[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 4, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H1475]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CORONAVIRUS NOT A HOAX

  (Mr. TED LIEU of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Madam Speaker, the coronavirus is not a 
hoax. There are over 90,000 cases worldwide and over 3,000 deaths.
  In the U.S., based on various reporting, we think there are over 100 
cases, with at least nine deaths.
  Criticism of the Trump administration's botched response to this 
outbreak is not a hoax. They had faulty initial tests. They then 
compounded that problem by having overly restrictive test criteria that 
artificially deflated the number of actual coronavirus cases. And we 
don't have enough test kits, as of today.
  In L.A. County, where I am from, they recently declared a state of 
emergency. L.A. County has a total of one coronavirus test kit.
  I am pleased that this week the House of Representatives will pass a 
supplemental funding package to make sure we have enough test kits for 
all the jurisdictions that need it.
  We need this administration to stop misleading the American people 
and start leading. Lives are at stake.

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