Congressional Record — Senate, S795 (February 23, 2021)
Summary
Page S795 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for February 23, 2021, in interleaved columns, under the heading Coronavirus. Mr. Thune recalls President Biden's inaugural call to unify and says Democrats ran away from the science on school reopening, citing a quote from Dr. Fauci and the CDC Director's remark about lived experiences, and that earlier coronavirus bills contained more than $100 billion for education, which are his views. The page also shows a nomination being confirmed and a tribute noting a Senator's role as cochair of the Senate Foreign Service Caucus.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, S795 (February 23, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-02-23-crec-2021-02-23-pt1-pgs795-2-fa135385f5/
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February 23, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S795
Last month, Dr. Fauci said: The Biden administration has a clear The senior assistant legislative clerk
It’s less likely for a child to get infected in obligation to tackle the special inter- proceeded to call the roll.
the school setting than if they were just in est madness head-on. Our kids are suf- Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask
the community. fering, not because science says they unanimous consent that the order for
But Big Labor special interests didn’t must be—it doesn’t. It is just because a the quorum call be rescinded.
appreciate science undercutting their small group of powerful grownups has The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
political goals. The empire struck decided they prefer it this way. In- objection, it is so ordered.
back, and the Democratic leaders who stead, the White House keeps parroting CORONAVIRUS
love to claim the mantle of science ran the anti-science myths. They back this Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, in his in-
away from the science as fast as they notion that schools need the Demo- augural address, President Biden spoke
could. Now the CDC Director admits crats’ new spending plan before they about his desire to unify.
that ‘‘the lived experiences’’—whatever can reopen, except that science com- He said this:
that is—of government employees got pletely disagrees—completely; except Today, on this January day, my whole soul
between the hard science and the final that only a tiny fraction of the funding is in this: bringing America together, unit-
guidance. It is a lot of points for can- request would even be spent this fiscal ing our people, uniting our nation.
dor. year. Admirable words, but words have to
The unions had spoken. The goal- Our children’s futures are literally at be met with action, and, right now, we
posts were on the move. And the White stake. The administration has got to are not seeing much of an attempt to
House keeps endorsing the idea that stop taking orders from the public sec- unify from the President or his party.
schools need the Democrats’ new tor unions that give generously to In fact, we are seeing pretty much the
spending plan to reopen, when the Democratic campaigns. This is exhibit opposite. The Democrats have made it
science disagrees. And furthermore, A in why relief legislation must be tar- very clear they are determined to pass
just 5 percent—5 percent—of what they geted to the actual needs we face now. another COVID bill on a purely par-
propose to spend on schools would even American families should be the start- tisan basis, which is particularly dis-
be spent this year. Let me say that ing point, not preconceived political appointing because, up until now,
again. In this big COVID package, only priorities. COVID relief has been a bipartisan
5 percent of what they propose to spend NOMINATION OF XAVIER BECERRA process. That is right. To date, Con-
on schools would be spent this year. In Now, Mr. President, on one related gress has passed five COVID relief bills,
other words, the spendout is over years matter, today, our colleagues on the and every single one of those bills has
ahead. You would think their view is, HELP Committee will question Xavier been overwhelmingly bipartisan.
we are never going to get over the Becerra, President Biden’s nominee to I might add, last year, when we were
coronavirus. run the Department of Health and in the majority, Senate Democrats
The United Kingdom just announced Human Services. made it very clear that they thought
they will have kids back in school in Amid a global pandemic, the Presi- the minority should have a voice in
less than 2 weeks—2 weeks. Countries dent has made a puzzling selection for COVID relief and that any legislation
like Spain and France have had kids in this crucial post: the famously partisan should reflect the thoughts of both par-
classrooms for months already. The attorney general of California. Mr. ties. The Democratic leader filibus-
European Centre for Disease Preven- Becerra has no particular experience or tered the CARES Act—our largest
tion has no problem affirming the expertise in health. His chief passion COVID relief bill—multiple times until
science—that closing schools is ‘‘un- project in California seemed to be he got a version that he was satisfied
likely to provide significant additional using the force of the government to with, but now that the Democrats are
protection of children’s health.’’ Even attack Americans’ religious liberty and in the majority, apparently, they have
here at home, private and religious freedom of conscience. decided that it is their way or the high-
schools have been teaching kids in per- In 2017, the Department he is nomi-
way. Forget the fact that the Senate is
son for months without causing any ex- nated to lead finally provided a reli-
evenly divided between Republicans
plosion in the spread of the virus. gious exemption to a controversial
and Democrats. The Democrats are de-
Science tells us unambiguously that ObamaCare mandate. Mr. Becerra led
termined to ensure that the Repub-
in-person schooling can be quite safe the lawsuit to challenge it. He used his
and that having young children spend taxpayer-funded office to sue Catholic licans and the Americans they rep-
all day staring into a laptop is a night- nuns who didn’t want government to resent don’t have a voice in this bill.
The Democrats’ move to use rec-
mare. The evidence is crystal clear. Big force them to violate their beliefs. This
onciliation to force through a purely
Labor bureaucrats keep refusing to fol- is a pattern with Mr. Becerra. When a
partisan COVID bill might be under-
low the science. California law forcing pro-life crisis
In my hometown of Louisville, our standable—and I add ‘‘might’’—if the
pregnancy centers to advertise abor-
union-backed school board vice chair- tion was challenged in court, Mr. Republicans had made it clear that we
man now asserts, with no evidence: Becerra defended it to the bitter end. opposed doing anything else on COVID,
I think we’re probably likely to see better His absurd position in favor of gov- but that couldn’t be further from the
instructional outcomes . . . if we stay [re- ernment-compelled speech was slapped truth. The Republicans have made it
mote] for the rest of the school year. down by the Supreme Court. Over the very clear that we are willing to work
Ridiculous. No facts. No evidence. last 2 years, the HHS Office for Civil with the Democrats on additional tar-
Just a personal whim. These are the Rights literally has had to hold Cali- geted relief. Just weeks ago, 10 Repub-
people controlling our kids’ futures and fornia and Mr. Becerra in violation of lican Senators put together a plan and
their parents’ lives. conscience protections that are actu- met with President Biden for 2 hours to
One anonymous teacher told report- ally written into Federal law. His zeal- discuss a bipartisan agreement, but
ers: ous refusal to respect the citizens’ while the President certainly listened
We already have a schedule and a routine legal rights positioned his State to po- to them graciously, it quickly became
going. We don’t need to be babysitting for six tentially forfeit hundreds of millions of clear that their efforts didn’t matter.
weeks because parents are upset. dollars in HHS funding. That is how It didn’t matter how willing the Repub-
Let me say that again. committed they were to these viola- licans were to negotiate; the Demo-
One anonymous teacher told report- tions. And now the fox wants to guard crats had no intention of reaching an
ers that we already have a schedule the henhouse? agreement. They wanted to go it alone,
and a routine going. We don’t need to We will review Mr. Becerra’s testi- and they were not going to let the Re-
be babysitting for 6 weeks because par- mony today, but I am hard-pressed to publicans stop them.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
ents are upset. see any way such a radical and under- In a speech a few days ago, President
By the way, failing grades in middle qualified nominee should fill such a Biden acknowledged that people have
schools are up 388 percent in our coun- critical post at this crucial time. criticized his $1.9 trillion plan but
ty. Failing grades in middle schools are I suggest the absence of a quorum. asked:
up 388 percent in our county while The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. What would they have me cut? What would
these kids are stuck at home. PADILLA). The clerk will call the roll. they have me leave out?
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S796 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 23, 2021
Well, let me offer a few ideas. every Republican would support addi- Biden selecting a career Foreign Serv-
For starters, it might be a good idea tional dollars, if needed, but the fact of ice Officer for this position. For 4
to cut out the sections of the Demo- the matter is, schools still have bil- years, members of the Foreign Service
crats’ bill that have nothing to do with lions of dollars from previous have been maligned, demeaned, and
combating COVID. The Democrats are coronavirus legislation that remains marginalized by the people trusted to
calling this a COVID relief bill, but in unspent. And the Biden bill would ap- lead them. The selection of a career
actual fact, much of this bill has little propriate an additional $129 billion for Foreign Service Officer to represent
to do with the coronavirus. In fact, less schools that schools would get—they the United States at the United Na-
than 10 percent of the bill is directly would get—whether or not they get tions marks a sharp turn away from
related to combating COVID. kids back into the classroom. that shameful chapter.
If President Biden wants to know On top of that, most of that money I look forward to working with Am-
what sections of the bill to cut, I might would go to schools beginning next bassador Thomas-Greenfield as we take
suggest starting with the bill’s min- year and stretching all the way to 2028; on the difficult work of restoring our
imum wage hike. The Democratic bill in other words, long after the pandemic standing in the world, rebuilding our
would more than double the Federal will be over. In fact, less—if you can alliances, and investing in the men and
minimum wage at a cost of an esti- believe this, less than 5 percent of the women of our Foreign Service. I am
mated 1.4 million jobs—that according education spending would occur this proud to support her nomination.
to the Congressional Budget Office. year. VOTE ON THOMAS-GREENFIELD NOMINATION
That would be problematic enough at a Ultimately, the Biden bill’s school The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
time when we are already dealing with funding ends up looking less like a plan the previous order, the question is, Will
substantial job losses, but it is even to get our kids back in schools and the Senate advise and consent to the
worse when you realize that the people more like caving in to the teachers’ Thomas-Greenfield nomination?
most likely to lose their jobs as a re- unions. Mr. SCOTT of Florida. I ask for the
sult of this hike would be lower income So if President Biden would like to yeas and nays.
workers. know what to cut, I would suggest he The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a
I would also suggest that the Presi- start with some of the things I have sufficient second?
dent cut his $86 billion bailout of mul- highlighted. And I would ask—I would There appears to be a sufficient sec-
tiemployer pension plans, which has ask that he and the Democratic leader- ond.
nothing to do with emergency COVID ship abandon their plan to shove The clerk will call the roll.
relief. through a bloated, partisan bill, paid The bill clerk called the roll.
The President could also consider for with all borrowed money—every Mr. THUNE. The following Senators
cutting his $350 billion slush fund for single dollar goes on the debt—and to are necessarily absent: the Senator
States and localities, which would be start trying for the unity that the from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL) and the
used mostly to reward States that shut President has talked about. Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.
down their businesses for extended pe- The President could show that he TOOMEY).
riods and, therefore, have higher unem- really meant what he said in his inau- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
ployment rates. gural address by sitting down, in a seri- LUJÁN). Are there any other Senators
It has become clear the majority of ous way, with Republicans to develop in the Chamber desiring to vote?
States are doing OK financially despite targeted relief legislation. The result was announced—yeas 78,
the pandemic. A number of States ac- We are ready to come to the table. nays 20, as follows:
tually saw higher tax revenues in 2020, The ball is in the President’s court. [Rollcall Vote No. 61 Ex.]
and a majority of States have the re- I yield the floor.
YEAS—78
sources needed to weather the rest of I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Baldwin Hickenlooper Reed
this crisis. Three hundred fifty billion
Bennet Hirono Risch
dollars far exceeds projected State clerk will call the roll. Blumenthal Hyde-Smith Romney
need. The bill clerk proceeded to call the Blunt Inhofe Rosen
And while we are on that topic, the roll. Booker Johnson Rounds
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, Boozman Kaine Sanders
economic stimulus provided by Presi- Brown Kelly
I ask unanimous consent that the order Schatz
dent Biden’s bill, in general, far ex- Burr Kennedy Schumer
ceeds the economic need and may actu- for the quorum call be rescinded. Cantwell King
Shaheen
ally harm the economy. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Capito Klobuchar
Sinema
Cardin Leahy
Even without a dollar more of stim- objection, it is so ordered. Carper Lee Smith
ulus spending, our economy is expected Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I Casey Luján Stabenow
rise in support of the nomination of Sullivan
to grow at a robust 3.7 percent in 2021. Cassidy Lummis
Collins Manchin Tester
The massive amount of spending that Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield Thune
Coons Markey
the President is proposing to inject to be the United States Ambassador to Cornyn McConnell Tillis
into the economy runs the very real the United Nations. Cortez Masto Menendez Van Hollen
risk of overheating the economy and Our next U.N. Ambassador will in- Crapo Merkley Warner
Duckworth Moran Warnock
driving up inflation, and you don’t herit the monumental task of rebuild- Durbin Murkowski Warren
have to take my word for it. Even some ing our frayed alliances after four Feinstein Murphy Whitehouse
liberal economists have expressed their years of isolation and division, in Fischer Murray Wicker
concern over the size of the Democrats’ which the United States retreated from Gillibrand Ossoff Wyden
Graham Padilla Young
coronavirus legislation and the damage our leadership role in promoting de- Hassan Peters
that it could do to the economy. mocracy, freedom, human rights, and Heinrich Portman
Then, of course, there is the money the rule of law. There is no person bet- NAYS—20
the bill includes for schools. Now, ter suited to this task than Ambas-
Barrasso Ernst Rubio
while children in some places, like sador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Blackburn Grassley Sasse
South Dakota, are in school, we need In a Foreign Service career spanning Braun Hagerty Scott (FL)
to get all kids back to in-person learn- more than three decades, Ambassador Cotton Hawley Scott (SC)
Cramer Hoeven Shelby
ing. In-person learning is important for Thomas-Greenfield served with distinc- Cruz Lankford Tuberville
kids’ academic, social, and emotional tion both in Washington and around Daines Marshall
health, and as Republicans have dem- the globe, including at the U.S. Mission
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
NOT VOTING—2
onstrated, we want to ensure that to the United Nations that she will now
Paul Toomey
schools have the resources they need to lead.
get back into the classroom safely. As the son of a Foreign Service Offi- The nomination was confirmed.
Our previous coronavirus bills con- cer and cochair of the Senate Foreign The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
tained more than $100 billion for edu- Service Caucus, I am also acutely the previous order, the motion to re-
cation, and I think it is safe to say that aware of the significance of President consider is considered made and laid
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