The Biden administration’s neglect of factories meant to provide critical medical supplies for America, instead of relying on China during emergencies, continues. One factory in Baltimore County, Maryland, which received nearly $100 million from the federal government to produce rubber nitrile gloves, remains unfinished and idle, despite groundbreaking in March 2022. The goal was to attract $350 million in investments, create 2,000 jobs, and revive manufacturing in Sparrows Point within a year. However, the factory has not produced a single glove, remains unfinished, and struggles to secure additional funding from the government.
Another example is a state-of-the-art rubber plant in Virginia, which was abandoned by the Biden administration despite the request for help from the state’s senators. The CEO of the company running the plant stated that they never received the necessary funding to complete the project. This failure to support domestic manufacturing of medical supplies stands in stark contrast to the efforts made during the Trump administration to boost production in the US.
Consequently, China has increased its market share for medical glove imports to the US since Biden took office, leaving the country heavily reliant on Chinese supplies. This dependency could reach 60% by 2024 if nothing changes. Despite the government granting millions to companies for rubber glove production during the pandemic, many factories remain incomplete and non-operational. Calls for federal agencies to buy American-made gloves to support the domestic industry have been largely ignored.
Overall, the Biden administration’s lack of support for vital manufacturing projects has left the US vulnerable and dependent on foreign supplies. The failure to prioritize American-made medical supplies threatens national security and highlights the urgency of investing in domestic manufacturing capabilities.
