Letter to Secretary McDonough on VA's Effort to End Chinese Supply Chain Dependency

Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Charmian Mike Bost (R-IL) of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee wrote to Secretary Denis McDonough of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure the VA is terminating its reliance on the Chinese Communist Party for medical supplies that are critical for the care of our veterans.

After the CCP withheld critical medical supply exports to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA collaborated with the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Homeland Security to create the National Strategy for a Resilient Public Health Supply Chain -- as a way to end dependence on China.

Gallagher and Bost describe the report as, "[I]including very little detail as to when and how the strategy will be implemented. Like so many other government reports, we are concerned that this report is gathering dust on a shelf and failing to translate to action."

The lawmakers continue, "If our reliance on Chinese manufacturing and our lack of sufficient domestic production are not properly addressed, our public health supply chain will remain at risk of manipulation by the CCP, putting Americans in danger in future emergencies."

To ensure the VA does not rely on the Chinese Communist Party to care for our Veterans, Gallagher and Bost request a series of documents and answers regarding the VA's emergency planning no later than November 29.

View the full letter to the VA HERE