Letlow's COVID-19 American History Project Act Passes the House
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On a 376-47 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 4738, The COVID-19 American History Project Act by Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05).
"This legislation is about healing and hope after the tremendous losses that our country experienced over the past two years," Letlow said. "It sends a clear message to the American people that we are finally moving past this pandemic."
The legislation will task the Library of Congress to record, collect, and preserve the stories of American citizens who were directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The collection will include personal histories, testimonials, written materials, and photographs and will be housed in the American Folklife Center. To read a summary from the House Administration Committee, click HERE.
The bill will now move to the U.S. Senate where it will await further action.
Congresswoman Letlow's Floor Speech on the bill can be watched below.
Mister Speaker, I rise today as the House considers H.R. 4738 – The COVID-19 American History Project Act.
The last two years have been unimaginable for every single American. As COVID-19 ravaged our nation, we lost nearly one million citizens to this devastating virus. For countless families, those deaths were not just a number on the news but the visceral loss of a loved one – a grandparent, husband, wife, mom, dad, sister, brother, daughter, or son. My own family faced the pain of this pandemic, as we lost my husband Luke just days before he would take a seat in this very chamber.
Studies tell us that when a person dies, approximately nine people from their inner circle – family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors – suffer profound grief. This bill is dedicated to them. The now nearly nine million Americans who live every day with new found emptiness and suffering.
For families like mine, that loss means an empty chair at the dinner table, a son who won't be able to go fishing with his dad anymore, and a daughter who won't be able to dance with her father on her wedding day.
But this bill also values our people's personal experiences during the pandemic, which will help inform the collective narrative. Their accounts will facilitate healing and give hope to the generations of Americans to follow.
The COVID-19 American History Project Act will task the Library of Congress to record, collect, and keep the stories of Americans impacted by the pandemic. Personal accounts from those who survived this virus, from those who lost loved ones, and from our health care heroes. The doctors, nurses, technicians, ambulance drivers, and custodians – who served on the front lines of this pandemic, and we owe an enormous amount of gratitude. This bill will allow us to use our voices as citizens to write the history of this time.
Personal stories are powerful and can promote healing while also helping others who are hurting. Medical research tells us that sharing a story through verbal or written means has a cathartic effect on a grieving individual. I know from my own life experiences that when we tell our stories of tragedy and loss, that is when true healing begins. It is time for the American people to heal. It is time for us to finally put the fear and divisiveness of this pandemic behind us. It is time to let the values of hope and peace guide our nation once again.
Mister Speaker, I believe it is fitting for this bill to come up for a vote on the first day this House begins to reopen. As we welcome the American people back inside their House, let us also welcome the countless stories of those we lost throughout these last two years.
Every day, when I look into my toddlers' faces, I see their dad's amazing spirit. And I find comfort in knowing that his greatest legacy will live on through them. But it's my children's generation and those not yet born who will need to know the personal history and indelible impact of this pandemic. And it should be written by the very people who lived it and were impacted directly.
My husband, Luke, loved history and had a tremendous passion for preserving our shared American heritage. His knowledge of the past profoundly shaped his public service. I think of the hours he spent pouring over historical documents, writing, and publishing the stories of the people who came before us. Let us preserve today's stories, not just to write a record but to inform the decisions of those who will stand in this chamber decades from now and chart the course for our republic.
It is the dawn of a new day in America. One where we can finally begin to move forward from Covid-19. And while we vow never to forget the great suffering and loss so many of us endured, we stand emboldened by the collective healing of the American spirit.
The Library of Congress's mission is "to engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity." Let us amplify the voices of the American people, let us use their stories and experiences to write this history, and never let us forget those we lost.
In closing, I'm reminded of a quote from Rick Warren who said, "Other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts."
Mister Speaker, it is time for us to let our country heal. It is time for us to share our stories.