Chairman Clyburn: “Get beyond partisan politics…do what’s necessary to protect Americans.”

Today, before adjourning the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis briefing on “The Devastating Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic in America’s Nursing Homes,” Chairman James E. Clyburn called on Members of the Select Subcommittee to remember that coronavirus “knows nothing about which party one may be a member of” and to do “what’s necessary to protect Americans.”

Watch his remarks here:

Transcript of Chairman Clyburn’s closing remarks:

In closing, I want to thank all of our panelists for being here today to help bring attention to this tragic situation as it continues to unfold. 

We are particularly grateful to Alison Lolley, for sharing her family’s personal heartbreak with all of us.  On behalf of all of us, I want to extend my condolences to you and your entire family on the tragic loss of your mother.

I would also like to extend special thanks to Chris Brown.  Mr. Brown, you are truly one of our nation’s frontline heroes, and we are grateful for all that you do to care for and protect our nation’s most vulnerable residents. 

I also want to thank the Ranking Member, Mr. Scalise, and all my colleagues on this Committee for their participation and contributions today.  I know that you all share my deep concern and sadness about what is happening in our nation’s nursing homes. 

Today’s briefing made clear that there are steps we can take now to help prevent this tragedy from getting worse.

First, we need the federal government to ensure our nursing homes have enough testing and personal protective equipment to stop the virus from spreading.  That means providing coordination and resources—not just leaving it up to the states. 

Second, we need strong oversight of nursing homes to ensure they have better infection control and enough staff to properly care for residents at all times. 

Third, we need to make sure that essential workers have fair pay and paid leave. And I might add after listening to Mr. Brown; and testing, so that they are not forced to show up to work sick.

We have seen far too much suffering in nursing homes during this crisis.  It is time for us to come together and provide solutions to bring this tragedy to an end. 

And I would hope in spite of all that I have pleaded for, the fact still remains, we need to get beyond partisan politics.

I don’t care whether these statistics are coming out of New York or Texas, coming out of New Jersey or Utah, coming out of Florida or Arkansas.

The fact still remains this virus knows the color of no state. This virus knows nothing about which party one may be a member of.

Yes, we can hear from the governor of New York but nobody calls here today for the governor of Texas and I’ve seen the numbers coming out of Utah.

I’m not interested in making anything partisan out of this– this is about us doing what’s necessary to protect Americans. Irrespective of stations in life, irrespective of skin color, irrespective of party affiliation.

We are one America, and let’s try to act that way, and I close this briefing.