America’s Renewal and Restoration Has Begun At Long Last

Jan. 20 marked a new beginning. For a nation that never got to celebrate the new year, the historic inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was New Year’s Day. Listening to President Biden’s inaugural address, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic about the future, about our nation’s endless ability to remake itself, to renew itself, to press on with hope for the future no matter how difficult the past.

The lesson of the past four years has been a profound one – our democracy is not self-effectuating. It is up to us, to every generation, to protect and defend it, to cherish and preserve it. As our new President said: “We’ve learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”

We are facing four crises that will test our nation in the coming weeks, months, and years – a crisis in health, in our economy, with our climate and one crying for racial justice. All of these challenges require urgent action, and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will devote themselves completely to helping us overcome.

With over 400,000 of our fellow citizens dead, our most urgent priority must be addressing the pandemic, which continues to devastate the nation every day. In his first day in office, President Biden issued a mask mandate on federal property and inter-state travel and invoked a 100-day mask challenge for all Americans. The science is clear – masks work, masks save lives, and this order will help us slow the spread until vaccines are fully deployed. America also rejoined the World Health Organization, as we rebuild our trust in science, and our standing on the global stage. Looking ahead, the ravages of the pandemic have only made the need for universal health care that much clearer and more urgent.

Coronavirus has brutalized our economy as well as millions of American families struggle to pay rent, keep the lights and heat on, and put food on the table. I’m glad that President Biden quickly moved to extend nationwide restrictions on home evictions and foreclosures and extend student loan payment deferral. But more relief will be needed – urgently. When we passed the most recent COVID relief package, we knew it would only be a down payment on more relief to come. I support President Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic relief plan, which will provide critical funding to bolster our vaccine rollout, direct aid to families in dire need of support, and relief for small businesses.

America faces other great crises as well, including the fight against climate change. Under President Biden, America immediately rejoined the Paris Agreement, the landmark international accord that was adopted by nearly every nation in 2015 to address climate change and its negative impacts, and he signed an executive order to formulate a plan to achieve 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050. This will be an ongoing priority for the administration, and I’m confident that Biden will make fighting climate change his enduring legacy – the fate of the planet and our nation is at stake. With Biden, we will once again put our faith in science and lead the world in protecting our planet for generations to come.

And we will need to finally begin to dismantle the systemic racism that has plagued our nation since its founding – especially in the criminal justice system – but also by eliminating disparities in access to education, employment, health care and more. President Biden and Vice President Harris have already announced the most diverse cabinet in American history and I’m confident that, with a team that looks like and represents the vibrant diversity of America, we will begin the work of ensuring this nation lives up to its promise as a land of opportunity and equality for all.

There is significant work to be done, but America has never shied away from a challenge. I am clear eyed about the long road to recovery, but I’m feeling hopeful about our future.

And I hope you are, too. The process of renewal and restoration has begun at long last. America is resilient, and we build back better. That’s the American way.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) represents California’s 28th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.