Barbara Lee: “First of all, let me just say I rise in support of this package. I want to thank the Speaker; our leadership committee…”

“First of all, let me just say I rise in support of this package. I want to thank the Speaker; our leadership committee chair; members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Chairwoman Bass; Chairwoman Kelly, chair of the Health Braintrust; and all of the Members and staff who are working together on the health provisions of this bill. Also, let me just take this moment to thank our essential workers for their sacrifices during this horrific pandemic. Evidence has piled up that Black and Brown people are bearing some of the worst burdens of COVID. This bill requires, as Chairwoman Bass said, the CDC to get us the data on which communities are bearing the worst brunt and then to make sure that testing is focused on these communities. But let me just say, we have much more work to do. Too many people were trapped in poverty before this crisis, and now more people have been pushed into the ranks of the poor because of COVID. People are lining up in front of food banks. We need to increase SNAP funding, support the State and local government workers who are on the front lines of this crisis, protect our elections, and help people who are falling through the cracks and living on the edge. We have a moral and we have a patriotic duty to do this.”