Grijalva: Ducey Should Stop Playing Politics, Allow Pima County To Work with FEMA To Set Up More Vaccination Centers

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Grijalva: Ducey Should Stop Playing Politics, Allow Pima County To Work with FEMA To Set Up More Vaccination Centers

Posted By Jim Nintzel on Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 1:05 PM

Congressman Raul Grijalva: "For the state to play politics with people’s lives after more than 16,000 of our friends, family members, and loved ones have died of the virus is beyond the pale.”

After learning that Gov. Doug Ducey was refusing to allow Federal Emergency Management Agency to set up additional vaccination sites in Pima County, Congressman Raul Grijalva wrote to the Biden administration to ask FEMA to bypass Ducey and work directly with county officials on the sites.

“As we’re rushing to vaccinate all Arizonans, it’s absurd that the state would reject an offer from the federal government to bring hundreds of thousands of doses to Southern Arizona," Grijalva said. "Arizona was a hotspot during multiple waves of the pandemic, and the State’s decision to not undertake every effort to vaccinate every Arizonan is a dereliction of duty and will only leave us more vulnerable to the virus."

Grijalva said Ducey was playing politics while lives were on the line.

“I’ve voiced my support to FEMA regarding Pima County’s efforts to get these federal resources so that we ensure that Pima County residents are vaccinated as quickly as possible," Grijalva said. "I will do everything possible to direct resources to my district despite roadblocks from the state. For the state to play politics with people’s lives after more than 16,000 of our friends, family members, and loved ones have died of the virus is beyond the pale.”