Nearly one in four americans have received at least one dose, with a 13 of the country fully inoculated. Today, though, a grave tone from dr. Rochelle walensky, pleading with americans to keep their masks on and continue social distancing, a response to seeing people on the move and seeing states easing restrictions. More travelers than ever during the pandemic, airports on sunday, 1. 5 million according to the tsa, nearly 10 million in total in the last week. And spring break in the miami area is seeing unprecedented nighttime crowds with few masks to be seen. In the meantime u. S. Covid numbers are stabilizing at high levels, the country is averaging about 54,000 new cases a day. And a thousand deaths daily. We must act now, and i am worried that if we dont take the right actions now, we will have another avoidable surge. Just as we are seeing in europe right now. And just as we are so aggressively scaling up vaccination. I want to turn now to cnns Kristen Holmes for more on astrazenecas vaccine trial results. Of course, kristen, the big concern here about this vaccine has been over the potential for blood clots. But the white house Chief Medical Adviser dr. Anthony fauci has tried to dispel this concern, pointing out trial results. You tell us whats happening here. Thats right, brianna, he did and this is something we were waiting for with the release of this data after we know that a number of European Countries paused Distribution Rollout because of the reports of blood clots. According to this recently released data earlier today the vaccine was not only well received but also there was no Safety Concerns identified. So this is really important here to note, dr. Fauci reiterating this during that covid briefing. Take a listen. Importantly, and this is a quote from the dsmv, no evidence of disproportionate risk of thrombosis or events characterized by thrombosis among the 21,583 participants who received at least one dose. An in depth search of the database for Venous Thrombosis yield no events in this study. And of course hes referring thrombosis to those blood clots and this is something that the administration as well as Health Officials had been concerned about, had been watching for because of the potential for Vaccine Hesitancy as well, just given the reports that weve heard out of europe. Now, theres Something Else that this data marks, its really the beginning of the fda Emergency Use authorization process. We heard from the president of astrazeneca earlier today who said theyre planning to file for that eua at the beginning of april. And that they have 30 million doses on hand that theyll be ready to distribute as soon as they get authorization should they get authorization. This would be a huge deal. This would mean that there are four effective vaccines on the market, and its coming at a time when were expecting a massive rampup of production anyway. So potentially some really good news here out of this trial, brianna. Kristen holmes, thank you so much. Some New York City High Schoolers are returning for inperson learning today, the mayor welcoming them this morning, roughly one year since covid shut down schools there. The reopening of new yorks high schools coming just a few days after the cdc released updated guidance for students. This includes relaxing those physical distancing guidelines by reducing the distance from six feet to three feet apart. Cnns Evan Mcmorris san toro is joining us from outside a school in the bronx. Tell us about whats happening there, evan. Brianna, behind me you can see an entrance to one of the 488 high schools in the new York City Public School system. Right now it looks empty because school is in session but it has looked like that since march when students have students left classes and did not come back. Today, this morning, was the first time that some of those High Schoolers finally got back into class, its a very, very early first step, 20 of High School Students in new york are going back to class today and in the coming weeks but its a big, big deal and one that shows for the first time, and ive been standing outside schools and talking to people in new York City Public Schools, and people who work in new York City Public Schools, since that march date last year when schools closed, this is the first time ive really heard people talk about optimism and the future, things returning to normal. Mayor Bill De Blasio was greeting students where i am right now, at a Press Conference after he did that, he talked about how exciting it was. To see teenagers are so ready to be back in school. Happy to be back with their friends and happy to be back with their teachers in a really, supportive warm School Community where you know that every single day that a child is in that building with those teachers, with that staff, theyre getting love, support, getting the kind of incredible gifts that educators can give to kids. So high school back all over New York City today, and that is a very, very good thing. Now as i said this is the first step of a long process, only a few students coming back now, but maybe more to come. You mentioned the beginning of the piece here, that new cdc guidance about three feet of space in between students, thats coming into play. New york city officials saying theyre going to use that new guidance to have more spaces for elementary School Students and younger, how that guidance will affect Middle School and High School Students and you mentioned that feefr a new surge here to something thats come into play in new york where weve seen some restrictions loosen and controversy about that. Mayor Bill De Blasio pushing back on efforts from the governor to reopen things like indoor Fitness Classes and indoor dining. I asked the mayor if he thought that would affect schools, and he said indeed i do. So hopefully, goonz for students coming out of this pandemic, and finally a chance to see students really getting back into class, and the education that they really, really need. Brianna . Its good to see, evan, thank you. South florida is extending emergency curfews, and closing popular roadways after huge crowds of raucous, and as you can see here, mostly maskless Spring Breakers descended on the areas celebrated beaches. In Miami Beach Police took extraordinary measures, Firing Pepper Balls into packed shoultder to shoulder crowds of partiers on saturday night. Cnns randi kaye is live for us from miami beach. Randi, tell us what the area looks like today, and what people what police are preparing for. Well, brianna, its much quieter today, the overnight curfew was lifted at 6 00 a. M. This morning, people are enjoying the sunshine, enjoying the beaches, its after dark when things get a little out of control, which is why they put that curfew into place and police are preparing for that to continue which is why they have kept it in place. But it was a pretty wild weekend, more than a thousand people in the street as one point, as you mentioned those pepper balls were used to try and disburse the crowd, there was a bit of a stampede according to the mayor, somebody fired a weapon into the air, and then you have this wild video of these people dancing on a car overnight, even after the 8 00 p. M. Curfew went into effect so Spring Breakers are here to let off steam, enjoy the sunshine, theyve been cooped up more than a year, and it really shows, so theyve put this State Of Emergency and curfew into place so here in the Entertainment District is where that will take hold, and its on thursdays through subd sundays, so no curfew tonight so interesting to see how that fwoes. Thursday to sunday, starting at 8 00 p. M. You cant go on the local streets, you have to be a resident, a guest of one of these hotels here behind me. In miami beach, or you have to be working at a business in the area and the causeways that come to this area from the mainland, those will close at 10 00 p. M. And everything reopens at 6 00 a. M. But the mayor certainly isnt taking any chances, neither is the city. He has said, if youre coming here to get crazy, this is not the city to do it in, go somewhere else. Certainly a lot of concern about that. And theres also a number of arrests that have been made, brianna, they have arrested more than 12 people overnight on saturday night, and theyve arrested more than a thousand people since february 3rd when sort of spring break got under way, at least the season for it, and more than 50 of those were from out of state. So theres a lot of concern about what theyre bringing into the state and what theyre going to leave with. Of course the uk variant is very prevalent here in florida, the most cases than anywhere in the country so theres a lot of concern that Spring Breakers could pick it up here, take it on the airplanes, take it home to families or businesses, wherever else they are headed. Randi kaye, thank you so much. Joining me now is cnn medical analyst dr. Celine gounder, when you look at these pictures, i mean theyre coming out of miami, lots of people, very close together, huge crowds. What is your biggest concern with so many people there not Wearing Masks . I think its really important for people to understand, brianna, that what we are trying to do is prevent new cases of this disease, and thats for really two reasons. When you have infections, obviously some people will get much sicker, could end up in the hospital and can die. In addition, where in the world weve allowed the virus to spread like wildfire. The uk. Brazil. South africa. Here in new york, for example. That has resulted in the virus mutating. Every time the virus moves from one person to another it has the opportunity to mutate. And that can lead to strains of the virus that are more infectious or more deadly, which is the case with the uk variant. Or it could be a strain that evades our natural immune responses to infection. Which is whats happened in brazil and south africa. So we really want to be saving lives, but also preserving our vaccines so they remain effective. The u. S. Is closer to a fourth vaccine now, the astrazeneca vaccine, but some european nations paused their use of it because they were afraid of potential blood clots, particularly in women, under 55 years of age. What should we know about this . What should we be concerned about here . Well, i thought it was really great to see the phase three Clinical Trial data that was just released today, this is in over 30,000 study participants, and they sought no increased risk of blood clots or for that matter any other severe side effects. This is really good news, i think its really crucial that the fda does vet this data, the fda is the Gold Standard Around The World for reviewing drugs and vaccines for approval. I dont think this is going to be a major game changer here in the United States, though, because by the time this would be available, say late may or so, in the United States, were already going to have the supply we need of the pfizer and moderna and Johnson Johnson vaccines to vaccinate everybody who wants to be vaccinated in this country. So i think this is really more about letting the rest of the world know this has received the Gold Standard vetting and is safe for everyone Around The World to be using it. The thing about the astrazeneca vaccine is that it can be stored in the fridge. At that temperature, for about six months. That is something that really makes it stand out, that would allow it to be distributed worldwide, in a much more accessible way. Yeah, and i think the astrazeneca vaccine is really going to be a key vaccine for worldwide distribution, it is more stable at a wider range of it happens, it will make it easier to distribute, you have the Serum Institute in india, one of the worlds biggest manufacturers of vaccine producing this, a number of other countries are producing the vaccine locally. I think this is going to be an important player. And for those who would argue, you know, gosh, we should keep all the vaccine for ourselves in the u. S. , america you know, americans first, if you allow the virus to spread in other parts of the world, again it will have the opportunity to mutate, and those variants will inevitably come back to the u. S. To create problems for us. So if we want to protect ourselves, we really do have to pitch in, and i would argue that whatever astrazeneca vaccine we have purchased for ourselves we dont need and we really should be donating to the worldwide effort. No, its certainly something that i think well be seeing ahead when one day theres too much of the vaccine in america, if you can imagine that. Dr. Gounder, thank you so much, appreciate you being with us, and ahead cnn takes you inside a crowded Border Patrol tent in texas where Migrant Children are being held, the conditions brought one lawmakers to tears. Plus, the emotional stories from the families of the women killed in the atlanta spa shootings, and growing questions about, if this is going to if this case is going to be handled as a hate crime. And Buckingham Palace floats adding a Diversity Chief in response to claims of racism within the royal family. This is cnns special live coverage. Kevin bacon here. You know me from six degrees of well. Me. But its time to expand. See, visible is wireless with no surprise fees, legit unlimited data, powered by verizon for as little as 25 a month. But when you bring a friend every month, you get every month for 5. So im bringing everyone within 12 degrees of me. Bam, 12 months of 5 wireless. Visible. As little as 25 a month. Or 5 a month when you bring a friend. Powered by verizon. Wireless that gets better with friends. Limu emu doug Liberty Mutual customizes your Car Insurance so you only pay for what you need. Thank you hey, hey, no, no limu, no limu only pay for what you need. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Its a humanitarian dilemma and a political problem, thousands of unaccompanied teenagers and children in u. S. Custody at the border, photos released by democratic congressman showing what its like inside a Border Patrol facility in donna, texas, taken of every the weekend and the secretary of Homeland Security defended the administrations response saying that they are working around the clock to move children into more humane conditions. We are dealing with the needs of the children now. We are rebuilding orderly ways in which the children can make their claims without having to take the perilous journey to the border and we are elevating our messaging so that the individuals do know that they cannot come to the border, the border is closed. I want to bring in Imgreat Lakes reporter Priscilla Alvarez, and Kaitlan Collins is with us as well on this important story. Priscilla, tell us what it is like there on the border, what are the biggest issues right now . Reporter the photos you showed underscore what the administration is facing, the number of children coming is not letting up and the administration is still looking for space to accommodate them. Here at the Dallas Convention center, one of the largest in the country, part of it is being used as an emergency intake site. Theyre transferring children here to work their way through the process and be relocated with family in the United States. This is a better solution, the administration says, than them being in the Border Patrol facilities which are more like jaillike conditions. We now know there are around 1,500 children here at this site, a site that has a capacity of around 2,300. But all of this really underscoring the problem, which is more children are coming to the u. S. Mexico border and there is not enough space to accommodate them, brianna . We certainly see that from the pictures and we see that people look, this isnt safe in a pandemic to see people gathered like this in these confined spaces. Kaitlan, the White House Press secretary just addressed the crisis. What did she say . She did. Well, thats notably you called it a crisis. Thats something the administration has repeatedly declined to call it and they are not only calling it that, theyre saying this is not a crisis. Thats what jen psaki was telling reporters when she was pressed multiple times, whats happening on the order and to get a taste of what she said, heres the briefing earlier today. Children, presenting at our border, who are fleeing violence, who are fleeing prosecution, who are fleeing terrible situations, is not a crisis. We feel that it is our responsibility to humanely approach this circumstance, and make sure they are treated with treated and put into conditions that are safe. I will say that, you know, these photos show what weve long been saying, which is that the these Border Patrol facilities are not places made for children. They are not places that we want children to be staying for an extended period of time. Our alternative is to send children back on this treacherous journey. That is not, in our view, the right choice to make. She is acknowledging that, yes, they are seeing a Record Number of people at the border. The question is how long is it going to take and the other thing, brianna, is transparency here, because you heard jen psaki reference photos, those are photos you showed earlier from a lawmaker that we got because the lawmakers were allowed access to these facilities but reporters and cameras have not yet. If you remember right, in 2019, at the height of that crisis, reporters and cameras were allowed in to these facilities so we could see firsthand and confirm independently the conditions that these unaccompanied Migrant Children are being held in and as you can see from the photos, there are a lot of kids on floors, reports of them not being able to shower for several days and despite the fact weve been asking for weeks to get access to these facilities it hasnt happened yet, but i should note jen psaki told reporters they expect to have an update in the coming days. Hopefully it will be access to these facilities to see firsthand what its like and whats happening inside and what the Biden Administration says theyre trying to rectify. Priscilla, we saw surges during the trump administration, certainly, and of unaccompanied minors at the border. How does this compare, what were seeing now, to what weve seen before . This administration began. So a key point of comparison is looking at the number of children in Border Patrol custody. So we know that at the height of the 2019 crisis there were around 2,600 children in Border Patrol custody. So that showed there was a bottleneck happening, children coming in, not enough space in shelters to take them to. We know there are around 4,900 children in Border Patrol custody. This is a key indicator that the administration has not yet been able to keep up with the number of children at the border. So just that comparison tells us how difficult this challenge is for the administration. But as you said we have seen these surges both in 2019, we also saw them in 2014, there is the coronavirus pandemic overlay here that is creating more issues for the administration. But until they can start to accommodate those children in Border Patrol facilities this is going to continue to be an urgent issue, brianna. Kaitlan, whats the hangup on calling this a crisis . We look at these pictures and theyre telling us what is going on there, and i mean, certainly we understand that the Biden Administration is trying to draw a contrast with the trump administration, which did have some inhumane policies that they said they used to deter people, to deter migrants from coming to the u. S. But what is this hangup from the Biden Administration not wanting to say, look, this is a very serious situation, this is a crisis . Well, i think it all got started when the Dhs Secretary Mayorkas was at a Press Briefing one day and he was asked whether or not he considers it to be a crisis and he said its not a crisis. They view it as a challenge, though, and what we know from the numbers is its only gotten much more challenging ever since then. So the numbers are going occupy. They are not going down. So what the metrics are for determining whether or not its a crisis, basically everyone is calling it a crisis, except the administration, its not just republicans who are trying to use this as an attack line on a democratic president , those are photographs we got from democratic lawmakers saying it constitutes a crisis. The administration is refusing to call it one. Theyre going out of their way to say its not a crisis. The reality is, theyre sending fema to the border and theyre coming up with new facilities, biden is sending his southern border coordinator to mexico today to talk to government officials, he may even make a trip there. He said ones not planned but he does plan to go there sometime soon yesterday. You can see all the actions they are taking but i think that they are just trying to stick by that messaging that the dhs secretary had on day one. If they did call it a crisis it would generate headlines. It continues to generate headlines. Well see, kaitlan, thank you so much. Kaitlan collins at the white house, Priscilla Alvarez in texas for us, thank you. Cnn speaking with a family of one of the victims in the atlanta spa shootings. New details on when we can expect the second round of covid stimulus checks. Also, unbelievable footage out of france where police broke an an illegal street party of more than 6,000 people not Wearing Masks. If you have. Moderate to severe psoriasis,. Little things. Can become your big moment. Thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not a cream. Its a pill that treats Plaque Psoriasis differently. With otezla, 75 clearer skin is achievable. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea,. Nausea or vomiting. Otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts. Or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Upper respiratory tract infection and. Headache may occur. Tell your doctor about your medicines, and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Otezla. Show more of you. New projects means new project managers. And if youre pregnant or planning to be. You need to hire. I need indeed. Indeed you do. The moment you sponsor a job on indeed you get a short list of quality candidates from our resume database. Claim your Seventy Five Dollar credit, when you post your first job at indeed. Com home. We look up to our heroes. Idolizing them. Mimicking their every move. And if she counts on the advanced hydration of pedialyte when it matters most. So do we. Hydrate like our heroes. Do you have a Life Insurance policy you no longer need . Now you can sell your policy, even a term policy, for an immediate cash payment. We thought we had planned carefully for our retirement. But we quickly realized that we needed a way to supplement our income. If you have One Hundred Thousand dollars or more of Life Insurance you may qualify to sell your policy. Dont cancel or let your policy lapse without finding out what its worth. Visit conventrydirect. Com to find out if you policy qualifies. Or call the number on your screen. Coventry direct, redefining insurance. There continues to be an outpouring of support for the asianamerican community after the deadly spa shooting spree in georgia. In atlanta members of a Korean Church gathered at the site of one of the spas to honor and remember the victims. Eight people were killed in the rampage. Six of the victims, women of asian descent. Over the weekend several antihate rallies were hosted in cities across the country as protesters demanded just for the victims and push for an end to the demise of discrimination aimed at asianamericans. Natasha chen is with us now. You had the chance to talk to the family of one of the victims, tell us object how theyre doing as theyre trying to cope with this tragedy. Reporter its unimaginable grief. I talked to the family of xiaojie tan. The owner of youngs, and i spoke with her daughter jami webb and her exhusband michael webb. They said their hearts go out to all the families who lost someone, and the family of the suspect. Jami, the daughter, said she was supposed to meet her mom last sunday and she overslept and missed the chance to see her. She had no idea she would never have that opportunity again. Her mother wiz killed two days before her 50th birthday. The exhusband michael webb described tan as a woman who was so hard working, sometimes working seven days a week, saved all her money, was very careful with her money, planning to retire soon, wanting to travel. That never happened. Heres what they told me. I thought that i have all this time with her. I mean, just because i missed that sunday meeting with my mom, i thought we could always meet like any sunday. Any other day, just like before. I think what makes a difference to us, and i think i speak for jami, is that justice is done. You know. This was a massacre. We have a we have a justice system, and hell have to be held accountable. I asked them, of course, about whether it makes a difference for them, whether a Hate Crime Charge is added and that was michaels answer to that. You know, its interesting, jami said to me that she understands this moment, this sentiment in the asianamerican community, she feels so grateful for their support. And knows why they are upset and feeling anxious and fearful over the antiasian assaults and incidents over the past year, however, this family is not ready at this moment to connect racial motivation with these killings. They said they really want to let police finish their work worst. Brianna. They said theyre thinking of the family of the shooter, its really extraordinary to hear that as well. Natasha chen, thank you so much for your reporting from atlanta. Tonight join anderson cooper, amara walker, Victor Blackwell and ana cabrera for a look at the disturbing trend of violence against people of color. Called afraid, and that will begin tonight at 9 00 p. M. Eastern. Doordash, the Food Delivery Service wont just be able to bring you dinner but will deliver at home covid tests straight to your door. Well explain. And the European Union is threatening to halt exports of the covid19 vaccines to britain if it doesnt get its fair share. You come and go karmakarmakarma karmakarma chameleon you come and go you come and gooo loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams red, gold [ Tires Screech ] [ Crickets Chirping ] for those who were born to ride theres progressive. With 24 7 roadside assistance. Karmakarmakarmakarmakarma chameleon. Its an important time to save. With priceline, you can get up to 60 off amazing hotels. And when you get a big deal. You feel like a big deal. Priceline. Every trip is a big deal. Rely on the experts at 1800petmeds for the same medications as the vet, but for less with fast free shipping. Visit petmeds. Com today. This just in to cnn the Biden Administration confirming this Asecond Round of Coronavirs Stimulus Payments will be sent this week, many arriving in the form of a check or debit card and you may soon be able to get a covid test delivered to you via doordash. Cnns alison kosik is following this from new york. I know a lot of people will want to know what this is about. How does this work . Now you can order a pizza and pcr test and get it the same day you order it. Doordash says beginning today you can order a covid19 pcr test, and literally get it delivered to your door. Take the test at home, and get it sent out overnight and you can have a result within 24 to 48 hours. Here is how this is happening. Doordash is teaming up with two dig Digital Health companies, one called vault health, another called everly well and they have been able to receive fda Emergency Use authorization for these pcr tests that you do at home. The vault test you go ahead and take as a saliva test. With this one it has to be supervised with a staff member of vault, meaning you can do it over video, and audio. Theyll help with you theyll help walk you through how to take the saliva the right way to get an accurate result and they also want to do this to confirm your identity. Once again, this includes a postage paid envelope that you send out overnight, and once again you can get that result within 24 to 48 hours. The second test from everly well is that nasal swab, same thing, take it at home. This one doesnt need supervision, send it out sp get the result. Whats interesting about this is you think back to the early part of the pandemic where demand for tests over superseded the supply for tests and now, brianna, you can literally order one up on your app, and get it. In certain states, in certain states across the country. Youll be able to the rollout is going to increase the number of states as time goes on. Thats very interesting. I know a lot of people will take advantage of that. Alison kosik in new york, thank you. Prime minister Boris Johnson is warning the uk of a third coronavirus wave as cases explode across europe. The uk has vaccinated half of its Adult Population but there are challenges ahead. Im scott mclean in london where a fresh Vaccine Dispute between the uk and europe is heating up with the eu threatening to block exports of the astrazeneca vaccine to the uk. Europe has complained its underdelivered on its promise of doses. Boris johnson is reassured by conversations with eu leaders in recent months that they do not want to see exports blocked but with many European Countries facing a new wave of rising covid cases some could soon by changing their tune. Im Jim Bitterman in paris, theres been considerable pushback from the french on the new covid19 restrictions that went into place over the weekend. The most serious at a Carnival Gathering in the city of marseilles which was in part a protest against the new rules. Police had to clear out a crowd of more than 6,000, mostly young, and mostly unmasked people. Dozens were fined, and nine people were arrested. And there were less dramatic confrontations elsewhere with many people saying that the new rules are contradictory and confusing. I want to thank all of our correspondents for those reports. Ahead new momentum behind the push to make washington, d. C. A state. Ill take to the shadow senator from the district why this time it might be different. After prince harry and Meghan Markle suggested there was racism within the royal family, now the palace may be adding a Diversity Chief. Tonight. Ill be eating loaded tots for march madness. doorbell thanks boo. Piano Glissando i think you better double them tots. No, this me was last year. I didnt get my madness last year, so were doing double the madness this year. If you have. Moderate to severe psoriasis,. Little things. Can become your big moment. Thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not a cream. Its a pill that treats Plaque Psoriasis differently. With otezla, 75 clearer skin is achievable. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea,. Nausea or vomiting. Otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts. Or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Upper respiratory tract infection and. Headache may occur. Tell your doctor about your medicines, and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Otezla. Show more of you. And if youre pregnant or planning to be. Mom and dad left costa rica, 1971. Dad was a bus driver at the chicago transit authority. Mom expressed herself through her food. That was her passion. And on august 20th, 1990, they opened lrazu. Last year business was great. And then the pandemic hit. We had to reset. The city had said that pick up and delivery was still viable. That kept us afloat. In the summer, we were so excited to have our customers back on our patio. Safely of course. And keeping our diners informed was so important. Last year was so hard, but the support from our customers, it honestly kept us going. Serving the community, serving the neighborhood. This is the dream that mom wanted. Happening right now on capitol hill, the House Overnight Committee is holding a hearing on whether washington, d. C. Should become the countrys 51st state. Among those testifying today is the mayor of d. C. , muriel bowser. They passed a bill to make the District A State but the bill never reached the republican controlled senate. Republicans strongly oppose statehood and will likely use the filibuster to try and block this. Paul strauss is joining us to talk about this. Senator, this hearing is really just step one. Where does this stand . Well, it is step one, but its an important step. We expect the House Committee will report the bill favorably. And then the house will then pass it. The battle will then shift to the United States senate where its Companion Bill as 51 has a Record Number of cosponsors, including 41 senators on record as cosponsoring, not just voting or supporting but cosponsoring the bill. So, you know, look, im a d. C. Resident, and i will tell you, it is strange having lived in other states where there is representation to live in a place where, you know, you do what americans do, you pay taxes, and you dont have you dont have a representative who has a vote in congress. At the same time, if this were to be added, you are also talking about shifting control, or certainly tilting the balance of power, depending on, you know, whatever it is at a given moment in favor of democrats. And so you have a lot of republican opposition. How do you make that case for representation while also acknowledging that this has serious ramifications for the entire country if it succeeds . The most important thing we have to remember isnt that d. C. May elect a republican or democrat senators. Were going to elect two senators who can vote in the senate on behalf of the residents of washington, d. C. Right now this country has so many problems that the idea of two more officials working to solve them is in the national interests. The most important thing though for statehood has nothing to do with necessarily shifting one partys control or another. For those in d. C. The lack of statehood has become a threat to our health and safety. We didnt get the aid we needed under the Coronavirus Relief bill because they treated us like a territory not a state. Our mayor couldnt call out the National Guard the way a governor could protect capitol and community at times of civil unrest. D. C. Statehood is one of public health, national security, our own security. Its as much about our selfdetermination as it is a vote one way or another for a political party. And lets just say this. You know, for years they thought alaska shouldnt be a state because it would be too overwhelmingly democratic. Hawaii statehood was opposed because it was republican and nobody either looks at either of those two states now. D. C. Residents will elect americans to represent them in the congress. And any will get to work working for all americans. It doesnt matter which party they i understand. I understand what you are saying, but the reality is it would be very bizarre if the elected foeshlts from washington, d. C. Did not turn out to be democrats. If you look at the state of politics in this city, that is what it would be. So you cant just dismiss that. Because that is a reality. That is something that is going to have ramifications besides the local interests that you mention and are incredibly important. But the other ramifications here go beyond that. I mean, this would change the balance of power. How do you deal with that . Well, first of all, right now, the United States senate disproportionately doesnt represent most americans. Only 18 of americans are represented by 52 United States senators. Most americans dont have the kind of representation that matters in the senate, because it disproportionately favors rural and other interests. And urban interests are chronically underrepresented. Now i dont see that as distorting or swaying anything i see that as a correction of a much needed imbalance, so the Voices Of American Citizens who have issues not getting addressed by the senate might get addressed. Its not about partisan politics but its about correcting an underrepresentation that has denied fundamental equality and a fair hearing on important issues that americans living in cities in all 50 states are counting on finally getting addressed. Senator paul strauss, we really appreciate you coming on to talk about this issue. It obviously continues to be one in the news. Thank you. Thank you. Ahead, how former President Trump is plotting his return to social media when he is still banned from twitter and still banned from facebook. Securely drop off your documents, have them picked up, or upload them, and work with a tax pro online from home. Safe and easy ways to file that work around you. The royals are still reeling after Meghan Markle and prince harrys interview with oprah and allegations of racism within the royal family. Now is palace is considering appointing a diversity consultant. Max foster joins me to discuss this. How do we read this . Is this a pr move, an alive branch . What is it . Well, they have been working on their Diversity Policies as we understand for some time they have policies in place. But obviously these accusations of racism from the duchess of sussex have shone a light on what a White Institution the palace is. You cant do anything about the family. It is what it is. But can you do something around the aides and officials. There isnt representation they say tlp and definesty is an issue taken seriously. We havent seen the progress we would like in terms of representation and more needs to be done. Thats an acceptance on their side, no doubt accelerated by what the duchess said. And then they said they are looking at the idea of appointing someone to look at diversity or at least to give that role to someone within the organization, the palace. Many people are surprised they havent got that already. But they are looking to make that move currently. Its not confirmed. And none of in is an official statement. But they want to show they are doing something. As a source told us they are listening and learning and want to get this right. We will certainly be watching. Max, thank you so much for that report. Hello, its the top of the hour. Im Briana Keillor and the cdc director is warning there could be another surge of cases just as the country takes a step toward another vaccination for. Strang zhengcai candidate had 100 efficacy against severe covid and hospitalization. And the latest figure show three vaccines approved for Emergency Use in the u. S. Ar