Transcripts For CSPAN2 House Oversight Virtual Hearing On Coronavirus Essential Workers 20240712

George floyd and of police brutality. This has built so many of us into the street to stand with our neighbors and communities of color. Entertainingly and systematically abused by the criminal justice system. The committee in the house as a whole, is committed to swiftly enacting profound reforms. To punish police misconduct. Holding Police Department accountable to oversight. In eliminating the financing of police militarization. We hope have more to say in the coming days. And as my friend set us we, my protest is my statement. Even as we prepare our legislative solution. The topic of todays is essential workers pretty since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and the United States, we are all acutely aware of the threats posed to ours health and safety. But we do not all face of the risk of the crisis equally. Grocery store workers, Food Processing employee, Public Transportation operators. Nurses and doctors and hospital support staff, nursing home employees, First Responders, janitors, mail carriers, delivery workers. In new york alone, at least 123 workers at the metropolitan Transportation Authority is died this year from coronavirus. The people doing these jobs have taken on the extraordinary burden of maintaining essential services and dangerous circumstances. They are essential to keeping this nation running. That is why we recognize them as essential workers. They are our heroes. Today on the focus response ability that a federal government passed to protect and support them now and into the future. Like the heroes of 911, the essential workers of today have been called upon to serve their country at a time of critical need. I need the faces them in the families at heightened risk of injury. I believe we have an obligation to ensure that if they are the families become ill, there are Financial Resources provided for them. That is why following the successful model of the 911 compensation fund, id have produced hr 69 oh nine, the pandemic heroes compensation act. On a bipartisan basis with judiciary chairman, jerry had looked and congressman peter. Several members of this Committee Support as well. I hope the proposal will earn the same level of bipartisan support on september 11th Victims Compensation fund. Congress with overwhelming support wanted to make this permanent. When the jobs deemed essential during the pandemic, they are dis and dismissal to the functioning of our communities. There are few other characteristics that essential workers share. They are more likely to be paid lower wages. Theyre less likely to have Employment Benefits like paid sick leave for the option of teleworking. That means they are being forced into unsafe working conditions. Still our country asked them to go to work everyday. Family financial help and they are the families get sick, it will also need financial help if they have to stop working to care for a sick family member. They should not have to bear the burden of these costs alone. If especially when many are already at risk of economic instability. This burden does not fall in all communities equally. Black and latino workers make up the majority of the workforce considered essential. Communities of color have been disproportionately harm the coronavirus pandemic. Due to systemic problems in our country, these workers along with less, and wages on average than their white counterparts. They deserve our support. American thank you is not enough. We need to do more to support the heroes of this pandemic. It is a federa federal governmes response ability now just as it was after 911 to provide help to essential workers and stepping up to help all of them during this crisis. Now before he turned it over for opening to me, i went to everyone know that i will be asking the vice chairman of the committee to chair the rest of the steering for me. After a few days of feeling well, i decided to get check for covid19. And other medical professionals am a doctor, himself quarantining home until he learned the results of the test and therefor. On think all of yoh out to me, im deeply grateful for everyones support and i want to think vice chairman for sharing this important hearing on essential workers. With that i will turn it over to the Ranking Member for his Opening Statement and turn the reins over to vice chairman. Thank you. Ranking member, worked out recognize for your Opening Statement. Thank you chairwoman. Let me also had to you, personally my best wishes for you and your health. We are hopeful peripheral that you will be completely back in the saddle in the very near future. We appreciate you sharing that. First of all, i also say thank you to those who serve on the frontlines. Obviously, we think of doctors and nurses and medical staff and First Responders but there are also the Truck Drivers who have factory workers and a host of other people who work tirelessly to sustain us as a country and did so during this pandemic. I also want to extend the most sincere and deepest condolences to those across our country of him who have lost loved ones during this time. I think it is important for all of us to remember that during times of crisis, our First Responders become more than just the police and fire emts. In times of emergencies also include people for shoulders we cry on, it includes counselors, various people who offer support. Thats what today we want to say thank you to all of them. The movement right now to defund Police Departments, this movement from the left to me right now is particularly disturbing. I think it is not only absent minded and frankly demonstrated major disconnect with people across this country and need of safety. These men and women, the Police Officers Law Enforcement have been on the frontlines 24 7 for us for the last three months. And according to the order of police over 100 of them have lost their lives to the coronavirus alone. During last few months. And the tragic death of george floyd and many others before him, proved without any question there are issues in this country that must be addressed. With this abolishing Law Enforcement is not now more will it ever be the solution. That would be like saying we are going to abolish education because we have a few bad teachers. It is something we would not do. Yes we do have some bad apples and actors within Law Enforcement but we also have two good ones. In his foolishness for us to throw the baby out with the bathwater. And like ensure every one in the steering today, and the appalling of mr. Floyds death this last few moments of his life, and know that i will ever quite get over that. How was reminded in the aftermath of it all personally, when the mike Great American heroes that i loved. In fact i just read it biography is found frederick douglass. Ms. Tokyo made a statement that anyone who claims to love america, can not sleeper national sands under the rug. He made statement similar to that. That was the essence of his statement and i fully agree with him. We must fight her right the wrongs of racism in this country. But under money and are eliminating americas Law Enforcement is not the answer. The vast majority o Law Enforcement officers in this country a great of standing sermons in their communities. They act in the wake of George Floyds death, hundreds of Police Officers have been injured across his country and several have lost their lives. And if we have cities like los angeles new york, minneapolis, who are literally seriously considering defunding the Police Departments of the time. Even to the extent of totally disbanding the Police Departments pretty so i just call and our colleagues across the aisle for all of us to fight racism, i believe that we can and we must fight racism in the same time, support our Law Enforcement. We can do both and we should do both. I believe this is the time for me to come together as a country and restore the bond us a faith in god and our love for one another. In this type of rhetoric and disbanding and going after Law Enforcement agencies i believe does more harm and drives a drives a wedge further apart. We are at a historic point in our nation. No point in time no doubt. As a relates to the coronavirus itself, since the beginning of this virus, it was the benchmark for reopening and has been it was then we were clearly told, we must flatten the curve so that our Hospital Systems would not be overwhelmed. As a result the economy came to a screeching halt. We ignited as a nation we stayed home. We flatten the curve and we succeeded. Rep. Hice and now at this point, secure capacities in our hospitals and hospitalizations for covid19 related illnesses continues to decline. All across the country. The Trump Administration is on track to procure some 200,000 ventilators by the end of the year. And we also have over 200,000 ventilators available in the strategic stockpile. So while the Previous Administration left us unprepared, the Trump Administration is making a stronger than ever. And states are beginning to reopen the economy. In order to help communities that have been horribly impacted and in some instances, businesses and individual lives because of the shut down. Loss of economic output, in the u. S. Alone is estimated to be 5 percent of the countries gross domestic process. 1. 1 trillion for every month that we are shut down. The Unemployment Rate hit a record rate of 14. 7 percent with over 40 Million People filing for unemployment. However last month, estates began to reopen, last month the economy added to have million jobs and in some states, are totally open for business and the rest of the country has to follow suit. In addition to this natural impacts, Health Experts agree in telling us that prolonged shutdowns like with the same result in a wide range of health issues. Including things like suicide and Mental Health. Domestic violence, substance abuse. Reluctance to doctors for the needed healthcare issues. Southerners fiscal issues, physical issues, Mental Health issues rated we must come to the point now of reopening our economy, reopening our businesses. You have to be honest. Here we are, while so much of the countries returning to work, here we are any of us here in washington having this hearing while Speaker Pelosi and her House Democrats continue to stay at home only virtual hearings. We have got to get back to doing the real life ones that American People sent us here to do. I just urge my colleagues from the underside of the aisle to come back to washington and do what we have been elected to do. And with that, i yield back. Thank you so much. Now we will introduce our within this is what is is. First we have essential worker who died from coronavirus. Next we have john gossetts International Transit union. Next we have anthony Mark International president of the Food International union. The also have with us bonnie who is director of National Nurses association and the National Nurses organizing committee. And also clinton was the Senior Vice President for policy and advocacy. An executive director of the Washington Bureau of the National Urban league. And we have mr. Wright is the president of the foundation for research on equal opportunity. Witnesses will behind muted. So we can swear the man. Please raise your right hand do you swear or affirm that the testimony about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you god. Yes, we do. Let them recommend that the witnesses entered answered in the affirmative. Without objection, your sameness will be made part of the record. Hello everyone. My name is anita brady i work in a medical college. In the pediatric administration. My two sons joshua and brandon. Here today to tell you about my family and how we lost our Guiding Light to covid19 on april 9th. Im also here to speak on behalf of one of the families left behind, and that you best the act to help families with essential workers. They make the ultimate sacrifice, involved in this pandemic. First let me tell you about my husband and pretty it was one of the strongest and kindest dedicated most loving persons i have ever known. We met in the Brooklyn Hospital center where he lived and worked until the day he passed away. He was a lovely husband and a best friend to anybody who walked his path. His great father. He was a dedicated patient transporter over 20 years. It was the kind of guy whos just getting his paycheck. He loved his job. He loved to be in the hospital. He felt responsible for all of his patients and make sure to get everyone of them the same level of care and attention than any of us would want for mark family members. He loved to tell jokes and he would light up the room. Use that gift to make his patients feel comfortable. It was a loyal coworker and work truly devoted to the Healthcare Workers he believed that everyone deserves to be treated fairly in the link that given the respect was part of giving good care and healthcare setting. He missed his calling, he shouldve been a lawyer. In the being an advocate. He loved be an example to others. He had covid19 for nearly three weeks. A matter of days, my strong husband went from having a fever to going on the ventilator. Ill never forget the day that he got the call that he passed away. Me and my sons, our children will miss him forever. He was a big presence in our lives. Is our Guiding Light in our protector. It is a big Pittsburgh Steelers fan. The football coach and best friend. He was out rock. I dont know how to make it through the days him. Every day that passes by, seems so unreal that he is not here. He was also a partner. Together we are raising a family. We worked hard to build our dreams, and give our children the same dreams are dreams we never had. Ill have lost my best friend, but he loved this man. For over ten years. We were building our american dream. Not just for us but for the tens of the othertens of thousands of other families, that lost their loved ones to the scroll virus. In addition to supporting the families left behind, to honor help our heroes be like my husband who did everything he could to stop this spread of the coronavirus. We need to make sure the testing is widely available. My husband didnt get tested until his he needed to be on a ventilator. We need to make sure that every Healthcare Worker has access to the protective equipment to help save the lives. On these last few months, many essential workers play crucial roles in our Healthcare Systems have gone unacknowledged. Housekeepers, and transporters like my husband, and we as a nation can show our gratitude. And make sure that these can go home to their families. We make the ultimate sacrifice. Protecting their families they left behind so that we may go to help others build their american dream. Thank you. Thank you so much. It we send our deepest sympathies for your loss. Thank you now we have mr. Costa, you are now recognized for five minutes. Ranking member jordan, thank you for the opportunity to testify. If enemy arrows compensation act of 2020. We strongly support the critical legislation transit workers need a new program for those who are impacted by the coronavirus. This was after the september 11th compensation. The largest Transit Union with over 200,000 members. It is been 12 weeks now at this pandemic has been out there and unlike others, our members have not had the opportunity to stay home and work from home. We where the workers out there that are moving the economy. Keeping the citys going and unfortunately we are the workers that expected the most the infections which are right now, over a thousand. And 12 weeks later. We have over a thousand confirmed it and unfortunately 53 remember some past. Our concerns are its only going to get worse. On the reopenings was obviously one of the more exposed. The sacrifices my members are making out there today, to be in the front lines and keep moving, and 911 michael done it before. Katrina sandy, we have been out there doing our jobs. We know the hard. Our members are assaulted pretty and some are murdered. Now we have challenge with this enemy we cannot see every day. And unfortunately its going to get worse i think. The lack of ppes, weve been dealing with many problems for the ppes. 50 percent of our ppes do not have the proper ppe. It and from the getgo, and art cdc telling us we did not need masks. Certain things we do not need and later on changed their minds. And we believe we cant count on the government. We need to make demands. So we have made demands of boarding overcrowding, and needs to stop. Recommendations unfortunately that the cdc has been ignored and has made changes and unfortunately those changes a believer but our members in harms way. Buyers the committee to look at this. Its funny coming call pretty color members heroes. Only when we get to the table, we are zeros. This crazy here. The negotiations right now, and we see this happening. So help you remember our members out there. Hope you remember our fallen and i hope you help us keep our members save moving forward as we open the cities. The need to be opened. Think is much and i like to recognize for five minutes. Thinking i would like to thank the chairwoman melanie as well as others. In the Ranking Members and the committee today. And members of the 20, the opportunity to despite the workers and grocery and meatpacking Food Processing and healthcare had to endure throughout this pandemic. My name is martin on the president of the naacp union friday is americas largest retail included Union Representing one point 3m hardworking men and women in the Grocery Stores meatpacking Food Processing healthcare, chemical plants, nonfood retail, and senior care facilities. We have members that are republican, democrat, and independent. From every state in this nation as well as every racial district prayed all across the country are healthcare Food Processing, retail food workers are risking their health, and a safety to ensure that the market people are taken care of. Our nations food supply is safe, Grocery Store shelves are full and stocked in pharmacies are distributing medication. This is workers as many of you have called them, deserve not only our gratitude but they deserve adequate sections and provisions for their health and safety and financial security. I would like to highlight the words one of our grocery clerks and routes in Southern California and san diego. He said everyday, you fear you might catch the virus at work, you fear that you might take that virus home to your family, and we are working longer hours under very stressful conditions. Our lives are on the line. Mr. Seo how real this issue actually is. Our internal estimates confirmed the 225 of our members have tragically died in over 29007 sick or exposed to covid19 since the beginning. Seven days of our packing house members and workers in the u. S. Have died with over 20000 that have tested positive to covid19. These profound at risk are members face is one of the reasons that we, support the legislation for the families. And those who know of those who die are hospitalized as the result of 20. Financial compensation cannot bring back what is lost, it is the least that we must do in order to support the families who have worked so hard keep us then to take care of us. Laurent ported like it was about recognizing we will never protect americans food supply unless and until we protect americas food workers. What is making things worse is that some of these essential workers was now endure the insult of having their some of us have called a hazard pay. Taken away even as this pandemic continues. Listen to the words of a third worker and indiana. With our lives on the line every single day and worry about taking the mars back home to my grown children and my husband. If and when kroger took away the heroes pay from as it was like a slap in the face. The fact of the matter is our customers dont wear masks pretty and is putting us in jeopardy every single day. And as long as the spread of the virus is not stopped, neither should the protections of the heroes their families so desperately need. Another words of this food worker since this. While some responsible employers like fargo safeway, have done what is right, theres others like amazon and walmart and even of our Union Employers like kroger profits over people. And while we can all hope that the companies do what is right, the brutal reality is that many will not do that until you and our other elected leaders more. I know the legislative issues, at times can be framed in a very partisan way. But this is not about being a republican or democrat. This is about protecting essential workers and retail foods and Food Processing healthcare as well as protecting our food supplies. That is why that i would ask you to consider the following. Ensuring that all working people are sick, who are affected by quarantine orders, or who are responsible to take care of children, who are in fact working on because schools have been closed should have job protections and paid sick leave for minimum of 14 days. But also asked to compel osha tissue rules specific to covid19, standards if you will. And today this is not heaven. In our members especially in healthcare and Food Processing are feeling the consequences from that. Enforceable rules that mandate social distancing and prioritize workers and provide ppe free of charge. Lastly we must include strong anti retaliation protections to ensure that all workers are protected from being unfairly threatened or fired for the sake of this country that i know we all love, i urge the committee in congress to Work Together to do what is right for these brave workers thank you again for your time and i would welcome any questions you may have. Thank you sir. Thank you so much. Now we have the next person recognize for five minutes. Good morning and thank you chairman and chairwoman melanie. And Ranking Member and members of the committee for inviting me to testify today. National united is the Largest Union of registered nurses in the u. S. Our nurses on the front lines of the covid19 response risking their lives to care for patients throughout this horrific pandemic. Across the country some have been denied the protections i need to prevent exposure to covid19. As a result, tens of thousands of Healthcare Workers have been infected. As of june 5th, and in you, at least 914 Healthcare Workers who have died and at which more than 134 have been registered nurses. These deaths could have been prevented if they had been protected by the employers. Hospitals across the country started buffing up the ppe claiming that there would be shortages. Nurses have had to fight Hospital Management to unlock and allow access to ppe. To protect against exposure to aerosol transmissible diseases, we must be given a respirator. At minimum, and betty five. But instead nurses have been forced to use surgical masks pretty or even their own bandannas and scarves. These do not provide protection against covid19. But the cdc have sanctioned the use through we can virus spread hospitals have run out of gloves, and gals and new york city nurses work forced to work garbage bags as makeshift ppe. And when nurses are given the mass, theyre forced to use them. To reuse them. The n95 masks braided and they are manufactured for a single use only. Nurses are at risk of exposure every time the reuse one. Hospitals have a decamped termination processes for this mess even though there is no Scientific Evidence that these methods are safe and effective. Many hospitals require nurses to continue to work after exposure. Some have required asymptomatic nurses to work after testing positive and putting patients and colleagues at risk. Many hospitals fail to communicate confirmed covid19 cases. And leaving countless workers unaware of potential exposure. There are three main reasons like nurses have not been protected at work. First there is no osha standards then forces were placed protections and hospitals during a pandemic. Second federal and state efforts to distribute ppe from stockpiles of an effective and frontline workers have not had the equipment delivered. We do not have a National Medical supply chain that is coordinated, transparent or efficient. Third, their sibling on enough stock of respirators and other necessary ppe in the country and the Trump Administration has refused to increase the ppe induction in the volume thats required. Deeply traumatic situation within the hospitals across the country, and her nurses are dealing with that, every single day. Nurses have a fear that they will become infected and vested onto the families. Out of the friends. Many nurses are isolating away from the families. Some are sleeping in the garage as a cars. At the time when families need comfort and comfort each other, and the support pretty nurses knew that the pandemic was on his wave briefly back in january. Wife martha hospitals prepared for life wasnt the administration or congress prepared. Now the plans on reopening in the country are underway, our nurses face increased risks. We could see an arcing a second wave of infection. It is critical that congress immediately asked legislation that will protect nurses and other frontline workers. They applaud the chairwoman from introducing hr 61 oh nine which will provide opposition from workers and contact her contract covid19 or for families if we die from the disease. I personally led online heartbreaking visuals for nurses who have died and i know that their families need our support. We also need congress to take action immediately to prevent those infections from happening in the first place. They applaud the house for passing the heroes act. The bill includes mandate and show issue in emergency standard for covid19. As well as commissions that would ensure that the production act is fully in book two immediately increase the Domestic Production of respirators and other ppe. This essential that these provisions are included in any compromised that is negotiated. Our country has failed to protect nurses during this pandemic without protection for more purses will continue to die. On behalf of nurses across the country, i urge the committee to ensure that we get the protections we need immediately. Thank you. Thank you braided now you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to testify today on behalf of the National Urban league one of the nations oldest organizations and direct services. My testimony has already been cemented into the record. I would like to say a few remarks. I like to pay tribute today. No compensation. When possible to stretch the freedom wuppercaseletter made possible to the rise of the United States an economic superpower. I also like lift up ms. Breanna taylor, and essential worker, and empty from louisville, kentucky. His lifes not by covid19 but by Police Officers serving a no nonsense march. Africanamericans arent have always been among the nations essential workers. African americans and people of color are overrepresented in the essential workforce. Their labor delivers lifesustaining packages, packs are Grocery Stores and brings goods necessary. Their labor both gives us lives and dignity. And labor allows millions of nonessential workers to be productive. With only one in five africanamericans and one in six people are able to work at home produces workers occupy frontline jobs greatly increase their exposure to the virus. If we dont pay essential workers anywhere near their worth. No provide them with more protections and benefits necessary to fried or semi this pandemic. Without a care are affecting him with essential workers often must choose between living and making a living. 23251 black lives have been lost to covid19. But one estimate, 38 percent africanAmerican Workers are employed in essential industries. In places like new york city, 7e people of color. Including 82 percent of cleaning services. Black women in particular bear the brunt of the essential order dilemma. Like women are overrepresented in lowwage jobs. Personal Care Home Health aides. And confounded with government mandated School Closures and restrictions on and like a portable asked says to childcare. In addition, half of the black households in this country with children are headed by single women. And of these households, the present were below or live below the poverty line. When exposed to the coronavirus, hospitalized at 2. 5 times the rate of white people. Nationally, the debts are nearly two times greater and would be expected in this population. Blacks and latinos are more likely to have asthma, Heart Disease and diabetes. With respect to pape. Essential workers are paid less nonessential workers. Essential workers in the food and agriculture industry, in particular avalos many in our wage at 13. 12. Africanamericans work for employers many times that do not offer health insurance. Uninsured covid19 medical, testing alone not a network, cost as much is 1300 while the cost of hospitalization and treatment, and customs 75000 without insurance. Although workers of color are overrepresented. Second blow for unemployment caused by the pandemic. The ceo aisling the problem. Lowwage workers and lowincome families have borne the brunt of the economic crisis. In part, industries hardest hit by this pandemic, and social distancing. This proportionally employs lowwage workers. Furthermore, workers who are young, female, have less education and are from certain racial or ethnic groups, have seen disproportionately large problems. Youve heard from other Witnesses Today of the need for ppe. A good living wage, the need to fast for congress to pass the heroes act braided for this body to pass the her past the important act. These are all excellent ideas. The pandemic harris compensation act only works however, the essential workers contract the covid19 while employed. Economic data, the black unemployment hovering nearly 17 percent will become more over time. The economy is not moving out of the woods. This policy will be the main driver in the early stages of suffering. 13. 3 percent of unemployment. Must take these concerns seriously. Eject more stimulus into the economy. Thank you and look forward to your questions. Thank you so much for your testimony. It mr. Roy, recognized for five minutes pretty. Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. I was a constituent of yours. Im sorry we wont get to spend more time together today. I wish you all the best. The foundation for research not unequal opportunity. None partisan exclusively in ideas to improve the lives of the americans the bottom half of the economic bottle. In behalf of will and think all this who risk their health and safety every day. Am grateful for the opportunity to hear from the other witnesses here today. I want to focus my opening remarks on two aspects of todays topic rated the first is decisions by the State Government that endangers vulnerable seniors along with the First Responders and cares act predict the second is to ensure that the tens of millions of americans thrown out of work are no longer looked behind. But the 100,000 americans who have died in the trench running the cdc counts 379 deaths among healthcare personnel and several hundred more each of the occupational categories that we discussed yesterday. Each one of these deaths are tragic. And underappreciated is how many of these deaths occurred because of people were sent to the hospital because from Nursing Homes. The u. S. Population and Nursing Homes facilities and yet the 2 percent of all deaths from covid19 have occurred among residents of these facilities pretty 42 percent. Some recognize the threat early on friday in florida, that covid19 discharged but florida resisted. We drew the hardline early on. If we didnt anybody back to the Nursing Homes. Have the slightest risk of being positive. We did one have two cases become 20 or five become 50. If you dont manage this condition. You will have far more being transferred back to the hospital. The floridas approach in the air, march 25th through may 10th. Governor andrew cuomo forced Nursing Homes to accept the covid19 patients. Despite the rejections from the caregivers they had the right to object prevents a rule or regulation they have to comply with that. New jersey and michigan are among the other states the major outbreaks that forced Nursing Homes to accept covid19 patients printing can children in a situation similar mandate but after nursing home complaint reverted themselves. The other big policy that we made multiple levels of government as we had that economic process. Hundreds and perhaps thousands of americans have died under them to the virus but the economic destruction that follows. Not everyone is at risk is as we have discussed longterm care facilities, the greatest ever. [inaudible]. Over 6581 percent of the covid19 fatalities. An hundred 35 by contrast under 1 percent. In its and protecting the most vulnerable to save millions of jobs and thousands of lives. And we put forward in a detailed plan for both republican and democratic policy expert to show how we can safely out reopen the workplace in america. Given the conversation that we been having, about Racial Disparities is essential to note also that the workers mimosa behind the economic let that is in the minority workers. H2019, black unemployment reaches lowest rate in history 5. 4 percent. Today that rate is 16. 8 percent. The fact that it reached the record low of 3. 9 now is 17. 6 percent. In my recent testimony, a detailed how the disparities between the whites and nonwhites, have also reached its lowest levels. This does verities in the last great recession. Another. [inaudible]. And especially during a government mandated shutdown of the economy that we are experiencing today. No more likely than the whites to be the black businesses also been hit far harder might businesses. And the reason estimate that black owned businesses have expressed losses of 41 percent between 32 percent for hispanic and only 17 percent relatively speaking for white people. Theres much more to send topics. I look forward to our discussions. Thank you so much. Now we are going to the question and answer segment of her hearing. This Coronavirus Crisis has reframed what we consider essential workers. In the past we only really considered essential workers in peoples minds. Nurses, doctors, frontline emergency firefighters, Police Officers. Thats what we envisioned. But in this crisis, we really did get a better sense and in order to keep people fed, keep people hungry i mean, fed. Healthy, make sure that they are safe, all of a sudden the idea of essential workers have changed. At least in the publics mind. In the transit worker, the Grocery Store worker. The people in the field, the people to make sure that your kids are taken care of. And that you can go to work. All of a sudden, the idea of essential workers has shifted and. In this what i think is something that we need to dig into more. An essential worker is not just the people with the highest degrees. It is the people who are making sure that life can continue even if youre locked down because of health reasons. Because of a pandemic. I really do appreciate everybody is on the panel, everybody in the front lines. This is an amazing thing to watch. So i just want to first say thank you so much to all essential workers from people in the fields, to the people in the Emergency Rooms pretty you are making life easier and better. And that is why during this pandemic, had town halls, through Virtual Reality just like we are doing right now. Ive had Facebook Like town halls. With nurses from the united Nurses Association from california sprinted and before ever got elected i worked there. That the United Service workers west, to discuss their needs. What were they saying. And a lot of it came down to basically ppe. They werent getting the right equipment. That allowed them to do their job in a safe way so they would not be worried that they would take back the virus to their loved ones at home and get them sick. Only just say that they continue and press all of us with her work. Just for the record, want to ask a few questions so that we can, i know the panel has been asked the question but i want to do it in order pretty are you aware of any workers who have passed away from covid19. Yes or no. Yes. Mr. From are you aware of any essential food and commercial workers who have passed away from covid19 yes or no. Yes. Are you aware of any essential nurses of passed away from covid19. Yes. All of your workers have been putting their lives on the line. In this book i want people to recognize is that people have lost their lives. Even if you do not know someone who has lost their life to covid19. There are essential workers who have. That is impacting not only the families but the coworkers and living a full in the fabric of their community. How would you describe economic burden on low income workers and essential workers of color during this coronavirus pandemic. Multiplayer thing. Many families of color, 1 percent supporting the handfuls. Some of the lowest rate of multi workers in the same household. So in one household member down with covid19, taken under quarantine are just waiting for testing to go back. The person is not making money. The person cant support the family. And that is a double blow in addition to the high rates of unemployment. So we both forced to work and also the first victims of layoff. Thank you. Do commercial workers have benefits. No we do not. Do nurses have death benefits if they died from rotavirus. No. The workers have death benefit they die from coronavirus. Some do and some dont. That is the reasons why we need the compensation act. It would create a fund to create economic losses of essential workers who become sick or pass away from coronavirus. Just as a video but survives a line when going to a fire or into military conflict they lose their lives. Theres some death benefits for those individuals. So im in support and it goes sponsor and i hope we can pass as soon as possible. I would now like to recognize an expression for your questions. You need to unmute yourself. Mr. Roy. One of the parts of the whole discussion in the in my opinion tomorrow talking about the communist party in china, no question, they intentionally concealed the severity covid19. And while doing so, they stockpiled a lot of medical supplies, ppes, and a host of things that would happen should have an certainly useful globally and is alarming to me looking at some stats that we came up with. During this time, the imported lots of ppes in different supplies. Surgical masks, turned 78 percent. Surgical gowns, up 72 percent. In all of these while they were hiding in the world whats taking place. Just how severe this good one. We sent them someplace too. If and a lot of this couldve been used to help many people in the front lines and yet we did not know just how severe the same was. My first question would be deeply we should act on some sort of action to ensure that chinas held accountable for what they did. I agree with your assessment of chinas accountability. I dont know the tools are. The leverage we have to request compensation or other means from china. In the white house and congress have been thinking about that. Im glad you are, just i dont have any specific recommendations. If there is a way to do it though, lets do it. What about on the issue of china now is involved in some espionage. Actually even to go after our Vaccine Research as we are being told. Theyre targeting the pharmaceutical companys and universities. In an effort to really try to get information that we have. Related to the virus, are you aware of that. I guess beyond that, how harmful is that in our capacity to find vaccines. I have great confidence in the Army Infrastructure in the United States. Both in terms of the University Academic sector as well as private pharmaceutical companies to develop effective treatments and vaccines eventually. Cannot count on the vaccine being developed in the nearterm. We can certainly hope for the best for the fastest vaccine for novel virus in recent history was the ebola virus vaccine which took five years to develop. So this idea that we will have one in 12 to 18 months, with all hope that could happen. To better our entire economy and that, that would be a catastrophically mistake. The figure out ways to reopen the economy encourage renovation at same time. Even if the vaccine doesnt immediately come forward. And we do have to protect our intellectual property of china tries to steal it. There are some companies who believe we will be able to invent a vaccine hopefully early this next year. Pretty remarkable how rapidly we have moved forward to research and come up with some treatments theyre looking to be extremely helpful with this. The protection of our intellectual property is a major issue for me. Im deeply concerned that the chinese would steal that how the Espionage Campaign affects her ability to effectively do research. The way that ma works is that the patent clock begins from the time that you file your patent in the u. S. And so fa Academic University comes in our brochu developing the vaccine that they think is worthwhile, the reportedly by the chinese get to it, the patents will already be on the timeline and on the clock so to speak in the u. S. That will be important. So its important to say, if you have got it, sure youre asserting its. Thank you. You may unmute yourself. I hope you can see and hear me. You are good. Hope you muted again. Going to begin by thinking of share this very important hearing. I express my condolences as well. The real sense this hearing is dedicated to her in her loss. I do want to say because of a smart remark that way should be here in the Nations Capital, i do want everyone to know theres a reason i think the chairman has chosen must be in the Nations Capital. Is there hotspots. An open a very little bit. With mass demonstrations that have occurred here because of the death of george floyd. Im not sure when the Nations Capital will be open. So i will depend in the judgment ticket share. My question. This region is the most trip Public Transportation dependent in the country. I know i speak for other members who are an increase in delete dependent on Public Transportation rated bus is coming, and with Climate Change, or things are turning to mass transit. One kind of or another. Not to mention Climate Change itself. Which is made become central to the bill and maybe one of the few bills that will pass. And i am a subcommittee chair of the committee of this transportation and infrastructure bill which is likely give to the floor. But my question is about Public Transportation. With the dependence on the country increasingly on the Public Transportation. Not every region is set off to have trains like the kind we have had here Nations Capital but the buses, increasingly electric buses are becoming more importance. If so would like to know what you are experiencing is a difference between the virus on the bus and the train drivers at the moment. The bus drivers, smaller vehicle. They are low on a in the right system, needs to be redone. We need to look at that especially the reopening rated we need to put it better centralized system there. As far as the train, we are concerned thereto with the airflow. Like in new york, if things are with the authors systems, because lets face it, even though theyre in a compartment, when you open up the compartment, Airline Passengers on and the overcrowding. So, more more exposure to be found on the buses butt. But even in this area, including the buses, when some of our maintenance members pass away also. Contracting the virus. Just by cleaning buses. Because of the poor readership in the ppe that was not given or educated to our members. Well it looks like youre saying one of the decisions are made, to reopen that they will be gradual way. That we had a look to this transportation to see if the necessary steps have been taken. I would like to say to the chair from the committee that i believe it would be useful to speak for specifically to the transportation operators about which i have not heard a great deal. As we talked about reopening because reopening it seems to me to not occur unless farmworkers are able to get work. The testimony that ive heard today does indicate the morning to be done. Is that the case. Yet, i am very concerned that i dont have to make any more phone calls going forward. Most recently, new jersey transit, over the weekend. So there is a bit of a concern in a just spoke to the industry and airflow is a big problem. Here zach helps. Kept the service on the road. The focus was overcrowding. Now we have enough, because we are and we did experience i believe the most of those who have passed away was in a transportation system. Im very concerned with the reopening. The help everybody moves slowly and gets input from the transportation union. With operators at the table not just make the determination many people are sitting home unlike us on the road and moving country. You may unmute yourself greatest. Can you hear me. [inaudible]. Heroes compensation act designate essential workers as those tapped into the covid19 fund. Essential workers is an individual employed by contractors working for person business nonprofit entity, or state trouble or local government. It is determined during the response to covid19 condemning, mason state local tribal or territorial orders or declarations or the equivalent. Her federal guidance and infrastructure security agents. The concern for the score, outside of their place of residence. I know going to sift through every single scenario that we can make an argument for somebody whos deemed essential. Because honestly that would never be enough time. My point is who are we able to decide who is and who is not essential. Is it fair to say the somebody the worse desk job is not essential. We should not be the business the economy in determining who is more important. I believe those who work to sustain economy are essential. Not some random list that a government bureaucratic has determined. Just like the Ranking Member, why are we talking about china. Where is the legislation to hold them accountable. Were discussing legislation will cost trillions more but sending money to an unprecedented amount of people. Why are we allowed to even question. This is the same as the 911 compensation fund. Even though it support helping the folks who are affected by that, every aspect of it has been met with Harsh Criticism and dismissal. But this is the real problem. Already struggling businesses. A trying to destroy Small Businesses. Empathy for those who to start events business. Earl kaplan how much you can spend. Used to get compensation to folks are affected by Nuclear Regulations and radiation pretty initial testing. My guess is it was not on the news every day everyday between they dont deserve it. In 2020, led 600 divisions signed a letter to truck President Trump send out millions of casualties of continue shutdown will be in hiding in plain sight. Alcoholism. Suicide, artifacts, kidney failure and financial instability, despair drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty and abuse. What are some of the longterm impact the economic shutdown will have on our country. What are some of the longterm impacts that the economic shutdown will have on our country. Have a longterm shutdown, we know from evidence that theres a significant effect just on the economy but mortality illness Public Health, despair. The number of people who either lose their jobs, lose the high Quality Health insurance. Because they have lower access to care. Because of other things that are going on in their lives in the children. This is not merely a dichotomy between safety on the one hand and economics and money on the other. Tens of millions of people are unemployed versus sustainable. The Public Health and is widely understood. And we have the same type of problems. Certainly, especially those, for all of the same reasons yes. Short answer is yes. Sue had withheld the states and the Public Health, were behind the ball, a lot of misinformation. Something that common sense would actually wouldve let us move forward. You think inside the week hold these many republicans, these states and their executives accountable. For some of the actions. Yes, in my book, written testimony. Another Nursing Homes created a lot of the risk of First Responders that we have been discussing today. Note the vendettas you mention is meant a lot about Public Transit especially in new york city. The mayor of new york de blasio, he went into my, to disinfect the subways for the first time. Theres evidence evidence at mit that the oak subways or danger of transmission. We know the tristate area around new york city is the single largest outbreak in the country and indeed the world. Time is up. Mr. Lynch, you are recognized for five minutes. Unmute yourself greatest. Thank you. Thank you for holding this hearing. First of all i would like to express my condolences, the loss of your husband and. I want to thank you for your willingness to appear at this hearing. The bringing home any personal and profound way about what the loss of your husband means you and your family. I know that i have a lot of folks in my district that had a similar experience losing a loved one. I want you to know im with these germans and as an original cosponsor of the bills, to provide relief to families in your situation. But i do appreciate your courage in coming forward. Take your tragic situation in trying to help others from suffering the same fate. What is it talk a little bit about essential workers and the hero pay that they have received. Some have called a hero bonus. I had an awful time here. In the boston area with mike Nursing Homes. On the 20 three 40 residence Nursing Homes as away. The situation is so precarious to carry is that many employees because they are traditionally low paid, many of them are men and women of color. Their low benefit jobs. They waited the balance in his normal going to put myself at risk. Or my family at by going to work everything today. So many of them, the hero pay that was provided to them from their employer was a difference for them. Thats a big bowl, we must about 17 employees in one big nursing home. And it just put more and more pressure on the others now are able to stay. That hazard pay, wasnt recklessly handed out by faceless bureaucrats. That was actually the management of those base businesses this and we need people to respond to be in the job. Even under these very difficult situations. In our state. And on many others, the governors identified that we need to secure the supply chain for food. And for healthcare. I spit it all of the should not have been spending trying to get n95 masks from china and other countries. To bring to the health workers. And much among hospitals in this area. Anointed the my First Responders, went grocery workers. This was really an all hands on deck situation i think the idea and ms. Maloney has, lead sponsor when her heroes pay initiative, is very well focused on people who are required and deemed essential by the president of the United States and by the government as well. We know the systems that had to be secured. Unlike ad, this people knew so well the consequences to our society into the most vulnerable in our society they do not show up for work. The response was heroic. The state everyday whether it is the nurses, or my postal workers are ups or fedex. The postal worker provides about 90 percent of the medicines and pharmaceuticals that are taken by our veterans. 90 percent of the drugs that good of our veterans are handled by letter carriers and postal clerks and mail handlers. So that is a critical essential service. It is not hard to determine who the who is essential bear. Those people in the job every single day. I applaud it is maloneys initiative. I think we can work it out. They we need to remember is so hard to remember. Ed sounded like a wonderful wonderful man. In his service was heroic in brooklyn. I know a lot of his brothers and sisters in the 1199, they do their jobs every single day. I think its important for us to remember that. Your time has expired. I yield back. I appreciate that. Thank you. Now mr. Higgins, you are recognized for five minutes for questions you may now unmute yourself. Think it was determined. I think our panelists for appearing racialist sleep with us today. I would like to say this 21st Century Technology that we are using to user attempting to use. I think it is good, this is to the menu. I believe that this type of technology should be used for congressional business only when the u. S. Is under very serious attack. As said before that america has been infected by a virus. Not invaded by an army. I urge my colleagues across the aisle to encourage madam Speaker Pelosi and the majority leadership to the foxy footing. It was and it in person. The white brick houses operating in person yet the peoples house, thousand representatives, remains incredibly restricted as busy our efforts today. Technology cannot believe are best reserved for perhaps never but certainly much more extreme national emergency. If i may talk to you for this mama, i have a very high admiration for medicines and doctors and frontline workers. When you gave the moving testimony regarding ppe and the lack of access to proper ppe e. I think you for clarifying the difference them for an artifact of an n95 masks and rest per rider versus a surgical used all day. And but i would like to have my staff reach out to you in later date. You can work best on some projects that we have regarding ppe in the future. So i ask you maam, regarding ppe, have you in your career have you ever seen such a massive demand for ppe at one time in the medical professionals across the world. This is the first pandemic is been a global pandemic. So no i have not seen in this extraordinary need number of mass. That being said, we anticipated that we would have plenty of warning and so in january. Pinot noir in the interest of the time i greatly respect your testimony is a your profession. Then i say that nurses and frontline medical professional should have access to all the ppe they need. Gallants, respirators, face shields, gloves, everything they need to get their jobs done. Your testimony is clarified what i believe to be true as well and many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, we concur that as a nation, we will come out of this initial pandemic with a stronger infrastructure and greater distribution of ppe. I do think it is notable that china is a nation and their government leadership purposefully delayed relaying some important data. And they began boarding the ppe from across the world at a time when they had true knowledge of whats going on in the restricting it. I would like to work directly with you maam, my staff if you would be willing as we address the future needs for ppe. And thank you again for behaving here. All of the panelist. Doctor roy, if i ask you for a moment sir. Im particularly concerned that you would address and challenge the seniors in america because of the Economic Impact. Theres nothing healthy about repossession or unemployment, foreclosures, evictions, stress and depression, are known killers. And loneliness is amongst that factor and our elders across the country depend upon families interactions on a regular basis. In the remaining few seconds, respond if you would but how you feel about what we could do to protect our seniors. Thank you sir and i would say that as i have alluded to in my opening remarks, we needed to and still thing to focus our attention in our energy on reducing the spread of the covid19 and particularly to the vulnerable seniors. In the facilities like the Nursing Homes. If we do that, and Everybody Knows facilities and everybody who works in the facilities to make sure that they are going from one place to another place to another place. We have to resend it these mandates of the state level. If divorce Nursing Homes to accept the covid19 patients. Theres a lot of things we can do. If we do that, if we can restrict and suppress the spread offense honey and the elderly population. Because otherwise Economic Activity in their social life, and their emotional lives in the family lives will be suppressed for much longer period of time than everyone else. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Conley, you know recognized five minutes for questions. You may now unmute yourself. Thank you. I was hearing, the wish you all the best. Hopefully the results come back lots positive. On a personal note, i have them criticize the decision of the hearing pursuant to the Movement Regarding virtual. This is not ideal. I would prefer to be back in the capital doing business as usual. My full complement to the seven washington. But let me say to my friends on the other side of the auto, please stop making this a political thing. This is about life and death. This is about people in living. Covid19, i lost two of my staff and ive got friends, in virginia who had stayed home and cordate because of their exposure. That chairman of this committee has been quarantined. Because shes been exposed and are awaiting the results of the test. Please, can we not was just come together and admit that we need to do the prudent thing to prevent people from getting sick. And members to become victims of this virus can we prevent that. This should be the motivation. Engine subscribed based on those motivations rather than to be a disservice to all of us. I wish we would ceaseanddesist on our line of argument. That political talking point. Yes are pretty. Thank you. Thank you for being here. We ask you a question that may be a little bit leading but it was really something about what you said about the fact that the front lines workers in the front line workers in the Grocery Stores, feel threatened when customers command refused to her mask. Because those Customers Put them at risk another customers at risk. All of a sudden it becomes an interesting environment. One of the reasons it seems to me that is going on, and large numbers is because the president of the United States and society, that he will not wear a mask and he said it can it when it comes across as almost defiant. This seems to send a signal to a large group of his followers the wearing a mask is a political statement and not wearing what is also political statement. In the health huds was is kind of get forgotten. Do you believe the president of the United States not wearing a mask deliberately, contributes to the situation your members with respected to noncompliance pretty. Place in the following. I think will be more helpful in situation where he was in the public arena like when he went to the ford plant that he would wear a mask. Just like everybody else. I think it would be more helpful. Im hesitant. I think a little bit more than it would be helpful. It will be a requirement. When he recently went to maine to facility, winning more mass than he was reviewing. Thats more than would be helpful. Its actually a violation. Is my met by apple. Be helpful as it relates to population. This is science based. Some Political Base unit does have anything to do with politics. Look, my met members are tired about the blame game. Whether or not to blame game about who is responsible for the problem. When a buyers in this country who is affecting people in a very negative way. Thats affecting them economically, is released to the health, is certainly affecting certain people as a relation number of just over hundred thousand. Where im coming from, to represent my members is that we need congress when all of our leaders in this country to act together to fix a problem that we basically have. Your recognize for five minutes for questions. You may now need yourself. I believe that congress should show up and do a job like the nurses are showing up for work in the Grocery Store workers in the truckers under driving. The farmers who are working happily we should be working. I appreciate that we are doing this hearing online and remotely. It is than not having any reason offered we have a job if person. I do think it would be reasonable that we tell her staff to stay at home but we should i believe the leading the charge here. I am concerned about the workers at the Meat Processing facilities. Whether they are getting the appropriate ppe whether the policies have changed their and also with the effectiveness on productivity. Generally, you believe were getting the right equipment to the workers at the Meat Processing facilities. Ive heard from the usda that everything was fine. I was not buying it then. I think these issues will be longterm. Maybe increasing spacing what might be a reasonable concession pretty can you also tell when you think it is, about the factory conditions to make them the most likely places for someone to have the covid19 to get it outside of the nursing home. Think much like was mentioned earlier, as a result of the volume of air in the facility because there in the processing plant, there has to be a highvolume air conditioning system and the facility in order to make sure it stays cool enough in order to process the meat. In addition to that, its the humidity in the air at the same time and does not allow the virus or the aerosol particles to evaporate very quickly and eliminate the problem. And yes me about whether or not there was enough ppe in the facilities. Because the conditions are so difficult, we had layered ppe in conversation with our management teams. Many shields around the workers and the mask. Because that they just went in there with a n95 masks, the problem is the humidity inside of the facility would ultimately attaches onto mask will be like this workers will be waterboarding. Would it be better to better protect them, yeah good, and a 100 respirator. When at the back of the back much like you see some of these biological labs we have seen. That might be better than any good actually bring people closer together if youre concerned about the productivity. As you do have to have spacing. So i think it has been condemned. Anywhere from 75 any 5 percent to full productivity. None of the processing locations because close proximity that you have to be, im not sure if you have are looking for that pretty. Yes. Thats interesting that even the n95 masks may not be sufficient in these conditions. I am a proponent that as soon as we get the mass, and the manufacturing sparkling, they should be wearing n95 masks instead of the homemade masks. Because i think the science is doubtful on whether homemade masks really going to prevent the where from getting the virus. It may not be effective from a potential person getting it. Me just as mr. Roy . Was. Im looking at your testimony here really really strikes me that a few states have a really high incident of covid19 within Nursing Homes for 10000 longterm residents. In a sling when it might be. Their number of factors that are actively researching this. Ill into some of our preliminary analyses trying to find correlations between nursing home fatality rates and other indicators such as High Percentage of medicaid patients in Nursing Homes. A High Percentage of africanamericans and at the state level, we defined those correlations. The may find it more data but now that the cdc is collecting data by facility, we can do more granular assessments. Broadly speaking, theres two vectors the senate. The pandemic course but thats also related to the way the smaller Easton States and particularly to accept the covid19 patients being discharged from the hospitals. Those appear to be the biggest drivers. But that analysis is still ongoing. Thank you. Your recognize for five minutes for questions and you know and move it to yourself. Think is much. My head is in the shot here. Over the last several months, ive heard from workers who have struggled to get the ppes. I heard from nurses who made coming mass, they need to sanitizer vehicles, progress on the jobs, and wearing effective eyewear. They illustrate most the bravery of the American Workforce and also the Trump Administrations failure of leadership in a time of crisis. Lack of a coherent federal response including failure to fully invoke the act to produce the ppe. I share military appropriations subcommittee. The focus on whether the va has adequate supply of the ppe. And directing the facilities keeping safely working. 20 million in the correct that money, respect them to provide ppes for every worker entering these facilities but just yesterday, the top official admitted that they didnt have enough supplies to a standard second wave of the virus. So my first question is the leading organization that represents a hundred and 55000 nurses including nurses that work in 58 facilities but how would you describe their access to ppe to your members that are working at the va and also which is an inexpensive your members are working at the va, have similar to your membership or more generally. In the va system the pp has been woefully inadequate. Kentucky mop head to toe ppe. Hi karen, the coverall, the goodies, all of that has been insufficient. Yes it does mirror the public and private sector of the other Hospital Systems as well. Forcing that throughout including the va. Weve actually had to utilize donations to get supplies to her nurses. We have been obese we have literally had to fight for everything ppe for our nurses. He went to the number my own staff, give a second wave and youre already struggling keeping up with the ppe that you need, there will be a significant problem with her workers. The defense production act, 20 think about the president s refusal to fully implement this. We need to fully invoke the production act. One thing that i would say is we are dealing with the virus is novel. Learning learn more about each day. The ppe is not normal. We know what protects us. What will protect the frontline workers and patients. We need to have Domestic Production and we need enough production. Absolutely, its grossly irresponsible to not have done that already. Twenty think about shortages for the Healthcare Workers, we can only think of doctors and nurses but are so many hospital employees and are not doctors and nurses, medical technicians, transporters, workers may keep the hospitals functioning. And if talking about her husband edward and im so sorry for your loss. Can you describe his access to ppe when he went to work. Do you think inadequate access to ppe played a role and to his affection infection. So i cannot hear what you said braided. My question is because your husband edward, is not a doctor or nurse like the usually think of the frontline workers. If you wouldnt mind adding a little bit a few things to my time so i can as my question. Think is much pretty. So to refer to it was the doctors and nurses are usually thought of as frontline Healthcare Workers. The people at your husband, who provide support to those workers also are critical components of the overall delivery of care. Can you describe your husbands access to ppe to the critical work and you think that inadequate access to the ppe mightve played a role to his infection. Yes, i think when i first started, i think they were given it to the doctors and nurses first. As the virus started to progress, they finally given to him. But i think by the time, he was already exposed pretty but i do think that if he had the ppes, it was did chance of not contacting it. Thank you. Again i am so sorry for your loss. And thank you for his commitment to caring for people. This is just impossible that we have left so many people without production that they need to principally lives have been lost as a result. I appreciate your indulgence. My time has expired. Your recognize for five minutes for questions. You may now unmute yourself. Can you hear me now. Good okay. First of all, for mr. Because i would like to thank you for the anecdote. I was not aware that the subways in new york were not being claimed. I apologize for the failure of the government out there. Join them in the nursing home thing, its just stunning the people got stuck with such moments out there. So i apologize for that. Secondly i would like to talk to ms. Castille. One of the problems that i have with the state of wisconsin, love the nurses and doctors. As far as what is going on in our healthcare system. One of the problems we have here is there is a fantastic overestimate of the number of people who were ended up hospital as hostile eyes and as a result 12 things happen. A lot of nonessential medical things which what i would consider essentially like preparing a valve, they were not done so perhaps people are dying. This some evidence in the uptake of the death rate is things are not being done that should be done. Secondly we begin to lay off Healthcare Workers instead of the nurses. I know that is going on in wisconsin great is that something is going on nationwide. And what can we do to get these hospital administrators to bring back the nurses to work and open up these hospitals. I know as a nurse, it is better to be prepared and to prevent. We know what we shouldve been doing in anticipation of this pandemic. In those the dead, certainly we applaud and that being said, you see some hospitals take advantages of this particular moment and instead of focusing on ensuring that they have adequate protections for workers they are looking things like furloughs, and making nurses cutting down their powers enclosing essential Services Like labor and delivery. In santa clara county, theres a hospital that literally closed it down labor and delivery and so there was a layoff of nurses. And certainly mothers still meeting to deliver and now they have nowhere to go. They have to go to many miles. We are finding that as well. Colonoscopies, not getting screenings for cancer. Because the hospitals way overestimated the number of people who will be there. I can understand the hospital doing that in march. But as time went on, became very apparent that the socalled experts in washington, overestimated things. And i wondered if would weigh in. We wouldve had adequate amounts of ppe, so another words the hospitals were required to have sufficient supplies in stock for example for like a year, then we would have been able to treat all of our patients. So in other words. I think wisconsin, the problem is not on the ppe, the problem was they were shutting down in anticipation of this deluge of patients that never showed up. And then out people. My understanding of the shortage of ppe is nationwide. Thats what im hearing from nurses where we surveyed nurses across the nation. Okay. Yet. Doctor roy. One of the things that concerns me here, congress has spent far too much money on this and we are driving the next generation very deeply into debt. Usually want that next generation to be wealthier than your generation print were going the opposite way. Running up credit cards making sure the next generation is broke. I certainly a lot of people in my district are financially harmed because of the covid19. And they wish they had their jobs. They wish businesses were keeping them above water and said there may be going through bankruptcy. In wiping out life savings for the wonder if you could comment on to the degree that we are already throwing money at so many different people on the other hand, they will eventually have to pay it back. They may be going under bankruptcy because of the situation. This is an incredible problem. Its a double whammy. The economic destruction from the long lockdown. The fiscal spending, mmm a. The fiscal spending the congress is putting forward credit is compensating for the lockdown. And then the fact that the average Small Business has less than a month of cash in hand. And for minority owned businesses more like two weeks of cash on and do. So a lot of them have shut down permanently. Every week that goes by, or more of those Small Businesses are going under. And that means a sweet newcomer, may be chosen, but we will have a much more consolidated economy with a very Large Corporation running our economy rather than the mark divert and distributed economy. Time is expired pretty. Youre now recognized for five minutes for questions you may now unmute yourself. Thank you very much i appreciate the opportunity. I dont think the committee for pulling together this very important hearing on the frontlines pretty as we have come to understand, theres this whole unseen workforce out there. It doesnt normally get the attention it deserves but it needs circumstances of course and they are in focus. And i think thats one of the big challenges for us as policymakers in this hearing will focus in this challenge. As to start thinking about how we continue to see this workforce on the other side of this pandemic. We are learning lessons now that we need to carry with us. If and when we get back to whatever the new normal is, is it going to be a new normal that has the kinds of wages and benefits in the workplace protections for this workforce that so Many Americans have uncovered it come to know over the last two or three months. Are we going to continue to see that workforce on the other side. And i hope the hearings like this help us fortify our commitments to that. So i want to thank you for the hearing and i also wanted to especially thank her testimony, we certainly send our condolences to you. We thank you for your courage in sharing your story. Is very compelling. I think it will make a tremendous difference as we consider these issues going forward. I did want to specifically address questions to mr. Casa, i want to thank you for your advocacys on behalf the transit workers across the country. Its a very Effective Organization or any and speaking up for those concerns and i am proud that the International Headquarters rotated in maryland. The Third District in which i represent. The frontline workers that you represent are a little bit different. Mother frontline workers in a sense that they are the folks that transport a lot of those other workers. So in essence you have intersected this conversation in ways than one thank you for what your members do everything the day. We know theres been a lot of layoffs as a result of the pandemic. And we know that for example in washington dc, the ridership is down 25 percent. On the on the metro theyre losing 50 million per month during this pandemic. Across the country, the rail workers are being laid off. Can you speak to that a little bit about what the Economic Impact is on your workforce. We talked a lot about the safety issues. Can you talk about these layoffs and cutbacks. Thank you for the kind words. Our headquarters in the district thank you. The care sacked up a lot. In keeping overcrowding from happening. Our membership is down about 10 percent. We lost those layoffs of the time. Do the pandemic. And so that with the states opening up, we are saying having to start in getting on the bus. I voice my concerns about that. It but about 10 percent on average. They didnt take advantage and actually they are taking advantage in a lot of ways produce are not doing the right things. Trying to basically utilize of money to put in the pocket. Cost for profits in this newest and we educated them what all that meant. I keeping the buses and the workers to keep the economy going. They keep it stronger. I am sure that you are very apprehensive about what is coming as we get closer to july 1st. Which the date by most municipalities have to balance our budget across the country. As you know here zach is trying to bring significant assistance to state and local governments in terms of the budgets. Clearly that will have a Ripple Effect on your workers. So i assume that you are strongly in support of the heroes acting brain them in. Budget crisis for the authorities, they may help in once again, hope our representatives and if congress does the right thing. In the american jobs here. The focuses on operating assistance. So we can get out of this crisis and bring the cities back. So yes in the heroes act, very few of our members have insurance policies. In this was would help offset 53 members that i have not to mention the w that have passed the coronavirus. They would help their families and keep our heroes, they kept our lines going keeping our nurses and doctors and help our country and our families stay alive. Your time has expired. Youre now recognized for five minutes for questions. You may now unmute yourself. Thank you very much. I appreciate you having this hearing on supporting essential workers. On it theres clearly bipartisan support. In support the essential workers that have been mentioned thus far, the healthcare frontline workers obviously, the people theyre involved in processing food. The same brexit different processinplants. But one group of essential workers that is minute and that is a lot in the last few days the really have not been mentioned during this hearing, our Law Enforcement personnel. Were very blessed that american has some of the best and brightest who work in Law Enforcement training troubles me deeply to feel worse in the moves news that some of the cities any reference by some of our colleagues in congress to defund the police. It of all of the things that ive heard in my three and half congress that i disagree with, and i think is not very good policy. I think that the movement to defund the police is probably the dumbest thing ive ever heard of. Bothers me deeply because we have to have Law Enforcement. Especially when theres a lot of anxiety, a lot of disagreement. We need law and order. In our Law Enforcement people put their lives everyday. I hope that everyone mycology congress will go on record to say we strongly support our men and women in Law Enforcement. Instructionally, never want to defund of the police. So i get that out there. Mr. Chairman, have been blessed the last two days my congressional district. Factories making ppe, these are businesses, one wasnt next banning business. And another is a new business that was formed, and when into an abandoned car factory and they making ppe. I think that is that what we saw happen with china, where they obviously misled the world about the coronavirus in the night ported their ppe to use at the expense of the american hospitals and nursing home facilities and Healthcare Workers. So i believe theres bipartisan support in congress to ensure that ppe is manufactured in the United States. I got companies in kentucky and all across the south in the United States, and are willing and able in currently producing and manufacturing ppe, caps and gowns and mass gloves and things like that. Theyre still competing against chinese companies. Still different Government Agencies are in contract to companies who are manufacturing this ppe in china. I would like to extend event invitation to mccauleys cross out. Democrat colleagues to come together i would love to work with the majority parties to see that we can do everything in our ability to see that this ppe is manufactured in the United States of america. The cbo found that roughly five or six recipients would receive benefits that exceeded the weekly amount they were receiving from employment prior to covid19. So how does this shift the incentive from going back to work . We have heard from many many that they cannot reopen the store or the auto Mechanic Shop because the workers are paid much more to stay home and to work. You cannot blame the workers because of the disparity is so great. That program was clearly designed very poorly and its important we listen to those providers and employers to get the economy going again. I agree. I have an oped posted by the wall street journal i would like to submit for the record explaining exactly what the doctor just said and the negative impact it is having on the states truly trying to reopen and a lot of the businesses that are struggling to stay in existence. I will object because we do have a process i reserve the right to object but i do not intend to object in order to minimize the disruptions and to be fair to everybody in advance of the oversight email and the hearing notice we ask that you do so now if you have not yet we want to ensure we have copies of all materials before they go into the hearing record i will go on hold off on agreeing until we ensure we have received the documents but i think the number for the request will be dispensed with before the end of the hearing email that we will take a look at it. Your time is expired you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you so much for having this hearing. At the beginning of the pandemic people of color have unfortunately been impacted with hospitalization and death i represent major on majority minority district comprised of 18 cities including detroit. As one of the hotspots not only in michigan but in the country the africanamerican and Minority Community affected by covid19 communities of color make up a large percentage of workers who are employed in the essential industry these essential workers are on the front lines with the Food Processing facilities and transportation services. The question i would like to direct is are there any solutions you would recommend the federal government take and put in place to limit the disparate impact the coronavirus has had on minority essential workers . Thank you for the question it is really quite simple. And there is a fire we go to the firemen if there is an emergency we go to the emergency. In the covid space we need to make sure we are prioritizing things like tests. We cant put her head in the sand with this randomized testing we have to go and identify those folks and quarantined them and hospitalize them. That is one thing on the health front and then to implement a rigorous regime as well we have to find this out. Our economies have been devastated by the selfinduced, the pandemic has put us in. Our businesses are the lifeblood and the biggest employers in the community we had a very uneven rollout as a suitable description of the Paycheck Protection Program now we try to go back and fix that to make sure the minority depository institutions are participating in it looks like on the second round the average size of the loan is going down. So on the health front go to where the disease is put on the Business Front rejection rates are something one out of ten people of color who applied for ppe even got the loan. We have to do better in that regard. I thank you for that. And with the Race Relations and discrimination in our country and so many things have been exposed during the covid epidemic we have lived through first of all the Small Business for made minority businesses and the lack of access to capital that we legislated for any unintended consequences with these minority and Small Businesses and lastly, if we can talk about the ppe, the essential workers it is unbelievable you are essential you are required to go to work you show up every day than the audacity of some corporations not to provide ppe so than the federal government has to give funding to ensure the workers were getting its everyone that lost their lives during the pandemic i want to take this moment to say my humble condolences to everyone in the black community who experience so much grief and people are wondering why theres such an outpouring layer upon layer. I want to ask about the ppe requirement. Do you estimate that the ppe retirement will be intact for the remainder of 2020 and if so what recommendations do you have for congress and members with this expense . I have introduced the ppe tax credit that would give us a 25000 tax credit for Small Businesses and nonprofits to provide ppe so im looking for anyone who can give me a comment on the recommendations how we meet this requirement when we reopen. Your time is expired but you may answer the questions. It has been said before the defense production act is key here. It has not been used aggressively, only sparingly we have to get our production capability up to meet the need. We have to pay them to do the work and use that to will in the toolkit. We need food and protections them both are equally wise area areas. Thank you. I agree as well we definitely need to add ppe to the defense production act was very evident what was happening that ppe went to the highest bidder. And i do believe we did need to provide ppe to Healthcare Workers and First Responders first. However, because of that come it was being very difficult to be obtained i know one large Major Corporation discussed eliminating masks to provide masks for workers they got over 400,000 workers and with this happening at a Major Corporation of the fortune 500 company, i guarantee it is happening in Smaller Companies that we just dont talk about. Thank you mr. Chairman. I would like to say something. Yes, think it is shameful our government dropped the ball and that the president did not enact the defense production act and for the front lines and i believe we could have saved many more lives. And this happened, communities took care of our own. And we need to go forward and take care of our own and produce it here and put people to work here and protect ourselves it is shameful this president and this administration so many people died and later on said we needed it. Any other panelists . Thank you so much for your questions you are now recognize five minutes for questions. Thank you mr. Chairman i want to think the essential workers also i give my condolences to ms. Mccarty on her loss and i want to mention quickly the administration getting ppe over here from asia and elsewhere also the Paycheck Protection Program with our jobs and businesses thats a very good program you we are hearing about the role of china and ppe and targeting universities that with this hearing. [inaudible] i do want to talk about the written testimony talking about reusing single use ppe and increased exposures and someone but she also goes on to say it has not been shown and as some of you may know asking the Obama Administration 2014 with a shortage of masks for ebola and to publish safe and effective n95 masks the largest independent. [inaudible] using science and technology and it has been tested the cdc Massachusetts General Hospital so i just want to say that i agree with the statement and also fema awarding contracts i asked to submit for the record with the documents that show and illustrate the present vaporize Hydrogen Peroxide i just want to make that clear do you want to respond . Thank you for following the rules without objection so ordered. There has not been Scientific Evidence not to ensure that the cant on decontamination that they receive the mask back after the decontamination process. Often the straps are loosened and the mask itself is the form so the integrity of the material and that they also complained of headaches and smelling a chemical smell. Our concern is this is an unethical practice to use the Healthcare Workforce and Healthcare Workers as guinea pigs to experiment essentially. As i have said before what we need to do is fully invoke the defense production act to manufacture the adequate amount of ppe we all need certainly the frontline workers and all workers for all of us for the protection for all of us. Maybe there were some issues but the research that was done. Thank you so much you are now recognized for five minutes for questions. Let me also extend to our chairwoman our good wishes for a negative test result and a speedy recovery so as a widow i know exactly what you are going through and you have my deepest sympathy and a huge hug. I hope we can provide you some relief. Chairwoman i have introduced legislation to compensate those who have been affected or sickened by this virus is essential workers we have the essential worker pandemic compensation act as a companion in that it provides immediate benefits i impact of those that obtain real representation it is patterned after the Public Safety benefit public assistance act to provide those who have succumbed to the virus as essential workers at 365,000 in the educational benefits of a for your education and that amount that is equal to half of that time consulted with ken feinberg from the 9 11 Compensation Program his focus is to keep it simple and make sure those that have lower income are not treated differently in this particular bill treats everyone the same thank you for endorsing this legislation and im proud of the comments the essential workers said recalling of the heroes pay and this is an effort to give them a kiss on the cheek. I hope we are committed as republicans and democrats to go forward a plan to treat people equally, taxfree and not encumber them by requiring them to have legal representation as well. I am deeply concerned moving forward with the proper ppe in place. I have been told fema plans to ramp up the supply of n95 masks and the gowns only to the extent we continue to reuse those. I cant imagine that will be appropriate over the long term. So for a country that could put planes and ships into manufacturing in short order during world war ii using the defense production act, and were still trying to find a means by which we will manufacture gloves . Or swabs until recently we have not done . That makes no sense. I am concerned we dont have an idea how much ppe we will need for essential workers in the next wave. Has your organization tried to come up with a figure to reflect what it would be we cannot agree with you more. In the real result and out of the workforce. We know even what is being produced right now to the extent we have not felt that on the front lines, even hhs estimate is 52 billion and we dont see that and havent seen that production happening anywhere. What we do know is for congress to act and invoke the defense production act to produce adequate amount of ppe. And as i said before start to make sure we have the n95 in the facilities and fighting tooth and nail is not exactly the grade of mask we would prefer but having to rely on donations. We know we can do better and we have to do better. This is about the future and learn from this experience that we are not out of this pandemic. It is ongoing and we expect to see but theres no better time than not on the now to actually start production with respirators along with the other ppe that i mentioned before the head to toe coverings are essential as well. Thank you so much you are recognized for five minutes for questions. For those that are with us and im delighted to have them here as a witness. [laughter] glad to join you and we appreciate it. We appreciate all the work you have been doing with an exceptional job with that important data about whats going on and correct me if im wrong but if i am correct and you discount new jersey that is badly impacted by the virus over 50 percent that unfortunately have passed away they were in assisted living facilities or Nursing Homes. Is that fair . It is based on the reporting of the data it is very accurate. More than half of the death have occurred in Nursing Homes and i understand your confusion those numbers are 42 percent even new jersey and new york in 80 percent of the death are 65 and older. Correct. All those details are in my written testimony. So everyone accuses me to draw an analogy but there is that data point for the most part the dangerousness of the flu is three or four more times dangerous directly remember that correctly . The order of magnitude is greater so off the website it was called estimating the risk of death versus influenza by age. That was based on age assuming 150,000 people between age five and 14 your seven times more likely if your age one or four then your 20 times more likely to die of lewd and covid19 and one 20th as likely so it is very low the death children. And to figure what we do i happen to be of the belief that is tragically that that we as a society have clamped down on the come unity so much that we deny people their livelihoods and the ability to go to work in cancer screenings and suicide rates are going up and the impact to opioid addiction. And the inability for Mental Health care because we reaction so much people 65 and under i support children when they close down the schools. That makes no rational sense to close down the school. That actual problem when people said in tight quarters and are fed up and go to the nursing home and that was the for those that passed away and its critical that if i remember correctly i saw those data points that 41 percent of blackowned businesses closed over the last three months as a result of the virus in reaction. You have to do a good job getting businesses back up and running thats why the ppe flexibility act written with my good friend. Can you comment on those . And to put it this way when it comes to covert if you focused on everything and everyone then you are focused on nothing and no one thats why the First Responders have been put in danger instead of focusing on those populations of longterm care facilities we were focused on harassing people with their relatives or attended a funeral. And his micromanagement you cannot go to Home Depot Gardening Department but you couldnt go to the lawnmower department. We took her eyes off the ball. Thank you mr. Chairman thank you for all the work you cant do and with Community Dependence on essential workers to function many of us are im sure all of us have the privilege of isolating at home in the comfort with our families. Social distancing has allowed us to bend the curve for the Healthcare Workers and individuals work in Grocery Stores. And with the transit systems continue to function and Healthcare Workers take care of us. And staying at home is not an option. Please describe the role your workers have had. And then to stock the shelves dealing with customers coming in and out, there has been some disruptions. And then to be set up on a contingency basis and because everybody was at home it changed how the system approached it. And then to keep the food supply coming and then to lead to more stability in society. Receiving massive shortages. And what responded differently. I agree with you. And the fear and the concern what happened in the country that they were not able to get the food. Thank you for that. And with the transit workers and then to halt Public Transportation repeat that please. If you didnt have your workers to go out on the front lines with Public Transportation and then to impact the ability to fight the virus. A lot of them dont make money many clean the hospitals. And to dialysis and hospitals for treatment and the transit mobility service. Thank you to your workers everything that they do. Would you agree the nations death toll would be far higher without measures for patient care ms. Castillo . Yes thats correct. And then to function properly and efficiently . Absolutely essential. We work as a team in the hospital and in the clinics that team consists of nurses and doctors and we have a full team that comes to the hospital every single day and as you mentioned they dont have a choice and to take care of their families their schedule remain the same and every single day to utilize that to get to work. On the agriculture committee. Your time is expired. Im sorry we are having find. Thank you to all those in the work that you are doing. You are now recognized for five minutes for questions. Thank you vice chairman. I hope you are healthy we want you to be healthy and thinking for the Ranking Member and all witnesses for being here today. Especially want to express my deepest sympathy the loss that you are experiencing is heartbreaking in my prayers are for you and your family during this time. Youre very brave to be here today. The frontline workers have been the heroes in the Public Health emergency. And for that our country is eternally grateful. Are doctors and nurses have provided care for our sickest patients and care for the coronavirus those in Grocery Stores and Delivery Services ensure everyone can get their food and goods in a safe manner. We have seen those in manufacturing work around the clock to make sure medical equipment and ppe are there to provide not only for america but other people around the world. During this pandemic we have seen businesses rise to the occasion with new and innovative solutions. One company and my district had more than 40 employees made materials for respiratory masks they worked around the clock and they would deserve our deepest respect. Now that we have flat into the curve we must look forward to safely reopening our economy and returning to normalcy. In West Virginia we already started. We want to continue on the great economic success we have seen prior to the pandemic to put america back to work. Ms. Castillo i appreciate all the hard work our nurses have taken on during the pandemic you are the heart and soul and i understand the nurses would rather have new n95 masks instead of the decontaminated masks everybody can agree the best mask is a new mask. And to our own production. And with that Ebola Outbreak the fda partnered with the Nonprofit Organization to have research for just such a circumstance of a national pandemic. The Research Conducted over multiple years it is this foresight by the fda the level of proven safety contamination of the n95 masks and with the demand for these masks in unprecedented times the research was published in 2016 decontamination made it so Healthcare Workers dont have to wear scarves or bandannas or other homemade items. But intel we have adequate supply of new ppe and then to protect the health care workers. We were experiencing problems with these masks. And then to get that tight seal and we know about that tight seal and then the headaches. To be safe or effective and look at those studies they have done and with that threedimensional pace. And that hot water vapor on e. Coli and not on covid19 also there was a duke study recently that did not evaluate the layers within the n95 filter. We found it is insufficient. So if we did invoke fully the production act. Im taking my time back. Submit those reports so we can correct the problem. With the economy back in line and put them back to work and to see them recover without a sharp spike of cases . We have not seen a sharp spike of cases. And then targeted Nursing Homes and then to praise and criticize with the high risk populations with the normal parts of the economy. Thank you very much. I yield back. So the term essential worker is for some it is important to remember that what we talk about today that they are essential not only for the role that they play but their very lives and they matter for their families and communities and economy but the same workers do not have the basic rights. And with those deep inequities and looking firsthand at the deadly consequences in real time. Long before covid ever hit those that did not have savings to cover a 400dollar emergency expense and already pushing on the margins further. And even with the sick days necessary protections key to preserving Public Health and economic stability of families. Only 19 percent to paid family leave and sick day protection. In the same workers pleading for ppe and to protect themselves from the virus. And those that half are immigrants and then to be the biggest hotspot. So the commonwealth we must center the essential workers who so often reside that they look at the pandemic and then to be impacted. And sympathy is not enough and the contributions and the rules and the only thing and then to pass the legislation. And its changing the policymaking so thank you so much for taking time away from your family to be here today to advocate to save lives and all essential workers ppe and hazard pay so those are the deeply entrenched inequities with the most industrialized nation with a sick day policy how has this contributed those who are disproportionate people of color and only one out of five latinas can afford to work from home. It is creating a crisis and thank you for your leadership on assisting the siege one cdc prioritize this is a huge equity issue we cannot get our arms around this problem for anybody once a test can so this is the problem in my opening remarks. And then to go into work and that the children may be at home. They are disproportionately in the households what they make are dont make is the entire economic livelihood of the family. And we need to do more. And definitely is in that category. And on the point that you made of the human cost and the human toll a peerreviewed study published in nature earlier this week that talks about the effect of the stayathome order. And then to avoid coronavirus. Because of the stayathome measures. 50million americans averted the coronavirus because of these measures. You can take a man and criticize take that decision up early does not come back soon enough. And frontline workers went out there to work with the nonessential workers. Thank you so much. Mr. Green you are now recognize. Thank you draw the workers on the front lines particularly Healthcare Workers. I know this is a trying time and that challenge of what we signed up for and to be here today to extend my deepest sympathies for your loss of course we are wishing madam chair return to gray health as soon as possible. Went on welcome being our witness today from the new england journal of medicines a surgical mask give no additional protection in a non healthcare setting and in consideration of this in the senate has been working for weeks with not a single infection, we can go back to work in person. The product is better than we provide the country. But then to be disingenuous to not reopen the economy i wish our colleagues would see us as essential as workers of this country taxes will pay for those 8 trillion this will cost us. We need to be working. The headline yesterday wall street journal coronavirus obliterated best africanamerican job market on record. Opening the economy is the single best thing we can do. And with the subcommittee hearing with this Racial Disparities why black americans have especially been hit hard. Black unemployment has risen because the Government Shutdown and those jobs would be harder to we gain the longer the shutdown last. And Retail Stores and gems of all been open under social distancing guidelines for weeks and then to stands shoulder to shoulder and all is well. What the family run business and then they altered normal operations to make Hand Sanitizer free of charge. To defeat the virus we have to let them be open and the the way to recovery. There are many things they can do to reverse the damage of the shutdown and the first suggestion is to repeal the 400 regulations suspended during the crisis. So why do we need these at all we must give the business the freedom and flexibility they need to bounce back. And all of my colleagues know rural hospitals are struggling in the pandemic has only exacerbated the challenge. Last week i visited to discuss these challenges but if we dont cut the red tape we will see dire longterm consequences it should not infuse revenue stream limitation on critical access hospitals and to hold accountable spreading of the virus in the first place the Chinese Communist party and offers of usaid allow the coronavirus to spread and with that adversary and then for starters House Resolution 6903 the Great American Companies Home back to incentivize American Companies and first do no harm to keep the economy close continues to harm millions of americans and to take the practice steps to reverse the damage. To asked the manager and all members lets lead and get americans back to work i yield back. I just want to acknowledge thanks for testimony. And then to submit for the record. You are now recognize for five minutes. Thank you so much to the panel for being here looking at people and my district and those impacted directly i want to share this photo of a detroit bus driver posted the video on facebook expressing frustration of the conditions on the bus including passengers coughing. He posted a video of himself wearing a mask with the captions i cant stay home i am on the road for you. Eleven days after posting his video , a 50 yearold father of six died of complications of covid19. This highlights the dangers of the transit workers and other employees. When i hear that story the first thing i want to do is protect people right away and adjust that when you hear the rhetorics about opening the economy what is the first thing when you hear about his story and others on the ground to open the economy . He is a hero he brought the transportation workers to the front and with the pandemic how our government failed us. How many more roads will be faced with if we are not prepared . So they tell me one thing that the states are opening up nobody uses ppe and then people are getting sick right now in jersey it is 90 degrees its not february anymore. We need to move slowly and be very cautious because our operators are still infected that we know of. Many are quarantined if not they are spreading into the frontline Grocery Store workers or doctors and nurses on the buses. Are we doing the right thing . I appreciate it. There is so much more uncertainty around covid than ever before. At least 68 workers have died from corona and as of may 20th through 2020 i know here in michigan and they fought so hard just for masks and then they got the hazard pay are you aware of many workers on the ground here in michigan were actually threatened after changes to reopen the economy that they were attempting to repeal retroactively the essential workers for that money back are you aware of that . Very much aware of that and quite frankly im hopeful about it and just so that you understand we recorded earlier today that as of yesterday we will get numbers again tomorrow we have had 80 passed away with retail food and 5800 exposed and 3700 as it relates to ppe and somebody mentioned earlier versus the n95 mask. It is critical if you are protected and have the n95 mask you could protect somebody else if you have a cough that you will not be protected if you dont have the n95. So we need to recognize it is my understanding the Major Corporations in this country that are past that level so i am very concerned. Just for the record they call that he will pay and for some reason those that worked in the Grocery Store said they were not heroes anymore but i want that on the congressional record that they would retroactively remove for those that put their lives on risk. Thank you so much. Thank you for your questions. [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] we are having technical difficulties. I can see you but i cannot hear you. So lets do this. We will go to ms. Porter and then we will come back to you. Ms. Porter you are now recognized for five minutes. Thank you very much. Thank you for your work to keep yourself healthy in particular let your members know how much we appreciate the risk you are taking every day the gentle man from ohio discussed in his questioning i want to follow up on that so with your statement you mentioned the information and the coalbed 19 infections what type of ppe does it mean to do their jobs every day . As i mentioned before ppe starts with head to toe coverings. Its important to understand for the on that one that piece of clothing explosive in addition to the respirator the n95 is minimum. Youre putting it on or taking off in between uses, you have a risk of exposure. If that exposure can be transmitted to a subsequent patient. Cement someone jesse, i understand, from putting these on, how often the n95 masks are being decontaminated. How often is that happening. We do know that there are employers who are using this method. Some have abandoned it because they found that it is not effective. And that it is actually resulting in deformed and efficient masks. But it is clear from her continuing to do that and what we have found in our studies is that we did a survey. The nurses across the nation and found that about 30 about 20 percent or 30 percent of those respondents work asked to reuse a decontaminated mask. Ive heard these concerns before and thank you for raising them. On may 26, wrote to the fda commissioner to stephen on. As of this letter and i was moved to put this letter into the record. Thank you for following the rules without objection, so ordered. So in that letter, i was alarmed about the windows hearing from nurses about the system. And as of april 12, there were 426 hospitals using the socalled decontamination system. Including 32 hospitals in orange county. Millions of taxpayer dollars and the lives of untold number of our Healthcare Workers are at risk. Decontamination does not perform as expected. So what motivation the Administration Tab for allowing this system to be decontaminate. And more masks than it can safely handle. Is a huge award that was awarded pretty 415 million, over the contract. When we have seen is decisions are being made based on inadequate planning and supplies and instead of planning to ensure that we are able to get the supplies of the ppe, their utilizing this method which is unproven and while protect. And this is not uncommon for us to see the fact. One last question. What is the best solution here. To get you and your fellow nurses, new n95 masks. And stop reuse. We need to invoke that defense and acting need to start immediately producing domestically, ppe, adequate amounts of respirators and gloves and gowns. All the ppe that we need now. And for the future. Time is expired. Thank you. Now recognize for five minutes for questions pretty humane now unmute yourself. Thank you. Thank you. Again i want to thank everybody for attending todays meeting. I would first like to start by expressing the gratitude to our Healthcare Workers, hospital staff, ems, firefighters, Police Another First Responders. Our grocers, the factory workers and managers many others who have been showing up to work and keeping our social activities going. Their efforts during this unprecedented emergency have been nothing short of heroic. As well as the leadership of President Trump in our supply chain has endured at this pandemic. We flatten the curve, and every american who needed a ventilator has gotten one. At the same time, im disappointed that the speaker is on us the house to return to washington and conduct business. If American Workers are showing up to work, their elected members of congress should do the same. Moving forward it is clear that the best form of economic stimulus is a job. The Paycheck Protection Program appears to be functioning as intended and helping our businesses and workers whether this pandemic. In order to in the many businesses close, forcing some to go out of business permanently, they prevented part that the parts that are open, this can be done swiftly and safely buttressing our communities to follow proper hygienic and social distancing guidelines. I do the question for doctor roy. Again, and all the panelists, thank you for participating. Woulwith your expertise, lookint the recent make jobs report, found that the u. S. Non employment increased by two and half million jobs last month. Many of these jobs and manufacturing leisure and hospitality i think i must have of them. Somewhere around health and hospitality and food service. If we continue to safely reopen our economy, can we expect to see where jobs going forward. I hope so. Yes sir i have someone expect to. I would also think that is weve been talking about, what groups of individuals have been hit hardest by this. The fact the Hospitality Industries have seen most of this, we would see more people getting back to work and that need the jobs. They been unable to work for so long. The circular, my recent testimony that i talk about this my Opening Statement as well. The data is wrong on this point that the minority workers are disproportionately hourly wage workers, the disparity between white and nonwhite employment as widened it substantially because of the lockdown. And we want to narrow this disparities and we should reopen the economy safely of course. Getting business to reopen is only part of the challenge for now countless students in education will be interrupted by this pandemic. Many of whom reside in rural areas like northeastern and northcentral pennsylvania. They might not have easy access to online learning. One of the strategies we can use to keep these students engage in moving forward in improving their skill set and joining the workforce. Im so glad you brought that up. It is something i wanted to address my testimony. What is already getting too long for it is extremely important point. Lunches for the children whose education, that the disproportionate minority shown his education has been retarded because of the lockdown. But also the parents, peers single mom, and your pharmacist, and you want to go to work. You might not be able to because it willing to work means living a child unattended at home. And so is incredibly economically important. For a lot of children who depend on the School Lunch Program for nutrition. There are all sorts of aspects to a Public Schools in particular are doing to help low income communities go forward it. And its not justified by what we know by covid19. Disease does not affect children. But it can affect elderly janitor staffing, and we need to protect them. Maybe get the paid leave. The children can go to school safely. In these populations are teaching, we could do that. We see that in europe, and texas and florida. From schools that are reopening, the oh doing okay. Thank you and appreciate that and he yelled back. Summa thank you so much. We really appreciated it. I see no other speakers. Before that we adjourn, but to recognize myself to submit for the record, two additional statements from groups who represent essential workers across the nation parted these documents have been distributed to members in todays hearing. Without objection i would like to enter the following documents into the record. Derek johnson president and ceo of acp regarding the chairwoman pandemic compensation act. Without objection, so ordered. In addition, statement for the record by the American Federation of governmental employees regarding todays hearing. Without objection, so ordered. If i also like to thank our witnesses for participating today. Thank you for testifying today. I know this is an issue that we all care about across the country. Essential workers are not democrats or republicans, when administered there are Americans First and foremost. I believe this can be common will to find solutions to these problems. There are solutions that may not be the same. Another is a common commitment. Without objection, all members will have five days to add additional questions which will be forwarded to the witnesses for the response. I asked him to please respond as properly as you are able. This hearing is now adjourned. U. S. Senate is not in session today. Lawmakers will be in session next week to continue work on a public land package that would provide permanent monies for the london Water Conservation funded. While also establishing a fund for maintenance of National Parks and other public land. Senators are negotiating amendments to the measure and we expect the vote on passage next week. Also possible executive and judicial nominations, as well as a motion to speak with the house on fisa reauthorization, deliberations on that continue off the floor. Follow the sentence live on cspan2. In the house was returned session until june 25th when we expect to see debate on bills relating to Police Reform and infrastructure policy. Theyre expected to work on those issues until the july 4th recess. Follow the house live on cspan. Binge watch book tv this summer. Every saturday evening at 8 00 p. M. Eastern, watch her favorite nonfiction authors. 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