US: Senate Democrats urge White House to reinstate pandemic unit

Senate Democrats urged Trump ministration on Thursday to reinstate White House pandemic unit as a separate office, saying that dissolving it in 2018 slowed U.S. response to coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 110,000 in United States.

Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Ed Markey of Massachusetts and four colleagues sent Trump a letter saying coronavirus h highlighted importance of having a central White House office to set policy and coordinate government's response to global health crises.

senators cited comments by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at National Institutes of Health, who told Congress in spring: “It would be nice if office was still re.”

Public health and national security experts criticized ministration’s decision in 2018 to eliminate office, part of National Security Council at White House, that was charged with preparing for when a pandemic would hit nation. White House said global health security office was t dismantled, but absorbed into ar division where similar responsibilities still exist.