Ted Deutch: “The COVID-19 pandemic is raging; 1 million cases in a single week; more than 100,000 cases each day since November 4.…”

“The COVID-19 pandemic is raging; 1 million cases in a single week; more than 100,000 cases each day since November 4. Yet, as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I am so grateful for the nonprofit community organizations that are helping to get us through this: neighbors helping neighbors, serving meals, caring for seniors, and those with disabilities, housing, and job assistance, and more. They are essential cords of our safety net, but that safety net is fraying. Calls to Broward County's 211 helpline quadrupled when the pandemic hit, and have seen a surge ever since. With Federal assistance expiring, the calls get more desperate, and now the helpers are calling for help. Congress must answer that call. There is nothing more important in this body right now than getting help out to our communities. The House, the Senate, the White House must get that help through the COVID-19 wave that is crashing across our country as we begin this holiday season. The American people are desperate--desperate, Mr. Speaker. We can wait no longer. ____________________”