[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICA'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19

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                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 28, 2020

  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in support of 
Congress taking immediate action to help people and countries around 
the globe to fight the COVID-19 Pandemic. I wish to thank my colleagues 
Dr. Bera and Dr. Yoho for organizing this important Special Order. The 
need around the world to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic is immense. I 
and other Members are joining the call for Congress to provide twelve 
billion dollars for international efforts to fight the virus, with a 
specific focus on helping African countries and multilateral 
institutions who are on the front lines of this crisis. This is a small 
fraction of what we are spending at home, but it can make a huge 
difference in stopping the virus around the world.
  Right now, America is hurting from COVID-19. Too many families are 
dealing with the suffering and death of loved ones from the virus. Many 
more are struggling to cope with an economic crisis unlike any we've 
seen in our lifetimes. And while this suffering is wide and deep, it's 
also deeply unequal. It's true that Coronavirus itself doesn't 
discriminate on who it infects. But the inequality that has built up in 
our health care system and our economy means that Black and Brown 
people are more likely to get sick, and more likely to get substandard 
care. And people already living on the edge of poverty are bearing the 
worst of the economic crisis, unable to telecommute, unable to make 
rent, and last in line to get help.
  When so many are suffering at home, it's fair that some people might 
ask, ``why should Congress be looking to help other countries? Why 
shouldn't we take care of our own first?''
  Madam Speaker, that is a false choice. The bottom line is that we 
cannot defeat COVID unless the whole world works together. There are 
too many countries that simply lack the resources to tackle the 
pandemic on their own. There is a practical reason why we need to help 
these countries--because if we don't, we run the risk that both this 
virus and the economic shock will fester, creating more risks for us 
here at home. But more importantly, we need to help because of the 
moral imperative, the fact that an America that seeks to be just and 
moral needs to play a leading role in making sure that every country 
can weather this crisis. America serves both our interests and our 
values when we act in service of our common humanity. Regardless of 
what disagreements we might have with particular governments, it is our 
mission to make sure that people everywhere have basic public health 
protections, and a lifeline to whether the economic impact of this 
crisis.
  The good news is, we have a road map for how this is done. When in 
the past, the world has faced pandemic challenges, America has taken 
action to contribute to the global effort. When HIV and AIDS threatened 
Africa with widespread suffering and demographic disaster, I and many 
of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here in Congress worked 
with the Bush Administration to respond. I am proud to have helped 
author the legislation creating both PEPFAR and the Global Fund, which 
have helped to turn the tide on the crisis, providing extensive 
bilateral and multilateral investment in strengthening health systems 
and expanding treatment, as well as funding the search for a vaccine. 
When Ebola threatened to overwhelm West Africa, the United States 
mobilized an array of resources to respond. In these past crises, 
America has sought to work collaboratively with the global community. 
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution, and it's 
important to support the global institutions, such as the World Health 
Organization and United Nations, that help coordinate our international 
response. These organizations don't just act in ways that protect us 
all, they also help advance our shared humanitarian values. They 
deserve our full moral and financial support.
  Madam Speaker, the Coronavirus doesn't stop at the border, nor does 
its economic and moral impact. I urge my colleagues to resist the urge 
to score political points by pulling back from shared international 
efforts and join us here in our efforts to help mend the single garment 
of our destiny. I urge my colleagues to support a robust international 
investment in fighting COVID-19 and restoring the global economy so 
that it works for all people, here at home and around the world

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