71% of Voters Support Biden's Proposal to Invest $30 Billion in Pandemic Preparedness

Today, Congressman Ritchie Torres and Senators Warren and Padilla, along with their Congressional colleagues, released a new letter to Congressional leadership advocating for fully funding President Biden's request to allocate a minimum of $30 billion toward preparing for potential future pandemics in the Congressional infrastructure packages.

New polling from Guarding Against Pandemics and Data for Progress, cited in the letter, shows that President Biden's proposal to invest $30 billion toward pandemic preparedness has the support of 71% of voters, including strong majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans.

"According to a recent poll from Data for Progress and Guarding Against Pandemics, 67% of Americans believe that the United States was unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic and want the United States to be ready for future pandemics. The poll also found that President Biden's proposal to invest $30 billion toward pandemic preparedness has the support of 71% of voters, including strong majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. Congress must deliver for Americans and make these important, popular investments in public health and pandemic preparedness,'' 20 Democratic lawmakers wrote in the letter to Congressional leadership.

"What will it take to get the United States Congress to treat pandemic preparedness with the urgency it requires?," said Rep. Ritchie Torres. "There should be no need at all for a press conference that states the obvious and calls for pandemic preparedness to be fully funded in the reconciliation bill. The fact that Members of Congress are even considering defunding pandemic preparedness--in the midst of a pandemic--is dangerously short-sighted. We, in the United States Congress, have the wherewithal to prevent the next pandemic. What remains to be seen is whether we have the political will and wisdom. "

"The current pandemic illustrates the importance of this vital funding to prepare us for future pandemics. Not only will this funding protect American lives and our economy, it's something that voters widely support, according to Data for Progress polling," said Marcela Mulholland, Political Director at Data for Progress. "This isn't just common sense -- this is a policy that is overwhelmingly popular with voters. It's time for Congress to listen."

"We at Guarding Against Pandemics are grateful that Congressman Torres has urged Leadership to fully fund President Biden's $30 billion plan to fight pandemics. $30 billion is necessary to support critical investments like faster detection of new viruses, more effective treatments, domestic supply chains for PPE, and faster development of new vaccines. Congressman Torres has seen first-hand how this pandemic decimated communities, particular communities of color. In championing this funding, we are fighting for the millions of Americans who cannot afford another pandemic. One was more than enough," said Gabe Bankman-Fried, Founder and Director of Guarding Against Pandemics.

Read the full letter here.