U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced he was joining U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) in announcing the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act.

The legislation aims to bring together health care and other policy experts, community-based organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders to confront the racial and ethnic disparities of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The coronavirus crisis is further exposing the disparity in basic human rights faced by black and brown communities across the country," said Brown. "We need to support communities who've been hit the hardest during this pandemic, and ensure they have adequate resources to stay safe and healthy."

Along with Brown and Harris, this legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an interagency task force of policy experts, community leaders, and government officials to make data-driven recommendations to federal agencies about directing crucial resources—like testing kits, testing supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to communities with racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death rates.

The task force's work would guide a more equitable government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises