Chris Van Hollen: “thank you for presiding today, and to all who are here at this moment of extreme challenge for our country and for the…”

“thank you for presiding today, and to all who are here at this moment of extreme challenge for our country and for the world, we must rise to the occasion and unite to fight a common enemy, COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. What we are witnessing is Americans from all backgrounds and all walks of life doing that around the country--coming together and uniting, not physically close, but spiritually close to one another as we work our way through this crisis. In my State of Maryland, people are doing exactly that. Our healthcare workers on the frontlines--whether they be nurses, whether they be people working in clinics, in the hospitals, whether they be doctors, they are all pulling together to get the job done. Elected officials from the Federal, State, and local governments are working together, as are nonprofits and businesses. Three nights ago, I held a telephone townhall meeting on COVID-19, and more than 5,000 Marylanders joined that call. They called in to share their hopes, their concerns, and their determination. Yesterday, in Maryland, we lost the second life to COVID-19, and our medical services are being stretched thin. But people are coming together to get the job done, and as we address the healthcare challenges, we must also deal with the financial and economic pain that is arising from that and spreading quickly.…”