[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H5876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                DESPERATE CALL FOR HELP MUST BE ANSWERED

  (Mr. DEUTCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic is raging; 1 million 
cases in a single week; more than 100,000 cases each day since November 
4.
  Yet, as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I am so grateful for 
the nonprofit community organizations that are helping to get us 
through this: neighbors helping neighbors, serving meals, caring for 
seniors, and those with disabilities, housing, and job assistance, and 
more.
  They are essential cords of our safety net, but that safety net is 
fraying. Calls to Broward County's 211 helpline quadrupled when the 
pandemic hit, and have seen a surge ever since.
  With Federal assistance expiring, the calls get more desperate, and 
now the helpers are calling for help. Congress must answer that call. 
There is nothing more important in this body right now than getting 
help out to our communities.
  The House, the Senate, the White House must get that help through the 
COVID-19 wave that is crashing across our country as we begin this 
holiday season.
  The American people are desperate--desperate, Mr. Speaker. We can 
wait no longer.

                          ____________________