Senate Democrats are pressing U.S. Secretary of Protection Mark Esper above issues about the Pentagon’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a Wednesday letter to Esper, 9 senators identified as stories of a rise in scenarios among service customers in July “relating to.”

The quantity of coronavirus bacterial infections reportedly rose by extra than 21,000 that month — an increase of more than 100%.

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In accordance to the department’s internet site, as of Wednesday, the Pentagon experienced documented a overall of 53,033 coronavirus circumstances with 80 deaths. Some 36,600 of these conditions associated members of the U.S. navy, and 6 service members ended up involved in the dying toll.

The Hill reported Thursday that of the troops who have died, a single was an active-obligation sailor while the other individuals were reservists or members of the National Guard.

“We are pleased to see that the office is using some precautionary actions to tackle the unfold of the virus, but are worried that the division is nevertheless not correctly prioritizing the well being and nicely-becoming of our company users,” the senators wrote.

The letter was signed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, Washington Sen. Patty Murray, Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper discusses the department’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in a March information meeting. (Military Staff Sgt. Nicole Mejia/Section of Protection through AP)

The similar team of senators — as well as California Sen. Kamala Harris — despatched a equivalent letter in April expressing “grave problem,” sparking a fierce response from the Pentagon.

Esper himself issued a sharp rebuke during a news conference and sent a letter to Senate Armed Companies Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican.

A letter launched Thursday by Warren’s workplace revealed the Pentagon experienced also replied specifically to the senators in May well.

“It is regrettable that your letter employed inaccurate media stories that have been discredited to unfairly portray the office although we are in the middle of the COVID-19 fight,” then-Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs Robert Hood admonished.

“To be very clear, what we have done is do the job with some of the leading overall health treatment experts in the army and all through the government to locate the right balance of shielding our persons and protecting America,” he penned.

In the Democratic senators’ Thursday letter, they wrote they were “surprised” Esper would “deflect [their] problems about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impression on readiness and morale.”

They stated that their considerations are with the department’s leadership, noting that conditions are “climbing at an alarming level.”

The politicians also pointed out that the Might correspondence from Hood did not respond to their certain inquiries about the department’s strategy to handle the pandemic though continuing functions.

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“Congress stands all set to aid the office, but we are unable to do so if fundamental issues are not answered about DoD’s reaction,” they wrote.

The Pentagon has not but responded to a ask for for comment from Fox News.



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