MOORESVILLE, N.C. — March 3, 2021 — Health Supply US (HSUS) applauds the bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives that publicly support policies requiring that the United States purchases personal protective equipment (PPE) from fully domestic sources.
“We thank Reps. Patrick McHenry, Bill Pascrell, and Drew Ferguson for their bipartisan recognition that investing in a domestic medical supply chain is a matter of national security,” said HSUS CEO Christopher Garcia. “These efforts are a crucial next step to ensuring the United States has a dependable supply chain for vital medical supplies. Just as U.S. policy ensures a steady supply of steel and critical minerals, access to vital PPE is a necessity to combat a variety of health and national security emergencies. Our mission from day one has been to help this country achieve self-sufficiency and reduce our dependence on imports for crucial medical supplies.”
Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-09) introduced the American PPE Supply Chain Integrity Act which would require the government to purchase PPE such as surgical masks, surgical and isolation gowns, head and foot coverings, and other vital equipment where 100 percent of a product is grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States.
Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA-3) wrote a letter urging President Joe Biden to require all PPE be made in the United States as part of an effort to avoid ongoing shortages. Ferguson’s letter states that domestic PPE supply and textile manufacturers “have demonstrated the ability to meet the nation’s demand in the most difficult of times,” and the Congressman encouraged the Biden administration to “consider using this untapped domestic potential for a reliable source of supplies moving forward.”
As a domestic PPE manufacturer, HSUS has manufactured more than eight million American-made gowns for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). Produced at nine facilities across the country, the gowns contribute to the current fight against COVID-19 and future national security needs. The supply also serves to reduce the drastic shortages caused by supply chain disruptions for China-made PPE earlier in the pandemic.
“HSUS is ready for more,” Garcia said. “With demonstrated shortages of PPE throughout the country, it is essential that we keep the momentum going to ensure that we as a nation are prepared for both current and future emergencies — while ensuring that these communities maintain good manufacturing jobs.”
HSUS has invested millions of dollars in research and development, equipment, materials, and labor to manufacture these essential medical supplies. More importantly, these investments represent the company’s commitment to establishing a fully domestic supply chain that avoids China and other non-market economies that utilize inhumane labor conditions or pose national security risks.
“American businesses like a fight, and we can compete against anyone,” Garcia added. “However, without proper investments in our domestic manufacturing capabilities, it’s nearly impossible to compete against unfair Chinese business practices.”
Nine facilities across the country were extensively refitted to facilitate the production of isolation gowns that meet the stringent quality and safety standards established by the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and federal government. HSUS is a minority-owned business, and is proud that six of the facility partners include minority or women-owned businesses. HSUS operations directly or indirectly supported more than 5,000 good paying American jobs.
Posted March 3, 2021
Source: Health Supply US LLC (HSUS)
