Republican Texas Rep. Michael Cloud introduced legislation Friday that would ban the federal government from not allowing states to purchase COVID-19 treatments.
The Daily Caller first obtained the bill which would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Defense Production Act of 1950 that bans the Federal Government from limiting State access to treatments, such as monoclonal antibodies. The legislation is a House companion to Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s bill in the Senate that addresses the same issue.
Advocated by political and medical figures from White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci to Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, monoclonal antibodies can be injected into COVID-19 patients whose bodies are not naturally producing antibodies to the virus. Then-President Donald Trump received the treatment in 2020 when he was hospitalized with COVID-19, and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers received it in November after contracting the virus.
Cloud said there is no reason why the federal government should be in charge of who gets monoclonal antibodies and said it should be the state government’s decision.
“Monoclonal antibodies are proven to be effective in combating COVID-19 infection. There is absolutely no reason why the Federal Government should be getting in the way of state governments’ ability to pursue this treatment option for their people,” Cloud told the Daily Caller before introducing the legislation.
“The Biden Administration has again forced themselves in the personal health decisions of everyday Americans, whether it be vaccine mandates or restricting doctors’ ability to prescribe certain COVID-19 therapies. This federal takeover is another abuse of power by the Biden Administration and is hindering Americans’ ability to pursue this life-saving medication,” Cloud added.
READ THE BILL HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
The legislation has four cosponsors: Florida Rep. Daniel Webster, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, Illinois Rep. Mary Miller, Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Pat Fallon Urges White House To Make Monoclonal Antibodies Available For Purchase)
White House press secretary Jen Psaki blamed states like Florida and Texas for ordering large amounts of the treatment in the fall as the Delta variant surged in the South, leading Republicans like DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to push back. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Demand FDA Withdraw Race-Based Criteria For Monoclonal Antibodies)
In January, a group of over two dozen House Republicans sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock, demanding the agency withdraw guidance related to the distribution of monoclonal antibodies in regards to race.
The lawmakers said the agency’s guidelines direct medical providers to consider race in addition to medical risk factors when prescribing monoclonal antibodies, saying the guidance violates the 14th Amendment.