Congresswoman Katie Porter is, by her own admission, "pretty famous" for not revealing her hand while questioning witnesses in Congress. So when Congresswoman Porter (opens in new tab) failed to answer questions from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield about coronavirus testing (opens in new tab), and when she sent questions to Redfield's office less than a rare week in advance, she was even more perplexed. Her staff even sent the questions back the night before he was to testify before Congress. [Porter was interviewed by Marie Claire the day after Redfield's testimony. 'And yet he came before the American people and simply tried to manipulate the language to obfuscate his duty to protect public health. And the American people should not have to put up with that either." [Porter, whiteboard and dry erase marker in hand, pressed Redfield to commit to free coronavirus testing for all Americans (which he did) and asked Robert Kadlec, DHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response, how much these tests would cost The scene in which Porter asked Robert Kadlec, DHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response, if he knew how much these tests would cost (he did not) was very well received. It was no accident that Porter asked a well-reasoned and targeted question, interspersed with phrases like "not enough" and "take back my time." She and her staff had used that whiteboard as a game-like exercise in the strategy and diligence required to get Redfield sworn in.

"I think too often council members wander into a hearing and just read a piece of paper. Whether we're trying to teach them a lesson or hold them accountable, we really dig in and try to fully engage the witnesses that come before us," Porter said.

Porter's victory came as the coronavirus threat took a new turn in the United States. Last Wednesday night, President Trump announced a travel ban (open in new tab) from Europe in a speech from the Oval Office. Hours earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic (open in new tab). The graph of U.S.-based infected cases skyrocketed like a hockey stick (open in new tab).

The Trump administration remains under fire (open in new tab) for the lack of available testing kits (open in new tab) in the face of the crisis. (Currently, testing kits are used for high-risk patients (opens in new tab) and otherwise healthy individuals are encouraged to self-isolate because they are exhibiting flu-like symptoms.) According to Porter's calculations, an uninsured person who gets tested will be billed $1,331. According to the survey, nearly 40% of Americans are unable to cover the $400 unexpected expense (opens in new tab), and 33% have postponed treatment because of the cost (opens in new tab).

"No one with symptoms should be prevented from getting tested or being tested for fear of financial consequences," she reiterated her assertion on the whiteboard.

Porter, a first-year congresswoman, is one of a record number of women elected (open in new tab) in the 2018 midterm elections. That wave of victories by women is credited with helping Democrats secure a majority in the House of Representatives. Porter, from Orange County, California, defeated the Republican incumbent (open in new tab) and turned the district from red to blue. On Friday, as President Trump was preparing to declare a national emergency, Porter spent the morning answering his own phone calls and waiting for House leadership to put together a multi-billion dollar bill to blunt the effects of the coronavirus. (On March 18, five days after we spoke to Porter, a relief package was signed by President Trump that included free coronavirus testing, unemployment benefits, and food and medical assistance for those affected by the pandemic. According to the New York Times (opens in new tab), the Senate passed the bill earlier in the day by a vote of 90-8.)

"I think we are all really concerned about the difficulty of getting this bill to the House of Representatives for a vote," she explained.

"We have had very few updates from the House leadership.

Asked what the problem was, Porter didn't mince words.

"It's life," Porter said. 'I am a mother. I am my parents' daughter. I am a Cub Scout leader. I am a professor. I care about my community. There are steps this administration has at its disposal to slow the spread of this pandemic and save lives." In addition to ensuring free inspections, Porter mentioned the importance of providing paid leave, school lunches and meal-on-wheels food deliveries. [We need Trump administration officials to stand up and use the tools they have to let us know what more is needed so we can act quickly. We don't want this to be an ideological battle," she added. [Porter, while being hailed as a hero in the Twitterverse, also spares no praise for her current staff as well as those who worked for the previous administration and crafted the laws and regulations they now rely on. She also spoke about the importance of creating an office culture that encourages staff and the public to speak their minds.

"I think building a strong team culture is incumbent on each of us, especially as women," Porter said. 'It makes us more effective leaders, and we all have an obligation to try to do that.'

Part of her own strength as a leader and as a congresswoman is her reliance on the skill of listening, which she hones in her daily life. Whether it be parsing expert testimony before Congress or spotting white lies from her own children and students.

"This, frankly, is something women, teachers, and mothers excel at. When I ask my children, "Did you brush your teeth?" I ask, and they answer, "Yes." When I talk to students and they give me a bad answer, I say, 'Did you do the reading?' and they say, 'Um, yes.' So I'm trying to use the skills I've gained from my life to help the American people."

This article has been updated to reflect details of the bailout package that was passed.

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