Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor, urging them to take immediate action to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sanitizing supplies for election and poll workers—and voters—ahead of the November 2020 election.
“We write to strongly urge you to take immediate action to ensure there is adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sanitizing supplies for poll workers, election workers, and voters ahead of the November general election,” wrote the senators. “We further urge you to work with state and local election offices to coordinate their access to PPE and sanitizing supplies.”
BACKGROUND:
Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that voters and workers at polling locations practice comprehensive hygiene, disinfecting, sanitizing, and physical distancing protocols as well as the use of face coverings. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our country has faced widespread shortages of PPE. Not enough has been done by the Trump Administration to secure sufficient PPE. The letter cites reports from experts that indicate an additional $3.6 billion is necessary to make elections safe this year, and that states and localities without support from the federal government will bear a burden if no action is taken.
A full copy of the letter can be found HERE.
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