WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives has expressed solidarity with India in its fight against the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and in a resolution urged the Biden administration to urgently facilitate Covid assistance to India.
The bipartisan resolution, co-authored by Congressmen Brad Sherman and Steve Chabot that had 41 co-sponsors, recognised that when the US was in the midst of a devastating spike in Covid cases, India lifted its export ban on certain therapeutics in response to a request by the US government.
Sherman and Chabot are co-chairs of the House India Caucus. Among 41 co-sponsors, 32 lawmakers were from the ruling Democratic party and another nine from the Republican.
The resolution recognised that India’s pharmaceutical industry is a vital part of the global solution to the pandemic, especially for much of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and is the world’s biggest producer of Covid vaccines having exported 66.36 million doses to 93 countries and accounting for over half of global vaccine manufacturing.
“The resolution stands with the people of India as they collectively work to stem the spread of Covid,” said Sherman.
“The US must work with our partners around the world to quell the virus everywhere it persists,” he added.
Chabot said the second wave of Covid had caused immense suffering.
“Our close ties to India and India’s support for us early in the pandemic call for our support. As case rates continue to decline, we must help them finish the battle against the second wave and win the war against Covid altogether,” he added.
Prior to this resolution, more than 150 members of US Congress across the political aisle have issued statements, letters and tweets in support of India.