Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker reacts to Trump invoking wartime law to combat coronavirus
Just as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called on President Donald Trump Friday afternoon to make more personal protective equipment and other health care supplies available, the president announced he would do so by invoking the Defense Production Act.
Trump announced he signed a presidential memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use his powers under the act to require General Motors to fulfill federal contracts for ventilators. The Trump administration had been in negotiations with the manufacturing giant.
“Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course. GM was wasting time. Today’s action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives,” the president said in a statement.
Pritzker said he was pleased to hear the news, but said the directive may not be enough because it only involves General Motors.
“I’m so pleased to hear there’s some movement, but that’s only GM. It’s terrific, but we need more, much more,” Pritzker said.
In his daily news conference, the governor called on the president to make more personal protective equipment and other health care supplies available by implementing the production act.
“Without the federal government, individual states don’t have enough market power to procure what they need on their own,” Pritzker said.
Area lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, support invoking the act.
“As I continue to talk to health care providers throughout my district, they’re worried about having the medical supplies necessary to treat COVID-19,” Davis said in a prepared statement. “These are unprecedented times and we need all hands on deck. Utilizing the Defense Production Act would provide more direction and incentives for businesses to prioritize the equipment our health care providers are asking for. The sooner we contain this virus, the sooner Americans and businesses can return to normal life.”
Pritzker pushed back against Trump’s comments to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, when the president questioned the need for more ventilators in the United States.
“To say that these comments are counterproductive is an understatement and frankly, at worst, the comments are deadly,” Pritzker said. “We need exactly what we’re asking for, perhaps more.”
Statewide on Friday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported there were 488 new cases for a total of 3,026 cases in patients aged less than 1 to 99 years old. There were eight additional deaths announced Friday, bring the total to 34 deaths in 40 counties.
The number of positive COVID-19 case in St. Clair County has increased from 13 to 15, according to the latest statistics from the public health department.
In Madison County, the number of cases increased from six to eight and Monroe County’s cases increased from three to four.
Overall, the region has 33 positive cases.
Here are the latest statistics for coronavirus cases as of Friday afternoon in southwestern Illinois:
▪ St. Clair County - 15, one death.
▪ Madison County - 8
▪ Clinton County - 5
▪ Monroe County - 4
▪ Randolph County - 0
▪ Washington County - 1
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 3:07 PM.
