Representatives Mike Garcia (R-CA), Jason Smith (R-MO), and 66 other Members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to listen to the science and to encourage state and local leaders to reopen schools across California and the United States.
Representatives Mike Garcia (R-CA), Jason Smith (R-MO), and 66 other Members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to listen to the science and to encourage state and local leaders to reopen schools across California and the United States.
“We must reopen schools as soon as possible, and I don’t mean just one day a week as the Biden Administration ridiculously proposed,” said Garcia.“We are depriving children of the education and support that they need. It is time for President Biden and Governor Newsom to listen to the science and open our schools and communities back up.”
This letter comes after the Biden administration’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC)’s Director Rochelle Walenksy said, “There is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen and that safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated.” In the letter, the lawmakers requested that President Biden follow through with the pledge he made during his campaign and inauguration to follow the science when it comes to COVID-19.
“Approximately six percent of children in the United States struggle with some form of emotional or behavioral difficulties, including autism, depression, and trauma-related mental health conditions. Many of those children depend upon their schools for access to the therapies they need. By allowing our nation’s schools to remain shuttered, you are depriving these children of the people and support systems they depend on,” the lawmakers wrote. “In addition to the impact of the youth mental health crisis, school closures are increasing education inequality in the United States.”
In the letter, the lawmakers also pointed out that case numbers and hospitalizations continue to drop across the country and urged President Biden to encourage state and local leaders to begin the process of fully reopening the economy. The lawmakers point out that currently there are nearly ten million fewer jobs in the U.S. than before the pandemic.
“Our community and country have been devastated by mandated lockdowns,” said Garcia. “It is imperative that we do all we can to help our communities safely open up again. Many small businesses have had to shutter their doors and many more individuals have been left unemployed. It does not help that the State of California is struggling to properly distribute unemployment claims to Californians in need. We cannot continue down this path that is destroying our economy and community.”
Garcia is committed to ensuring that California’s 25th District has the support necessary to safely open up again. Last week, Garcia sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom calling on him to find a solution to the state’s disastrous handling of unemployment claims. Earlier this year, Garcia introduced the Vaccinate More Americans Act, which would help ensure more Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. To learn more about his efforts to combat COVID-19 click here.
