Michael Burgess
U.S. Representative for Texas
Michael Clinton Burgess was born in December 1950 in Rochester, Minnesota. He earned an undergraduate degree from North Texas University and graduated from the medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
He worked as a physician until he was elected to the House of Representatives, assuming office in January 2003.
Burgess is married to Laura and they have three children. He is an Anglican.
In the News…
Texas Representative Michael Burgess said that asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 would be “paramount” to addressing the pandemic in the coming months. His comments contrast with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which said asymptomatic people do not need to be tested for the virus, even if they have been in close contact with an infected person.
“Testing is going to be the bulwark until a vaccine is around and available and a lot of people have stepped up to take it,” he said.
He said that research labs and academic labs represent untapped testing capacity. While only certified hospitals and commercial labs can diagnose the disease, academic labs can conduct broad screening of asymptomatic populations.
“As long as you’re not providing a specific diagnosis to a specific individual, as long as you’re providing surveillance for a rather broad, but low-risk population, this is the type of testing that I would look to our academic institutions to help us with,” Burgess said.
He added that he is optimistic that, between the end of October and January 1, scientists working on the government’s vaccine development initiative, Operation Warp Speed, will receive Food and Drug Administration approval on two or three vaccine candidates.
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Representative Burgess today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Michael Burgess
Representative for Texas
2161 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
