Dear friend,

In the midst of this unprecedented crisis, I’ve found it helpful to turn to the wisdom of past leaders who faced times of great peril for guidance.

I’m reminded that, during the Cuban missile crisis, President John F. Kennedy led the nation with strength and clarity through a potentially calamitous and world-altering challenge. And his words and wisdom from those thirteen days have stood the test of time.

We cannot see what course this virus will take, not precisely. To quote President Kennedy, This is a difficult and dangerous effort on which we have set out… Many months of sacrifice and self-discipline lie ahead — months in which both our will and our patience will be tested... But the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing.

Many are sacrificing in some way as we confront this crisis. None more than the health care workers who are on the front lines treating patients. But most of us have had our lives affected by the coronavirus in a significant way. Perhaps because we’re staying home. Or because someone we know was sickened or died. Or because we lost a job or closed a business. Or because we fear for ourselves and our loved ones.

At a moment like this, our nation would often turn its eyes to the president for leadership, inspiration, and hope. But the widespread damage caused by this virus has shown us in new and tragic ways what we have long known: that this president cannot rise to meet a challenge that requires him to think beyond himself.

He will never change. He just can’t.

This means that it’s up to the rest of us to do something. It’s up to the rest of us to lead. Our healthcare workers have set a remarkable example for the nation, making enormous sacrifices to keep the rest of us safe and healthy. Countless others on the front lines are doing the same. Many governors and local leaders acted quickly to contain the virus, and should be commended for their foresight. And Congress has taken the lead in addressing both the challenges to Americans’ health and well-being, and the economic damage that has resulted.

Congress has now passed three relief bills to help those workers on the front lines, American families just trying to get by, and small businesses struggling to pay their workers and stay afloat. We’ve done so on a broad, bipartisan basis, displaying exactly the type of unity Americans have been hoping to see in this time of strife.

That’s why I voted yes to pass the $2 trillion relief package on Friday.

This bill wasn’t perfect, but Democrats made this bill better by staying at the negotiating table, focusing on our values, and demanding that Congress put workers and small businesses first, not corporations or their executives.

Here's what the bill did:

*
Direct
relief
to
families:
It
gave
American
middle
class
families
immediate
relief
with
a
one-time
check.
It
added
$600
a
week
to
unemployment
insurance
for
four
months,
and
made
this
relief
available
to
contractors,
freelancers
and
those
employed
in
the
gig
economy
(this
was
something
I
fought
hard
to
include).
*
Help
for
healthcare
workers:
It
provided
billions
for
hospitals
and
health
systems
to
purchase
ventilators,
hospital
beds,
personal
protective
equipment
like
masks,
and
more.
The
doctors,
nurses,
first
responders,
and
hospitals
are
on
the
front
lines
of
this
war.
More
staff
and
equipment
will
be
necessary.
*
Relief
for
small
businesses:
Millions
of
small
businesses
–
the
bedrock
of
our
economy
and
communities
–
are
struggling
to
stay
afloat
and
pay
their
employees.
This
bill
provides
hundreds
of
billions
in
interest-free
loans,
grants
and
other
immediate
assistance,
because
we
need
them
to
be
able
to
open
their
doors
again
after
this
crisis
abates.
*
Assistance
to
states:
States
like
New
York
and
California
have
been
at
the
forefront
of
fighting
this
disease,
but
it
won’t
stop
there.
That’s
why
we
provided
billions
to
states
to
both
manage
the
virus’
current
impact
to
their
health
systems,
and
prepare
for
the
worst
yet
to
come.

As of now, more than three million Americans have filed for unemployment nationwide, one million in my home state of California alone. Those numbers will only grow. Millions more are worried about their jobs, their rent and mortgages, their student debt, and just putting food on the table.

That’s why Congress’ work is not finished. Not by a long shot.

In the coming days, weeks and months, you’ll have a role to play too. You can demonstrate leadership in your corner of the world by supporting local small businesses who need your help, by donating (only if you can) to nonprofits doing good work to provide food, housing and economic assistance, and by raising your voice to demand Congress complete its unfinished work. You can make sure you, and your family, stay healthy, safe and sane – no easy task. You can follow the recommendations of public health experts and your state and local governments to social distance, and make sure your friends and family do the same. We can beat this virus, but we can only do it together.

It's not going to be easy, but I know that we will get through this. We will.

We will be tested, perhaps literally, and through our strength, our values and our determination as a nation, we will prevail. America will rise to meet this challenge, just as we have so many times before. I know we will.

Until we meet again, stay safe and healthy, and all my best,

Adam

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