January 13, 2022 3:15 a.m.

On Wednesday, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined independent Senator Bernie Sanders, and more than 50 Democratic colleagues in both chambers to reintroduce what they call “lifesaving legislation” to manufacture and distribute highly-protective N95 masks to every person in Oregon and nationwide.

A release said under Sander’s “Masks for All Act” first-introduced in 2020, every person in the U.S. would receive a free package of N95 respirator masks. This includes individuals who are experiencing homelessness, or living in group settings such as prisons, shelters, college dorms, and assisted living facilities, as well as workers in health settings, from administrative and janitorial, to food service, doctors, and nurses.

The release said that according to recent reports, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering updating its mask guidance to recommend N95 or KN95 masks. When the CDC initially issued mask guidance in 2020, N95 masks were reportedly not recommended for the general public, out of concern for shortages for health care workers. The release said health officials now say there is not an N95 shortage.

A summary of the legislation is available: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/One-Pager-Masks-for-All-2022.pdf