For years, families have asked the same question:
“Will anyone ever listen?”
Now, there is an opportunity to make sure your story is heard.
As many of you know, Senator Ron Johnson is planning a congressional hearing regarding COVID hospital protocols. Thanks to the tireless efforts of protocol widows Leslie Batts and Peggy Hokett, stories are being collected and reviewed for possible inclusion in the hearing and the official Congressional Record.
But time is running out.
The deadline to submit your story is July 10th.
If you have been thinking about writing your statement, gathering your records, or sharing your loved one’s experience, please do not wait any longer.
This Is the Moment Many Have Been Waiting For
For years, families have told us they wished someone in Congress would listen.
They wished someone would look at the records.
They wished someone would hear what happened behind hospital doors.
Now there is an opportunity to place those stories before lawmakers and into the historical record.
We know there are thousands of families and survivors who have been waiting for a moment like this. The question is whether they will take the next step and submit their story.
Our goal should not be 200 stories.
It should not be 500 stories.
We should be able to overwhelm Congress with the sheer number of families willing to stand up and tell the truth about what happened to them and their loved ones.
Let’s work together to reach 1,000 submissions by July 10th.
If You Want to Be Considered for Testimony in Washington, D.C.
Those hoping to be selected for possible in-person testimony should prepare their submission as an opening statement.
Think of it as the statement you would read if you were sitting before a Senate committee.
Your statement should be:
Approximately 600 words
Focused entirely on your personal experience
Fact-based and chronological
Free of political opinions, speculation, statistics, or broader commentary
Written as though you are speaking directly to the committee
Just as importantly, you should begin organizing your supporting documentation now.
If selected to testify, you may be asked questions about your story and the facts you present. Make sure you have access to:
Medical records
Hospital records
Death certificates
Notes, timelines, emails, text messages, or other documentation
Any evidence that supports the facts contained in your statement
Do not send supporting documents with your initial submission unless requested, but have them available.
If You Only Want Your Story Entered Into the Congressional Record
Not everyone wants to travel to Washington, D.C., and that is perfectly okay. Perhaps they do not have their medical records or other evidence.
You can still make a meaningful contribution by submitting your story for inclusion in the Congressional Record. Once it is in the Congressional Record they can never say they didn’t know.
In that case, your submission may be written as a statement or letter rather than a formal opening statement.
The same rules still apply:
Keep it focused on your personal experience
Stick to facts you personally know
Avoid speculation and political commentary
Limit the content to what is relevant to your story
Aim for approximately 600 words
Every story matters.
Every submission helps build the historical record.
Don’t Assume Someone Else Will Tell Your Story
One of the greatest mistakes we can make is believing someone else will speak for us.
They won’t.
Only you can tell what happened to your husband.
Only you can tell what happened to your wife.
Only you can tell what happened to your mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, friend or to you as a survivor.
History is not built from statistics. History is built from individual stories.
Stories become evidence. Evidence becomes a record.
And records become history. Never let them memory hole what happened to us.
Help Us Reach 1,000 Stories
If you have already submitted your statement, thank you.
Now help us find others.
Share this article.
Share the submission information.
Reach out to family groups, support groups, survivor networks, and friends who have been waiting for an opportunity to be heard.
The July 10th deadline is approaching quickly.
Let’s make sure no one misses this chance.
If you need help or more information contact us at email@betrayalprojectusa.org
Your story matters. Your voice matters. Accountability matters. And history deserves a complete record of what happened.
Deadline: July 10
Submit your statement in PDF format to:
lesliethompson0831@gmail.com
Together, let’s deliver at least 1,000 stories and ensure that these voices are impossible to ignore.
Betrayal Project is an Unincorporated Texas Charitable Nonprofit
509(a)(2) Public Charity under IRC Section 501(c)(3)
Human Rights Advocacy Organization
NAICS: 813311
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