Congressman Asks for Export Restrictions on Medical Supplies

A Georgia congressman wrote to the secretary of state, asking for a temporary export ban on medical supplies needed for coronavirus COVID-19 response. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., said on March 24 that the Northeast Georgia Health System tried to order high-speed testing equipment, and the U.S. company producing it said it is not taking orders from new customers because it has a surge in orders from Europe.

“The United States would not stand alone in taking such an action. Other countries including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and India have recently imposed similar bans on the export of supplies such as masks, respirators, and pharmaceutical products,” Collins wrote.