Malden, Massachusetts – Today, Assistant Speaker Clark (MA-5) released the following statement calling for urgent action to ensure the COVID-19 vaccine is distributed quickly and equitably:

“The work to get more Americans vaccinated couldn’t be more urgent. In Washington, D.C., I have been fighting for the expanded use of the Defense Production Act to provide more medical supplies, the implementation of a COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and local aid to help facilitate the vaccination process, and I’m grateful that President Biden has already prioritized these steps in his first week in office through both Executive Order and his introduction of the American Rescue Plan.

“While I’m encouraged that Massachusetts is moving into Phase 2 and increasing capacity with expanded vaccination sites, we need to do more. Like other states, Massachusetts needs a centralized, accessible sign up system: a one-stop shop with both online and phone-based options where residents can pre-register, receive notification of eligibility, and schedule an appointment. We must prioritize our frontline workers, like teachers and early educators, and accessibility to communities of color. But most importantly, we need to accelerate our pace of vaccinations. 

“All of this takes money, and for too long the Trump administration told states that they were on their own. Even today, Republicans in Congress are balking at money for states, municipalities and tribes needed to crush the virus, reopen schools, and get people back to work. Now is the time for urgent action to ensure vaccines are distributed quickly, fairly, and safely so we can heal our nation and reopen our schools and businesses.”