Pascrell Lauds Formation of House Select Committee on Coronavirus Response

PATERSON, NJ – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today praised the formation of a House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Response by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“This move by the Speaker is excellent and essential to fighting the virus,” said Rep. Pascrell. “While we must be focused like a laser on getting more resources to our doctors and nurses and greater direct relief to Americans and small businesses, incisive, unrelenting oversight is pivotal to addressing the catastrophic failures of the government’s response to COVID-19.

“History shows well that there is no substitute for scrupulous congressional oversight in times of crisis. In the midst of the Civil War, Senator Ben Wade’s joint committee rooted out rampant corruption and incompetence in the Union army and during World War II, Senator Harry Truman’s committee exposed profiteering and inefficiencies hindering the Arsenal of Democracy. Congress’s oversight was decisive to American victory. Whip Clyburn can ably emulate those leaders in exploring the failures of the administration and exposing pandemic profiteers and thereby help set the American ship of state on course to defeat this virus.”

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