House Human Services Committee Chairman Frank Farry (R-Bucks), Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) and House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) sent a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of General Services Secretary Curt Topper requesting an inventory of the Personal Protective Equipment stockpile accumulated by the commonwealth during COVID-19 and its potential deployment to Ukraine to help with medical needs during the humanitarian crisis resulting from Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war against the country.
“As Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war against Ukraine continues, we have been steadfast as a commonwealth in working to manage what is within our control to marginalize the Russian government and its ability to carry on this unacceptable invasion. The most unfortunate and heartbreaking impact of this Russian-caused atrocity is the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from civilian displacement, injury and/or death. Fortunately, this may be another area in which Pennsylvania can muster support and render aid to the people of Ukraine while we use other tools at the commonwealth’s disposal to substantively impact Russia’s ability to continue this conflict,” the letter states in part.
“Given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the commonwealth and its component municipalities are easing COVID restrictions and mitigation efforts, we request that an inventory be taken of remaining PPE supplies within DGS possession.
“Once that inventory has taken place, we request you work to get soon-to-expire supplies out to Pennsylvania facilities that may need them or, in the alternative, work with federal and non-governmental counterparts to see if they may be deployed in mitigating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”
