THE MAJOR BOTTLE NECK TO GET IT
READY AND VACCINATED AND THAT’S
THE WORK THEY’RE COMMITTED TO
NOW.
>> ANTONIO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO TERRIBLY IMPORTANT.
>>> JOINING ME NOW BARBARA LEE.
CONGRESSWOMAN, THANKS FOR BEING
WITH US.
IS THE ADMINISTRATION DOING
ENOUGH?
WHERE IS THE PUBLIC CAMPAIGN TO
PERSUADE BLACK PEOPLE, LATINO
PEOPLE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR WHO HAVE BEEN EXPERIMENTED
ON IN THE PAST GOING BACK TO
SLAVERY BY THE MEDICAL
ESTABLISHMENT WITH, YOU KNOW, NO
INFORMATION, NO WARNINGS AND NO
CONTROL OVER THEMSELVES, THEIR
LIVES.
WHERE IS THE PUBLIC SERVICE
CAMPAIGN TO OVERCOME THEIR
SKEPTICISM?
>> ANDREA, NICE TO BE WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION IS
NOT DOING A THING TO ADDRESS,
ONE, RACISM IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM.
BUT, TWO, HELPING US TARGET
RESOURCES TO MEDICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, BLACK
AND BROWN COMMUNITIES WHICH HAVE
BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY HIT BY
THIS DEADLY VIRUS.
COUPLE THINGS I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO HEAR.
ONE I INTRODUCED THE COMMUNITY,
THE COVID COMMUNITY CARES ACT
AND HISPANIC CAUCUS AND OUR
NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN.
WE PUT THAT BILL IN AND WE HAVE
PROVISIONS IN THE HERO’S ACT TO
TARGET RESOURCES TO OUR
COMMUNITIES BUT ALSO TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE RESOURCES GO TO
FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
NONPROFITS AND TO HIRE AND TRAIN
TRUSTED MESSENGERS TO DELIVER
THESE PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGES
BECAUSE TO PUT IT IN HISTORICAL
CONTEXT, THERE IS A REASON TO BE
SKEPTICAL WITH REGARD TO
ANYTHING THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT EMBARKS UPON,
ESPECIALLY THIS ADMINISTRATION.
>> AND WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THE
IRONY OF THIS IS THAT A BLACK
WOMAN IS A LEAD SCIENTIST BEHIND
THE MODERNA VACCINE WITH THE
NIH.
SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, YOU
KNOW, TO SEE HER MORE
FREQUENTLY.
SHE HAS BEEN AT DR. FAUCI’S SIDE
WITH THE PRESIDENT I BELIEVE AT
ONE OF THE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE THAT, PEOPLE
WHO LOOK LIKE THE COMMUNITY ON
THE FRONT LINES FOR THE VACCINE
ROLL OUT.
>> YES.
AND SHE’S A PHENOMENAL,
BRILLIANT, AFRICAN-AMERICAN
WOMAN AND I’M SO PROUD OF HER,
FIRST OF ALL.
AND I THINK THAT WE RECOGNIZE
THE FACT THAT SHE IS A TRUSTED
MESSENGER.
AS WE SPEAK, LET ME MENTION THAT
WE’RE WORKING WITH SENATOR
WARREN AND THE SENATORS TO TRY
TO PUT PROVISIONS IN THE
STIMULUS PACKAGE THAT WOULD,
ONCE AGAIN, TARGET THE
RESOURCES.
WE CAN HAVE TRUSTED MESSENGERS
FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO DELIVER
THESE PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGES
BECAUSE THEY ARE USING
EXPERIMENTAL MEDICATIONS AND
SURGERIES ON BLACK AND BROWN
PEOPLE.
IT’S PART OF THE HISTORY OF
RACISM IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM.
SO, THIS IS A TALL ORDER BECAUSE
ALL OF US UNDERSTAND THIS DEEPLY
AND WE’VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE RESOURCES ARE THERE TO PUT
THE MESSAGES OUT SO THAT WE CAN
SAVE LIVES AND MOVE FORWARD.
>> ARE ANY OF THE PROVISIONS
TARGETING THE HERO’S ACT ANY OF
THOSE PROVISIONS IN THE
COMPROMISE BILL THAT IS NOW THE
CENTERPIECE OF POTENTIAL BREAK
THROUGH?
>> WE’RE TRYING NOW.
AND SENATOR WARREN HAS BEEN SUCH
A CHAMPION IN THE SENATE TO HELP
US TRY TO GET IT.
I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW THERE IS
ABOUT $15 BILLION OR $16 BILLION
IN THIS NEW NEGOTIATION IN THIS
NEW STIMULUS BILL.
BUT WE’RE TRYING TO PUT THE
EXACT PROVISIONS THAT WE HAD IN
THE HERO’S BILL AS IT RELATES TO
TARGETING THE FUNDING IN TERMS
OF VACCINE TESTING AND
DELIVERING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
MESSAGES THROUGH NONPROFITS AND
FAITH-BASED GROUPS.
USING TRUSTED MESSENGERS.
THOSE ARE THE PROVISIONS WE PUT