There’s a mad dash to contain the Coronavirus pandemic as policymakers frantically search for everything and anything that could give patients a fighting chance against the deadly disease. The federal government is making large-scale purchases of needed medical supplies to contain the pandemic and has been procuring promising pharmaceuticals that could turn the tide against COVID-19. Unfortunately, the Trump administration may soon shortchange its own efforts by requiring that drugs and medical supplies purchased with taxpayer dollars are produced in America. This shortsighted policy will only limit supplies and increase costs for households at an unprecedented and tumultuous time. Federal officials should consider supplies and drugs from all countries, instead of hobbling the healthcare system for no reason.

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, dozens of governors and hundreds of local officials have shown critical foresight and invested the necessary resources into healthcare and emergency response. But, the true mark of a leader is not only what they do during a crisis but also how they prepared ahead of time. The pandemic has exposed skewed priorities and wasteful spending that should have been devoted toward procuring critical healthcare supplies. Case in point: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo handing Elon Musk $750 million to build a solar plant when the money could have been used for more important purposes such as preparing for a pandemic. Keeping the Empire State safe from the coronavirus means saying no to crony “green” deals that harm taxpayers and consumers.