Senate Democrats 'livid' after Pence refuses to push for more coronavirus testing


Federal discussions to expand coronavirus testing could not be going worse.
Senate Democrats held a call with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday to discuss the federal government's COVID-19 response and how best to restart the economy. But instead of working out any form of plan, Democrats left the call "livid" and complaining of the White House's "dereliction of duty" amid the crisis, the senators say.
Despite showing some promising growth for a while, expansion of the U.S.'s COVID-19 testing capacity has ground to a halt, with fewer than 150,000 people able to be tested every day. Experts say we need to double or triple that capacity before even thinking about restarting the economy, and yet President Trump still rooted for protesters pressuring their Democratic governors to do so on Friday with tweets calling to "liberate" some states. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Md.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) pressed Pence on those tweets in the call, per Politico's Burgess Everett.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Beyond the tweets, "almost every question from Senate Democrats has been about testing," a source told The Daily Beast's Sam Stein about the call. But Pence never gave the Democrats solid answers about ramping up testing, amounting to what Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) called a "dereliction of duty." "I have never been so mad about a phone call in my life," King even said to Pence and everyone on the call.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 30, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - strawberry fields forever, secret files, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously sparse cartoons about further DOGE cuts
Cartoons Artists take on free audits, report cards, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published