Rep. Payne, Jr. Introduces Bill to Reimburse Schools for Coronavirus Masks

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. introduced the Masks for Students Act today. The bill would force the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to continue to reimburse local K-12 schools nationwide for the masks purchased to protect in-school students during the coronavirus global pandemic. FEMA officials said recently that the administration would stop reimbursing schools because it defined masks as an operating expense now and not critical emergency equipment during the coronavirus global pandemic. Rep. Payne, Jr. introduced the bill with Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ).

“Schools are under tremendous pressure to continue in-class learning with less financial resources,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. “They need all the help we can give them. Since the country benefits when students are back in the classroom, I wanted to introduce a bill that would continue to give local schools and school districts federal support for the masks they use to keep teachers and students safe. We are still in a national medical emergency and schools should not be punished for keeping students and workers safe.”

San Francisco mayor says city's PPE orders have been diverted & confiscated

San Francisco Mayor London Breed (D) said Friday that her city’s orders for personal protection equipment (PPE) have been diverted to other U.S. cities and foreign countries.

“We’ve had issues of our orders being relocated by our suppliers in China,” she said at a press conference. “For example, we had isolation gowns on their way to San Francisco and they were diverted to France. We’ve had situations when things we’ve ordered that have gone through Customs were confiscated by FEMA to be diverted to other locations.

“We know everyone is dealing with a serious challenge," she continued. "Through Customs, we’ve had situations where those items have been taken and put out on the market for the highest bidder, putting cities against cities and states against states."

Breed said San Francisco has purchased 15 million pieces of PPE and received other tools from the federal government but still does not have the equipment necessary to adequately combat the coronavirus outbreak in the city.

“We wanted to make sure as you hear about some of these challenges, you’re aware of why they are challenges,” she said. “I know it seems as though it should be a lot simpler: We have the money to purchase the PPE, why can’t we purchase the PPE?”

Breed's remarks come as states scramble, and in some cases compete, for PPE from the federal government and other sources. The mayor said the fact that states are still lacking equipment so deep into the outbreak “blows my mind.”

[SOURCE: THE HILL]