White House blocks Navarro from testifying to House panel about ventilator deal

Background: Philips announced Aug. 31 that HHS partially terminated the April 2020 contract to deliver 43,000 ventilators, which was struck amid fears there were not enough of the breathing machines to help sick Covid-19 patients. The company stated 12,300 of the devices would be provided to the Strategic National Stockpile, but the remaining 30,700 would not be sent.

HHS also took similar steps to partially cancel ventilator contracts with Hamilton Medical and Vyaire Medical.

What’s next: Krishnamoorthi is asking HHS Secretary Alex Azar for documents and information showing details of any termination settlements the department reached with the manufacturers.

“American taxpayers need to know that the termination of wasteful contracts with Philips, Hamilton, and Vyaire will not be undercut by generous termination settlements that involve payoffs to these companies,” he wrote in a letter to Azar.