American Rescue Plan (Cong. Rec., Feb. 24, 2021)
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, House, dated February 24, 2021, at page H593, headed American Rescue Plan. The Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McGovern, recognizes Mr. Costa for 5 minutes, and Mr. Costa speaks in support of the American Rescue Plan, saying over 18 million Americans are receiving unemployment benefits and that over 140 executives of major American corporations support the $1.9 trillion plan. He also urges funding for States and local governments to help reopen schools. A speaker who identifies as the Republican leader of the Education and Labor Committee argues against H.R. 5, the Equality Act, saying it would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to make sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes.
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Cite this document
“American Rescue Plan (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-pgh593-b27f7fdbaa/
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February 24, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H593
As a former educator and the Repub- tise these proposals as guaranteeing The American Rescue Plan will bring
lican leader of the Education and fundamental civil and legal rights. nearly $200 million to these two local
Labor Committee, I can tell you that Mr. Speaker, as elected Representa- communities combined, providing crit-
the bill may have equality in the title, tives, we all strive for equality before ical relief needed to provide funding for
but it certainly does not serve all the law, but H.R. 5 is another classic services their residents require, my
Americans. example of Democrats passing a law constituents.
This legislation has a clever name now and figuring out what it means Now that vaccines are being adminis-
and an allegedly noble purpose, but it later. This is no way to legislate. tered, with millions inoculated so far,
is a vehicle for serious harmful con- f we have to continue to build on that
sequences. momentum, for gaining the upper hand
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN over this disease is on the horizon if we
The Equality Act would empower the
government to interfere in how regular The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. stay the course and implement the
Americans think, speak, and act. Spe- MCGOVERN). The Chair recognizes the plan the President has outlined.
cifically, it would amend the Civil gentleman from California (Mr. COSTA) But we must do more to help Ameri-
Rights Act of 1964 to make sexual ori- for 5 minutes. cans than just providing vaccinations.
entation and gender identity protected Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Obviously, that is at the front lines,
classes. According to the National Re- to speak on behalf of the American and we will produce more vaccines in
view, this extreme legislation ‘‘rede- Rescue Plan. the next month and in the next 2
The critical need to provide eco- months so that, as the President said,
fines sex to include gender identity,
nomic relief for struggling Americans 300 million Americans, by this summer,
undermines religious freedom, gives
and communities across the Nation will have the ability to be vaccinated.
males who identify as females the right could never be more evident than it is
to women’s spaces, and sets a dan- But economic relief is part of the ne-
now. A year into this pandemic, the cessity to help them, and the American
gerous political precedent for the world is reeling from the fallout of the
medicalization of gender-confused Rescue Plan does that.
coronavirus pandemic. Now, I have heard some of my col-
youth.’’ This time last year, we had a handful
Under H.R. 5, our Nation’s K–12 leagues on the other side talk about
of people that had, sadly, passed away the concerns about the fiscal impacts
schools would be forced to treat gender from COVID–19 as it slowly made its
as being fluid, subjective, and not tied to our economy. I am a Blue Dog. I be-
way across the country. This week, we lieve that we need to have fiscal dis-
to biological reality. The bill would un- mourned over 500,000 lives lost and
dermine Title IX protections for girls cipline, and I believe, after being here
countless family members and loved 17 years, that happens when Democrats
by outlawing sex-based athletic com- ones that will be impacted forever, and
petitions. are willing to deal with expenditures
we are still not out of the woods. Yes- and Republicans are willing to deal
Even more troubling is the bill’s me- terday evening, we appropriately hon-
ticulous and intentional destruction of with revenues. And unless we do deal
ored and recognized those Americans with those two things together it isn’t
religious freedom protections. who lost their lives.
Religiously-affiliated colleges and going to happen.
This pandemic has created a deep The last administration indebted this
universities that maintain student economic crisis for American families Nation over $7.5 trillion—$7.5 trillion
codes of conduct, hiring practices, or and small businesses. Economic inequi- in the last 4 years. I didn’t hear much
housing rules reflecting sincerely held ties continue to accelerate, sadly. Our discussion during that time about the
beliefs about marriage and sexuality, communities are hurting. They are fiscal deficit. But I learned another
risk losing Federal funding under the hurting, and the time for decisive ac- thing in 17 years here; when Democrats
Equality Act, as such policies would be tion is now, just as we did in a bipar- are in charge, the debt matters. But
deemed discriminatory. tisan effort last year. when Republicans are in charge, who
Beloved secular private colleges that Think about it. America—America, cares?
maintain single-sex policies, like the richest country in the world, and So let’s get real about this deficit.
Smith College and Morehouse College, yet the numbers are staggering. Over America is hurting today, and it needs
would be forced to change their poli- 18 million Americans are receiving un- our support and it needs our help.
cies or forego Federal funding. employment benefits. Nearly 24 million Over 140 executives of major Amer-
In the State of Virginia, we have al- Americans are going hungry, including ican corporations are supporting this
ready seen the displeasure among par- 12 million children—12 million chil- plan. Over 140 of the major companies
ents regarding such policy implemen- dren. And nearly 40 million Americans in America think that this is nec-
tation. In an opinion piece published by cannot afford to pay the rent and pos- essary, the $1.9 trillion, to get this
the Washington Post in 2019, a former sibly face eviction. economy going and to put our country
middle and high school teacher whose We must get more funding to our back on a track that we can be safe
children attend Arlington public States and local governments so they from this pandemic.
schools said: ‘‘It would erode parents’ can help those immediately impacted. So I urge my colleagues to do the
rights over their children’s education, This will allow us to begin to open our right thing and to vote in favor of the
corrode Title IX protections for girls, schools safely, which we must do, in American Rescue Plan, as we did pre-
and risk convincing healthy, normally addition to the rest of our economy. vious measures on a bipartisan effort.
developing boys and girls that their This is a key component of President f
bodies are wrong and must be altered Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which I
with hormones and be vandalized by support. CAREER AND TECHNICAL
surgical instruments.’’ Now, let me repeat. The American EDUCATION MONTH
The bill also lacks any pro-life pro- Rescue Plan will work to keep commu- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
tections, which is why I am submitting nities safe and reopen schools with a Chair recognizes the gentleman from
my amendment that will protect reli- robust vaccine plan for the public and Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5
giously affiliated groups and individ- educators that has been absent until minutes.
uals from being forced to perform abor- the last 6 weeks. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania.
tions. In my own circumstance, my own Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize
This bill is a brazen attempt to re- constituency, the city of Fresno, in the February as Career and Technical Edu-
place longstanding constitutional heart of my district is facing a multi- cation Month. Each year, this month
rights with the identity politics of the million dollar budget shortfall. Like highlights the benefits of a skills-based
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
moment. most cities across the country, they education and the valuable contribu-
We have entered treacherous waters will be forced to cut jobs, including tions that CTE students make to the
by considering legislation that stifles those of first responders, without Fed- American workforce.
proven, bipartisan solutions and, more eral support. The same is true in the A one-size-fits-all approach to edu-
seriously, our Bill of Rights. It is out- communities of Madera and Merced, cation is not an effective way to pre-
rageous that Democrats would adver- also in my district. pare students for the workforce. We are
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