[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.