Biden COVID Bailout Package (Cong. Rec., Feb. 24, 2021)
Summary
This Congressional Record for Wednesday, February 24, 2021 (No. 35) covers the House of Representatives, which met at 10 a.m. with Costa as Speaker pro tempore under a designation letter from the Speaker. In morning-hour debate under the heading Biden COVID Bailout Package, Budd of North Carolina says the government has appropriated over $4 trillion in COVID relief and that $1 trillion remains unspent, while the House debates adding another $2 trillion. Blumenauer of Oregon speaks on the Texas energy crisis and the Green New Deal. Other speakers address the murder of local leaders in Colombia and criticize H.R. 5 as partisan.
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Cite this document
“Biden COVID Bailout Package (Cong. Rec., Feb. 24, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-02-24-crec-2021-02-24-pt1-pgh591-5-eec920e246/
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Congressional Record
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117 th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 No. 35
House of Representatives
The House met at 10 a.m. and was watching him contort trying to change could start first of all by telling the
called to order by the Speaker pro tem- his story over the course of the next truth. It is not renewable energy, it
pore (Mr. COSTA). few days. It was sort of a national joke. was fossil fuel that failed and contin-
f But what was happening in Texas was ued reliance on fossil fuel is going to
not a joke. These conditions were un- make events like this much, much
DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO precedented. But they found Texas un- more frequent.
TEMPORE able to really respond in a way despite We need to deal with reliability in
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- the fact that 10 years ago there was a Texas and around the country. Last,
fore the House the following commu- similar situation. It is fascinating. TED but not least, we must fight for climate
nication from the Speaker: CRUZ isn’t the only one struggling with justice and a low carbon future. That
the truth. The Governor of Texas, Gov- will help make these situations less
WASHINGTON, DC,
February 24, 2021. ernor Abbott, sought to blame wind en- frequent and more bearable, and it is a
I hereby appoint the Honorable JIM COSTA ergy for their plight. Wind energy, path forward that we can take con-
to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. which supplies less than 10 percent of fident that history will reflect we were
NANCY PELOSI, the total energy supply for the State, on the right side.
Speaker of the House of Representatives. performed better than fossil fuel which f
f provided the majority of it. BIDEN COVID BAILOUT PACKAGE
MORNING-HOUR DEBATE Think for a moment how they at-
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
tempted to target the Green New Deal
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Chair recognizes the gentleman from
and AOC. While TED CRUZ was strug-
ant to the order of the House of Janu- North Carolina (Mr. BUDD) for 5 min-
gling to get his story straight, our col-
ary 4, 2021, the Chair will now recog- utes.
league, ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, over the
nize Members from lists submitted by was raising millions of dollars to help
the majority and minority leaders for past year, the government has appro-
people in Texas cope. Blaming a Green priated over $4 trillion—that is with a
morning-hour debate. New Deal which has never actually
The Chair will alternate recognition T—in COVID relief. Now we are stand-
been enacted—it is an aspirational ing here this week and we are debating
between the parties, with time equally goal—is foolish. What we have seen in
allocated between the parties and each whether or not to add another $2 tril-
Texas with those extreme weather lion to that enormous total.
Member other than the majority and events are a preview of coming attrac- But what should shock taxpayers
minority leaders and the minority tions. across the country is that $1 trillion of
whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no What we saw in Australia this last COVID relief still remains unspent.
event shall debate continue beyond year and in the Western United States That means funding is still left over
11:50 a.m. with horrific wildfires, looking at a from last December and funding is still
f once-in-a-century weather event is be- left over from even last March. Now,
coming routine, and it is going to hap- that is money that the current admin-
GREEN ENERGY pen more and more frequently. istration hasn’t spent for vaccines,
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The I would suggest that Texas leadership hasn’t spent for testing, hasn’t spent
Chair recognizes the gentleman from could take a look at what they have on schools reopening, and certainly not
Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- done. Their famously deregulated en- even to reopen our country.
utes. ergy system has given the family with Mr. Speaker, I think people in Wash-
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, a $16,000 electric bill or former Gov- ington often forget that the dollars
the Nation watched in horror at the ernor and Energy Secretary Rick Perry that we are debating really aren’t ours.
terrible situation in Texas this last said: Well, people would just be happy They are the next generation’s, and
week with horrific weather conditions to have a few days without energy to this money belongs to that generation
and then the aftermath dealing with be free of the dangers of Federal regu- and to the American people.
problems with safe drinking water and lation. Is it not too much to ask what the
supply. It was leavened a little bit by I think people in the surrounding current administration plans to do
the plight of TED CRUZ who is notori- States that survived much better and with the $1 trillion in unspent taxpayer
ously struggling to tell the truth this didn’t have $16,000 monthly electric funds, Mr. Speaker, especially before
time as he fled his State and leaving bills might review that. I would sug- we toss another $2 trillion on to that
his constituents behind and then gest that the folks in Texas leadership pile?
b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m.
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Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.
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H592 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 24, 2021
This is a basic question that would During my last trip to Colombia, I lombia’s social leaders and human
come up during a family budget discus- spent a few days in the mountains of rights defenders. It outlines practical
sion with a lot less zeros, much less the northern Cauca. I met with indigenous actions and reforms the Colombian fed-
Government of the United States talk- leaders defending their right to ances- eral, state, and municipal governments
ing about trillions of dollars. tral lands. I met with Afro-Colombian could take to prevent, reduce, and even
But before and beyond the unspent leaders creating small enterprises to stop the murders and violence. Sadly,
funds, what the Democrat package does support their families and their chil- these recommendations were met with
spend money on is yet another partisan dren. I met with demobilized FARC sol- indifference, by hostility, or rejected
wish list with about 9 percent of it ac- diers hoping to build a new life and fu- out of hand. They were treated more
tually going to COVID. Meaning 91 per- ture. I met with campesino farmers de- like bad press than a serious attempt
cent of it is not even COVID-related. termined to stop growing coca and to offer help and provide a road map to
Mr. Speaker, this bill’s minimum move into the legal economy. interrupt the spiral of violence.
wage increase, for instance, would kill We sat together, and we ate together. That is why I am calling on the
1.4 million blue-collar jobs, and its un- They shared their plans and they Biden administration to make the pro-
employment insurance hike would shared their dreams with me. They tection of human rights defenders and
keep incentivizing workers to stay at dream of a Colombia at peace and a Co- social leaders one of America’s highest
home, which is a real struggle in my lombia that values all of its people, in- priorities in its relationship with Co-
district when an employer wants 2,000 cluding those who have struggled to lombia. The Biden administration and
people to come back to work and they survive in Colombia’s most violent Congress should review the Human
are competing with the Federal Gov- rural areas. Rights Watch report and determine
ernment. This makes it worse. Brave, generous, intelligent, cre- how U.S. policy and aid can advance
Under this bill, Mr. Speaker, stim- ative, vulnerable, and humble, these the full implementation of the peace
ulus checks would go to illegal immi- leaders literally have bet their lives on accord, support its protective and jus-
grants. Under this bill, taxpayer fund- the peace accord being fully imple- tice mechanisms, and help fulfill its
ing for abortion is allowed, and mented. They are counting on the promises of economic development in
Planned Parenthood is eligible for PPP peace accord to deliver the protection, neglected areas.
loans. Under this bill, funding is al- economic development, truth, and jus- I call upon my colleagues to stand up
lowed to flow to colleges and univer- tice it promised. for peace, for human rights, and for an
sities that partner with companies that But the Colombian state has aban- end to the violence against human
are controlled by Communist China. doned them, just as it has throughout rights defenders and social leaders in
Under this bill, $110 billion would be all Colombia’s history. The state has Colombia. These courageous social
sent to schools, regardless if they re- failed to put in place the individual and leaders deserve nothing less than
open or not. There is no support for community-based protections de- America’s full and unconditional sup-
families who are desperate for edu- manded by the peace accord. The state port.
cational options for their kids. has failed to dismantle the criminal f
Obviously, of course, Democrats hid networks and armed actors who daily
irrelevant spending in this bill, just threaten the lives of social leaders. The PROTECTING OUR MOST SACRED
like environmental justice grants, $800 state has failed to identify and pros- FREEDOMS
million in aid to other countries, and a ecute those who finance, profit by, and The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
$112 million earmark for a big tech sub- order the murders and violence aimed Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
way in Silicon Valley. at human rights defenders and social North Carolina (Ms. FOXX) for 5 min-
The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is we leaders. Even worse, the Colombian utes.
are again debating a liberal wish list state has chosen to remain absent from Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, government
disguised as COVID relief. The Amer- large parts of the country, failing to intervention often causes more harm
ican people aren’t fooled by any of this. establish state presence, basic services, than good. I have spent my time in
They see through the game, and they and leaving local leaders defenseless. Congress working to protect individual
know that this town can and should do Since the peace accord was signed, freedoms from unnecessary bureau-
better. over 500 rights defenders have been cratic burdens.
f murdered, according to the United Na- I recognize that a strong family is
tions human rights representative. Co- vital to our Nation’s progress and pros-
COLOMBIA FAILS TO PROTECT lombia’s own ombudsman reports even perity, which is why I have worked to
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS higher numbers, documenting more advance legislation that allows fami-
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The than 700 murders during that same pe- lies to flourish and protects life at all
Chair recognizes the gentleman from riod, and nongovernmental organiza- stages. It is unconscionable that in
Massachusetts (Mr. MCGOVERN) for 5 tions place the total even higher. America, where we fight for life, lib-
minutes. Rather than seeing this grim reality erty, and the pursuit of happiness, we
Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, over as a call to action, the government of tolerate the systemic extermination of
the past two decades, I have traveled to President Ivan Duque has tried to ob- an entire generation. The right to life
Colombia more than a dozen times. On scure the number of murder victims. demands that we protect our Nation’s
each trip, I have had the privilege of His government defends all the prom- most vulnerable, including the unborn.
meeting human rights defenders and ises it has made on paper without Our First Amendment is a powerful
social leaders. changing by one iota the reality on the instrument that has protected our
In cities, towns, and remote rural ground. It acts as if these murders and most sacred freedoms for hundreds of
areas, these brave men, women, and threats were some kind of public rela- years.
young people have confronted violence tions crisis, a battle over statistics and
all their lives, and they and their com- optics. b 1015
munities are targeted by illegal armed But it is not a PR problem. It is lives Few other countries provide the same
groups—paramilitaries, guerrillas, and on the line. Economists have written protections and freedoms that our
criminal organizations. They have been books on the importance of human cap- First Amendment guarantees. We are
targets of the Colombian military and ital in the development of a prosperous the land of the free because of it. Our
too often harassed and under illegal economy. Lack of political will to pre- individual liberties are the envy of peo-
surveillance by the state. Simply for vent these murders and protect these ple around the world and they are the
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speaking on behalf of others, orga- local leaders is literally bleeding Co- cornerstone of the world’s oldest de-
nizing to meet basic needs, or carrying lombia of the very human capital it mocracy.
out the duties of their profession— needs to consolidate peace and create a Yet, today, these essential rights are
teacher, doctor, farmer, lawyer, jour- more prosperous and dynamic future. under attack. H.R. 5 is the latest exam-
nalist, and pastor—they are threat- Two weeks ago, Human Rights Watch ple of Democrats’ misleading and par-
ened, assaulted, and murdered. issued a report on the murders of Co- tisan manner of legislating.
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