Bill to stop importing at-home COVID tests made in China blocked in Senate

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A bill to stop importing COVID-19 tests made in China has been blocked in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) says he joined Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to offer the No Taxpayer Dollars for Communist Chinese COVID Tests Act.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed just how reliant our country is on medical supplies from China,” said Marshall. “Under President Biden, minimal actions have been taken to bring this manufacturing back to the United States and instead this administration is now sending taxpayer money to China for millions of COVID tests.”

Marshall suggested the money be spent alternatively on American manufacturing of the tests and creating jobs at home.

Marshall said the bill would prohibit the use of federal funds to buy at-home COVID-19 tests imported from or manufactured in China.

“It is imperative that the federal government do everything in its power to complete our public health mission in a cost-effective manner that prioritizes support for domestic manufacturing,” Scott said. “Unfortunately, instead of supporting American manufacturing, the Biden administration is handing nearly $1.3 billion of taxpayer funds to a company in Communist China. The Biden administration’s willingness to fund the Communist Chinese economy, instead of the American economy, is a disgrace.”

The senators introduced the bill after the Biden administration purchased $1.28 billion worth of at-home COVID tests from iHealth Labs Inc., part of Andon Health Co. - a medical device manufacturer headquartered in China.

The bill was blocked in the Senate by democratic leaders.