O’Neal appointed to COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force
State Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, was appointed Tuesday to represent Republicans on the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force.
The task force is a collaborative effort by executive and legislative branch leaders to improve vaccine distribution to all Pennsylvanians.
The task force will be made up of one appointment from each legislative caucus, an appointment by the governor and an appointment by the secretary of Health.
“I’m honored to be selected for the task force,” O’Neal said. “As Pennsylvania continues to rank among the bottom third in the percentage of vaccines administered, we need to thoroughly examine where our deficits lie in order to do a better job getting shots in the arms of our Commonwealth’s residents.”
O’Neal, a former captain in the U.S. Army, said he looks forward to “using my leadership skills to right this ship.”
O’Neal is the author of House Bill 326, which would tap the Pennsylvania National Guard to assist in distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the Commonwealth.
O’Neal said the national guard has the infrastructure and logistics to distribute the vaccine in a “timely fashion and efficiently.”
The legislation passed the House last week and is pending before the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.
House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, who appointed O’Neal, said the task force is an important step in solving the crisis in Pennsylvania.
“People expect to see government working collaboratively to improve their lives. Rep. O’Neal has already taken the lead in our caucus in finding ways to use existing resources to improve vaccine distribution,” said Cutler. “Now his efforts can directly help every resident of the commonwealth.”