VIDEO: Chairman Thompson Delivers Weekly Democratic Address
(WASHINGTON) – Chairman Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi delivered the Weekly Democratic Address. In this week’s address, the Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee discussed the urgent need for widespread testing, data on impact in communities of color and equipment for health care workers and first responders, as well as the Administration’s ongoing failure to adequately provide these critical resources for the American people. Video and audio of the Weekly Democratic Address can be downloaded here.
A captioned video of the Weekly Democratic Addressed can also been seen on Twitter here.
The Committee on Homeland Security’s coronavirus / COVID-19 resource page can be visited here.
Below is a full transcript of the address:
“Hello. My name is Congressman Bennie Thompson from the 2nd District of Mississippi. I serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.
“The coronavirus pandemic is one of the most challenging adversities our country has faced.
“Many Americans have faced unimaginable grief. Millions of families are unsure about their future. All Americans have changed their daily lives and are worried about the health of our loved ones.
“We must thank the thousands of healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential workers who are helping us get through this. They are our heroes.
“I also thank all of you for following social distancing guidelines and for following the orders of your home states.
“While there are many challenges ahead, we are hoping that the darkest days may be behind us.
“But, before we move forward, we must get to the truth. The truth is that the response to this pandemic has not been as stellar as the President keeps repeating. The truth is there is much more we need to fix now and get right.
“First is testing. Congress worked together over six weeks ago to pass legislation for better testing.
“Despite promises from the Administration on testing since the beginning of March, we are still behind on testing. This has hurt our ability to get ahead of the virus.
“So far, only one percent of the country has been tested.
“We hear stories every day about people waiting in line overnight to get tested. We hear processing backlogs mean many don’t get results for weeks. And this week fewer were tested than last week. This is not right.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen no leadership from the President. He is quick to put all blame and responsibility for testing on the states. This is not true and is not the American way.
“The truth is, we need a whole of government response for a nationwide crisis. All our states are in crisis and need Federal assistance.
“The truth is, without widespread testing, we cannot resume our lives.
“Next, with proper testing, we must also compile the necessary data on how COVID-19 is affecting different communities.
“It has become clear that this disease disproportionately impacts communities of color.
“If we want to address disparities in outcomes and move forward, we need the Administration to work with states to document the relevant data and share it.
“We also must make sure that our healthcare workers and first responders have the necessary PPE, and medical supplies, and equipment they still need.
“We had an emergency response system at the ready to properly, quickly, and equitably distribute supplies.
“However, the Administration has upended this system, putting political actors where experienced professionals once were. Their effort has been wrought with chaos, delays, and accusations of political bias.
“States were told they were on their own – only to see the Administration outbidding them and rerouting their shipments. No state should have to compete with other states or the Federal government to get what they need.
“If we are to succeed in this crisis and work together, we must use the truth as our guide. While we have hard days ahead, we must rely on science and data - and follow the directions of the health experts and doctors.
“What we do in the coming weeks will be key to our recovery. You can be sure that House Democrats will continue to use the truth as we put workers and families first.
“Thank you for listening - and be safe.”
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Press Contact
Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978
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