American Rescue Package (Cong. Rec., Feb. 25, 2021)
Summary
These House pages of the Congressional Record (from page H628, February 25, 2021) carry speeches under the heading American Rescue Package. Jackson Lee of Texas supports the American Rescue Plan, citing 500,000 lives lost and jobs lost in Houston, including 391,000 in healthcare and 303,600 in retail, and asks Members to pass the bill. Another Member urges direct funding for local public health workforces and cites the 99 counties of Iowa. Later entries support the Equality Act and honor the Divine Nine, with a recess ordered at 11 o'clock and 17 minutes a.m. and the House called back to order at noon.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“American Rescue Package (Cong. Rec., Feb. 25, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-02-25-crec-2021-02-25-pt1-pgh628-2-956de63d59/
, SHA-256 adbd5070363c675a639bf28d4021bd001f8ecfe34d84ab669da034ec87737e9a.Full text
H628 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 25, 2021
This bill also provides direct support noncompetitive, local public health Mr. Speaker, I am on the floor today
to local government, cities, and coun- grants. to reinforce my continued and em-
ties directly who have not benefited In our 99 counties in Iowa, local pub- phatic support for the American Res-
from their States directly. This is lic health officials are intelligent, ex- cue Plan, because I don’t see the 500,000
critically important to small commu- perienced, and capable to dispense vac- lives as just numbers, I see them as
nities and large communities all across cines in a rapid and efficient process. persons who are in need.
this Nation. They have proven their capabilities by This plan will mount a national vac-
Finally, the American Rescue Plan setting up drive-through clinics for flu cination program that includes setting
supports our small businesses and our vaccines, and also in the H1N1 pan- up community vaccination sites na-
frontline workers in our minority com- demic as well. And given their pre- tionwide. It will also take complemen-
munities. In this bill, we expand PPP paredness training, they have worked tary measures to combat the virus, in-
eligibility and we provide critical re- with our local emergency management cluding scaling up testing and tracing,
sources to our frontline healthcare associates to do drive-through testing. addressing shortages of personal pro-
workers, transit workers, and teachers. These are the same nurses and individ- tective equipment—a real fight against
b 1100 uals who live in your communities and COVID–19 and all of its variants, in-
who have vaccinated your children and cluding the UK, South Africa, and one
Mr. Speaker, economists and have been the source of information that is just starting up. It delivers im-
healthcare experts agree, if we do not and calm and support throughout this mediate relief to working families. It
take bold action now, we will have crisis. will give the $1,400—that will make it
more deaths later and risk an economic Mr. Speaker, let’s work together to $2,000, increase in the minimum wage
downturn. defeat this virus by supporting our as well, and continued unemployment.
Mr. Speaker, I am asking my col- State and local public health teams by Mr. Speaker, let me cite the city of
leagues, both Republicans and Demo- getting them the funding they need di- Houston, that we have lost jobs in 9
crats, to listen to President Biden’s rectly to them at the community level key service sectors:
call for bipartisanship and pass this through noncompetitive, local public Healthcare, 391,000 jobs lost; retail,
bill. health grants. Acknowledging the tre- 303,600 jobs lost; food services, 267,000
I am reminded during this Black His- mendous work that our local public jobs lost; finance, 166,000; private edu-
tory Month of the powerful words of health workforce does on a daily basis cation, 63,000; art and entertainment
Dr. Martin Luther King, who said, ‘‘We and funding their efforts will defeat 37,000-plus; accommodations, $28,000;
must use time creatively, in the knowl- this virus and get America back on its air transportation, $20,200.
edge that the time is always ripe to do feet.
right.’’ One of the reasons my motion passed
f in the Budget Committee to ensure the
Mr. Speaker, let’s pass this package
so that we can begin to Build Back AMERICAN RESCUE PACKAGE protection of the public funding where
Better and reassure our constituents The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Harris County will receive $141 billion
that help is indeed on the way. Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from plus. The city of Houston will receive
Texas (Ms. JACKSON LEE) for 5 minutes. $141 billion plus, because we are des-
f
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, perate to provide these dollars for our
FUND LOCAL AND STATE PUBLIC none of us can rise to the floor of the public resources, our municipal work-
HEALTH WORKFORCE House and talk about the cruciality of ers, our healthcare workers, our fire-
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The the American Rescue package and the fighters, our paramedics, our law en-
Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from absolute imperative nature of this par- forcement, police. We are all in need to
Iowa (Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS) for 5 min- ticular legislation passing without ac- continue this fight. We need this
utes. knowledging 500,000 lives—not num- money to support struggling commu-
Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, bers, but names of mothers and fathers, nities, as indicated with the loss of jobs
in the coming days, the House is ex- grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts in Houston and Harris County.
pected to vote on a $1.9 trillion spend- and uncles and cousins, sisters and Mr. Speaker, the plan will provide
ing bill that the majority claims will brothers, just plain good friends, and crucial support for the hardest hit
help fight the COVID–19 crisis. Despite loved ones that extend beyond one’s small businesses, and I am glad we
this massive price tag, less than one- family. And then for the love of this have worked to target these small busi-
half of 1 percent of those dollars in this country, just our fellow Americans. nesses, especially those owned by en-
bill will go to fund a local and State Mr. Speaker, these are hardworking trepreneurs from racial and ethnic
public health workforce. people, many of them essential workers backgrounds that experienced systemic
As a former director of the Iowa De- on the front lines. Unfortunately, with discrimination, along with EIDL
partment of Public Health, I have seen the horrific and insulting effort that grants that my faith communities and
firsthand the great work our local pub- was made by the last administration, nonprofits are asking about, and as
lic health departments do, and I know essential workers were out and about well, the expanded eligibility for those
how necessary they are in this fight in grocery stores and delivery trucks, entities and resources for jobs, to pro-
against COVID–19. It is unthinkable to first responders, and no one attempted tect the jobs of first responders, as I in-
me that any so-called COVID relief bill to stop the community spread. We had dicated.
will dedicate such a miniscule portion no testing protocol, and it was in my Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear: We
of its funding to local public health de- Congressional district that I worked are hard hit. If we do not pass the
partments, the same departments that with United Memorial Hospital to en- American Rescue Plan, which I intend
are in our community, with us every sure that we had testing sites and to support enthusiastically, we will end
day, working around the clock to de- opened the first testing site in my Con- up with 4 million fewer jobs. It will
feat this pandemic. In contrast, FEMA gressional district to reach hard-to- take us more than a year to return to
is allocated $50 billion, and they have serve areas on March 19. full employment. We will lower the
no medical personnel to dispense vac- Mr. Speaker, since that time, we lifetime earnings of our young genera-
cines. have done 55 with UMMC, a small hos- tion. Millions of parents, particularly
Mr. Speaker, if we are serious about pital that I call, ‘‘the little red engine mothers—women have been hurt by
defeating this virus, I urge my col- that can.’’ But that was all done by the this even more—will be forced to stay
leagues to prioritize our public health energy and determination in a city at home, and another 4 years of suf-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
officials and those on the frontline that was clearly one of the hotspots as fering before real returns come.
against COVID–19, instead of directing part of the State of Texas, complete in- Mr. Speaker, we had to experience
billions of dollars to programs and ini- ertia by our leadership until we began this, but we are not going to continue
tiatives unrelated to this crisis. to see the high numbers of loss of life to experience it. Let’s support the
This funding should go as a pass- in the African-American and Latinx American Rescue Plan as the Biden ad-
through to the CDC and directly to community. ministration has asked us to do.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:39 Feb 26, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K25FE7.012 H25FEPT1
February 25, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H629
EQUAL PROTECTION AND RIGHTS Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Their membership in the House in-
FOR ALL as Black History Month comes to an cludes: Congresswoman MARCIA FUDGE,
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The end, I rise today to honor the organiza- YVETTE CLARKE, JOYCE BEATTY, VAL
Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from tions that have served as the training DEMINGS, STACEY PLASKETT, LUCY
New York (Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY) ground for many of our Nation’s most MCBATH, and BRENDA LAWRENCE. Their
for 5 minutes. extraordinary leaders. These organiza- honorable President is Beverly E.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New tions have fostered and empowered Smith.
York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in generations of bold, brilliant, and hu- Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity founded
strong support of the Equality Act, mane leaders, and they continue their in 1914 at Howard University. Not only
long overdue legislation to continue transformational work today. are the Sigmas the fraternity of my
the progress made under the Civil Mr. Speaker, I am talking about the husband, Dr. Nathaniel Horn, they also
Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Divine Nine, the historically Black fra- include: The late, great Congressmen
Act, the Equal Opportunity Act, and ternities and sororities of the National John Lewis and Elijah Cummings, civil
other vital laws that prohibit discrimi- Pan-Hellenic Council. This past year, rights pioneer and the Brotherhood of
nation on the basis of race, color, reli- they have played a pivotal role in help- Sleeping Car Porters, Philip Randolph,
gion, sex or national origin. ing communities deal with the COVID and also record-setter, Jerry Rice, and
These civil rights laws were passed to crisis, and they have also registered a current congressman, ADRIANO
provide critical protections for people many people to vote and brought many ESPAILLAT. Their honorable Inter-
who unnecessarily live in fear and were people to the polls. national President is Michael Cristal.
The Divine Nine organizations are:
unfairly persecuted simply because of
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity founded b 1115
who they were. They were passed be-
in 1906 at Cornell University. Their Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, founded in
cause the promise of America—equal
brotherhood includes the Reverend Dr. 1920, just finished celebrating their
treatment under the law—was non-
Martin Luther King, and includes the 100th year. Notable sisters include: in-
negotiable. It is still nonnegotiable.
president of the National Urban ventor Annie Turnbo Malone; Zora
So with the Equality Act, we must
League, Marc Morial. Also, in Con- Neale Hurston; the House also was hon-
take the next step to guarantee equal
gress, we are honored to have Congress- ored to have the late Congresswoman
protection and rights under the law for
men EMANUEL CLEAVER, DANNY DAVIS, Julia Carson and former Congress-
all, no matter who you love or your
AL GREEN, GREGORY MEEKS, DAVID woman Donna Edwards; and their hon-
gender identity. The Equality Act
SCOTT, BOBBY SCOTT, STEVEN orable president, Valerie Hollings-
seeks to stamp out discrimination
HORSFORD, and Senator WARNOCK. They worth-Baker.
against the LGBTQIA community—
are led by the honorable General Presi- Sigma Gamma Rho, my favorite so-
something that we, unfortunately, see
dent Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III. rority, was founded in 1922 at Butler
far too often.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority founded University. The late Congresswoman
Mr. Speaker, no one should face dis-
in 1908 at Howard University. Their sis- Lindy Boggs and former Congress-
crimination in employment, housing,
terhood proudly boasts having civil woman Corrine Brown honored this
education, public space, or federally
rights leaders, Rosa Parks and Coretta House. Also, they join members who
funded programs because of who they
Scott King; and, of course, their sister- are the first African-American winner
are or who they love. I am proud to be
hood also includes our very own Vice of an Academy Award, Hattie
an ally of the LGBTQIA community
President, KAMALA HARRIS. McDaniel; the first Black woman CPA,
and have worked to advance these Members of Congress are: SHEILA Mary T. Washington Wylie; and our es-
rights and protections with groups and JACKSON LEE, EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, teemed grand basileus, Rasheeda S.
individuals throughout my career in TERRI SEWELL, FREDERICA WILSON, Liberty.
public service, including hiring an out, ALMA ADAMS, BONNIE WATSON COLE- Finally, Iota Phi Theta was founded
HIV positive, gay man to serve as my MAN, NIKEMA WILLIAMS, and LAUREN in 1963 at Morgan State University.
first Congressional chief of staff. UNDERWOOD. Members of their crew are Spencer
In 1986, while serving on the New Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity founded Christian from ‘‘Good Morning Amer-
York City Council, I introduced the in 1911 at Indiana University. Among ica’’; Terrence C. Carson, known as
first bill to legally recognize same-sex their notable achievers are: Astronaut, ‘‘Kyle’’ from ‘‘Living Single’’; and also
partnerships in New York State his- Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.; civil rights our fellow colleague, Congressman
tory, and I had to threaten the city of leader, the Reverend Ralph Abernathy; BOBBY RUSH. Their honorable grand po-
New York to even get the bill printed. and former congressman, the late John laris is Andre R. Mason.
City officials said the bill was uncon- Conyers. From standing up for women’s suf-
stitutional and could not even be print- Members of Congress include: SAN- frage, civil rights, and ending Jim
ed. And while we have made great FORD BISHOP, ALCEE HASTINGS, BENNIE Crow to leading industries, medical ad-
progress—the bill was printed and THOMPSON, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, AL vancements, and e-innovation, the Di-
passed since then—we still have work LAWSON, and DON MCEACHIN. And they vine Nine has been at the forefront of
to do. are led by the Grand Polemarch Reu- progress, and I am so proud to be a
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that New ben A. Shelton, and a former colleague, member.
York State recently enacted legisla- Lacy Clay.
tion to repeal the ‘‘walking while f
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity founded in
trans’’ ban, but we must ensure that 1911 at Howard University. They in- RECESS
the LGBTQIA community has these clude in their ranks: Poet, playwright,
protections and equal rights all The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-
and author, Langston Hughes, and civil ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair
throughout the country. Access to rights activist and reverend, Jesse
equal rights should not depend on your declares the House in recess until noon
Jackson, Jr. today.
ZIP Code. House Members are: House Demo-
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues Accordingly (at 11 o’clock and 17
cratic Whip, JAMES CLYBURN of South minutes a.m.), the House stood in
to join me today in voting to pass the Carolina, HANK JOHNSON of Georgia,
Equality Act so that every American, recess.
and KWEISI MFUME of Maryland. Their
regardless of who they love has equal honorable Grand Basileus is Dr. David f
protection under the law. Marion. b 1200
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
f Delta Sigma Theta founded in 1913 at
Howard University. Deltas count as AFTER RECESS
HONORING THE DIVINE NINE their sisters, the first Black congress- The recess having expired, the House
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The woman, Shirley Chisholm, and Dorothy was called to order by the Speaker pro
Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Height, president of the National Coun- tempore (Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas) at
Illinois (Ms. KELLY) for 5 minutes. cil of Negro Women. noon.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:39 Feb 26, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K25FE7.014 H25FEPT1
File and source
- File
- CREC_crec-2021-02-25_crec-2021-02-25-pt1-pgh628-2.pdf
- Size
- 225,053 bytes
- SHA-256
- adbd5070363c675a639bf28d4021bd001f8ecfe34d84ab669da034ec87737e9a
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov