One day after the U.S. death toll from theCOVID-19 pandemicpassed 500,000, and nearly one year after the country’sfirst COVID-19 deathwas reported, Congress held a candlelight vigil on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday evening in honor of those killed in America.
In a moving scene, House and Senate members from both parties stood clutching candles, spaced six feet apart as they held a moment of silence for the many lives lost.
A singerreportedly performed"Take My Hand" and “Precious Lord.”
In addition to Pelosi, other lawmakers who took part included Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Congress' COVID-19 vigil.Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
The Capitol vigil was held one day after PresidentJoe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice PresidentKamala Harrisand Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff took part in a moment of silence and candle-lighting ceremony at the White House.
At that ceremony, 500 candles lit the staircases leading up to the balcony of the South Portico.
In remarks delivered prior to the moment of silence, Biden reflected on the immense death toll.
“Today we mark a truly heartbreaking milestone: 500,071 dead,” he said. “That’s more Americans who have died in one year in this pandemic than in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War combined. That’s more lives lost to this virus than any other nation on Earth.”
Dr.Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said this week the staggering death toll is something that should not have happened in such a wealthy country.
Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, saidin an interview with Reutersthat the pandemic was “the worst thing that’s happened to this country with regard to the health of the nation in over 100 years.”
With two vaccines currently being distributed and more on the way, health experts including Fauci have said they expect some semblance of normalcy to return later this year, though that will depend on how many people get vaccinated.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (left) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at a COVID-19 candlelight vigil on Tuesday.Al Drago/Getty
Congress is alsocurrently debatinga $1.9 trillion COVID relief package that, if passed, would be the third such piece of stimulus legislation to become law over the past year.
The House is expected to vote on the measure this week and it would then advance to the Senate, which will likely make several changes before voting on the bill.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
