Michelle Bowman: “Tonight, I am convening a Special Order hour for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and we are focused on the urgent…”

“Tonight, I am convening a Special Order hour for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and we are focused on the urgent matter of our children's mental health, which is in crisis. Madam Speaker, I want everyone listening to me now to think about their childhood. What stressors, if any, did you experience? What kept you up at night? What made your heart skip a beat or your palms sweaty? What seemed completely overwhelming? Now think of who was there to help you, listen to you, and comfort you. Now imagine that stressor, and imagine dealing with that same issue in a time when the worldwide pandemic forced you to remain at home for more than 1 year before you returned to school with constantly fluctuating COVID policies; in a world where the book you read last year is banned in school now; in a world where you spend a significant amount of time on social media consuming stories and pictures of other peoples' lives, and that includes coming across lies and disinformation; in a world where a former President wanted to build a wall, where death is ubiquitous, and where food, gas, and housing prices are so high you often go without the basic necessities; in a world where the Supreme Court has stripped basic human rights that your parents and grandparents were able to enjoy. Could you imagine being a child right now and juggling your mental health?…”