Hero of the Month: 1 Politician Got the CDC to Make ALL COVID19 Tests Free

California Representative Katie Porter. Cr : CNN

The first true American hero just emerged from the coronavirus pandemic: California Representative Katie Porter.

The Hill.com reported that during a Congressional hearing, Katie grilled the director of the Centers for Disease Control until he promised that coronavirus testing would be free for all Americans. 

During the hearing, Democratic Rep. Porter did the math -- the full coronavirus battery of tests costs the patient $1,331.  Nearly 30 million Americans don’t have health insurance, and the majority of them can’t afford to get tested at that cost. 

But when Rep. Porter asked CDC Director Robert Redfield whether he would commit funds for free testing for all Americans, he tried to avoid her question over and over. BTW- last week, the government put $1.5 trillion into banks to prop up Wall Street, but the Trump administration just wouldn't commit billions for critical medical testing. 

Rep. Porter backed Redfield into a corner, pointing out the policy that allowed him to pay for testing and asking him again and again to provide the tests, until finally, he agreed.

Without a cure or vaccine, the only way that the coronavirus can be curtailed is by quarantine of the people who have it or have been exposed -- and the only way to know who has it is through comprehensive testing.

It is no exaggeration to say that Rep. Katie Porter saved lives this week.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/Au52b-LE5l0

The video of the exchange tweeted out by Porter has been viewed more than 23 million times.

Porter received praise for her line of questioning, with NBC and MSNBC political analyst Karine Jean-Pierre calling her "brilliant" and "effective."

Television producer Hart Hanson praised Porter on Twitter, asking, "How many lives did Katie Porter save today using a whiteboard, a bullshit detector, and an ability to retain focus?"

Hero of the Month: Aaron Jackson

This man is AMAZING .Aaron Jackson, founder of Planting Peace - the (straight) man who took on the Westboro Baptist Church just gave transgender teen and activist Gavin Grimm a college scholarship.

LOOK AT WHAT ELSE HE'S DONE! 
Aaron Jackson’s first foray into LGBTQ activism was a bold one: In 2013, he purchased a house across the street from the notoriously anti-queer Westboro Baptist Church, painted it the colors of the gay pride flag and aptly named the new symbol of love situated directly in the face of hate the Equality House. Jackson, who identifies as an ally of the LGBTQ community, has also sent a pride flag into outer space and planted another pride flag in Antarctica after the Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016, Jackson gave a college scholarship to a young woman who was a victim of the horrific mass shooting.

Why, as a straight man, have you devoted so much of your life to queer rights?

When I started to learn that LGBT kids kill themselves due to this narrative that they are somehow less than, it really became important to me to use my platform to try to simply do my part in helping the LGBT community not only come into full rights but to help change the hearts and minds of people. Becoming an LGBT activist is one of the best decisions I have ever made. 

What compels you to do charity work? How do you pick your causes? 

Since I started Planting Peace 15 years ago, I get asked why I do so much for charity. And truth be told, I didn’t have an answer then and don’t have an answer now. It’s just my passion. I keep busy.

How has advocacy affected or changed your life?

I love meeting people. My work has led me to meet the poorest people on earth to some of the most powerful people. It’s opened a lot of doors and incredible experiences that have made me a better person. It’s truly a blessing.  

 Story: 
 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trans-activist-college-scholarship_n_5d0a2a1fe4b0f7b7442a049a?tw&ncid=newsltushpmgnews_TheMorningEmail062119_