Brad's Newsletter

First, I hope you and your loved ones continue to be safe and well and that you are managing the arctic blast this week.

February is Black History Month so I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the contributions that Black Americans have made to our democracy, culture and society.

Our nation has officially begun its next chapter! Over the course of our 245 years as a country, we've had our share of soaring highs and challenging lows.

Good morning,

I am writing to share that I was released from my COVID quarantine and am now working from my home office rather than my basement. The sun is out, the skies are blue, and, at the risk of understatement, the world seems dramatically different—in a positive way—from two weeks ago.

"This is America's Day. This is Democracy's Day."

Pardon the lateness of this week's letter. As you can imagine, it's been an unusual last several days.

Yesterday, a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol Building while Congress met to certify President-Elect Joe Biden's win. I was in the House gallery, watching proceedings from above, when I was first instructed to shelter in place, then evacuate, then take cover as a riotous mob tried to break into the chamber.

Today, May 25, marks exactly one year since the brutal murder of George Floyd. The video of his murder ignited gatherings across the country and around the world, calling for action to reform policing and address systemic racism. One step in that direction was House passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which now awaits passage in the Senate.