Rep. Dan Kildee on how coronavirus has changed his daily routine

close

Video

Rep. Dan Kildee on COVID-19: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Hundreds of medical workers in Michigan test positive for coronavirus; Michigan Congressman, Dan Kildee, Chief Deputy Whip, weighs in on the COVID-19 pandemic on ‘America’s Newsroom.’

Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox.  Sign up here.

Quarantine Routine is a regular feature that asks political power brokers how their daily lives have changed -- and how they're still doing their jobs -- during the coronavirus crisis.

Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., used to spend his time working the halls of Capitol Hill as chief deputy whip in Democratic House leadership. Now, Kildee is walking his neighborhood in Flint Township as a way to let off steam from the weekslong lockdown.

Kildee, 61, has taken to walking outside when on telephone conference calls. They've been so numerous, he's averaging 10 miles a day.

Kildee has been on the frontlines of crisis response before, helping secure federal help during the Flint lead water crisis. Now, with Michigan as one of the hardest-hit states in the coronavirus outbreak, Kidlee is working to get medical supplies and protective gear to health care workers.

Kildee described how his daily routine has changed in a Q & A with Fox News.

How has your daily routine changed since social distancing measures began?

Kildee: Members of Congress, like all Americans, are practicing social distancing to help slow the spread. I have been working from home in Michigan for the last three weeks, except for when I drove to Washington, D.C. to vote for the third emergency relief bill that recently passed Congress. While my goal of always wanting to serve my constituents remains the same, how I accomplish that has greatly changed. Working from home has meant conference calls or video calls pretty much all day long, with my congressional staff, constituents, fellow Members of Congress, community leaders and small business owners. Technology is incredible—I have done national cable interviews over FaceTime, held a press conference over Zoom video conference and regularly throughout this crisis held telephone townhalls with thousands of constituents to answer their questions. But technology is no substitute for the human, face-to-face interactions that help me to build better relationships with my district.

"I have been working from home in Michigan for the last three weeks, except for when I drove to Washington, D.C. to vote for the third emergency relief bill that recently passed Congress," says Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., in a photo working from home.

What are the biggest challenges in doing your job during this crisis?

Kildee: I am working around the clock to bring resources back to my district. Currently, Michigan is one of the states with the highest number of coronavirus cases. One of our state’s challenges has been making sure that our frontline workers, especially our doctors, nurses and hospitals, have the necessary personal protective equipment they need. This includes not only Congress appropriating more money for PPE, which I am glad Congress acted to do, but also working with our governor and state emergency operations center to troubleshoot issues with getting supplies. For instance, I have been working the phones to talk with companies that may be able to retool their operations to make PPE or identify suppliers to secure new contracts for supplies.

What do you miss the most about how you did your job before this began?

Kildee: One of the best aspects of my job is meeting and interacting with people. Before this pandemic, I would see hundreds of people every day in person. Whether it was talking to school groups, community events or individual meetings, I always appreciated the opportunity to interact and be with constituents. For the last several weeks, every event has been virtual or over the phone, and I miss being able to have personal interactions with Michiganders. Like many Americans, I also miss being able to get in the car and drive to visit my family, including my grandchildren Caitlin and Colin.

What surprised you the most about how life has changed?

Kildee: Before this pandemic, there were many aspects of our daily lives that we maybe took for granted. Something as simple as having friends over for a fire or going to the grocery store have completely been altered. Living through this pandemic is hard—and is going to continue being hard for a number of weeks. But we will get through this as a country, together. I have continually been surprised by the simple acts of kindness, big and small, that Americans have shown for each other. From sewing hand-made masks, to donating blood, to picking up groceries for an elderly neighbor, I have witnessed so many people find a way to help others during this tough time.

How do you blow off steam?

Kildee: Throughout my work day, usually when I’m on conference calls, I go on walks in my neighborhood, while obviously practicing social distancing. I’ve been averaging about 10 miles a day—and even more conference calls than that.