[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 108 (Thursday, June 11, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E532-E533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTRODUCTION OF THE COVID-19 MEMORIAL QUILT ACT OF 2020
______
HON. ANDRE CARSON
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the
COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2020 to honor all the victims of this
pandemic with a national memorial quilt.
The horrors of the COVID-19 pandemic have touched every corner of our
country, wreaking unprecedented devastation on Americans' lives. As I
introduce this legislation today, COVID-19 has infected at least two
million Americans. Tragically, this disease has quickly robbed our
country of at least 112,000 of our fellow citizens. We need to remember
that these numbers are not just statistics: they are people. They are
our moms, dads, children, grandparents, neighbors, teachers, religious
leaders and fellow Americans who have been taken from us due to this
pandemic.
[[Page E533]]
Moreover, these numbers do not capture the depth of this disease's
devastation. While our television screens are often filled with images
of empty streets and packed hospitals, we often don't see the private
isolation and loneliness of the individual struggles against COVID-19.
In order to slow the spread of this disease, our hospitals, nursing
homes, funeral homes, and businesses have had to impose strict social
distancing and protective measures. While necessary for our public
health, these restrictions come at a great human cost and deepen the
private pain caused by this disease.
For the thousands of brave patients fighting COVID-19, including the
hospitalized patients, nursing home residents, and individuals at home
in quarantine, the struggle against COVID-19 is a lonely, scary, and
isolating fight. In hospitals and nursing homes, often a patient's only
human contact is a health care worker in full personal protective
equipment (PPE). Family, friends, and loved ones can't be there to
provide comfort, to hold their hands, or to pray with them in this
terrifying time. At best, loving words and support might be shared over
the telephone or video call. At worst, there is only an isolating
silence where a loved one should be. These scars need to be
acknowledged and hopefully healed.
The death toll from COVID-19 is even more wrenching. At least 112,000
Americans--whether in the hospital, the nursing home, or at home--have
met the end of their lives without the comfort of their family,
friends, or loved ones. Yesterday, more than 1,100 Americans died from
this disease, and many were forced to close their eyes without the
support of their loved ones nearby.
We know that at least 40,600 deaths from COVID-19--close to 40
percent of all deaths--have occurred in a nursing home, where
restrictions are especially tight, and visitations curtailed. In my
home state of Indiana, we have lost at least 1,011 Hoosiers to COVID-19
at nursing homes.
We also know that African Americans are dying at disproportionate
rates from COVID-19. African Americans in Indiana, despite representing
9.8 percent of the state's population, account for 15.1 percent of
deaths from COVID-19. Institutional racism, compounded by environmental
and economic injustices, have made COVID-19 particularly devastating
for African Americans. My heart grieves for my fellow Americans who
took their last breath, because of this terrible disease, without the
loving comfort and support they deserved.
For the family, friends, and loved ones of those who died from COVID-
19, the isolation and loneliness brought by this disease only grows
after their loved one's passing. Social distancing and the isolating
fear of this disease prevent us from adequately honoring and
memorializing the many victims of COVID-19. Large memorial services are
not possible. Family gatherings to celebrate lost loved ones are
curtailed, with supportive hugs replaced by six feet of distance and
protective masks. Private funeral services--if not cancelled or
postponed altogether--have often had to take place with only 10 people
or less.
In addition to its sickness, death, and disruption, COVID-19 has
robbed us of traditional ways of honoring our lost loved ones. Holding
smaller funerals or forgoing them entirely because of social distancing
measures has denied us the opportunity to fully celebrate the lives of
the deceased. Our ability to publicly grieve together, and to
adequately honor and celebrate the lost has been largely denied due to
this isolating and frightening disease.
Many Americans will also remember another isolating and frightening
disease: the AIDS epidemic. Ryan White, a brave and remarkable Hoosier,
faced isolation and many frightening obstacles because of his AIDS
diagnosis. However, Ryan's courage, bravery, and advocacy for AIDS
research galvanized many in support of AIDS treatment, research and
recognition of this disease's horrific impact. Since no official
commemoration existed, concerned Americans decided to celebrate and
honor the lives of those who died from AIDS--often isolated and alone--
by creating a memorial quilt. As a result, in 1987, the NAMES Project
AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed and stretched the length of the
National Mall. This remarkable quilt allowed us to honor and celebrate
the lives of those tragically lost to a frightening disease, which at
that time, had no cure, vaccine or effective treatment. More than
105,000 individual lives are commemorated through this quilt's 50,000
individual panels that contain photographs, correspondence, and news
clippings to remember those who died from AIDS. In these panels, the
memory of the victims were able to live on in public view.
Inspired by the brave advocacy and powerful legacy of the NAMES
Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, I am proud to introduce the COVID-19
Memorial Quilt Act of 2020. This legislation honors and celebrates the
lives of those we have lost to the COVID-19 pandemic through the
creation of a memorial quilt. Like the AIDS quilt, creating a memorial
quilt to remember the lives lost due to COVID-19 will allow Americans
to publicly grieve our lost loved ones, but also commemorate their
lives in permanent, visible, and dignified way.
The COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2020 authorizes the design,
creation, and display of a memorial quilt and other commemorative
programming and exhibits to honor the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.
My legislation does this by creating a Congressional Advisory Panel
which will submit plans to the Smithsonian Institution and the American
Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for how the quilt should be
developed and displayed. Once complete, this memorial quilt will be
displayed on the United State Capitol Grounds with a subsequent display
on the National Mall and other locations, continuing the legacy of the
AIDS quilt. This legislation also supports the powerful creativity of
artists around the country by providing them with grants from the
National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) to help design and prepare panels
for the memorial quilt.
All Americans have been affected by COVID-19. All have felt the
disruption wrought by this pandemic to our families, our workplaces,
our businesses, our places of worship, and our social lives. But that
is nothing compared to the Americans who have not only faced
disruptions, but also the wrenching loss of loved ones from this
disease. Because of social distancing and protective restrictions, we
have been denied the ability to adequately honor, commemorate, and
publicly celebrate those we have lost. And unfortunately, as more
Americans continue to die in isolation from this disease, this deficit
in our collective grief will only grow. As a result, my legislation
builds on the powerful legacy of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
and will help our country to collectively grieve and appropriately
honor the victims of COVID-19.
Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join us in supporting the
COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2020, and I urge the House to support
this legislation.