Ms. Ocasiocortez i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the special order. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Ocasiocortez i rise today mr. Speaker i rise today to address what is top of mind to americans across the country. And that is the extraordinary economic and health hardship of the covid19 pandemic through the this year. The reason i decided to rise today is because we are here, convening in washington, and just a day or two ago, the Senate Majority leader, senator mcconnell, decided to break the senate. And the broke the senate as there are thousands of people in texas lined up lined fup food lines. He breck the senate while hospitals no longer have beds. To house the sick. And oke the senate dismissed the senate while 30 million americans are on the brink of eviction. He dismissed the senate when every single day, when we go back to our communities, people are asking us, where
We are doing this hearing both with some members present and some members remote. Remote. We also have two of our witnesses that will be remote. So we are its the first time weve been back for a full committee meeting, House Armed Services committee since the covid outbreak so i urge all of you participating and watching be patient as we work out the bugs and give everybody the chance to say what they need to say and run the committee in an orderly fashion. Before we start the basic rules and outline of how were doing the hearing. And i welcome those joining us remotely and those members are reminded they must be visible onscreen within the Software Platform, joining the establi established meeting and remaining a quorum and they must use the video platform during the proceeding unless they experience connectivity problem. If a person remotely have issues, the staff will help you get recorrected. Video of remotely, will be visible on television and the video feed. Members remotely will