I’ve been trying to develop a writing habit for the last year or two, with the aim of figuring out what I have to say that’s unique and interesting enough to expect people to read it. Today I am just going to write and publish my first draft about this event we are all experiencing simultaneously.
Two weeks ago, as the first COVID-19 cases began to appear in the U.S., I brought up the issue in our staff meeting. I’m a person who likes to know there is A Plan so that when the issue requiring A Plan comes to pass, The Plan can be activated. My inquiry was gently dismissed, but by the following week (and as I was preparing for 3 days out of the office), my supervisor and I were running from meeting to meeting, jotting down notes as emails filled my inbox more and more rapidly.
In my absence, my colleagues drafted and passed an emergency bill that permitted DC workers to draw on unemployment (UI) if their reduction in hours or loss of work resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since I returned on Tuesday, we’ve been working to get the word out about UI, getting up to speed on what Congress is doing, and planning for additional legislation that we’ll introduce in early April. I have to admit, sometimes my work is so “behind the scenes” that even I can forget its value. But these days, I feel truly essential to the good work we are doing in DC. And I feel grateful for that, if only because it distracts me from inventorying my pantry or counting toilet paper rolls.
So, this is what I had to say today. Time to unload the dishwasher, walk the dog, and then begin my work day.
Clementine 