The U.S. Chamber of Commerce must stand down and not put corporate profits before the health and safety of medical professionals, frontline responders, and citizens of the United States in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

A startling report in the New York Times published on March 22, 2020, said the “U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the heads of major corporations have lobbied the [Trump] administration against using” the Defense Production Act to focus on the gargantuan lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), respirators, and ventilators needed to care for people stricken with Covid-19, as well as protect health care specialists from contracting the dangerous disease.

Now is not the time to allow buddy-buddy relationships with special interests by way of obstructionist tactics to endanger the lives of the American public. As human rights advocates, we call upon the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a non-governmental, member-based agency known for its lobbying efforts to protect business interests, to immediately:

- desist from any lobby efforts intended to block the full implementation of the Defense Production Act;

- support the Federal Government’s efforts to protect our national healthcare workers in what should be a warlike effort to defend our national interests and preserve lives;

- call on Chamber members and corporations to comply with any order made by the Federal government to produce critical protective gear and other life-saving supplies and equipment.

While we commend the voluntary efforts of some companies to meet this challenge, it is not enough. Trump recently asked GM to produce much-needed ventilators, but more action by more corporations, especially as directed by the Federal Government, is critical to meeting the demands of a pending health catastrophe. The Federal Government must assure a surge in production that responds to the calls of medical professionals who are ringing the alarm bells regarding life-threatening shortages.

In Italy, where the pandemic has brought the healthcare system to its knees, as of this writing, 40 health workers have died from Covid-19 which has infected more than 5,000 doctors, nurses, technicians, ambulance staff and other health employees because they lacked protective equipment, as reported by the Guardian on March 26, 2020.

Now in the United States, there are already tragic reports that health workers are falling ill and also dying of Covid-19 after treating critically ill patients. With the use of proper protective gear, these deaths can be prevented. Every day on social media, in the press, and through our own networks, we hear the pleas of the medical professionals: They are unprotected (not enough masks, gowns, or gear) and their lives are at risk. If we lose health care workers and first responders, how will we survive this in the long-term?

Our medical professionals are true heroes, but attending to our sickest should not put their lives at risk. These lost lives not only impact their direct families but also every single one of us. We are counting on their services not only during this national crisis, but also for generations to come. The impact will be long-lasting. But we still have a chance to save their lives if we unite and help them.

Please sign to demand that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and corporate executives stop undermining Federal and State efforts to assure there is enough protective gear and other medical supplies. Instead, they need to join us all in demanding that the Federal Government protects our health workers, as is required by international human rights law.