RPC CEO Covid-19 Update - VP Pence Call

 Yesterday I was blessed to join Vice President Pence on an important update call, along with other conservative leaders.

  I found it most encouraging to hear that the Vice President and President care so much about us and this Nation. They care about saving lives, especially the most vulnerable, from the womb to natural end of life—and everyone in between. They care about how COVID-19 is impacting families, their livelihoods, and communities. They care about ensuring that families can get the food and supplies they need. They care about protecting our healthcare workers on the front lines.     I am deeply grateful we have a Vice President who, being a man of faith himself, considers it important enough to reach out specifically to pro-family, pro-life, faith-based leaders and the conservative leaders in the communities during a time of national crisis—even as he leads the Coronavirus Task Force.     It is during a time of crisis that character and leadership is tested. Below I would like to share with you the update from Vice President Pence, along with some ways we can all help.     Vice President Pence somberly shared that the latest modeling from experts showing potential loss of life in America in the hundreds of thousands over the next few weeks was the reason the President extended the 30 days guideline  through April. Vice President Pence emphasized that the collective goal of every American for the next 30 days must be to prevent loss of life, protect the most vulnerable among us, and preserve the capacity of the healthcare system.     He shared that they have been especially encouraged by the response of American businesses stepping up to provide critical medical supplies, communities of faith meeting needs and easing burdens, and those ensuring that we continue to have the food supply we need such as truck drivers, grocery store workers, farmers and distributers.     He reported that now over 100,000 are being tested for COVID-19 every single day, over 26 million masks and thousands more ventilators have now been distributed, and medical supplies are arriving through a series of flights coordinated by FEMA.     The Vice President’s staff also shared that they are very aware of the concerns of Americans that while non-essential medical care and even entire industries are shut down, abortion providers continue to push forward. They share those concerns and continue to monitor and work on the situation.     They also hope to expand the relief offered in the COVID-19 package to help churches and other non-profits, underscoring the commitment to not exclude the faith community from the conversations surrounding COVID-19.     Though Vice President Pence recognized that April will be challenging for us as Americans, he also said that the virus is expected to peak mid-April and that by Memorial weekend our country can be in a very different place if we all do our part.

Bette Grande

CEO, President

Roughrider Policy Center

North Dakota's Think Tank

https://www.roughriderpolicy.org/

bette@roughriderpolicy.org

Ms. Grande represented the 41st District in the North Dakota Legislature from 1996 to 2014.