Aloha, Friend.By any measure, this is a very difficult week for our country. COVID infection and hospitalization rates are soaring especially in our Hawai’i, the Taliban now holds power in Afghanistan with tens of thousands of Americans and our allies and partners still stranded and many others at great risk, and in Congress we face critical decisions on multi-trillion dollar infrastructure proposals. Here’s a quick report with my request for further input.Survey Results: Covid Vaccinations/Restrictions and Infrastructure ProposalsIn my August 14th e-newsletter to you here, I asked for your guidance through an online survey. I deeply appreciate the thousands of you who responded and especially those who provided your additional comments, all of which I’ve read. Here are the survey results:Have you received at least one vaccination against COVID-19?Yes – 84%No – 16%  If you have not received at least one vaccination against COVID-19, why not? (More than one choice ok so the total is over 100%)Concerned about safety of COVID-19 vaccine? – 68%Don’t like government/people telling me to get vaccinated – 56%Waiting for FDA to give final approval to vaccine – 32% Had COVID-19 and don’t believe need to get vaccinated – 21%Doctor advises not to get vaccinated/medical condition – 17%Not at risk of getting COVID-19 – 15%Vaccine is not readily accessible – 1%Don’t know how to get a vaccination – less than 1%  Do you support the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package passed by the U.S. Senate with the President’s support and now pending in the U.S. House?Yes – 71%No – 19%Undecided – 10%                                                               Do you support the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package proposed by the President?Yes – 42%No – 37%Yes, if (various) – 7%Undecided – 15%                                                       Which one of the following best reflects your views?Pass the $1 trillion physical infrastructure bill now, then work on the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure bill – 42%Don’t pass either bill – 19%Don’t pass the $1 trillion physical infrastructure unless and until the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure also passes – 16%Pass the $1 trillion physical infrastructure bill now and don’t pursue the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure bill – 15%Pass the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure bill but don’t pass the $1 trillion physical infrastructure bill – 1%Undecided – 7%COVID Vaccinations/RestrictionsMatching my survey results, to date 84% of Hawai’i adults 18+ have received at least one COVID vaccination (and 76% of adults 18+ are fully vaccinated). While we once led the nation in overall vaccination rates, we have slipped to 21st according to the latest data being reported. Directly related, we are now one of the nation’s infection hotspots, especially with the Delta variant spreading rapidly among our unvaccinated (and filling hospital beds to capacity) and "breaking through" among some vaccinated (though generally with far less severe health impacts). Every credible public health expert advises that the best way to protect ourselves, our families and our communities and to limit community spread and open up safely is to get vaccinated. Here then are some information and comments to address concerns:As reflected in my survey results, vaccination availability and information are not issues as they are widely accessible and free. Here is our State of Hawaii’s website on where and how to get vaccinated.As to safety concerns, all three of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been through standard safety testing, have all published standard trial results, and all continue to undergo standard safety monitoring. Please view here independent media fact-checker responses to various vaccine myths. At the end of the day, any possible risk from getting vaccinated is far outweighed by the risk of serious health consequences up to death from not getting vaccinated and contracting COVID-19.As to comments that vaccinations do not protect against COVID-19, our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research shows that while Delta variant breakthrough infections can spread the virus, vaccinated people are still largely protected from hospitalization and death from COVID-19 and are infected for a shorter period than unvaccinated. For more information on CDC’s tracking of the Delta variant and breakthrough cases, visit its website here and here.As to comments that our ongoing surge in COVID infections and hospitalizations is the result of larger tourist numbers and vaccinated individuals, while the increasing visitor numbers is a concern, State of Hawai’i cluster reports - view here - are clear that local community virus hotspots are the source of recent outbreaks. It is also clear that the unvaccinated are far more likely to get infected, transmit the infection, be hospitalized and die than those who are fully vaccinated against the virus.As to concerns with government or people telling anyone to get vaccinated, nobody can or should be forced to do so. But we all have an interest in a functioning community, society and economy, and that means gathering together in various ways from school to work to play to travel and on without widespread fear or risk of infection, hospitalization and death, and that depends now on widespread vaccinations. So, for those who choose not to get vaccinated, some restrictions on high-risk gathering places and activities are the only real way to assure public health and safety during the current crisis.There remain many other misstatements and myths circulating on COVID-19 and vaccinations. Some include, “If you already had COVID-19 you don’t need to get vaccinated.” For this, the science is clear: you can get sick again from COVID-19 and carry and transmit the disease to others.  Independent researchers and medical experts at the Johns Hopkins University have listed and responded to many of these here. The public health reality is that, with very limited exceptions for specific medical conditions, the only real way to protect you and your family and community from the virus and to contribute to a functioning society is to get vaccinated.Infrastructure ProposalsLike the rest of the country, the overwhelming majority of you support the $1 trillion bipartisan physical infrastructure package which has been extensively considered by the President and Congress, has actually passed the U.S. Senate 69-30, and would be the largest infrastructure investment in our history. And like the rest of the country, you are much more mixed and undecided on the proposed $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package, and most believe the $1 trillion physical infrastructure package, should pass now and the $3.5 trillion taken up later or not at all. I agree. I believe that my U.S. House should pass the Senate-passed $1 trillion physical infrastructure package immediately and send it to the President without amendment for his immediate signing into law. Our country desperately needs this reinvestment, which would also provide billions to Hawai’i for our own critical needs. The country and Hawai’i widely support this measure, which is not only about reinvesting in our crumbling infrastructure but also about proving our dysfunctional government can actually work. In a deeply divided Congress, it is virtually impossible to pass such major initiatives, and any changes or delays will likely cause this one to fail. My main focus now is on ensuring this generational investment does not fail and is enacted now. I support much of the further $3.5 trillion American Families Plan proposal, but believe it will require significant additional discussion and refinement in order to pass Congress which will take months. I therefore do not believe it should hold up or be linked to the Senate-passed $1 trillion infrastructure package which the House can pass and send to the President immediately. I have joined other Democratic colleagues in declining to consider the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package unless and until the $1 trillion bipartisan physical infrastructure bill passes the House and is signed into law.AfghanistanClearly, the events of the past week in Afghanistan are deeply disturbing to all of us. I continue to support the core decision of Presidents Trump and Biden to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan. But the consequences, which were always going to be difficult than expected, started with the sudden collapse of the Afghan government and military and into today. Now is not the time to debate whether we should or shouldn’t have withdrawn or did or didn’t prepare and implement adequately. That doesn’t do anything for facing and addressing the immediate reality on the ground, where our priorities must be (1) getting our citizens and so many Afghans that have been our allies and partners out of Afghanistan, and (2) joining the rest of the world in doing whatever we can to assure that those left behind will not be persecuted or killed. Yesterday I joined a briefing of Congress by our Secretaries of State and Defense and other senior administration officials. They report that, with 6,000 U.S. soldiers maintaining control of the Kabul airport, we have already helped evacuate 18,000 people since July, 13,000 of them in the last week. But the total number of U.S. citizens and allies needing evacuation are estimated at 65,000, so it is clear that our complex evacuation effort in a hostile environment amidst COVID-19 must continue for some months under continued military security. They also report that most countries of the world through the United Nations and otherwise have called upon the Taliban to honor its commitment not to persecute its citizens and to allow those who seek to leave to do so. I will continue to do everything I can in Congress to support these efforts.As always, I am deeply grateful for your questions, input and partnership. For more information on these or any other issues of concern to you, please visit my website at  https://case.house.gov or else email me at ed.case@mail.house.gov or call me at (808) 650-6688. Be safe and be well.