[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 402 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 402

Recognizing the devastating impact of COVID-19 in India and expressing 
    the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to COVID 
                          assistance to India.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2021

   Mr. Sherman (for himself and Mr. Chabot) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the devastating impact of COVID-19 in India and expressing 
    the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to COVID 
                          assistance to India.

Whereas, in March 2021, a second wave of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (commonly 
        referred to as ``COVID-19'') infections began to surge in India, 
        overwhelming health care workers, hospitals, and crematoriums throughout 
        the country;
Whereas testing results indicate India is seeing more than 340,000 new daily 
        infections and upward of 4,000 deaths a day, though many public health 
        experts believe case rates are higher;
Whereas the deadly COVID-19 outbreak in India is a global problem that requires 
        a coordinated global response;
Whereas, in the spring of 2020, when the United States was in the midst of a 
        devastating spike in COVID-19 cases, India lifted its export ban on 
        certain therapeutics in response to a request by the United States 
        Government;
Whereas India's pharmaceutical industry is a vital part of the global solution 
        to the pandemic, especially for much of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, 
        and is the world's biggest producer of COVID vaccines having exported 
        66.36 million doses to 93 countries, including to United Nations 
        personnel and, accounting for over half of global vaccine manufacturing;
Whereas due to India's critical importance in global vaccine supply chains, an 
        increase in domestic vaccine demand as a result of the surge of COVID-19 
        cases within India is of global concern;
Whereas in response to the crisis in India, the Biden administration took quick 
        action to deliver urgently needed supplies to India, including oxygen 
        support, oxygen concentrators, personal protective equipment (PPE), raw 
        materials for vaccine, rapid diagnostic tests, and therapeutics, and is 
        a testament to the historic record of United States-India health 
        cooperation dating more than seven decades;
Whereas the United States private sector has worked to generously support relief 
        efforts in India including by working to deliver 1,000 ventilators and 
        25,000 oxygen concentrators to health care facilities across India;
Whereas many countries around the world have also sent medical assistance to 
        India to help the country defeat this devastating wave of the COVID-19 
        pandemic;
Whereas as the United States vaccine supply for the American people is secured, 
        it is important for the United States to continue to ramp up its 
        efforts, working with the private sector and all possible partners, to 
        expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution worldwide; and
Whereas United States support for India to help beat back this latest 
        coronavirus wave is in the United States national interest as the 
        pandemic will not end anywhere until it ends everywhere: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) stands with the people of India as they collectively 
        work to stem the spread of COVID-19 throughout the country;
            (2) recognizes the efforts of the Administration to deliver 
        urgently needed medical supplies and vaccine raw materials to 
        India;
            (3) urges the Administration to facilitate private, in-kind 
        medical supply donations to India and work to deliver 
        additional, urgently needed medical supplies to India, 
        including oxygen generator plants and a cryogenic oxygen tanker 
        and containers;
            (4) recognizes the efforts of Indian Americans and United 
        States firms to support India's health care system during this 
        time of need;
            (5) recognizes the importance of India's defeating this 
        surge to the overall global effort to addressing the COVID-19 
        pandemic; and
            (6) calls on the President and the Secretary of State to 
        work with partners around the world to quell the virus 
        everywhere it persists.
                                 <all>