn argued.
What Does the Stop COVID Act Do?
In the bill, Blackburn says that the Chinese government should immediately cancel all U.S. to China.
She argues, “They need to waive those interest payments on that because they have cost us loss of life and livelihood into the trillions of dollars.”
Additionally, Blackburn that U.S, citizens should have the legal right to sue and seek damages from the Chinese government.
“So they can file a lawsuit and seek compensation for the bodily injury, sickness, loss of business that they have felt because of COVID-19,” she explains.
Senator Marsha Blackburn: No More “Made in China”
In mid-April, President Donald Trump appointed Blackburn to a special task force to reopen the American economy. The Senator says this means bringing jobs back to the U.S.
“When you look at our supply chain whether it’s pharmaceuticals, technology, telecommunications, or PPE, most of that has been manufactured in China. That limits our access. What we need to do is bring that manufacturing back stateside. There will be incentives, but also this is the time for regulatory relief.”
Whether it is debt cancellation, lawsuits, or the return of manufacturing jobs, Blackburn draws a hard line.
“The costs are devastating: trillions of dollars in economic damage, more than 22 million American jobs lost, and over 150,000 deaths worldwide and counting. Business owners and families who have lost loved ones deserve justice.”