Congressman Dan Kildee Remembers Three Local Leaders Lost to Coronavirus During Congressional Hearing

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) Chief Deputy Whip of the Democratic Caucus, today called attention to how the coronavirus pandemic is disproportionally affecting communities of color, including in his hometown of Flint, Michigan.

During the first-ever virtual hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Ways and Means Committee held a hearing entitled, “The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color.” During the hearing, Congressman Kildee shared the story of three personal friends—all African Americans—that have recently died due to the coronavirus.

“The devastating loss of this crisis is personal, if you know someone who has been lost in this pandemic. I’d like to take a moment to share stories of three friends I have lost to COVID-19, all African American. Ruben Burks, a former UAW Secretary Treasurer, was an exceptional leader in my community and a strong voice for workers. I will miss Ruben as a friend and a mentor. Dr. Nat Burtley, Flint’s first African American superintendent, took me under his wing when I was an 18-year-old teenager on the Flint Board of Education. Dr. Burtley was a remarkable educator and leader. Deacon Al Peacock, a lifelong Flint resident, all-star high school basketball player and a devoted community member, was one of my high school classmates. So as we hit 100,000 deaths, let’s step back from the data and realize that these are individuals with their own stories. The loss during this pandemic is disproportionally affecting African Americans,” Congressman Kildee said.

Communities of color have experienced the highest rates of infection and death from the coronavirus to date. In Genesee County, African Americans make up 20 percent of the population by 46 percent of reported coronavirus fatalities.

While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends Americans regularly wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, many communities—including Flint—still also lack access to clean and affordable water. A survey of the 500 largest water systems in the country found that on average, Flint residents paid about $864 a year for water service—nearly double the national average. Congressman Kildee successfully fought to include $1.5 billion provisions in The Heroes Act to prevent water shut offs, among other provisions.

A video of Congressman Kildee remarks today at the Ways and Means Committee hearing can be found here.