Covid-19 American History Project Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, over the last 2 years, everybody has a COVID memory. It might be the masks that were mandated on folks across the United States. It might be that cup of coffee that you tried to drink, forgetting that your mask was on. It might be how we have seen incredible evolution--
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Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his evolution in thought there and for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, over the last 2 years, we have seen just an absolutely incredible experience going through COVID. It might be the mask mandates that were thrust upon people, and as I mentioned, it might even be a funny memory of people trying to eat or drink coffee through their mask, as I know I have.
We have seen this evolution in the workforce where people are working remotely all over the United States, and we have seen millions and millions of people choose to leave the workforce.
This is something that has affected so many people. We have seen multi-generational businesses close, and we have seen fledgling businesses surge as a result of COVID-19, as a result of this pandemic.
We have seen the record speed at which vaccines, plural, have been developed under Operation Warp Speed. We have seen treatment protocols that have evolved. And, by some measure, we have seen up to a million Americans that have lost their lives.
Mr. Speaker, there is so much history behind COVID-19, behind this pandemic. There have been things that have been just absolutely remarkable, like the innovation in our pharmaceuticals, in developing vaccines, innovation in technology with the evolution of incredibly convenient technology like Zoom or Webex or GoTo Meeting or other technologies allowing people to videoconference, sometimes wearing shorts or pajama pants with their suit up top. This has been absolutely amazing, watching what has happened.
But perhaps, Mr. Speaker, the most powerful impact of COVID-19 is not necessarily the successes and failures, the misfires, the things that have worked well, but it has been our personal losses.
Mr. Speaker, the sponsor of this bill, Congresswoman Julia Letlow from my home State of Louisiana, lost just an incredible man, a man who had a servant's heart, a man who cared so much for those that couldn't necessarily fight for themselves.
Congressman-elect Luke Letlow was elected to represent the small communities around Louisiana and around this Nation, I will say it again, to fight for those that were, in many cases, incapable of having a voice by themselves that was needed to change policy. But, collectively, Congressman-elect Letlow was going to change that.
I want to thank Congresswoman Letlow, Luke's wife, and the Representative from that area, for having the leadership, for bringing this bill up, for making sure that we don't ever forget about all of the powerful lessons learned from COVID-19, that we don't forget about all of these powerful people, the heroes that lost their lives caring for others, in some cases; those people that were on the front lines trying to allow this country to continue, our economy to continue, our society to continue.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Letlow for her leadership on this legislation, and I want to thank her for recognizing all the lives that were lost in the history here. I urge adoption of the bill.
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