[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 29 (Monday, February 14, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S666-S667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Black History Month

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise this evening to talk about Black 
History Month and, in particular, to talk about a program that my 
office has been presenting every February for many years now.
  Each February, it has been my privilege to honor several 
Pennsylvanians as part of the celebration of Black History Month. This 
year, we pay tribute to four esteemed Pennsylvanians who have helped 
their community and the Commonwealth build resilience.
  And I will list them first, and then I will be talking about each of 
them in greater detail: First, Tyrone Holmes, from my hometown of 
Scranton, PA; Della Clark of Philadelphia, PA; Julius Boatwright of 
Pittsburgh; and Theo Braddy of Harrisburg--all Pennsylvanians. And 
their work is demonstrative of this year's theme for our program: 
``Resilience in the Face of Adversity.''
  As their persistence and strength has helped their communities 
surmount significant difficulties this year, their enduring leadership 
is an encouragement to me after a year where, sadly, resilience has 
been sorely needed throughout our Commonwealth and throughout our 
country.
  Now, in some ways, we have made some progress in the last year. Just 
consider this: The national economy created 6.7 million jobs, the most 
ever in the first year of a Presidency. Pennsylvania's unemployment 
rate went way down from 7.1 to 5.4. Tens of thousands of jobs have been 
added just in Pennsylvania. Wages are up, and child poverty is down. 
The number of fully vaccinated Americans has increased from 2 million 
to 213 million in just the last year. And we have more tools to manage 
COVID-19 and keep us safe.
  And, finally, the number of schools open for in-person learning has 
skyrocketed from just 46 percent a year ago to now 95 percent of 
schools. Some believe it is as high as 98 percent.
  However, despite those measures of progress, we are still grappling 
with so much--grappling with a virus that is adaptable and still 
deadly, especially for people with preexisting health conditions, and 
even more so for those who are unvaccinated.
  And as COVID-19 has lingered, so, too, have the attendant direct 
effects. Our schools still struggle to teach our kids and to maintain 
the regularity that is critical to learning.
  Our businesses must contend with fluctuating demand and a fragile 
supply chain. Many of our children have fallen behind on their other 
critical vaccinations and routine doctor visits. Many children and 
adults struggle with isolation and pandemic-related mental health 
challenges.
  We know that much of the adverse impact of COVID-19 has been 
particularly acute for communities of color. In the United States, 
Black Americans have experienced higher rates of COVID-19 
hospitalization and death compared to White Americans. And

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Black Americans have had higher levels of COVID-19-related 
unemployment.
  Beyond the pandemic, other challenges remain. Systemic racism 
persists in our economy, in our schools, in our healthcare system, and, 
of course, in our criminal justice system, just to mention a few. And 
even as we strive as a nation to achieve our high ideals of liberty and 
freedom for all, we must openly acknowledge a history of discrimination 
and racism and reckon with its present-day manifestations and 
implications, including disturbing efforts around the country to turn 
back the clock on voting rights.
  It is only the challenges brought about by adversity that occasion 
the rise of resiliency and the triumphs of the human spirit and of 
community action that can lift all of us.
  The late Member of Congress, Shirley Chisholm, once said:

       Leadership is to have the vision for what is necessary and 
     the courage to make it possible.

  Leadership is to have the vision for what is necessary and the 
courage to make it possible.
  Following a year of difficult challenges, it is fitting that as part 
of our Black History Month celebration, we honor innovative, 
courageous, and enterprising Pennsylvania leaders who have both the 
vision and the courage to help our communities and our Commonwealth to 
exhibit resilience in the face of that adversity.