Maloney and Clyburn Issue Statement on Biden Administration’s Termination of Coronavirus Vaccine Contract with Emergent BioSolutions

Nov 5, 2021
Press Release
Announcement Follows Oversight Committee and Select Subcommittee Investigation into Company’s COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturing Problems

Washington, D.C. (November 5, 2021)— Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, issued the following statements after reporting indicated the Biden Administration is terminating a federal contract with Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. (Emergent) to manufacture coronavirus vaccines.  Emergent manufactures both AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.  On April 19, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney and Chairman Clyburn launched an investigation into Emergent’s receipt of a multimillion-dollar contract from the Trump Administration to manufacture coronavirus vaccines despite a history of quality control issues. 

 

I commend the Biden Administration for terminating the government’s contract with Emergent BioSolutions.  This action shows the Biden Administration’s commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, as well as the crucial role of the Oversight Committee and Select Subcommittee in shining a light on Emergent’s troubling conduct.  Our investigation showed that while Emergent was paid millions of dollars to manufacture vaccines, it was unable to follow through and meet the urgent needs of our country during the pandemic.  Emergent repeatedly failed to resolve critical shortcomings at its Bayview facility, leading to the destruction of millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines,” said Chairwoman Maloney.  

 

The Biden Administration’s cancellation of this multimillion-dollar contract confirms what our joint investigation has revealed:  despite receiving hundreds of millions of dollars and having years to prepare, Emergent wasted taxpayer funds and was unable to reliably produce uncontaminated coronavirus vaccines.  As a result, millions of desperately needed doses were destroyed or delayed.  I am disappointed that Emergent continues to blame the federal government for its own failures, and I applaud the Biden Administration for holding them accountable,” said Chairman Clyburn.

  

On May 19, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney and Chairman Clyburn released initial findings from their investigation into Emergent, indicating that the failure to address serious deficiencies at Emergent’s Bayview facility led to the destruction of millions of doses due to contamination.  At a Select Subcommittee hearing that same day, top Emergent executives acknowledged prior awareness of risks, but sought to downplay the contamination that occurred.

 

On June 23, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney and Chairman Clyburn announced they expanded their investigation into Emergent Biosolutions vaccine manufacturing practices after the FDA discarded 60 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine.

  

Issues: 
117th Congress