WASHINGTON – The Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act, new legislation introduced in Congress this week, aligns with recommendations from Heritage’s National Coronavirus Recovery Commission to right-size federal regulations related to the pandemic response. Paul Winfree, director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Richard F. Aster fellow, and  Charmaine Yoest, vice president of the Institute for Family, Community and Opportunity, made the following statement. Winfree and Yoest served as executive directors of the National Coronavirus Recovery Commission.  

“Government bureaucracy should not delay public health response efforts or stall economic recovery. Initial failures in coronavirus response caused by many unneeded, inefficient regulatory barriers are the consequence of heavy-handed government regulations. 

“The Trump administration’s work to remove those barriers unleashed a wave of private innovation. As policymakers consider further economic recovery measures, vaccine distribution, and future pandemic preparedness, they should make current regulatory relief permanent and identify where statutory changes are needed to fully remove these barriers.”

The Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act is sponsored by Sens. James Lankford, Ron Johnson, and Rob Portman, and Reps. Virginia Foxx and James Comer.

Background: Heritage’s National Coronavirus Recovery Commission launched in April to move America toward recovery while saving both lives and livelihoods. The group of 17 commissioners included top experts and thinkers from government, public health, disaster response and relief, academia and education, business, and the faith community. The commission made 265 recommendations for government leaders at every level, the private sector, and civil society. Its guidance has helped shape policy at the White House and Capitol Hill. The commission’s final report is available here.