Friend,

In 2020 when we were beginning to understand the magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration boldly laid the groundwork for vaccine development and distribution in a historic timeframe.

Many naysayers said it couldn't be done.

In fact, even in August an FDA advisor told NPR it wasn't realistic that we'd have a vaccine in 2020. However, thanks to Operation Warp Speed, we had not one, but two vaccines that were distributed in December, and by Jan. 20, 2021 – the last day of the Trump presidency as the Biden team took over, the United States recorded 1.6 million doses.

Leading up to the inauguration, then-candidate Biden announced he would push for 1 million doses a day – aiming for 100 million people vaccinated in 100 days. Thankfully, Operation Warp Speed had already gotten him to his first goal, surpassing a million doses a day on Inauguration Day and three other million-dose-days earlier in January.

Nonetheless, the Biden team chose to repeat a claim that they were left without any plan. CNN was quick to run a story about the supposed failures of the Trump administration with the headline, "Biden inheriting nonexistent coronavirus vaccine distribution plan and must start 'from scratch,' sources say."

But that was quickly refuted by officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci. Former Health and Human Services Chief of Staff Brian Harrison told National Review, "We provided the Biden team over 300 transition meetings, including the very first one on Warp Speed which I kicked off myself."

However, many in Kansas who want to be vaccinated have found it difficult, highlighting a troubling rollout here in our state. Unfortunately, Kansas is at the bottom of the pack when it comes to inoculation. Kansas is the third-lowest state in terms of supply used (61.7%), the second-to-last state in the percent of the population given the first dose (8%), and the tenth lowest state in population given the second dose (2.4%). Only several other territories are doing worse in comparison.

I've reached out to state leaders to encourage a more robust rollout, encouraging them to quickly open up vaccines in the state.

However you feel about being vaccinated, I wanted you to hear the facts of the distribution and understand where we are as a country and as a state.

Sincerely,


Rep. Ron Estes