>>> HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTE ON THEIR AID PACKAGE IN RESPONSE TO
THE CORONAVIRUS.
THE CORONAVIRUS. IT INCLUDES THREE WEEKS OF PAID
SICK LEAVE, CORONAVIRUS TESTING
AND FOOD AID AND UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE.
INSURANCE. BUT THE CHALLENGE WILL BE TO GET
THE WHITE HOUSE AND SENATE
REPUBLICANS ON BOARD.
AND AS WASHINGTON WORKS ON PLANS
TO CONFRONT THE CORONAVIRUS, ONE
GROUP FACING UNIQUE CHALLENGES
AROUND THIS OUTBREAK IS
AMERICA’S POOR.
AMERICA’S POOR. THERE ARE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT
HOW CROHN COULD IMPACT SOUP
KITCHENS, FOOD BANKS, HOMELESS
SHELTERS AND AMERICA’S POOREST
KIDS.
KIDS. ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, MORE THAN
560,000 PEOPLE EXPERIENCE
HOMELESSNESS IN THIS COUNTRY.
NEARLY 80,000 OF THEM RIGHT HERE
IN NEW YORK CITY.
OVERALL, MORE THAN 38 MILLION
PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE
LIVING IN POVERTY AND I PROMISE
YOU, THEY’RE NOT READY FOR
CORONA.
CORONA. FOR MANY LOW-INCOME WORKERS,
MORE THAN 40% OF THEM HAD NO
CONTRACTUAL RIGHT TO GET PAID
SICK LEAVE.
SICK LEAVE. JOINING US, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN
DONNA EDWARDS, A "WASHINGTON
POST" CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST,
WES MOORE, THE CEO OF ROBIN
HOOD, A CHARITY ORGANIZATION
THAT SAVES LIVES EVERY DAY AND
BRET STEVENS BACK WITH ME FROM
"THE NEW YORK TIMES."
WES, WHAT IS THE MOST URGENT
CHALLENGE FACING THE POOR?
>> THE MOST URGENT CHALLENGE IS
THE FACT THAT WE’RE WATCHING AN
EXPOSURE OF SOMETHING THAT THE
POOR IN OUR COUNTRY HAVE BEEN
DEALING WITH FOR A VERY LONG
TIME.
TIME. WE’RE NOW WATCHING THE
IMPLICATIONS OF IT SHOW ITSELF.
WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE IN
THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, JUST
TAKE NEW YORK CITY ALONE RIGHT
NOW, HALF OF THE POPULATION HAS
BEEN IN POVERTY FOR AT LEAST A
YEAR OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
HALF ALL OF NEW YORKERS AND WHO
ARE ONE SINGULAR SHOCK AWAY.
COVID 19 HAS JUST BECOME A
SINGULAR SHOCK.
SINGULAR SHOCK. >> WHEN YOU’RE ANY ONE OF THOSE
PEOPLE AND YOU’RE WATCHING THE
INSTRUCTIONS, SOCIAL DISTANCE,
BE SIX FEET AWAY, DON’T GO TO
WORK TODAY, A HOMELESS SHELTER,
YOUR COT IS SIX INCHES AWAY.
AT A FOOD BANK, YOU’RE RIGHT UP
NEXT TO THE RIGHT PERSON.
HOW DO THEY ADDRESS THIS?
>> YOU REALIZE EVEN THE LEVEL OF
PRIVILEGE WE HAVE.
ORGANIZATIONALLY AT ROBIN HOOD,
WE CAN COME UP WITH A POLICY OF
SAYING EVERYONE CAN WORK
REMOTELY OR EVERYONE CAN DO X, Y
AND Z AND WE CAN RESPOND THAT
WAY.
WAY. THE MAJORITY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT, THEY
DON’T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF
FLEXIBILITY.
FLEXIBILITY. YOU CAN HAVE BASIC FRAMEWORK,
YOU CAN ASK PEOPLE TO TRY TO
FOLLOW AND SAY, SOCIAL DISTANCE.
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE,
WELL, HOW DO YOU HAVE REGULAR
HAND-WASHING STATIONS OR EVERY
HOUR ON THE HOUR YOU DO X, Y AND
Z.
Z. BUT FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN
POVERTY, THAT’S NOT AN OPTION.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE THE WORKING POOR WHO HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT, SHOULD I THEN DOCK
HOURS BECAUSE MY CHILD NOW HAS
THEIR SCHOOL CANCELED.
DO I NEED TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK
BECAUSE I HAVE A SIBLING OR A
COUSIN OR A PARENT WHO IS NOW
SICK?
SICK? THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING
TO MAKE DECISIONS NOT JUST GOING
TO CHANGE THEIR CURRENT REALITY
BUT POTENTIALLY CAN CHANGE THEIR
ENTIRE FAMILY’S TRA JETHRY AND
THEY HAVE TO DO IT IN REAL TIME.
>> WHAT HAPPENS TO ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE FOOD BANKS WHO ARE RELIANT
ON VOLUNTEERISM.
ON VOLUNTEERISM. THEY’RE RELIANT OFTENTIMES ON
CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS EVERY NIGHT
OF THE WEEK SERVING PEOPLE
DINNER.
DINNER. WE’VE BEEN TOLD STOP ALL OUR
NONESSENTIAL ACTIVITY.
NONESSENTIAL ACTIVITY. MOST OF US VIEW VOLUNTEERING AS
NONESSENTIAL.
NONESSENTIAL. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS DEPENDENT ON US.
>> VOLUNTEERING IS ESSENTIAL
ALSO WHEN WE HAVE POLICIES THAT
ARE NOT IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO
TAKE UP THE BASIC SUPPORTS.
WE’RE HAVING A DEBATE ABOUT PAID
SICK LEAVE AND I’M ACTUALLY
HEARTENED BY THE FACT THAT WE’RE
NOW SEEING POLICIES PROPOSING
THINGS LIKE PAID SICK LEAVE.
THE QUESTION IT ALSO PROPOSES IS
WHY HAS NOT NOTTHAT NOT BEEN A P
IN PLACE BEFORE.
LAST NIGHT I WENT TO CHINATOWN
TO GO VISIT ONE OF OUR PARTNERS,
A CBC DOWN IN CHINATOWN.
ONE OF THE LARGEST COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUSED ON
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO HOUSING
PROGRAMS, SUPPORTS FOR CHILDREN,
SUPPORT FOR SENIORS.
I RODE THE 6 TRAIN TO TRY TO GET
DOWN THERE AT 5:30 IN THE
EVENING AND THE 6 TRAIN WAS
BASICALLY EMPTY.
BASICALLY EMPTY. THE STREETS WERE BASICALLY
EMPTY.
EMPTY. WE WENT TO ONE OF THE MORE
POPULAR RESTAURANTS BECAUSE I
WANTED TO SPEND TIME AND HEAR
FROM THEM, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR
RESTAURANTS IN CHINATOWN.
IT WAS EMPTY.
WE WERE ONE OF TWO TABLES BEING
USED.
USED. THE FEAR AROUND THIS AND IN MANY
CASES UNFOUNDED FEAR, THE
XENOPHOBIA TAKING PLACE IS REAL.
SO WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE
ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER
AND SUPPORT, IT’S NOT JUST A BE
NICE AND DO GOOD THING.
THIS IS LIFE-SAVING FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. WE’RE WATCHING ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE TAKING A SIGNIFICANT
BRUNT RIGHT NOW WHOSE SOLE
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY IS
SERVING PEOPLE.
SERVING PEOPLE. AND THEY’RE GETTING HIT THE
HARDEST.
HARDEST. >> CONGRESSWOMAN, HOW DO
LAWMAKERS ADDRESS THIS?
>> WELL, I MEAN, THIS IS WHY THE
PACKAGE THAT THE HOUSE HAS PUT
TOGETHER IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE
IT’S ACTUALLY FOCUSED ON PEOPLE,
FOCUSED ON THE MOST VULNERABLE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW-WAGE WORKERS
WHO WORK HOURLY WORK.
THE WAIT STAFF AT A RESTAURANT
WHO MAY HAVE HOURS REDUCED
BECAUSE THE TABLES ARE EMPTY.
AND THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO MOST
NEED OUR HELP.
I’M THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
CHILDREN WHO, IF YOU HAVE A
SCHOOL CLOSURE, THE ONLY WAY
THEY GET BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND
SOMETIMES DINNER IS THROUGH THE
SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS.
SO REINFORCING THAT KIND OF
BASIC SUPPORT HIM, I THINK, IS
WHAT THE HOUSE IS TRYING TO DEAL
WITH IMMEDIATELY.
WITH IMMEDIATELY. MAKING SURE THAT TESTING IS
WIDELY AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE
FOR SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. IN HOMELESS SHELTERS, TRYING TO
MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY HAVE THE
TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO BE ABLE
TO KEEP SANITARY CONDITIONS,
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE FED
AND GET THEIR NUTRITION SO THEIR
IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE HEALTHY TO
COMBAT ILLNESS.
COMBAT ILLNESS. AND THOSE KIND OF PREVENTIVE
STRATEGIES.
STRATEGIES. BUT WHAT THIS CRISIS INDICATES
IS THE LEVEL OF FOOD INSECURITY
AND HOUSING INSECURITY FACED BY
ORDINARY AMERICANS, SOME OF WHOM
WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY AND
MULTIPLE JOBS A DAY WHO NOW ARE
THE MOST VULNERABLE WHEN IT
COMES TO THIS CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. >> WHAT’S YOUR TAKE?
>> REALLY, IT’S A QUESTION TO
WES AND TO THE CONGRESSWOMAN
WHICH IS, HOW DO YOU PUSH BACK A
LITTLE BIT AGAINST THE CIA THAT
CAN WE’RE SEEING FROM SOME
INSTITUTIONS.
INSTITUTIONS. UNIVERSITIES CANCELING CLASSES,
WHERE THOSE UNIVERSITIES ARE
PLACES WHERE ESPECIALLY THE POOR
STUDENTS CAN GET FOOD, CAN GET
HEALTH CARE.
HEALTH CARE. THEY ARE COMPARATIVELY HEALTHIER
POPULATIONS.
POPULATIONS. HOUSING.
HOUSING. SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSING DOWN
WHEN THOSE SCHOOLS ARE ESSENTIAL
FOR THE PARENTS SO THEY CAN GET
TO THEIR JOBS.
THEY CAN GET THEIR KIDS FED.
HOW DO YOU PUSH BACK AND SAY
HANG ON.
HANG ON. THIS ISN’T THE VULNERABLE
POPULATION.
POPULATION. THESE ARE INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING
ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES. LET THEM DO THEIR WORK?
>> IT’S ACTUALLY REALLY
IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE I
THINK ALSO THE THING WE’VE BEEN
SEEING IS HOW DIFFERENT
UNIVERSITIES ARE DEALING WITH
THIS.
THIS. YOU HAVE UNIVERSITIES THAT HAVE
LARGE ENDOWMENTS AND PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS WHO CAN CLOSE DOWN.
WHO CAN GO REMOTE FOR THE REST
OF THE SEMESTER.
YOU’RE WATCHING MANY OF THE --
>> BUT GOING REMOTE IS FOR THE
RICH.
RICH. >> THAT’S THE POINT.
>> WE’RE WATCHING HOW THIS
SOCIETAL DIFFERENTIATION IS
TAKING PLACE.
TAKING PLACE. >> GRAB A LAPTOP ON YOUR WAY OUT
AND DIAL IN TOMORROW.
THAT’S NOT AN OPTION FOR
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
>> SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT SAY, WE
HEAR YOU.
HEAR YOU. WE HEAR YOU, CITY, STATE,
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE
IDEA OF POTENTIALLY SHUTTING
DOWN.
DOWN. THE ISSUE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO
THOSE SCHOOLS THAT DON’T HAVE
REMOTE ACCESS?
REMOTE ACCESS? THE COMMUNITIES THAT DON’T HAVE
BASIC WIFI?
BASIC WIFI? HOW ARE WE NOT CONTINUING TO
ENLARGE THE DEPTH OF DISPARITY
THAT WE HAVE AMONG STUDENTS WHO
ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
THE THING WE NEED TO ASK OUR
INSTITUTIONS TO, DO SPECIFICALLY
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IS BE
CREATIVE.
CREATIVE. BE THOUGHTFUL.
BE THOUGHTFUL. YOU HAVE LAND.
YOU HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU HAVE ENDOWMENTS.
YOU HAVE CAPITAL.
>> DON’T JUST CLOSE THE DOOR.
BE CREATIVE.
BE CREATIVE. BE THOUGHTFUL.
BE THOUGHTFUL. ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE
THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT
YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE INITIALLY
THOUGHT OF THAT COULD MAKE A
MARKED DIFFERENCE IN HELPING US