Bipartisan House Appropriators: Remove Swastikas, Hitler Honorifics from Veterans Cemeteries

Bipartisan House Appropriators: Remove Swastikas, Hitler Honorifics from Veterans Cemeteries

 House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Ranking Member John Carter (R-TX), and full House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX), today sent a bipartisan request to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie urging that all gravestones inscribed with swastikas and messages honoring Hitler be removed from military cemeteries.

A PDF copy of the letter is here. The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We are deeply troubled to learn that Department of Veterans Affairs Cemeteries in Texas and Utah contain graves of German prisoners of war with swastika-adorned headstones and messages honoring Hitler.

Allowing these gravestones with symbols and messages of hatred, racism, intolerance, and genocide is especially offensive to all the veterans who risked, and often lost, their lives defending this country and our way of life. It is also a stain on the hallowed ground where so many veterans and their families are laid to rest. Families who visit their loved ones, who are buried in the same cemeteries with the Nazi soldiers whom they fought against, should never have to confront symbols of hatred that are antithetical to our American values.

VA’s decision to leave the swastikas and messages honoring Hitler in place and ignore the calls to take them down is callous, irresponsible and unacceptable. We understand that these cemeteries were not under the jurisdiction of VA at the time these headstones were installed, but now that they are under VA’s jurisdiction, there is no excuse for VA to continue to maintain these headstones, instead of replacing them.

VA has claimed in its public response on this issue that they cannot replace these headstones because the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires federal agencies to protect historic resources. That law protects resources of extreme historical significance for, as the statutory text states, “the inspiration and benefit of present and future generations.” We should certainly all agree that honoring Hitler on the headstones of German soldiers who took up arms against the United States is not in line with the law’s intent.

It is particularly troubling that VA’s refusal to replace these offensive headstones comes at a time when documented antisemitic incidents in the United States have reached a new high.

VA has a responsibility to our service members and veterans to treat their burials and final resting places with the utmost respect. VA has acknowledged this responsibility in its own policy on headstone markers, saying “VA will not inscribe any emblem on a headstone or marker that would have an adverse impact on the dignity and solemnity of cemeteries honoring those who served the Nation.” There is no question that the swastikas and inscriptions on these specific headstones have an adverse impact in honoring those who served.

While leaving gravestones in VA National Cemeteries unaltered may have been a long-standing bureaucratic policy, that is no excuse for allowing it to continue. We ask that you eliminate this antiquated policy and begin the process for removing these gravestones or having them altered immediately. It is never too late to do the right thing.

Sincerely,

/s/

Nan Rich Endorses Julie Carson For Wilton Manors

Nan Rich Endorses Julie Carson For Wilton Manors

Rep. Deutch Statement on Passage of Heroes Act

Rep. Deutch Statement on Passage of Heroes Act

(Washington) This evening, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Heroes Act to address the ongoing coronavirus public health crisis and provide desperately needed support for struggling families and essential workers, including funds for testing and tracing measures, funding for South Florida’s cities and counties, additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, and extended unemployment benefits.

Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) voted in favor of the Heroes Act. Upon its passage, he issued this statement:

"Every week, I speak with frontline workers, first responders, business owners, non-profit leaders, local officials, and students to find out what they need from Congress and the federal government.

"Especially as Florida takes its first steps to reopen, we cannot lose sight of the pandemic's continued threat to our health and the lasting financial impact felt by families and businesses.

"Our nation will feel the effects of this pandemic for months and years to come. Congress must not only meet the needs of today but also look ahead to the challenges to come. This bill invests in the frontline responders who are leading the fight against this virus as well as those who bear the brunt of its impact.

"This plan directs $75 billion to build out our testing, tracing, and treatment plans, which must be a foundational element of any plans to resume our lives.

"The Heroes Act expands the Paycheck Protection Program to support the local non-profits that play such a vital role in our communities.

"With an unprecedented number of Americans out of work, the Heroes Act extends unemployment assistance to maintain the safety net for tens of millions of Americans.

"We double down on the direct stimulus payments as an effective way to get money in to the hands of those who need it, and out into our local businesses as they begin to reopen their doors.

"House Democrats are fighting for $1 trillion to help state and local governments to cover coronavirus-related expenses, replace losses in revenue, and pay vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers.

"Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs, millions of small businesses and non-profits are on the brink of closing their doors, and tens of millions of students have had their studies and lives disrupted – all at no fault of their own. Two months into our national coronavirus response, the extent of our needs have become clearer and more urgent.

"The Heroes Act is the bold response our country needs to this unprecedented national emergency to support our fellow Americans."

The Heroes Act provides local communities on the frontlines of this crisis with robust, desperately needed funding to cover coronavirus-related outlays and revenue loss and pay our health care workers, police, fire, transportation, EMS, teachers and other vital workers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.

An analysis prepared by the Congressional Research Service estimates that the Heroes Act will provide $26.6 billion over two years in state funding for Florida in addition to urgently needed funding for FL-22 communities, including:

o Broward County - $1.124 billion over two years;
o Palm Beach County - $843 million over two years;
o Fort Lauderdale - $113 million over two years;
o Pompano Beach - $74 million over two years;
o Boca Raton - $32.2 million over two years; and
o Coral Springs - $57 million over two years.

Counseling, financial aid, and shelters: resources for you

Whether you are living alone or with extended family, whether you are an essential worker or lost your job, whether you are struggling with your mental health or finances or both...

This resource is for you. 

Search MoveOn’s database of national resources, tools, and aid to help you take care of yourself, your friends and family, and your community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bookmark this page and share it with friends and family. Come back to it if there’s something new that you find you need. Add a resource that has helped you that isn’t here already. 

We all need a little help right now, and we hope this resource makes it easier to find the help that you need. 

Thanks for all you do.

From Moveon.org  

Com. Fried, Congressional Dems Request Election Funding

Commissioner Nikki Fried, Congressional Democrats Call on Governor Ron DeSantis to Request Federal Funds for Election Safety 

Florida is one of only six states not to request the funding

Last week, Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried and Congressional Democrats, led by Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, called on Governor Ron DeSantis to formally request the $20 million in federal funds made available through CARES Act to help make Florida’s election safer. Florida is one of only six states not to request the funding. 

Florida is eligible to receive $20,152,160 in federal election assistance, with just $4,030,432 in state funding.  

Commissioner Fried issued the following statement:

“While COVID-19 has upended so many aspects of American life, time continues on, and so do the elections upon which our great democracy rests. Protecting our elections from threats both foreign and domestic has never been more important. With COVID-19 continuing to spread, the ability of Floridians to exercise their right to vote is clearly threatened. I am requesting that the Governor take action immediately to secure the $20 million available to Florida, and use these funds to expand voting by mail that will provide a safer election this fall, especially for our most vulnerable Floridians.”

Several Florida Congressional Democrats, led by Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, wrote a letter to Governor DeSantis urging DeSantis to accept the federal funds to make Florida’s elections safer.

In the letter to the Governor, they urge immediate action:

“As of this writing, Florida has not submitted a letter to the EAC formally requesting these federal funds and outlining the ways in which it intends to use them to ensure a safe, secure, and successful election. We urge you to formally request the funds as soon as possible, so funding can be used to prepare for the state’s August 18, 2020 primary election—which is only about 100 days away—and the November 3, 2020 general election.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Rep. Deutch Asks CDC to Publish Guidance to Help Americans Stay Safe & Prevent Outbreaks

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Rep. Deutch Asks CDC to Publish Guidance to Help Americans Stay Safe & Prevent Outbreaks

Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) wrote to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield urging him to release public guidance to help Americans stay safe as communities begin to reopen.

As a member of the White House's bipartisan Opening Up America Again Congressional panel, he raised the issue of CDC guidance on a call with senior White House economic officials on Thursday.

"Over the course of the past three weeks I have received an increasing number of questions from my constituents about specific guidance they will need to reopen safely. They want to give their employees, customers, and other community members the confidence they need to feel safe when they return to their jobs, schools, congregations, restaurants and other venues."

Congressman Deutch is requesting the CDC to "ensure that the information Americans need to reopen safely is published, reaches every community and demographic group across the country, and becomes an example to the rest of the world to show how we can overcome the significant public health challenges ahead."

The text of the letter is below. The signed letter can be accessed here.


Dear Dr. Redfield:

Like the rest of the country, and the world, the State of Florida has endured devastating health and economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Slowing the spread of the virus forced Floridians to stay home as much as possible; home from work, apart from their loved ones, and many have lost their jobs and businesses.

Now, Governor DeSantis is proceeding with a plan to reopen Florida’s economy. While I appreciate his effort to move forward step-by-step, I am concerned that we do not yet have the tools and strategies to reduce the risk of renewed outbreaks.

To reopen safely, Florida businesses, consumers, and the general public need specific guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC is the premier public health agency in the world. You lead a group of highly skilled infectious disease experts that should be guiding the COVID-19 response and efforts to reopen.

Over the course of the past three weeks I have received an increasing number of questions from my constituents about specific guidance they will need to reopen safely. They want to give their employees, customers, and other community members the confidence they need to feel safe when they return to their jobs, schools, congregations, restaurants and other venues.

Last week, I saw very troubling reports that officials within the Trump Administration blocked the publication of the exact CDC guidance my constituents have been asking for. CDC scientists were reportedly told it “would never see the light of day.” After reviewing the leaked draft of the guidance, I do not know what could possibly motivate a member of the Trump Administration to block it. Some of the information has already been provided on the CDC website. The additional detail would do nothing to damage the administration and could possibly save lives and livelihoods by preparing businesses and other pillars of our communities to reopen safely.

I respectfully ask that you continue to work with the scientific experts that you lead to ensure that the information Americans need to reopen safely is published, reaches every community and demographic group across the country, and becomes an example to the rest of the world to show how we can overcome the significant public health challenges ahead.

Thank you for your consideration and attention to this matter. I look forward to working with you to ensure that science drives the American response, recovery, and preparedness in this crisis.

Sincerely,

Ted Deutch

Florida Members of Congress Raise ‘Grave Concerns’ with DeSantis Push to Reopen Florida

Florida Members of Congress Raise ‘Grave Concerns’ with DeSantis Push to Reopen Florida

Members of Florida’s Congressional delegation wrote to Gov. Ron DeSantis today to raise “grave concerns” with his plan to reopen Florida and urged him to prioritize the health and safety of the state’s residents. The Members also pressed the governor for answers to key questions surrounding testing, contact tracing and social distancing guidance plans.

“A rushed reopening may very well serve only to increase the human loss caused by an already historic public health crisis, as states moving forward with reopening are seeing increases in new COVID-19 cases,” the Members wrote to DeSantis today.

Among the Members who signed the letter: Reps. Alcee Hastings, FL-20, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (FL-23), Ted Deutch (FL-22), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Val Demings (FL-10), Al Lawson (FL-05), Darren Soto (FL-09), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26), Donna Shalala (FL-27).

Florida was among several states to begin a push to reopen this week, yet the Governor has previously delayed or resisted precautionary measures throughout this crisis. The Members pointed to this troubling pattern, and pressed DeSantis to address a series of questions that would ensure that certain safety and testing thresholds are being met.

“You have, since the rise of this crisis, resisted the implementation of science-based and data-driven mitigation strategies and withheld valuable data from the public. Florida is not an experiment and its residents are not case studies,” the Members wrote. “As our state and our nation grapple with the complexities and risks of reopening, we need forthright assurance, tangible evidence and relentless effort to ensure every decision you make in this process is based on the best scientific fact and public health guidance experts have to offer.” Read the entire letter below, and attached:

Dear Governor DeSantis,

            We write to express our grave concerns with the reopening of our state and its implications for the safety of Florida’s residents as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. While we fully recognize the tremendous burden placed on the economy by stay-at-home orders and closed businesses, we urge you to prioritize the health and safety of Floridians above all else. A rushed reopening may very well serve only to increase the human loss caused by an already historic public health crisis, as states moving forward with reopening are seeing increases in new COVID-19 cases.

According to data released by the state as recently as Thursday, May 7th, Florida continues to experience a rise in confirmed cases statewide.  Furthermore, the number of documented cases is almost assuredly lower than the number of actual cases due to insufficient testing.

Florida is lacking essential tools that public health experts agree are critical to a safe reopening process: widespread testing, a robust contact tracing workforce, and supported isolation are interconnected pieces of the larger puzzle of reopening. Without all pieces in place, it is unacceptable to reopen the state and expose our population to increased risk of infection. According to data released by the state on Monday, approximately two percent of Floridians have been tested.  The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that there are only 500 contact tracers in the entire state of Florida and quoted an official with the Department of Health as saying, “there are no immediate plans to hire more.”   Surely, you are aware that interpersonal contact will be inevitable with any reopening. The job of contact tracers who ensure that individuals infected with or exposed to someone with COVID-19 isolate themselves for two weeks, will become even more essential for containing a highly contagious disease that passes easily from person to person.

Testing is the only way to gain and maintain an accurate understanding of the prevalence of the virus. We need a comprehensive testing strategy to reopen safely. On April 24, 2020, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139). The law provides $25 billion in additional funding to boost COVID-19 testing efforts around the country. Under the law, each state is required to develop a comprehensive COVID-19 testing plan. The plan must include goals for the remainder of the year, including: (1) the number of tests needed, month-by-month, to include diagnostic, serological, and other tests, as appropriate; (2) month-by-month estimates of laboratory and testing capacity, including related to workforce, equipment and supplies, and available tests; and (3) a description of how the state will use its resources for testing, including as it relates to easing any COVID-19 community mitigation policies. The state’s plan is due 30 days from enactment of the law, May 24, 2020.

We are relieved that the three South Florida counties (Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach) that continue to be at the epicenter of the pandemic in Florida are excluded from the State’s reopening plan. Nevertheless, we know all too well that a virus does not respect borders or county lines, and a reopening in one area does not preclude another area from increased risk. We are one state, and therefore we should have one statewide plan that accounts for the cross-county interconnections that define everyday life.

You have, since the rise of this crisis, resisted the implementation of science-based and data-driven mitigation strategies and withheld valuable data from the public. Florida is not an experiment and its residents are not case studies. As our state and our nation grapple with the complexities and risks of reopening, we need forthright assurance, tangible evidence and relentless effort to ensure every decision you make in this process is based on the best scientific fact and public health guidance experts have to offer.

Therefore, we ask for your prompt explanation of the following:

•           Experts agree that robust testing is key to safe reopening. Given how integral robust testing is to a safe re-opening, why are you beginning to reopen the state without a robust system in operation?

•           What efforts are being undertaken by the state to develop a comprehensive COVID-19 testing plan as required by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act as discussed above? Please describe progress on each aspect of the plan as discussed above.

•           Is it accurate that the state has no plans to hire additional contact tracers in the immediate future? If so, why not? Do you have plans in place to meet an increased need for inpatient hospital care, including intensive care, that could result from a spike in infection rate following reopening?

•           What does the inventory of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) look like currently at health care facilities across the state? What actions are you taking to ensure that the supply of PPE is adequate to meet an increased demand as a result of more person-to-person contact and a potential spike in infection following reopening?

•           What social distancing criteria for businesses reopening are you requiring, such as masks for clientele and employees and limitations on the number of customers in a business at one time? What guidance do you have for local governments on enforcement of social distancing criteria to keep people safe and ensure compliance?

•           What guidance are you providing to local governments to enforce social distancing in public spaces, such as beaches, parks and public gathering places?

•           Are you providing guidance to local governments on plans for supported isolation for individuals who test positive for COVID-19?

Thank you for your prompt response to our questions and concerns.

Sincerely,

The Fort Lauderdale (FL) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated with Community Partner Organizations Supports Broward County Families in Need During COVID-19 Pandemic

 The Ladies of  The Fort Lauderdale (Fl) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Pandemic and COVID-19 Committee, under the leadership  of  Local  Chapter President Cynthia Borders, CPA,  Vice President of  Membership, Mrs. Jacqueline H. Clenance,  Vice President of  Programs, Dr. Rosalind Osgood, the  Pandemic and COVID-19  Chairman, Mrs. Nikki Austin-Shipp, M.B.A. the Sub-Committee Members,  Mrs. Jeannie B. Floyd, Mrs. Darlene Satterwhite Hargrove, Shauna Hicks-Lee,   Dr. Eileen Davis-Jerome,  Mrs. Tara Pasteur, Atty. Juliet Roulhac,  Dr. Barbara Sharief,  Dr. Sylvia Sloane Jones, Dr. Venessa Walker, Atty.  Caren Snead,  Dr. Dierdre Satterwhite Wilson, and with the support of the entire Chapter Members,  during the  month of  May 2020, approximately 2, 000 Masks will be distributed to five different locations throughout underserved areas of Broward County, including specified  Northwest Hallandale-Foster Park, West Park, Lauderhill, and Lauderdale Lakes, as all Feeding South Florida Distribution Areas, and Executive Director, Dr. Germaine Baugh, on  Sistrunk -the Urban League of Broward County.  Community partners include Feeding South Florida, the Urban League of Broward County, Florida, also Vice-Mayor of Westpark, FL  Brian Johnson of Community-Based Connections, Incorporated. Additionally, a total of twenty-seven (27) families will also receive a monetary donation of $6,800.00

As another community partner organization of the United Nations  Association of Broward County  (UNA Broward) planned, the Fort Lauderdale {Fl) Chapter ‘s COVID -19 Pandemic Action is in keeping with   UN75 ‘s “Shaping our Future Together” for Good Health and Well-Being  Consultation (ZOOM) on Climate Change, Pandemics and Bridging Inequalities.  This informative event will be on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, highlighting a current COVID-19 SERVICE PROJECT, as FLC Chapter Members along with public call-in participants related to the future of the UN’s 75^th Anniversary, will have an opportunity to answer three pertinent questions: 1) What kind of future do we want to create, moving forward? 2) Are we on track to create that future? 3) What is needed to “bridge the gap” as an informational event to share with the Broward County communities.   

Importantly, the Fort Lauderdale (Fl) Chapter, as Service Organizers continues to  move its mission and its programming forward to serve the Broward County Community,  where donating surgical and cloth masks and providing monetary contributions  for those in need demonstrates the importance of “Linked in Friendship, Connected in Service”.

For More Information:  Fort Lauderdale (Fl) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, Post Office Box 100547, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33310 and Website:  https://linksfortlauderdale.org/

 Urban League of Broward County - Thursday, May 7th 2020 at 1P. 

560 NW 27th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

All masks for Feeding South Florida will be delivered to ONE central place for all locations below, this will take place on Friday, May 8th at 9A at the 

Feeding South Florida Main Warehouse in Pembroke Park

2501 SW 32nd Terrace 

Pembroke Park, FL 33023