Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Kappa Chapter on their Centennial anniversary. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. was founded in 1913 by 22 collegiate women at Howard University and is now an international sisterhood of over 350,000 predominantly Black, college educated women who are dedicated to providing public service through education, community outreach, and development in their communities across the globe. On February 21, 1921, Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. was charted. It became the first Black Greek-letter organization west of the Rocky Mountains. 100 years ago, during a time when universities across the country refused to admit Black students, seven dedicated and dauntless women from UC Berkeley, San Francisco State, and San Jose State came together to charter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Kappa Chapter. Vivian Osborne Marsh, Gladys Brown, Creola Cook, Elizabeth Gordon, Louise Thompson Patterson, Onilda Taylor, and Myrtle Price. They remained a ``city-wide'' chapter until the 1960's. The chapter's first President, Vivian Osborne Marsh, went on to become Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.'s 7th National President. Throughout her life she worked to promote literacy and provide opportunities for underprivileged teenagers and children. In honor of her service and their Centennial Kappa Chapter has created the ``Vivian Osborne Marsh, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Kappa Chapter Endowed Scholarship Fund.'' This is the first endowed scholarship created by any Greek Letter Organization at UC Berkeley. The $100,000 fund will generate scholarships for Black students at UC Berkeley for years to come. Over the last 100 years Kappa Chapter and its members have continued a legacy of service to the Black community and to those in need. Current members have made exceptional efforts to promote health for women of color, social justice, professionalism, and the empowerment of Black women on campus in the greater community. Kappa Chapter has gone above and beyond to engage and inform the community by hosting programs that discuss important topics likes COVID-19, Holistic Health, Black love, relationships, womanhood, empowerment, de-stigmatizing HIV/AIDS in the Black Community, and social justice. Today we celebrate 100 years of commitment to change. From the legacy of Kappa Chapter's charter members to its current membership and newest initiates Karsyn Terry, Christine Harris, Symone Gilliam, and Robynne Oliver the legacy continues to grow. On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I want to extend my sincere congratulations on this important milestone of 100 years. I thank Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kappa Chapter for their commitment to sisterhood, scholarship, and service. Their history of empowering black women will forever be important to Black history and I look forward to witnessing the accomplishments that will define your next 100 years.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Yarmuth for his leadership in putting forth this budget resolution. COVID continues to ravage our communities. Black and Brown people have been disproportionately impacted the hardest. Now that vaccines are being distributed, the disparities in who has been vaccinated are quite shocking. On top of this health crisis is an economic crisis. Eight million more families have fallen into poverty since May. Food banks have lines around the block, and 12 million children are going hungry. Enhanced unemployment insurance expires next month; small businesses are going under; and our State and local governments are struggling to make payroll for millions of essential workers. Our constituents and communities can't wait. We have to go big, and we have to move fast. The relief package enabled by this budget resolution is the rescue needed to keep people from falling off the cliff. It will also allow us to address the glaring racial and ethnic disparities in our pandemic response. Let me tell you, I am one who believes we should provide ongoing payments until the end of the pandemic. Through no fault of their own, people's lives and livelihoods have been shattered, but we do provide in this package and in this budget enhanced unemployment insurance and direct payments. We don't have the luxury of time, nor of nickeling-and-diming our constituents. We must deliver for the American people a rescue package that matches the scale and the scope of the pain in our country. Remember, a budget is a moral document that reflects our values, which, of course, means we must put people first, regardless of party affiliation.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, on January 6, Donald Trump incited his white nationalist supporters to initiate an attempted coup against the heart of our democracy, the United States Capitol. This heinous act of domestic terrorism demands that Congress act to remove this President. Donald Trump has been, and remains, a threat to our national security and our democracy, and he is wholly unfit to serve as President. He and his supporters must be held accountable for inciting violence against the Government of the United States. Congress must act immediately to remove this clear and present danger from our country.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I thank our Speaker for scheduling this, and Rep. Raskin for his leadership and deep knowledge of our Constitution. I speak today with sadness in my heart but purpose in my bones. This Congress must take action to remove Donald Trump from office as soon as possible, for the clear and present danger he poses to our Democracy, our national security, and to the American people. Last Wednesday, we saw Donald Trump incite a violent and deadly insurrection at our U.S. Capitol in an attempt to reverse the results of a free and fair election. The risk that he might do so again in the next week is why he cannot be trusted for another minute as commander in chief, overseeing the nuclear codes and the U.S. Military. The fastest way to protect our republic from Donald Trump is for the Vice President and the cabinet to take action under the 25th Amendment. I implore them to do so. But if they do not, my colleagues and I stand ready to defend our democracy from Donald Trump.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Ameer K. Edwards, and his many contributions as a health care provider, as a father and grandfather, and as a beloved member of his community. Ameer was born in Camden, New Jersey on May 4, 1970, where he was the youngest of 4 children born to Cheryl and Malik Chaka. Shortly after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Ameer's mother Cheryl Amana Burris moved to San Francisco, where she took a job as senior assistant to Willie L. Brown, who was then a California State Legislator and later became Speaker of the California State Assembly during her tenure. While in San Francisco Ammeter attended various local elementary and secondary schools including Grattan Elementary School and Ecole Notre Dame des Yictoires. Ameer moved back to the east coast with his mother who needed to assist with her father who was diagnosed with cancer. He attended schools in New Jersey, Philadelphia and North Carolina, where he graduated from Charles E. Jordan High School. Ameer attended college at Hampton University, North Carolina A&T State University and later graduated with honors from North Carolina Central University. He continued his education by getting a master's degree from North Carolina State University. Ameer worked for over 20 years at University of No11h Carolina Memorial Hospital as a Health Care Unit Coordinator. He was a hard worker who rarely took time off, and who was highly respected by his coworkers. Ameer received numerous awards for his work. As recently as May 2020, he was chosen as the top employee in his position throughout the entire university. Ameer was the father of three adult children and two grandchildren, all of whom he loved and with whom he spent as much time as possible. He was devoted to his mother and siblings, and there was nothing he would not do for them to make their lives more enjoyable. Ameer departed this life on early Monday morning of December 28, 2020, after an extended struggle with cancer. His mother was holding his hand when he quietly passed away. On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I recognize Ameer K. Edwards for his contributions to his family and his community, and I extend my sincere condolences to his loved ones.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Charles Houston Bar Association (CHBA) and their 65 years of service throughout California's 13th congressional district and the country. CHBA was originally founded in 1955 as the Charles Houston Law Club and was named in honor of the groundbreaking lawyer and educator, Charles Hamilton Houston. Bearing his name, CHBA continues to uphold his legacy by fighting for racial equality and social change. Located in Oakland, California, The Charles Houston Bar Association has been a driving force promoting diversity in the legal profession and advocating against racial injustice. In 1975, The California State Bar's Board of Governors recognized the Charles Houston Bar Association as an official state bar association. The CHBA is also an affiliate member of the National Bar Association (NBA) and the California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL). The CHBA has been a continuous source of legal advocacy in the African American community. Their focus on protecting the legal rights of the people has kept them on the precipice of change. During the early 1980's CHBA partnered with the California Association of Black Lawyers to criminalize the KKK. Through their efforts California passed legislation that can still be found in the penal code today. The Charles Houston Bar Association has always fought to protect civil rights and advocated for equality. These efforts led to the CHBA earning recognition from the National Bar Association as one of its Most Outstanding Affiliates in 1977, 1986, 2002, and 2004. The CHBA's values and mission are reflected in accomplishments and legacies of its members. From California's first African American Supreme Court Justice Wiley Manuel to the First African American Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, The Charles Houston Bar Association and its members continue to dedicate themselves to creating and being the engineers of social change. On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I want to extend my sincere congratulations on this important milestone. I thank the Charles Houston Bar Association for being a tireless advocate for an inclusive community. I wish them continued success in training and organizing future generations of leaders to address the issue of diversity in the legal profession and the challenges of racial inequality.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this desperately needed omnibus measure. The COVID-19 pandemic is devastating our communities, especially, disproportionately, African-American, Latinx, Asian-American, and Indigenous people, who are suffering the worst of this pandemic. Eight million people have slipped into poverty since the start of this pandemic, and one in four adults are suffering from hunger during COVID-19. I am pleased that we were able to come to this agreement. I want to thank our Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who has worked day and night for what some of us are calling a survival package. It is a lifeline payment until we can do something and do justice by the American people. I also want to just thank Chairman Pallone, Congresswoman DeLauro, Chairwoman Nita Lowey, and all of our staffs for the amazing work that they have done to put in so many of our priorities on a wide range of issues. This bill sets aside $2.8 billion to ensure that minority communities hit hardest by COVID get the testing and vaccine support they need. I look forward to working with my Tri-Caucus and Native American colleagues to see that this funding is used to engage local community organizations and trusted messengers in the community so people can get the information that they need to keep themselves and their families safe.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Chairwoman Nita Lowey for once again doing such a phenomenal job. I am going to miss her tremendously. Let me just say how much I support this survival bill, which provides a few months of relief for those suffering from the severe impacts of COVID. Mr. Speaker, I also thank Congresswoman Chair DeLauro and Chairman Pallone for their work with our Tri-Caucus to include $2.8 billion for testing and vaccine support in the communities of color hardest hit by COVID. Mr. Speaker, I also thank our subcommittee chairs and staff for including so many of our priorities and for their diligent work on this. It is really shameful that it has taken Republicans so long to realize that their constituents are desperate for help and need their government to give them a lifeline during this terrible time, also. Eight million people have slipped into poverty since the start of this pandemic, and one in four adults are suffering from hunger during COVID-19. 318,000 people have died from the Trump administration's scandalous mismanagement.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. Let's give this lifeline to people. Let's move forward and build on this downpayment.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Conference Report on H.R. 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. I'd like to thank my colleague, Chairman Adam Smith, for his consistent efforts to include key House provisions in this year's NDAA conference report. I was very pleased that the provisions which the Congressional Black Caucus led that calls for the renaming of Confederate military bases made it into the final bill. There is a dangerous and hurtful legacy of white supremacy in this country, and there is no place for the memorialization of the historical figures that perpetuated it, especially on our military bases. I'm pleased that the CBC and House Democrats successfully kept this important provision in the final text of the bill. However, the FY 21 NDAA continues our legacy of wasteful military spending and investing in war rather than peace. This legislation provides $732 billion in discretionary spending, nearly the exact same number as last year's number, which was the largest number ever authorized. Especially as we fight back a catastrophic pandemic and public health crisis, Congress should not be rewarding the Pentagon with a massive spending increase. I cannot support a bill that funds the Pentagon at a level far beyond what is necessary for our national defense, turning our backs on the serious human need we face today. For these reasons, I am unable to support the NDAA conference report and will vote no.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, on roll call vote 229, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on the motion to adjourn.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, today we honor the extraordinary life and career of Jerry Rawlings, the former President of Ghana. He was born on June 22, 1947 in Accra, Ghana to his loving mother Victoria Agbotuni. He received his education from the Achimota Secondary School, graduating in 1966 with his general education certification. While in school he became well known for his love of Polo and his willingness to speak out about injustice. In 1967 he enlisted in the Ghanaian Air Force and became a flight cadet. Shortly afterward, he was selected to attend the Ghana Military Academy and Training School. Upon completing his training in 1969 he was awarded the ``Speed Bird Trophy'' acknowledging his top ranking status in flying and airmanship. Nine years later he earned the rank Flight-Lieutenant. During his career in the military, he began to observe how corruption, privilege, and injustice impact soldiers and the people they are sworn to protect. His concerns about Ghana's future led him to become an outspoken critic of the corruption and mismanagement he saw from the country's military leaders and called for more attention to the plight of Ghana's poor. Eventually, he led an effort to remove the existing military government and convened elections. When the subsequent government encountered challenges managing the economy, he intervened again, and ruled directly for the next eleven years. During his time as unelected leader, President Rawlings sought to introduce reforms that would place Ghana on a firm economic foundation and create shared prosperity. In 1992, President Rawlings convened elections and presided over a gradual return to democracy and openness in Ghana. After two terms as elected leader, President Rawlings retired in 2001 and presided over the peaceful transfer of power to the opposition leader John Kufuor. Following his presidency, he continued to be active in world affairs, particularly as the African Union special envoy to Somalia. President Rawlings' commitment to justice and opportunity extended beyond Ghana and the African continent to African Americans and the African diaspora In particular, President Rawlings worked actively, both in office and in retirement, to build bridges between Ghana and African Americans. In 2019, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus traveled to Ghana to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the brutal institution of slavery in America. On that occasion, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus met with President Rawlings and his family, and he pledged to continue his effort to deepen bonds between Ghana and the African American community. We offer sincerest condolences to his wife, his children, and the Ghanaian people. The United States Congress stands in solidarity with the people of Ghana as they commemorate President Rawlings' legacy, and continue their work to strengthen democratic institutions and inclusive prosperity in their country.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, Black and Brown people are targeted more frequently than White Americans, despite equal rates of use. Additionally, prison sentences for Black and Brown people are more likely to be lengthier than White people. Black men receive sentences over 13 percent longer than White men, and nearly 80 percent of people in Federal prisons for drug offenses are Black or Latino. So it is time to end these unjust laws which shatter the lives of so many young people of color. I tell you, colleagues, we have got to give our young people a second chance. So please vote ``yes'' on this bill to help us move our unfinished business of liberty and justice for all forward. We have got to begin to really provide racial justice, crack these chains of systemic racism and this mass incarceration judicial system. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me reemphasize what the gentlewoman just said. I was so proud to vote for the Heroes Act twice nearly 8 months ago. I think that we have to move forward and continue to negotiate, and, hopefully, we will get some votes on the other side of the aisle to help save lives and to help save businesses and to help our economic recovery. But I was proud to have voted for that twice already. Thank you to Congresswoman Jackson Lee for her tremendous leadership in bringing this bill to the floor, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, the MORE Act. Let me thank Chairman Nadler and our fellow co-chair of the Cannabis Caucus, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, our respective staffs, and everyone for their effort, including the House Judiciary staff, for your hard work and for helping to bring this bill together to the floor. Also, I have to call your attention to the advocates for their dedication to educating the public on this issue. This bill is an important racial justice measure. It is the product of years of work by so many activists and advocates and young people, and it is long overdue. Yes, I have worked to end the war on drugs for many years. The MORE Act includes my legislation, the Marijuana Justice Act and the REFER Act, which are the first marijuana racial justice bills introduced in Congress. This landmark legislation would end the Federal prohibition and decriminalize cannabis nationwide by removing it from the list of controlled substances, which is a major step, mind you, a major step toward ending the unjust war on drugs and racial inequities which are central to these laws. This bill will facilitate expungement of low-level Federal cannabis convictions, create pathways for lucrative legal cannabis business ownership opportunities for communities of color, and provide critical resources for those most devastated by the war on drugs, for restorative justice to repair this damage. I refer you to the letter by the chair of our Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Richard Neal, and I would just like to read a portion of his statement as it relates to a Ways and Means tax issue, which Mr. Blumenauer is going to discuss a little further. Mr. Neal has addressed an issue that came to our attention as an exclusion in this measure and made a commitment, and he says that he looks forward to continuing to work with the measure's sponsors and other committees of jurisdiction to achieve an effective tax regime that supports a vibrant legal market and provides individuals most affected by this war on drugs the opportunity to fully participate in this emerging economy. I want to thank the chair of the Ways and Means Committee for agreeing to help us fix several provisions of this important bill. Make no mistake: This is a major racial justice bill. According to the ACLU, Black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis-related crimes than White Americans.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, due to a family obligation, I was absent from the House on November 20, 2020. Had I been present for Roll Call Vote 225 on House Amendment 901, I would have voted ``yea.'' Had I been present for Roll Call Vote 226 on House Amendment 902, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for Roll Call Vote 227 on Final Passage of H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020, I would have voted ``yea.'' I am pleased that this legislation to modernize our nation's system of registered apprenticeships passed decisively in the House.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much, Chairwoman Chu, and thank you for being with us tonight, but also for your consistently sounding the alarm to all of us about the necessity for culturally and linguistically appropriate services, testing, contact tracing, as well as the importance of disaggregating the data based on race and ethnicity. Thank you for input into helping to write this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), who is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust, someone who is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and also a member of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security and Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Congresswoman Robin Kelly has helped put together this bill and helped make sure that we put provisions in for data collection and all of the information that we know we need to be able to target these resources. So thank you, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, for being here tonight and for helping us.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Kelly for laying out actually what the social determinants of healthcare are. Oftentimes, we see that as separate from healthcare, but you laid it out perfectly, so thank you for educating us tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, but also is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Native American Caucus. I know Congresswoman Jackson Lee's district in Texas is ravaged by this COVID pandemic, so I want to thank her for helping us with our COVID Community Care Act and for being here tonight.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for using this opportunity to deliver a very powerful public health message also. I also would just note a personal privilege. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and my heart goes out to all of those who are suffering from this terrible deadly pandemic. Mr. Speaker, I want to salute our colleague, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, for being such a tremendous leader in El Paso in trying to help on the ground with taking care of people and preventing the transition of the virus. I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee again. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams), a member of the Committee on Education and Labor, whose mission in life, I think, is to make sure that our young people are educated and receive the best quality education through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and at the same time make sure that their health and safety is a top priority issue for their health and their safety.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Alma Adams for that very clear statement and I thank her for outlining the interconnection and the intersection between systemic racism and the social determinants of healthcare and how they impact the underlying conditions and exacerbate it now as seen in COVID-19. I thank Congresswoman Adams again for her leadership. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), who certainly knows the serious and devastating impact of this COVID pandemic in her district. I visited her district and understand how close she is to her nonprofits and her community-based organizations who are doing phenomenal work. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Scanlon very much for being here.

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you, Chairwoman DeLauro, for your statement and for reminding us that we have to address the health and economic impacts at the same time. One does not supersede the other. Thank you for helping us move our COVID Community Care Act forward with your leadership on the subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu), the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, someone who contributed to crafting our COVID Community Care Act but also whom I have had the pleasure to serve with as co-chair of the Healthcare Task Force for CAPAC, a true leader on so many issues.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of our Special Order tonight.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the chair of our Congressional Black Caucus. I thank Chairwoman Bass, who has helped us organize this tonight, for her leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus. I join with my colleagues to speak on the impact of COVID-19, the pandemic which has had an especially disparate impact on communities of color. First, again, let me thank Chairwoman Bass, Chairwoman Chu, and Congressman Castro of the Tri-Caucus, as well as Representatives Kelly, Haaland, and Davids, for working together to ensure that we address the disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color--also, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. It is really very imperative that our strategy to crush COVID intentionally includes provisions to support the specific needs of our communities. I also want to take a moment to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Pallone for negotiating some of the provisions of our COVID Community Care Act, that is H.R. 8192, in our Heroes bill, which further strengthens efforts to engage medically underserved communities in the latest version, again, of the Heroes bill. I thank Chairman Scott and, of course, our subcommittee chair, Rosa DeLauro, for their support, their input, and their assistance in getting this bill, the COVID Community Care Act, really very targeted, very focused, and something that all of us could support as a Tri- Caucus, also--and, of course, Speaker Pelosi, again, for her steadfast understanding and support for this issue. Now, millions of people have suffered incomprehensible grief and hardship due to the COVID pandemic. Just in the United States, we now have over 10.3 million cases of COVID-19 and over 240,000 deaths. That is mind-boggling. We are here today to insist that any coronavirus response addresses the needs of people of color. This is because the impacts of the pandemic and the economic fallout have had a disproportionate impact on African Americans, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian Pacific Islander, and immigrant communities. We have witnessed the horrific result of how longstanding inequities stemming from structural racism has exacerbated COVID's threats to people of color. Black people are dying at more than twice the rate of White people in the United States. Indigenous and Latinx people are both 50 percent more likely to die from COVID than White Americans. Between January and July, the AAPI death rate rose 35 percent compared to an increase of 9 percent for White Americans. The Federal Government must address the vicious cycle of disparities that drive these unequal impacts on communities of color, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. That is why we introduced, together, H.R. 8192, the COVID Community Care Act, legislation to ensure that any effort to fight the pandemic engages local communities as partners in crushing the virus. This bill, supported by our Tri-Caucus colleagues, ensures that any testing and tracing efforts engage communities of color where they live with trusted messengers who speak their language and know their unique challenges. Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Pallone worked with us to add language to Chairman Pallone's $75 billion CONTACT plan. This is included in the revised version of the Heroes Act passed October 1, which will further strengthen efforts to engage communities of color. The strengthened CONTACT plan mandates that community-based organizations and nonprofits in medically underserved communities play an important role to reach those communities that public health agencies have difficulty engaging. It ensures the people hired to conduct the outreach have experience and relationships with people living in the communities that they serve. Turning a blind eye to the American people's desperate need for culturally rooted contact tracing and testing will result in increased deaths and illnesses that we could have prevented. We must build a relief package that addresses the needs of millions, especially Black and Brown people, who are suffering disproportionately from this virus. Mr. Speaker, we thank our Speaker for her persistence, leadership, and fighting spirit to ensure that lawmakers acknowledge and respond to the racial and ethnic disparities that have plagued our Nation for centuries. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia), who played an important role in making sure that the Latinx community and all the Hispanic issues, as it relates to COVID, were included as a part of this bill.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Garcia very much for her input in helping to write the COVID Community Care Act. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), my good friend, the chair of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies of the House Appropriations Committee.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Scanlon for joining us tonight with our Tri-Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus, because so many of the issues that you are talking about in your district as it relates to COVID and health disparities and the social determinants we all are dealing with in our districts, and so thank you for your leadership and for continuing to help us get this Heroes Act passed so that we can do some of the things that you laid out that our communities deserve. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following statements from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Indian Health Board, the Asian Health Services, and UnidosUS. Statement for the Record: Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights On behalf of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, I submit this testimony for the record. No matter what we look like, where we live, or what is in our wallets, getting sick reminds us that at our core we are all the same. But we cannot ignore the pandemic's disproportionate and devastating impact on Black and Brown people, Native Americans, low-income people, people with disabilities, the elderly, women, and immigrant communities. Through health and education disparities, income inequality, discrimination in voting and housing, unequal treatment within the legal system, and the digital divide, communities of color have been routinely locked out and left behind--and sadly, as we have seen in increased hate violence and in far worse health outcomes for people of color, this pandemic is no different. This pandemic calls for the enactment of policies and sufficient funding to protect low- and moderate-income people from economic disaster and to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable people in our nation. Communities that have already been marginalized by structural barriers to equal opportunities and who have low levels of wealth are particularly vulnerable during this current emergency. While many working people have been sidelined, many others are still providing essential services during the crisis--working at our grocery stores, delivering mail and packages, and providing care to vulnerable people--putting their lives at risk, often at reduced hours and wages, to keep our country running. The ongoing crisis has laid bare the structural racism and barriers to opportunity that are entrenched in our society, and our collective actions now must not worsen them. Statement for the Record: National Indian Health Board On behalf of the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) and the 574 sovereign Tribal Nations we serve, I submit this testimony for the record. American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal communities have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. No sector of Tribal economies or health systems have been spared from the devastation this crisis has unleashed. We are now, as of this writing, seven months in the throes of an unparalleled pandemic. While we may not have been able to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19, we absolutely could have mitigated the worst of its impacts--especially in Indian Country. But unfortunately, our Tribes are, once again, battling a catastrophic, unprecedented, once-in-a- lifetime disease without the necessary federal relief funds and resources to protect and preserve life. Since June of this year alone, NIHB has submitted seventeen letters to Congress urging immediate action and passage of emergency stimulus funds for the Indian health system to better respond to COVID-19. We solemnly await congressional action. We have consistently urged long-term reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI), vital to Tribal efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by preventing, treating, and managing one of the strongest risk factors for a more serious COVID-19 illness: type II diabetes. We solemnly await congressional action. We have demanded that Congress work to fulfill Treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and Native people by ensuring congressional COVID-19 relief funds are on par with the recommendations outlined by Tribal leaders and health experts. We solemnly await congressional action. We have urged that burdensome administrative requirements for accessing federal grants and programs be eliminated to ensure expeditious delivery of relief resources. We solemnly await congressional action. We have urged that Congress not subject the Indian health system to a destabilizing continuing resolution (CR) as it continues to combat against an unparalleled pandemic; or to, at the least, attach emergency COVID-19 appropriations for IHS to the CR to mitigate the pain and disruption. Again, we solemnly await congressional action. To be clear, we continue to appreciate the commitment and leadership of members of Congress in working to advance Tribal health priorities in response to COVID-19. But the Tribes require action from all of Congress on those commitments. On September 10, NIHB was joined by the National Congress of American Indians and the National Council of Urban Indian Health in a letter to congressional leadership urging immediate action on the priorities listed below. These priorities have remained intact since early summer, as Indian Country continues to bear the brunt of this extraordinary crisis. In short, these priorities have not changed because the situation in Indian Country remains just as dire. Once again, we solemnly await congressional action. Tribal COVID-19 Priorities Minimum $2 billion in emergency funds to IHS for immediate distribution to I/T/U system. $1.7 billion to replenish lost 3rd party reimbursements across the I/T/U system. Prioritize equitable distribution of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine across Indian Country, including a minimum 5 percent set-aside in vaccine funds for the I/T/U system. Minimum $1 billion for water and sanitation systems across IHS and Tribal communities. Long-term reauthorization (5 years), higher funding, and expansion of self-determination and self-governance for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. COVID-19 Updates The last time NIHB appeared before this Subcommittee was June 10, 2020. Since that time, the number of AI/AN COVID-19 case infections reported by IHS have nearly quadrupled. Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a roughly 22 percent increase in COVID-19 hospitalization rates among AI/ANs--increasing from a rate of 272 per 100,000 in mid-July to 347.7 per 100,000 as of September 12, 2020. Rates of death from COVID-19 among AI/ANs have more than doubled since the last time NIHB testified before the Subcommittee--from a rate of 36 per 100,000 on June 9 to 81.9 per 100,000 as of September 15. In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that across 23 states, cumulative incidence rates of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases among AI/ANs are 3.5 times higher than for non-Hispanic Whites. Also, according to CDC, age-adjusted rates of COVID-19 hospitalization among AI/ ANs from March 1, 2020, through August 22, 2020, were 4.7 times higher than for non-Hispanic Whites. Without sufficient additional congressional relief sent directly to I/T/U systems, these shocking upward trends will more than likely continue as COVID-19 restrictions are eased, schools and businesses reopen, and the potential threat of a more severe flu season coincides with this pandemic. State-specific data further demonstrate the vast inequities in COVID-19 deaths between AI/ANs and the general population. Below are a few examples of these state-specific disparities based on NIHB's analysis of state-specific data. In Arizona, AI/ANs account for 5.5 percent of the population, but 13.4 percent of COVID-19 deaths. In New Mexico, AI/ANs account for 10.7 percent of the population, but nearly 57 percent of COVID-19 deaths. In Montana, AI/ANs account for 8.2 percent of the population, but 27 percent of COVID-19 deaths. In South Dakota, AI/ANs account for 10.4 percent of the population, but nearly 23 percent of COVID-19 deaths. In North Dakota, AI/ANs account for 6.5 percent of the population, but 13.3 percent of COVID-19 deaths. In Mississippi, AI/ANs account for less than 1 percent of the population, but 3 percent of COVID-19 deaths. Even more alarming is the lack of complete data on COVID-19 outcomes among AI/ANs. Available COVID-19 data already highlight significant disparities between AI/ANs and the general population; shockingly, true estimates of disease burden and death resulting from COVID-19 in Indian Country are likely much higher. In CDC's own August 2020 report on COVID-19 in Indian Country, the authors noted the following: This analysis represents an underestimate of the actual COVID-19 incidence among AI/AN persons for several reasons. Reporting of detailed case data to CDC by states is known to be incomplete; therefore, this analysis was restricted to 23 states with more complete reporting of race and ethnicity. As a result, the analysis included only one half of reported laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among AI/AN persons nationwide, and the examined states represent approximately one third of the national AI/AN population. In addition, AI/ AN persons are commonly misclassified as non-AI/AN races and ethnicities in epidemiologic and administrative data sets, leading to an underestimation of AI/AN morbidity and mortality. Indeed, there are multiple states that still have a significant percentage of COVID-19 cases missing critical demographic data. In California for instance, a whopping 31 percent of cases are still missing race and ethnicity. The State of New York has failed to report AI/AN data altogether--listing only Hispanic, Black, White, Asian, or Other on their COVID-19 data dashboards. Meanwhile, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI)--instrumental for COVID-19 response efforts in Indian Country because it is focused on prevention, treatment, and management of diabetes, one of the most significant risk factors for a more serious COVID-19 illness--has endured four short-term extensions since last September, placing immense and undue strain on program operations. Under the House- passed CR for FY 2021 H.R. 8337, SDPI is extended for a mere eleven days--its shortest reauthorization on record. A national survey of SDPI grantees conducted by NIHB found that nearly 1 in 5 Tribal SDPI grantees reported employee furloughs, including for healthcare providers, with 81 percent of SDPI furloughs directly linked to the economic impacts of COVID-19 in Tribal communities. Roughly 1 in 4 programs have reported delaying essential purchases of medical equipment to treat and monitor diabetes due to funding uncertainty, and nearly half of all programs are experiencing or anticipating cutbacks in the availability of diabetes program services--all under the backdrop of a pandemic that continues to overwhelm the Indian health system. Now, with the inevitability of a continuing resolution (CR) through at least December 11, 2020--and the possibility of another CR thereafter--it is even more imperative that Congress provide emergency appropriations to better stabilize the Indian health system. This Subcommittee knows full well that IHS is the only federal healthcare system that is subject to government shutdowns and CRs. This Subcommittee is also acutely aware of the devastating impacts that endless CRs have had, and will continue to have, on the Indian health system. We commend Chair McCollum's leadership in introducing H.R. 1128 and Ranking Member Joyce's strong support for H.R. 1135--both of which would authorize advance appropriations for IHS and permanently insulate it from the volatility of the annual appropriations process. But in the interim, Congress must ensure a funding fix that protects and preserves life in Indian Country and delivers critical pandemic relief in recognition of federal Treaty obligations. If Congress fails to provide sufficient emergency appropriations for the Indian health system, a stopgap measure will force a healthcare system serving roughly 2.6 million AI/ANs to operate during a pandemic without an enacted budget or even adjustments for rising medical and non-medical inflation. In short, that is a recipe for even more disaster, death, and despair. We patiently remind you that federal Treaty obligations for healthcare to Tribal Nations and AI/AN Peoples exist in perpetuity and must be fully honored, especially in light of the current pandemic and its unparalleled toll in Indian Country. While we appreciate the roughly $1 billion to IHS under the CARES Act and the $750 million testing set-aside under the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; these investments have been necessary but woefully insufficient to stem the tide of the pandemic in Tribal communities. We thank you for your continued commitment to Indian Country, and as always, stand ready to work with you in a bipartisan fashion to advance the health of all AI/AN people. Sincerely, National Indian Health Board. Statement for the Record: Asian Health Services On behalf of the One Nation Commission, Co-Chairs Sherry Hirota, CEO of Asian Health Services, and former Congressman Mike Honda, I submit this testimony for the record. The information shared, is documented in the One Nation Commission 2020 Report: One Nation AAPIs Rising to Fight Dual Pandemics COVID-19 and Racism, which was delivered to every member of Congress and the Senate in October 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit communities of color, including AAPIs, the hardest. In the 13th Congressional District, Alameda County in California, AAPIs are the largest population subgroup, comprising a diverse and varied population, spanning every economic stratum; essential workers and corporate CEOs, Nobel Laureates and students on the broken side of the digital divide, researchers and doctors, janitors and food servers, and new immigrants all contributing to society in this time of crisis. By the time COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and national emergency, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community had already gone underground. Fear of the virus was compounded by a sudden and virulent rise in hate and violence against Asians. Racist taunting by our country's top leader calling Covid-19 ``Kung Flu,'' and ``China Virus,'' used the pandemic and its economic destruction to scapegoat Asian Americans across the country. Congresswoman Lee's own staffer was called, ``COVID'' and pelted with rocks while riding his bike through Rock Creek Park in D.C. Despite calls from every sector of the AAPI Community for the president to retract his dangerous words, the hate speak continued. The result was a tsunami of attacks on Asian Americans. As COVID-19 cases spiked around the country, AAPIs were not only blamed but appeared missing from the news coverage, data, and charts. The twenty-five-year-old health advocacy battle to ``disaggregate data'' reared its ugly head again and was now a matter of life and death. Lumping together information about ethnic and language groups obstructs effective epidemiology and care. In the big picture, the absence of data ensures invisibility for AAPIs as a whole, and each subpopulation within that designation. Missing are the number of AAPIs who have been tested, how many tested positive, how many are sick, or hospitalized, or have died. We must expand the frame--to ask, what is the impact of COVID-19 on AAPI communities? To fill the gap a self- organized work group of nationally renowned AAPI researchers pulled data from multiple cities and states revealing higher death rates among Asian Americans who were Covid positive. Nine months into the dual pandemic of COVID-19 and racism, the AAPI community is fighting back against being both blamed and ignored. The One Nation Commission is honored to join forces with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Karen Bass, and the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific Islander American Caucus, and individuals and organizations to defeat COVID-19, bring back our communities stronger and healthier, combat hate crimes against AAPIs, and work in solidarity with the Black, Latinx and Indigenous People to fight systemic racism. Hidden disparities undermine effective and just health policy and outcomes. COVID vaccine allocation, for example, based prioritization in part on inaccurate information of disparities and vulnerabilities. Recently the National Academy of Sciences released recommendations on vaccine allocation but did not name Asian Americans as a vulnerable group. This must be immediately rectified. Critical to health, justice, equity, and the opportunity for our communities to emerge stronger than before from these dual pandemics: (1) Mandate disaggregated data collection and reporting; (2) Require linguistically and culturally competent outreach and care; (3) Strengthen and resource the community health center and nonprofit safety net; and (4) Reverse unfair and un-American anti-immigrant policies that endanger the public health and public good, including Public Charge. Immediate next steps: (1) Protecting and further investing in trusted community- based organizations to implement new programs and preserve proven programs, COVID community testing, COVID contact tracing, Cultural and linguistic competency, Addressing misinformation that creates fear and chilling effects (e.g., public charge rule change). (2) Expanding beyond COVID-19 outcomes (cases and deaths) to understand full impacts Anti-Asian hate crimes a physical and mental health, Mental health, Immigration status affecting access and utilization of services (e.g., public charge rule change), Other social determinants of health (occupation/essential workers, living conditions, language barriers). (3) Data disaggregation is paramount to identifying and addressing hidden disparities. Encourage immediate disaggregated data collection at the local levels--testing, cases, comorbidities, deaths, Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good: Reinforce disaggregated data reporting in public communications to create this paradigm shift, even with small numbers, An example of hidden disparities: Filipinos having even more striking death rates. In the U.S., Filipino nurses make up 4 percent of workforce but nearly 31.5 percent of deaths among registered nurses. Statement for the Record: UnidosUS On behalf of UnidosUS, I submit this testimony for the record. Communities of color are putting life and limb on the line every day to help our nation through the COVID-19 crisis yet continue to be overwhelmingly and disproportionately impacted by the dire health and economic repercussions of this pandemic. These unprecedented and devastating times continue to expose the appalling and deeply unjust fault lines in our nation's health care system and labor force. Despite the fact that Latinos are overrepresented in ``essential'' occupations where they are most at risk of exposure to the coronavirus infection and are also bearing the brunt of the economic fallout from the pandemic, they have been consistently excluded from much needed COVID-19 relief legislation. Any further delay in COVID-19 relief legislation will be particularly devastating to the health and well-being of our nation's 58 million Latinos, far too many of whom have been left out of the four coronavirus relief packages enacted so far. Failure to respond urgently to the human suffering we are witnessing is deeply objectionable and, from a public health and economic perspective, wholly indefensible. Latinos have long suffered from health disparities--being more likely to develop chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Another disparity is emerging, Latinos are contracting and dying from COVID-19 disproportionately and are nearly three times more likely to die compared to non-Hispanic Whites. These disparities are a result of multiple preexisting structural and societal factors, including a health care system that leaves coverage out of reach of millions of Latinos. Before the pandemic, more than 10 million Latinos (including 1.6 million Latino children) were uninsured, and preliminary data now show that the Latino uninsured rate increased over the course of 2020. Latinos have also long struggled with food insecurity and increased stressors and mental health issues, and the pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sympathy with the people of Ghana at the passing of former President Jerry Rawlings. I offer my sincerest condolences and prayers to his family, friends, and loved ones. Personally, I have known President Rawlings and his beautiful family since around 1994. I most recently visited President Rawlings and his family last year when Speaker Pelosi and Chairwoman Bass led a Congressional delegation to Ghana commemorating 400 years since the brutal institution of slavery began in America. It was such a wonderful meeting and visit. He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen the ties between Ghanaians, the country of Ghana, African Americans, and the United States. President Rawlings' leadership contributed to steady development, a transition to democracy and peaceful transfer of power. Today, Ghana is one of the strongest democracies in Africa, a strong partner of the United States, and a respected actor on the world's stage. My deepest sympathy and love goes out to Mrs. Rawlings, the entire Rawlings family, to the citizens of Ghana, and the entire continent of my motherland of Africa. We stand in solidarity as the people of Ghana continue building a stronger and more inclusive and prosperous country. May President Rawlings' soul rest in peace.