As lawmakers returned to the chambers to vote on a COVID-19 response package, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., took the floor to speak while dedicating the legislation to her sister who is dying from to the coronavirus, CNN reports.

"I'm going to take a moment to dedicate this legislation to my dear sister who is dying in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri right now, infected by the coronavirus," Waters said on Thursday.

Before speaking, the congresswoman lowered her face mask as some of her colleagues watched while wearing their own protective equipment.

Waters spoke in support of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act which provides an additional $300 billion in funding to small businesses.

Some small businesses were left without any federal funding after the initial disbursement went out from the White House and large chain operations absorbed the financial support, CNN reports.

The proposed legislation, which has received support from President Donald Trump, would also allocate $100 billion for hospitals and coronavirus testing kits. Many cities have said they have struggled to receive adequate testing kits.

Hospitals are experiencing shortages of personal protective equipment, ventilators, thermometers and testing kits, which places them under unprecedented strain, NBC News reported.

Healthcare workers have posted videos and pictures saying they've had to forgo proper medical masks and instead use donated masks to keep up with the demand. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been vocal about the state's dire need of medical supplies to keep up with its rising number of coronavirus cases, NPR reported.

One of Waters' colleagues has been impacted by the coronavirus. Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced Thursday morning on Twitter that her oldest brother, Donald Reed Herring, passed away after battling the novel virus, as Blavity previously reported.

My oldest brother, Don Reed, died from coronavirus on Tuesday evening. He joined the Air Force at 19 and spent his career in the military, including five and a half years off and on in combat in Vietnam. He was charming and funny, a natural leader. https://t.co/b8m0xKzAmM

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 23, 2020

While thanking the healthcare workers, Warren mentioned that Herring passed away without any family present and implied that a funeral won't be held.

“I'll miss you dearly my brother,” she said.

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