A small bipartisan congressional delegation that included Republican U.S. Rep. John Joyce met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday to discuss issues affecting the nation’s supply chain in key sectors.
Joyce, a doctor from Blair County, emphasized Pennsylvania’s work force and China’s impact on medication availability in the United States.
“I talked about our over-reliance on the Chinese government for medicines, specifically generic medicines,” Joyce said during a telephone interview.
“Ninety percent of the medicines that are used in America today are generic, and those generics come from China.”
In 2020, Joyce, who represents the 13th Congressional District, served on the ad hoc, all-Republican 15-member China Task Force that issued a report with 400-plus recommendations dealing with supply chain security, national security, ideological competition, technology, economics, energy and competitiveness between the two counties.
“The major concerns that we have is the over-reliance on the Chinese communist government,” Joyce said. “And this is having impact. It’s going to have additional impact in the microchips that are so necessary in the defense industry in Johnstown, necessary in the automotive industry throughout America. We cannot be over-reliant on foreign governments.”
Only 11 combined members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives – six Republicans and five Democrats – were invited.
“I know that to accomplish anything in a government that’s divided that we have to be able to work across the aisle,” Joyce said. “And the fact that the president of the United States invited me to be in the room, in the Oval Office, to have these initial discussions, it’s truly an honor.”
Joyce said he was able to speak about the Pennsylvania connection between himself and Biden, who was born in Scranton.
“The takeaway message is that I realize that at this point there is discussion, but I’m going to hold the president accountable and I want him to be able to create those jobs,” Joyce said. “I talked about the work force in Pennsylvania. He nodded approval as I did that. But I want to see that work-force development occur in southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Also, on Wednesday, Biden, a Democrat, issued an executive order that creates “a comprehensive review of U.S. supply chains and directs federal Departments and Agencies to identify ways to secure U.S. supply chains against a wide range of risks and vulnerabilities,” according to a fact sheet at whitehouse.gov.
The order includes a 100-day review across federal agencies to address vulnerabilities in the supply chains for the part of pharmaceuticals that contain the active drug, semiconductors and advanced packaging, critical minerals used in defense and high-tech, and large capacity batteries. A broader yearlong review will look into defense, public health and biological preparedness, information and communications technology, energy, transportation, agricultural commodities and food production.
“In recent years, American households, workers, and companies have increasingly felt the strain of shortages of essential products – from medicine to food to computer chips,” according to the statement at whitehouse.gov. “Last year’s shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line healthcare workers at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic were unacceptable. Recent shortages of automotive semiconductor chips have forced slowdowns at car manufacturing plants, highlighting how shortages can hurt U.S. workers.
“While we cannot predict what crisis will hit us, we should have the capacity to respond quickly in the face of challenges. The United States must ensure that production shortages, trade disruptions, natural disasters and potential actions by foreign competitors and adversaries never leave the United States vulnerable again. Today’s action delivers on the President’s campaign commitment to direct his Administration to comprehensively address supply chain risks.
“The task of making our supply chains more secure can also be a source of well paid jobs for communities across our country, including in communities of color, and steps will be taken to ensure that the benefits of this work flow to all Americans.”
Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.
