Rep. James Lankford: Donald Trump Trump “should stop saying” that anyone who wants to be tested for Coronavirus can be tested” (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Legislators from both US parties are expressing increased concern and anger over the Trump Administration’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Representatives said after a House briefing on Thursday that they were told the Government is working around the clock to produce tests for the virus; however, they received no clear and satisfactory answer over why the US is struggling to catch up with countries such as South Korea.

Republican Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina reported “a growing frustration among members as a whole to get more definitive answers”.

With the Capitol closed to tourists after a Congressional aide tested positive, Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois said:

I don’t think anyone is going to leave that briefing satisfied with what’s going on with testing right now….Bottom line, you leave that briefing and we are not where we need to be and not sure when we are going to get there.

We are flying blind.

Democratic Rep. Sean Maloney of New York spoke of “simply the worst briefing I’ve ever received in seven or eight years in Congress”:
“The administration has no good answers, no plan, there’s no leadership. I think members of both parties are frustrated and angry, and they have every right to be.”

At the outset of the outbreak, the Administration rejected the use of a World Health Organization test and instead used a faulty alternative. State and local officials have said that where millions of tests might be needed, only thousands have been provided.

The official US toll is 41 deaths and more than 1,600 cases.

However, Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, emphasized to a Congressional hearing on Wednesday that the US is only at the start of a months-long spread of the illness.

Noting that Coronavirus is 10x more lethal than the common flu, he said, “The bottom line: It is going to get worse.”

Donald Trump tried to assume control in a Wednesday night address, but only spread confusion and uncertainty when he mangled the announcement of measures such as a 30-day ban on travelers from continental Europe and tried to blame Europe and China for the “foreign virus”.

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Senators expressed bipartisan concern about the capability of Trump and the Administration.

Republican Mitt Romney said, “Our system has just not been up to snuff and I think a lot of people are frustrated by it. I’m one of them.”

GOP Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, a Trump ally said Trump “should stop saying” that anyone can get a Coronavirus test: “That is not accurate right now.”

Democrat Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, explained:

I am very angry and frustrated about how we got to where we are now.

We are going to continue to push this administration to ramp up the tests but the reality is, and we were just told this by the experts, that they don’t have the tests available and can’t give us a date they will be.

Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut added, “I am appalled and astonished that we have lost a critical two months there’s still no plan, no strategy, for testing for ventilators, for the basics that are required for people to survive. We’re talking about life and death and there’s still no plan.”

Possible House Package on Friday

Legislators were pinning hopes on the passage of measures by the House on Friday after Thursday’s intense negotiations between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The bill includes free testing, enhanced unemployment benefits, free virus testing, aid for food assistance programs, federal funds for Medicaid, 14 days of paid sick leave, and tax credits for small and medium businesses.

Pelosi told reporters, “We’ve resolved most of our differences.” She said the House will assemble a second package of steps for “effective action that protects the health, economic security and well-being of the American people”.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, after pressure from his Republican colleagues, called off a planned recess for next week in anticipation of a vote.

The political discussions took place as the US stock market suffered its worst day since 1987. Both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes sank almost 10%, bringing their drop close to 30% since February 21.

With State Governors also taking action to limit crowd sizes, close schools and universities, and provide medical services — and with high-profile sporting and cultural events cancelled — the discussions overtook Trump, hours after he had failed to reassure with his nationally-televised speech.

On Thursday, Trump tried to regain attention with the declaration that he might ban domestic travel to US regions where the coronavirus is “too hot”.

Even as European Governments, financial markets, and medical specialists rejected his statements, Trump persisted, “It’s going to work out fine. Frankly, the testing has been going very smooth.”

Dr. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, had a different message: “[The testing] is a failing — I mean, let’s admit it.”