HELP and SFRC Leadership Statement on Novel Coronavirus Outbreak Briefing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively, today released the following statement after holding an all-senator briefing with top administration health officials regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak that was first detected in Wuhan, China:

“We are monitoring the outbreak of a novel coronavirus closely and are in close communication with United States government agencies on actions and precautions needed to prevent further spread of this virus,” said the senators. “The safety of U.S. citizens here domestically, as well as in China and other affected countries, is our first priority. The Chinese government has taken steps to share information with international health experts, and we encourage their cooperation and transparency as this situation unfolds. We thank administration officials for providing us with an update on this important issue, and for detailing their efforts to protect the American public. We will continue to work closely with administration officials to ensure the United States is prepared to respond.”

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