sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alan Webber, Bill de Blasio, Harry Sidhu, Jacob Frey, Jerry Dyer, John Giles (mayor)

March 29, 2021

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Biden,

On behalf of the nation’s , we thank you for your Administration’s efforts to increase the supply of COVID-19 vaccines and testing to ensure our cities can recover from the COVID-19 public health emergency.

However, we need two additional federal actions in order to improve equitable vaccination efforts: First, we need to be able to maximize the potential of local governments, and second, we need significantly more vaccine supply.

Maximizing Local Governments: We ask that you provide vaccine directly to cities nationwide, and ensure states do not interfere with our allocations. City governments understand our communities and our local infrastructure best and therefore can most nimbly identify community assets, deploy municipal services, and draw on local expertise to vaccinate residents equitably and efficiently. We see and do not accept the troubling pattern emerging nationwide showing that people of color and vulnerable populations do not have sufficient access to the vaccine. Many of those people live in cities—and as mayors of those cities, for the sake of our most marginalized constituents, we ask that you provide us direct allocation with true local control so that we can increase the efficiency and equity of vaccine distribution.

Furthermore, the magnitude of the need for vital protective equipment and supplies in cities large and small across our nation continues to be a concern. We commend your successful efforts thus far, and urge you to fully utilize the Defense Production Act to rapidly and continuously increase the production and stockpiling of supplies critical to COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccine administration.

The nation’s mayors stand ready to work closely with you to implement a comprehensive national strategy for a successful and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sincerely,

1

Greg Fischer Steve Benjamin President Past President of New York, NY Mayor of Louisville, KY Mayor of Columbia, SC Michael M. Vargas Tom Cochran Farrah N. Khan Mayor of Perris, CA Executive Director Mayor of Irvine, CA US Conference of Mayors Lily Mei Mayor of Fremont, CA Mayor of Anaheim, CA Mayor of Montgomery, AL Alan L. Nagy Mayor of Newark, CA Lioneld Jordan Mayor of Fresno, CA Mayor of Fayetteville, AR Bob Woerner Robert Garcia Mayor of Livermore, CA Mayor of Long Beach, CA Mayor of Mesa, AZ Linda Olson Kevin J. Lincoln II Mayor of Englewood, CO Mayor of Stockton, CA Mayor of Tucson, AZ Michael B. Hancock Mayor of , CO Mayor of , CA Mayor of Phoenix, AZ Joe Ganim Mayor of Bridgeport, CT , CA Mayor of Glendale, AZ Marcia A. Leclerc Thomas K. Butt Mayor of East Hartford, CT Emmanuel J. Estrada Mayor of Richmond, CA Mayor of Baldwin Park, CA Shari Cantor Pauline Russo Cutter Mayor of West Hartford, CT Mayor of San Leandro, CA Mayor of Oakland, CA Harry Rilling Letty Lopez-Viado Mayor of Norwalk, CT Sue Himmelrich Mayor of West Covina, CA Mayor of Santa Monica, CA Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft Mayor of Washington, DC Jessica Ancona Mayor of Alameda, CA Mayor of El Monte, CA Keith A. James Christy Holstege Mayor of West Palm Beach, FL Alex Fisch Mayor of Palm Springs, CA Mayor of Culver City, CA Derrick L. Henry Ian N. Oglesby Mayor of Daytona Beach, FL Tom Faria Mayor of Seaside, CA Mayor of Los Banos, CA

2

Joy Cooper Lori E. Lightfoot Mayor of Hallandale Beach, FL Mayor of , IL Mayor of , MN

Jane F. Bolin Jerome A. Prince James B. Hovland Mayor of Oakland Park, FL Mayor of Gary, IN Mayor of Edina, MN

Rex Hardin LaToya Cantrell Lyda Krewson Mayor of Pompano Beach, FL Mayor of , LA Mayor of St. Louis, MO

Jane Castor William C. Reichelt Mayor of Tampa, FL Mayor of West Springfield, Mayor of City, MO MA Frank C. Ortis James Allen Joines Mayor of Pembroke Pines, FL Paul Coogan Mayor of Winston-Salem, NC Mayor of Fall River, MA Ana M. Ziade Dontario 'Don' Hardy Mayor of North Lauderdale, Kimberley Driscoll Mayor of Kinston, NC FL Mayor of Salem, MA Jim Donchess Rick Kriseman Carlo DeMaria Jr. Mayor of Nashua, NH Mayor of St. Petersburg, FL Mayor of Everett, MA Jeff Martin Jim Thornton Jon Mitchell Mayor of Hamilton Township, Mayor of LaGrange, GA Mayor of New Bedford, MA NJ

Vince R. Williams John L. Vieau Alberto G. Santos Mayor of Union City, GA Mayor of Chicopee, MA Mayor of Kearny, NJ

William 'Bill' Edwards Patrick L. Wojahn Brian C. Wahler Mayor of South Fulton, GA Mayor of College Park, MD Mayor of Piscataway, NJ

Hardie Davis Jr. Jeffrey Z. Slavin John G. Ducey Mayor of Augusta, GA Mayor of Somerset, MD Mayor of Brick Township, NJ

Rochelle Robinson Craig A. Moe Mayor of Douglasville, GA Mayor of Laurel, MD Mayor of Santa Fe, NM

William 'Bill' D. McLeod Michael C. Taylor Kenneth D. Miyagishima Mayor of Hoffman Estates, IL Mayor of Sterling Heights, MI Mayor of Las Cruces, NM

Thomas P. McNamara Derek Dobies Hillary Schieve Mayor of Rockford, IL Mayor of Jackson, MI Mayor of Reno, NV

3

Debra March Salvatore 'Sal' J. Panto Jr. Jenny A. Durkan Mayor of Henderson, NV Mayor of Easton, PA Mayor of , WA

Shawyn Patterson-Howard Maria Rivera Nadine Woodward Mayor of Mount Vernon, NY Mayor of Central Falls, RI Mayor of Spokane, WA

Robert Restaino John J. Tecklenburg Thomas 'Tom' Barrett Mayor of Niagara Falls, NY Mayor of Charleston, SC Mayor of , WI

Thomas M. Roach Mike Palazzolo Mayor of White Plains, NY Mayor of Germantown, TN

Lovely A. Warren Andy Berke Mayor of Rochester, NY Mayor of Chattanooga, TN

Kathy M. Sheehan Michael Evans Sr. Mayor of Albany, NY Mayor of Mansfield, TX

Jack W. Bradley Mayor of Lorain, OH Mayor of , TX

Wade Kapszukiewicz Eric Johnson Mayor of Toledo, OH Mayor of , TX

John Cranley Trey Mendez Mayor of Cincinnati, OH Mayor of Brownsville, TX

Lacey Beaty Mayor of Beaverton, OR Mayor of Austin, TX

Steve Callaway McKinley L. Price DDS Mayor of Hillsboro, OR Mayor of Newport News, VA

Ted Wheeler Mary Lou Pauly Mayor of Portland, OR Mayor of Issaquah, WA

Matthew Shorraw Cassie Franklin Mayor of Monessen, PA Mayor of Everett, WA

William Peduto Cheryl L. Selby Mayor of , PA Mayor of Olympia, WA

Ray O'Connell Glenn A. Johnson Mayor of Allentown, PA Mayor of Pullman, WA

4