U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), New Jersey’s only member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, today participated in an important committee hearing on the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 virus on communities of color in America.

“Before this crisis, we knew about the cracks in our health care system. But this pandemic has turned those cracks into chasms as the burdens of this virus have fallen like a ton of bricks on minority groups and vulnerable populations,” said Rep. Pascrell. “You can draw a direct line from the structural and social factors that have made communities of color more at-risk of infection and poor policy decisions that put these communities at risk. The knowledge and research gaps in our health care system for minority Americans are present, they are long-standing, and they are devastating. We must close them during this pandemic but cannot then forget them when this crisis is passed. Anything less than complete health equity in our communities is a deadly failure.”

Minority communities in Rep. Pascrell’s diverse district and across New Jersey have been hit especially hard by COVID-19. Approximately 13 percent of the state's population is African American, but nearly 20 percent of those who have died of COVID-19 in New Jersey are black.

Rep. Pascrell has been dedicated to reducing health disparities. Last year, Rep. Pascrell and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced H.R. 5246, the Researching and Ending Disparities by Understanding and Creating Equity Act or REDUCE Act. The REDUCE Act will improve our data on vulnerable populations by giving states and localities more resources to understand impacts on public health.