(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – As the country's death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic passed 100,000 on Wednesday, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) joined Reps. Deb Haaland (NM-01), Joe Wilson (SC-02) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.-At-large District) in introducing a bipartisan House Resolution (H.Res.975) calling for a national mourning for the lives taken by COVID-19. The resolution will begin the overdue process of national mourning in the United States by calling for a national day of mourning, a recurring moment of silence on the floor of the House of Representatives, and the creation of a national monument in honor of the lives lost to COVID-19 and the families impacted by their passing.
"Our desire to mourn together is profound and allows us to come together as a country around our common bonds, but we have not grieved together as a country during this tragic time. The bi-partisan resolution I introduced with my colleagues Joe Wilson and Lisa Blunt Rochester calls for our nation to come together to mourn our dead and honor the families they leave behind. This fight isn't over yet and we will soldier on to make sure that we're doing everything we can to address this crisis," said Rep. Haaland.
The resolution, which was inspired by an opinion piece written by professor and historian Dr. Micki McElya that appeared in the Washington Post in May, exposes the stark absence of a national mourning. Haaland worked to put these words into tangible actions to fully and continuously honor the lives lost. Reps. Joe Wilson and Lisa Blunt Rochester echoed this sentiment and co-authored the resolution.
“I am grateful to be an original sponsor on this resolution that mourns and honors those who have lost their lives to the coronavirus pandemic. Combatting the coronavirus has been the ultimate battle for many Americans. Their lives and achievements will not be forgotten,” said Rep. Wilson.
“As our nation surpasses the solemn occasion of having lost 100,000 Americans to COVID-19, it’s important that we take a moment to acknowledge and mourn that tremendous loss for our country. These are not just numbers or statistics - they were 100,000 mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends. They left behind families and loved ones, and we must never forget them. I thank Rep. Haaland for introducing this resolution to appropriately and solemnly acknowledge this occasion,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester.
Read the Resolution text here.
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