Getting Back to Work

All around our country, truck drivers, police officers, doctors, nurses, grocery store clerks and so many others are going into work every day, keeping our economy afloat and providing essential services. At home, millions of others like teachers and pastors are finding new ways to work and reach people. Governors are starting to slowly reopen areas of our economy and even the Senate is going back to work on Monday.

We've also seen promising developments of new therapeutics and vaccines, including results from the study of Remdesivir, a therapeutic from Gilead that has shown in studies so far to reduce the recovery time for patients suffering from coronavirus and has just received Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA. Additionally, companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Takeda, Roche, Regeneron, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer are working with the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics and vaccines that could be used against coronavirus. While not all of these efforts may be successful, it is promising to see so many efforts being pursued.

These are all good signs that our country is slowly, and safely, beginning to reopen amid the new normal of continuing necessary health precautions and social distancing measures.

While we remain focused on protecting public health, I agree with President Trump – it's time for Congress to get back to work.

Unfortunately, last week Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House of Representatives will not be going back to work this week. This is disappointing.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, I have been coming to work at the Capitol every day and staying in constant contact with the people in our community, as well as President Trump and the governor, to meet the needs of our health care providers, small businesses and community banks. I've also been working hard to help you keep your job. And if you are one of the many Americans who have lost a job, I am doing all I can to make sure you have what you need and to get this economy going so you have an opportunity to return to work. While we have been able to accomplish a lot in this time to address the crisis, I believe it's time for the full House to get back to work so we can work together and with President Trump on meeting additional needs and reopening our country.

While we expect workers who have been deemed essential to go in every day, I think you expect your government to show up too. I also hope that Congress returns to normal soon so that spending bills and other legislation can be vetted through committees and in the public eye as our founders intended. We should do all we can so that we don't have to continue considering massive spending bills written by a small number of people in leadership offices.

Until then, you can count on me to keep coming to work every day on your behalf, staying focused on public health, and doing whatever it takes to adapt and get through this crisis.

One way my office has adapted is through new guidelines for the 2020 Congressional Art Competition. I look forward to hosting the Congressional Art Competition each year to highlight the talent of high school students throughout our district. Last week, I announced that the deadline for this annual contest is now May 28, 2020. Artwork by high school students must be submitted by teachers virtually. More information can be found on my website at Hudson.house.gov/art-competition/or by calling my Concord District Office at 704-786-1612.

While this year is different, I am committed to allowing our high school students to participate in this year's Congressional Art Competition through these new guidelines. And like the Art Competition, please know I will continue to find news ways to work and serve our community every day until we return to normal.