Child Tax Credit and Confirmation of Adewale O. Adeyemo, March 25, 2021 — Congressional Record, Senate
Summary
This is S1841 of the Congressional Record, Senate, March 25, 2021, with interleaved columns. The page begins with remarks on Alexei Navalny, saying that the Russian government is afraid of him and that supporters turned out across Russia. A Senator who says he is driving home to Newark then speaks about child poverty and the child tax credit and supports the confirmation of Adewale O. Adeyemo at the Treasury Department, saying the median income in his neighborhood was about $14,000 per household, with the views and figures attributed to the speakers.
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“Child Tax Credit and Confirmation of Adewale O. Adeyemo, March 25, 2021 — Congressional Record, Senate.”
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March 25, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1841
concerns and has received inadequate Yellen’s—one exemplary Treasury Sec- moral urgency to address poverty. And
medical care. retary—Chief of Staff. He is a terrific that is really what we are all here to
This is a familiar sounding story, but public servant. talk about—the urgency of the crisis of
one thing is clear: The Russian dicta- Senator CORTEZ MASTO, the Presiding poverty and specifically child poverty.
torship is terrified of Alexei Navalny. Officer, and I were talking a few min- In America, this is unacceptable. In
He is a threat to them because he has utes ago about the importance of the the wealthiest Nation on the planet
exposed their unbridled corruption and Treasury Department in so many Earth, the question of poverty is not
urged voters to demand that the gov- things from the child tax credit, to the one of inevitability; it is one of policy
ernment respect their rights. Because pension bill, to so many things that we choice. It is not if we can do some-
of that, Alexei Navalny’s life is in dan- do that matter—getting the $1,400 thing; it is will we do something.
ger at this very moment. checks out and making sure our tax Tonight, I am going home to Newark,
The tens of thousands of demonstra- system is fair. driving very soon, where I have lived
tors who turned out across Russia to Senator BENNET and I serve together over the past 20 years. I am proud to
support this jailed opposition leader with Senator CORTEZ MASTO and others call Newark home. I am proud to be a
send an unmistakable message to the on the Committee on Finance. What part of a community of people who
Kremlin: You cannot suppress the that means and what we are trying to take care of each other. I am proud to
voice of the people indefinitely. do on that committee is to take away be part of a community that is rich
Freedom-loving Americans and free- the 50-percent-off coupon from corpora- with dignity, rich with activism and
dom-loving people around the world tions that shut down production in intellect and engagement.
are, today, crying out for justice for Reno or in Boulder or in Cleveland or But we are also a community, like so
Alexei Navalny. He endures the suf- in Newark and move overseas. They many others in America, that still
fering of many before him—in Russia, get, essentially, a 50-percent-off coupon struggles. According to the last census,
people like Sergei Magnitsky and Boris on their taxes. We need to close those the median income for the census track
Nemtsov and, abroad, people like Nel- loopholes. We need a Treasury Sec- that I live in was about $14,000 per
son Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi— retary, and we need Adewale Adeyemo, household, and that was before the
whose legacies and movements did not who will make a huge difference in our dual public health and economic crises
rot while they were in prison but, in- work there. of the COVID pandemic.
stead, helped to bring down oppressive So I thank Senator SCHUMER and And in my community, like many
governments. those on both sides of the aisle for fi- others, urban and rural, across Amer-
At this point, I yield to the Senator nally confirming him today and get- ica, adults aren’t the only ones strug-
from Colorado for a brief intervention ting him to work. gling; our kids are too. In fact, the
before I close with a thought or two. I yield to Senator BENNET, who, I poorest age group in America is our
Mr. BENNET. Madam President, I think, is going to start or, maybe, Sen- children, with one in six American kids
rise on behalf of Senator CARDIN, who ator BOOKER. living in poverty. It is nothing less
is a Democrat from the State of Mary- Less than 2 weeks ago, President than a moral obscenity that the richest
land and an original cosponsor of this Biden signed the American Rescue Nation in the world should have the
bill with Senator WICKER, to say what Plan into law. He ushered in some of highest rates of child poverty in the de-
he would have said if he had been here the most transformative economic veloped world.
today, which is that Alexei Navalny is policies to come out of Washington in For adults, poverty has a technical
a Russian patriot, that he is a prisoner generations. definition. It is a federally defined
of conscience, and that we need to By expanding access to and eligi- guideline—an amount of annual income
stand up to Russia’s human rights vio- bility for the child tax credit and the that you fall under that also takes into
lations. earned income tax credit, the Amer- account how many people are in your
Thank you. ican Rescue Plan is going to lift 10 mil- household.
Mr. WICKER. In reclaiming my time, lion kids above or closer to the poverty For kids, poverty is defined by what
I appreciate the work of my friend Sen- line and put money in the pockets of 17 they experience every single day, by
ator CARDIN. million American workers across the what happens to them. It is growing up
Senator COONS from Delaware was country. being more likely to deal with food in-
also here, but, unfortunately, he had to I want to start out by noting that security, not knowing where your next
leave. both the income—low-income and mid- meal will come from or when it will
They also wanted to make it clear dle-income families and workers poten- come. It is facing housing insecurity. A
that, on a bipartisan basis, on both tially qualify for these credits, and quarter of kids living in poverty will
sides of the aisle, the U.S. Senate they will be issued periodically via have gone through an eviction before
stands for freedom-loving people in check and direct deposit. American they turn 15 years old.
Russia and for their spokesman, Alexei workers should know this was a pro- Kids in poverty have worse health
Navalny. We intend to shine the light found change that will benefit you. outcomes, worse educational outcomes,
of public opinion on the actions of the American workers also have to know and are more likely to become en-
Russian kleptocracy and dictatorship that they won’t have to wait until next trapped in our broken criminal justice
with regard to prisoners and patriots year. You won’t have to start to see ad- system. And kids who grow up in pov-
like Alexei Navalny. vanced payments of these credits 6, 7, erty are more likely to be poor as
I yield the floor. 10 months down—you will see them as adults.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- early as July. And because of the Study after study has shown how
ator from Ohio. changes that we made, if you didn’t children who live in poverty have high-
f previously qualify because you didn’t er levels of stress hormones. The stress
have a high enough income, you could of poverty literally affects their brains.
CONFIRMATION OF ADEWALE O. be eligible now. It inhibits brain development. It is vio-
ADEYEMO I am so proud to be here today along- lence against the brain of a child.
Mr. BROWN. Madam President, be- side Senator BROWN, Senator BENNET, One child poverty expert described
fore we hear from Senator BOOKER and Senator WARNOCK, the Presiding Offi- the stress hormones that are con-
Senator BENNET and Senator WARNOCK cer, who are in large part responsible stantly released in kids growing up in
on one of the best things this Senate for this powerful lifeline to the Amer- poverty as similar to the feeling that
has done in my career, that being the ican people and, critically, for our chil- an adult would get after a car crash—
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extension of the child tax credit and dren. every single day. This is violence.
the earned income tax credit, I just Senator BENNET, Senator BROWN, We know that when a child experi-
want to say a few words about someone Senator WARNOCK, thank you. You are ences poverty, there are lifelong psy-
we just voted on at the Department of champions who have been fighting in chological and physiological effects
the Treasury who is so, so important, and out of the Senate and understand they carry with them. Study after
Adewale Adeyemo, who will be Janet not just the economic urgency but the study after study has borne this out.
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S1842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 25, 2021
For kids, poverty is literally dangerous morally and economically urgent chal- When I voted from this chair on Jan-
for their development, dangerous for lenges of the United States of America. uary—I am sorry, on March 6, we had
their health, and they could have per- These are the kinds of investments in been in session all night. We had voted
manent and lasting damage to their our people that will change life trajec- time after time after time. It was a
brains. tories and have a ripple effect for gen- partisan vote.
The cruelty of this crisis is that no erations yet to come. I mean, partisanship is not what Sen-
parent would ever choose that for their If you give the child—a child firmer ator MCCONNELL and my Republican
child. Poor parents do not choose for ground on which to grow, they will colleagues say it is. Something that is
their kids to experience the daily trau- blossom and reap a harvest beyond our partisan or nonpartisan is what the
ma of poverty. They do not choose to imagination. But if you punish them in voters think, and the voters over-
condemn their kids to a life of worse the trauma, in the violence of poverty, whelmingly support the earned income
education outcomes, worse health out- you decimate not just their destinies tax credit, the child tax credit, and the
comes. but all of our destinies. whole American Rescue Plan Act, and
What we must understand is that I am so grateful to have champions it will make such a huge difference in
child poverty is not a choice that low- that are here today alongside me in peoples’ lives.
income parents make. It is a failure of this effort, and, together, I know this But I remember after that vote—it
our country to take collective respon- is a crisis we are going to meet, and was 1 o’clock in the afternoon. I was
sibility for the well-being of American this crisis we can overcome. I am proud walking out of the building to drive
children. This is a moral sin. It is not of the work we have done. Now we back to Ohio. I drive every week or a
a sin to be poor but a sin to tolerate should make those changes to the young man drives with me every week
such poverty in our communities. earned income tax credit and the child back home. And a reporter stopped me
Almost 2 weeks ago, Congress and tax credit permanent. and said: What do you think? I said:
President Biden made the choice to do I am proud to pass the microphone This is the best day of my political life
something about this American sin, and the moment on to a great cham- because we—what we did, as CORY
this unacceptable reality, this moral pion of the child tax credit and the BOOKER said, we are cutting the child
obscenity—the violence happening to earned income tax credit, one of the poverty rate in half.
so many children. They did something original authors of the legislation that In my State—and I don’t think Colo-
about it; we did something about it in was pulled from for our recovery plan, rado or Georgia is much different. In
the American Rescue Plan. And now we and that is the Senator from Ohio, my State, 92 percent of children in my
are calling on our—really, we are on SHERROD BROWN. State—92 percent of children will ben-
Mr. BROWN. Thank you, Senator. efit from the child tax credit and their
our way for a year to cut child poverty
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
in half; for Black children more than in families often also benefit from the
WARNOCK.) The Senator from Ohio.
half, 52 percent; for Hispanic children, Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, thanks earned income tax credit. What is not
by 45 percent; for Native American to Senator BOOKER. I will be very brief. to love about that?
children, by 62 percent. That is why, like, 40 Democratic Sen-
I want to hear from Senator BENNET,
That is millions of kids across the ators are signing a letter to the Presi-
and I know that the Presiding Officer
country who will not face the violence dent of the United States, asking—we
is going to switch chairs and be out
of poverty. In New Jersey, that is 89,000 have done this for a year, this expan-
here speaking on this.
kids and their families who are not just I am so appreciative of the Presiding sion to the child tax credit and the
going to be lifted out of poverty but Officer, who won his election just in— earned income tax credit. We should do
will be given the opportunities and the on January 5. He was declared the win- it permanently, and that is what—that
freedoms that come with being able to ner—I don’t know. Georgia elections is the mission that the four of us Sen-
build a life and a future beyond with- are a little different from those of us ators sitting in this room have, is to
out the trauma that comes with pov- from other places, and as soon as he make sure this is permanent because
erty. was named the winner of that election, we know there will likely be good eco-
That is why we are together here this he came here and has been in the Sen- nomic growth next quarter, the quarter
afternoon—because lifting kids out of ate about 6 or 7 weeks now and is al- after, in large part, because of what we
poverty is not just about ending a cri- ready a leader on this fight that Sen- have done with this rescue act. There
sis but about beginning a new Amer- ator BOOKER talked about in the child will be strong economic growth, but I
ican tradition of giving every child tax credit and the earned income tax want to make sure that growth is
what every child should have in Amer- credit. shared by people at the bottom.
ica as a birthright. It is about creating I have been here long enough to re- And it so often isn’t. We have seen
freedom and liberty from the oppres- member when the earned income tax for 20 years—30 years we have seen ex-
sion of poverty. We have the power to credit was—people just didn’t know ecutive compensation explode upward.
do this. We have the tools to do it, and much about it, including our constitu- We have seen profits up. We have seen
we know it makes good economic sense ents. worker productivity is up, but workers’
to get kids and adults out of poverty. I used to, when I was a Member of the wages are flat. That is why, in the
I love what James Baldwin wrote. He House, I would ask accountants—CPAs Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
said: ‘‘Anyone who has ever struggled and public accountants—to volunteer Committee, we are working so hard to
with poverty knows how . . . expensive their time a couple of Saturdays a make sure that we provide more hous-
it is to be poor.’’ Well, that is also true month for the 2 or 3 months before ing for people so that people have safe,
for our country. Whether we realize it April 15. They would volunteer their affordable, accessible housing in this
or not, child poverty is expensive for time, and we encouraged people to sign country because, too often, they don’t.
all of us, costing our country $1.1 tril- up for the earned income tax credit, That committee is called the Senate
lion every year. But investing in end- and people making $20,000 or $25,000 a Banking Committee around here. It is
ing poverty benefits us all. Every dol- year with kids would often get $2,000 or officially Banking, Housing, and Urban
lar spent on combating child poverty $3,000 in a tax refund, in real dollars Affairs, but for years it is all about
saves this Nation $7 down the road; $1 back, because they benefited from the banking and Wall Street and very little
invested saves us $7 later. Other coun- earned income tax credit. about housing and urban affairs. We
tries, our peers, have made these kinds So what Senator BENNET and I have are changing that. We are changing
of investments in children and families worked on for a number of years is to that, in part, because this body, under
and have reaped rewards that we are continue to expand the earned income Senator BENNET’s leadership and oth-
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denying ourselves. tax credit and now a big expansion of ers—this body is actually going to do
Expanding the child tax credit and the child tax credit. Senator BENNET the right thing, as CORY BOOKER said,
the earned income tax credit and mak- has led on that issue, on that expan- and make sure that America’s children
ing them permanent are proven, data- sion, and we worked together with Sen- have greater opportunities than they
driven, evidence-based, result-apparent ator BOOKER and now Senator WARNOCK have had in the past. That is why I am
ways to respond to some of the most to make a huge difference. thrilled to be a part of this effort.
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March 25, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1843
I yield to my friend from Colorado, That might sound like an obvious That is not the problem. People are
Senator BENNET. thing for us to want to do, but Wash- killing themselves. They are not get-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ington, for years, has done exactly the ting paid. And so we say that you get
ator from Colorado is recognized. opposite of what we are doing in this the tax credit from dollar zero, which
Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, thank plan. Washington has passed one re- means, finally, millions of America’s
you very much for being a part of this gressive tax cut after another saying poorest children who have been com-
effort, and I want to thank my col- they were cutting taxes for the middle pletely overlooked—not just over-
league from Ohio for his extraordinary class. That was a complete smoke- looked, ignored—are going to get the
leadership from the very beginning on screen. Since 2000, they have cut—lis- tax credit. So millions and millions
both of these bills. He led on the EITC ten to this—$5 trillion of taxes. Almost and millions of children who were too
bill, and I was very grateful to have the all of that has gone to the wealthiest poor to benefit from what was going on
chance to be with him on that, and I on people in the country, when we have here while we were cutting taxes for
the child tax credit, and he was my got the worst income inequality that the richest people in America are now
partner from the very beginning on we have had since 1928. It doesn’t make going to benefit from this tax credit,
that, as was Senator BOOKER and Sen- any sense. and it will make the biggest difference
ator HARRIS, before she became Vice Can you imagine if the mayor of At- for them.
President HARRIS. lanta went to his citizens and said: We We are the wealthiest country in
I have only been here for 11 years, are going to borrow a bunch of money human history, and yet we have one of
Mr. President, and you have been here from the Chinese. We are going to bor- the largest, if not the largest, child-
a shorter time than that, and I never row more money than we ever have be- hood poverty rates in America. As my
thought this day would come. I never fore. And you say: Well, that kind of colleague from New Jersey, Senator
thought we would see this day. worries me. What are you going to use BOOKER, said—I lost my train of
Before I came to the Senate, I was that money for? Are you building infra- thought—wait until I get it back. I am
the superintendent of the Denver Pub- structure and roads and bridges? No. so excited about what we are doing, I
lic Schools. That is a large urban dis- Are you going to invest in our schools? can’t believe it.
trict in Colorado. Most of the kids are No. Our sewers? No. Mental health, As Senator BOOKER said, the largest
kids of color and most of the kids are something we need desperately across group of poor people in America are
kids living in poverty, and parents are this country? No. Healthcare? No. children. In other words, children have
working two and three jobs, many of What are you doing with the money?
the highest percentage poverty rates in
them. No matter what they do, they You are borrowing $5 trillion, what are
our country. How can that be? How can
can’t get their kids out of poverty. No you doing with the money?
We are going to give it to the two we accept that as a permanent state of
matter what they do, no matter how
wealthiest neighborhoods in Atlanta things? Well, we are not. Because of
hard they work, they are not paid
and hope that somehow it is going to Joe Biden’s bill, we are cutting it in
enough to get their kids out of poverty.
Over the last 11 years, I have had the trickle down to everybody else. That is half. And we are saying, in the richest
great privilege of traveling the State of how you write a bill, which is the country in the world, it is unacceptable
Colorado, and it is a diverse State. Po- Trump tax bill, where 42 percent of the for us to have one of the highest pov-
litically, it is a diverse State. We have benefit of that bill—it was a $2 trillion erty rates. Other countries have cut
urban areas and rural areas, and we bill—42 percent went to the top 5 per- their poverty rates by half, why can’t
have got some of the most dynamic cent of Americans, to the people who we? Well, today we are.
economies and business environments needed it least. We also have some of the worst eco-
in the country, and therefore on the This is exactly the opposite of that. nomic mobility rates in the industri-
planet. And yet, if I had to summarize Sixty percent of our bill—I am not alized world as well, meaning it is hard
those townhalls, it is really easy. It is going to give you a lot of numbers, but to move up on the economic ladder. We
people who are coming and saying: MI- 60 percent of our bill, the majority of used to say we are the land of oppor-
CHAEL, we are working really hard, but our bill, goes to people making $50,000 tunity. Unfortunately, there are a lot
no matter what we do we can’t afford or less. And as my colleagues have of other countries where people are
housing, healthcare, higher education said, we are cutting childhood poverty able to get ahead by working hard. We
or early childhood education. We can’t in half this year as a result of what we want that to be our country again, and
save. We think our kids are going to are doing, and 90 percent of American we want to give poor children a chance
live a more diminished life than the children are going to benefit from what here. There is not a single child who
life that we would, and we are already we are doing. That is about as broad- chooses to be born poor.
living less of a good life than our par- based as you can get. It is progressive The Senator from New Jersey quoted
ents did. in the sense that the greatest benefit is James Baldwin. He is one of my favor-
And that is the anecdotal reflection going to the poorest kids because the ite authors, too, about how expensive
of an economy that, for the last 50 credit means the most to the people it is to be poor.
years, has worked really well for the making the least, but if you are mak- The other thing that we have done in
top 10 percent of Americans but has ing up to $150,000 as a couple, you are America is we have made it incredibly
not worked for the bottom 90 percent. going to have a benefit for your kids. hard to be poor, incredibly hard to be
The bottom 90 percent is all of Amer- You will get the full tax credit for your poor. And that is one of the interesting
ica, and their wages have been flat. We kids. things about this bill. In countries that
have seen income inequality grow So let me describe it a little bit, and have child benefits like this child ben-
through two recessions, the great re- then I will talk about the earned in- efit, they actually have a higher per-
cession and now the COVID recession, come tax credit, and then I am going to centage of people in the workforce than
and the gaps between more affluent take over for the Presiding Officer, and we do. And why is that? It makes total
families and poorer families have only I look forward to hearing what he has sense. It makes total sense because if
grown as a result. to say. you have got a little bit of breathing
And everywhere I went this year—I Most families under this change to room at the end of every month, you
went to all 64 counties of Colorado dur- the law are going to receive $250 a can fix a car that breaks down, and you
ing COVID—I heard the same thing: month per child. That is $300 a month can stay on your job. If you can afford
Give us a little bit of hope. for kids under the age of 6. It is fully to pay for a little bit of childcare for a
That is what the American Rescue refundable. What does that mean? Well, few hours in the afternoon, maybe that
Plan is going to do. It is going to give there was a view about this tax credit lets you stay on the job.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
people just a little bit of hope, make it before that said that you had to make For working moms in particular, I
a little bit easier for people to buy gro- a certain amount of money before you think it is going to really create the
ceries for their families or to pay the could be eligible for the tax credit be- opportunity for them to earn income
rent at the end of the month, pay their cause there was a theory that, you over the long haul because it will be
mortgage, set up a savings fund for know, if you got the tax credit, you easier for them to stay in their jobs
their kids’ college education. wouldn’t work. than not.
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S1844 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 25, 2021
As I mentioned, nationwide over 90 get ahead. It won’t work. It has never lic housing. I am one of 12 children in
percent of children are going to ben- worked in human history, and I think my family. I am No. 11 and the first
efit. So, over many nights, late nights it would be unreasonable for us to ex- college graduate. I stand here today as
often, on this floor, I have come here pect it would work here. a U.S. Senator, but I am the product of
with one complaint or another about It has created a lot of uncertainty good Federal public policy and good
how we have turned our back on Amer- and, in many places, a lot of anger public schools. I know that what we do
ica’s children. I have come here and I about whether the American Dream in this Chamber makes a difference in
have said over and over again that we still exists for most Americans. I be- the lives of families and in the lives of
are treating America’s children like lieve we will be able to dream again all of our children. My life’s journey is
they are someone else’s children, not here, and we are going to need, as I a testament to the promise of our
like they are America’s children. And said, an economy that works for every- country, the greatest country on
you know what? In this bill, we treated body. That means investing in our in- Earth, when we make the necessary in-
America’s children like they are Amer- frastructure. That means having an ap- vestments in our youth and enable
ica’s children, like they really matter proach, you know, to the competition them to thrive.
to us, like we believe in their future from the Chinese Government that As a pastor, I speak to young people
and the future of our country; that doesn’t just leave us and our industries all the time, and I often go back to my
they are filled with promise. No matter as collateral damage but creates thriv- hometown of Savannah, GA, and com-
how poor they are, no matter what ZIP ing supply chains here, high-paying munities all across Georgia like the
Code they live in, rural or urban, they jobs here, and making sure that we neighborhood I grew up in. In my ef-
matter to us. They are visible to us, own auto manufacturing here and forts to inspire children who are strug-
and we are going to make them a pri- other kind of manufacturing. gling, I tell them that your parent’s in-
ority. It means having an education system come does not have to determine your
This is the biggest reduction in child- that can prepare people to do the jobs outcome. It is not where you start; it is
hood poverty in the history of our of the 21st century. That is work we where you end up.
country, and we need to make it per- still have to do. It means making sure Now, that is what I say to them, and
manent. Today, 40 of us sent a letter to that every single high school kid or I believe it, because they need to be in-
President Biden saying that we are every single kid that graduates from spired to give it all that they have got.
going to work with him to find a way high school graduates knowing they But the truth is, when I tell them that
to make this permanent. can earn not just a minimum wage but their parent’s income does not deter-
My goal is to end childhood poverty a living wage the day they walk out of mine their outcome, that is not based
in this country. That is where I really their high school. That is what we need simply on what they do, but on what
want to be because then I will know we to do. we do. That has to be made real
really are not going to hold some But, in the meantime, this tax cut through good public policy.
child’s economic circumstances against for working people and for low-income That is why I am so proud to work
them, but we are going to give every people means that people are going to with my Senate colleagues and I was so
child in America the chance to run the be able to put food on the table, save a happy to join this U.S. Senate at such
footrace with each other. But 50 per- little bit of money, get through this a critical time in our country, and in a
cent is pretty good. It is the best thing pandemic, make their lives a little bit moment, when we, buoyed by the peo-
we have seen out of Washington in gen- better, and give their kids a little bit ple of Georgia who made a historic
erations. more hope. choice, our majority enabled us to pass
I want to just mention a few words I am really grateful. I am really the American Rescue Plan.
also about the other bill that Senator grateful that we elected a President Over the past year, we have seen how
BROWN led on the earned income tax and a Vice President who is not treat- the consequences of COVID–19 and the
credit, which triples that credit for ing America’s children like they are economic downturn that followed it
low-income workers who don’t have someone else’s children but treating have both illuminated and exacerbated
kids. So these are workers who don’t them like they are our children. That so many of the longstanding disparities
have kids, who won’t benefit from what is not only the right thing to do for that have challenged Georgians, Amer-
we are doing in the child tax credit but them. That is the essential thing to do icans, and people everywhere. We know
will benefit from what we are doing on if this democracy is going to survive. that low-income families and children,
the earned income tax credit. I want to thank the Presiding Officer especially, have not only not been
Believe it or not, until now, until we for all his efforts on this bill as well spared but have, in many ways, suf-
passed this bill, Washington, DC, was since you joined the Senate. I am going fered more than most. Children are cas-
actually taxing people into poverty. In to stop there, and I will come replace ualties at every age.
other words, people were working; they you. According to data from the Center
were earning a living; and then they I yield the floor. for American Progress, we know that
had to pay their taxes. And then they The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. BEN- nearly one in five children in Georgia
were in poverty because we were tri- NET). The Senator from Georgia. was living in poverty last year. Think
pling the tax credit from about $500 to Mr. WARNOCK. Mr. President, I rise about that: nearly one in five children
$1,500. That no longer will be true. today to join my colleagues—Senator in poverty in the middle of a pandemic.
We also bring the minimum age down BROWN; Senator BOOKER; the Presiding It is tough enough to live in poverty,
from 25 down to 17, and we lift the cap Officer, Senator BENNET—in shining a but it is even tougher to live in poverty
for seniors so more people can benefit bright spotlight on the tragedy of child in the middle of a pandemic. What
from this tax credit. In fact, 17 million poverty and what the Senate needs to could be tougher than being a child in
people in this country are going to ben- do and can do to eliminate poverty per- poverty in a pandemic?
efit from this change. There are 300,000 manently—child poverty across our Another 217,000 of those children live
workers in my home State of Colorado. country. in what we could call extreme poverty
And these changes are going to trans- Someone has said that children are in the United States—stock markets
form lives. They are going to give folks the casualties of every age, and while soaring and children struggling and no
a chance to breathe. this is a longstanding problem, the relationship between what is happening
Just like all of you, I want an econ- fight could not be more urgent as on Wall Street and what is happening
omy that when the economy grows, it countless families work to pull them- on their streets. It is our job to make
grows for everybody. It doesn’t grow selves out of the economic misery it true when I say to them that their
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just for the people at the very top. caused by a once-in-a-century pan- parent’s income need not determine
That is the economy we have had for demic. This pain is felt all across our their outcome.
the last 50 years. Such an economy is a country. I don’t know about anyone else, but I
threat to democracy. You cannot have But as we talk about the issue of think that these high rates of child
a democracy if you don’t have an econ- child poverty, this is not theoretical. poverty are unacceptable in the great-
omy where everybody feels like they For me, it is personal. I grew up in pub- est, richest country on the planet.
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March 25, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1845
Often, we tell our children to stay on munities where they have been waiting REMEMBERING THE 5TH ANNIVER-
the right road, to stay out of trouble, for decades for that trickle. It hadn’t SARY OF THE TERRORIST AT-
and we should—stay focused—but we trickled down; it is trickling up. TACKS AT BRUSSELS AIRPORT
ought to spread that net of responsi- The right thing to do is often the AND THE MAALBEEK METRO
bility. smart thing to do. When we help these STATION IN BELGIUM
The truth is, poverty is its own vio- families, it is actually good economic Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
lence. Poverty is a violence that policy. Because when you help poor unanimous consent that the Com-
traumatizes the mind, oppresses the families with children, they buy things mittee on Foreign Relations be dis-
body, and bruises the human spirit, so like food, baby diapers, a coat for their charged from further consideration and
that is why the American Rescue Plan kid, and it helps the American econ- the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 130.
is so necessary, so important, and so omy. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
historic. I am glad that Senators BOOK- The right thing to do is the smart clerk will report the resolution by
ER, BROWN, and BENNET—I feel a little thing to do. If Congress can slash child title.
left out, the odd guy out here—I am poverty for 1 year, why wouldn’t we or The senior assistant legislative clerk
glad that we were able to push through, shouldn’t we do it once and for all? And read as follows:
in the American Rescue Plan, a land- so I urge the Senate to stand up and do A resolution (S. Res. 130) remembering the
mark expansion of two tax credit pro- this work in this moral moment in 5th anniversary of the terrorist attacks at
grams: the child tax credit and the America. Brussels Airport and the Maalbeek metro
earned income tax credit. In just a few days, I will go home. I station in Belgium and honoring the victims
Now, I am calling on all my Senate will stand up, and I will preach on of the terrorist attacks.
colleagues to join us in making these Easter Sunday morning. This year, as There being no objection, committee
expansions permanent. By increasing it turns out, Easter is on April 4. It is was discharged, and the Senate pro-
the child tax credit, thousands of more the anniversary of Dr. King’s death. So ceeded to consider the resolution.
dollars a year will flow into the pock- I will be thinking about Dr. King as I Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous con-
ets of the children and families who preach this coming Easter because Dr. sent that the resolution be agreed to,
need it most, cutting poverty—child King spent his last birthday, January the preamble be agreed to, and the mo-
poverty—nationwide in half. 15, 1968, in his office, at our church, tions to reconsider be considered made
In Georgia, more than 1 million fami- among other things, planning the Poor and laid upon the table.
lies with children will benefit from the People’s Campaign, trying to organize The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
increased tax refund, and it will lift us and get us ready to stand up against objection, it is so ordered.
more than 171,000 Georgia children out poverty. He spent his birthday think- The resolution (S. Res. 130) was
of poverty. Those are my neighbors and ing about other people’s children be- agreed to.
yours. Those are kids around my cause he understood that his children The preamble was agreed to.
church and who attend my church. (The resolution, with its preamble, is
would not be OK until other people’s
So I want to be clear. Not only were printed in the RECORD of March 23, 2021,
children were OK.
we able to expand the tax refund so under ‘‘Submitted Resolutions.’’)
April 4 is his birthday. April 4 is also
that more families are getting more Easter this year. Let’s make these tax f
money, but we were able to do so in credits permanent and resurrect hope NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION
such a way that it gives families a and possibility and promise for all of WEEK
monthly cash payment providing America’s children.
greater financial security. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
I yield the floor. unanimous consent that the Senate
This is going to be a gamechanger for
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. proceed to the consideration of S. Res.
so many families, especially those who
WARNOCK). The majority leader is rec- 144, submitted earlier today.
did not previously qualify for the cred-
ognized. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
it when it was used just to offset taxes
already owed to the government. Prior clerk will report the resolution by
f title.
to this expansion, we had folk who
were too poor to get our help. There is The senior assistant legislative clerk
something wrong about that—too poor NATIONAL NATIVE PLANT MONTH read as follows:
to get our help. This expansion cor- A resolution (S. Res. 144) recognizing the
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask week of March 21 through March 27, 2021, as
rects that. Now, we are putting dollars unanimous consent that the Com- ‘‘National Poison Prevention Week’’ and en-
directly into the hands of the families mittee on the Judiciary be discharged couraging communities across the United
who need it the most. from further consideration and the States to raise awareness of the dangers of
In the COVID package, we were able Senate now proceed to S. Res. 109. poisoning and promote poison prevention.
to strengthen the earned income tax The PRESIDING OFFICER. The There being no objection, the Senate
credit, nearly tripling the maximum clerk will report the resolution by proceeded to consider the resolution.
tax refund allowed for qualifying work- title. Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous con-
ers because we have to make sure that The senior assistant legislative clerk sent that the resolution be agreed to,
childless families in our communities read as follows: the preamble be agreed to, and the mo-
also have the support they need to pay tions to reconsider be considered made
A resolution (S. Res. 109) designating April
their rent, keep food on the table, and 2021 as ‘‘National Native Plant Month’’. and laid upon table with no intervening
more to keep our communities strong. action or debate.
Taken together, expanding and ex- There being no objection, the com-
mittee was discharged, and the Senate The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
tending these programs are a major objection, it is so ordered.
move toward eliminating child poverty proceeded to consider the resolution.
The resolution (S. Res. 144) was
and poverty in general once and for all Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous con-
agreed to.
in Georgia and all across our country, sent that the resolution be agreed to, The preamble was agreed to.
but it is still not enough to truly tack- the preamble be agreed to, and the mo- (The resolution, with its preamble, is
le the issue. We have included this in tions to reconsider be considered made printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub-
the American Rescue Plan; now, we and laid upon the table. mitted Resolutions.’’)
must make it permanent. As so often is The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
f
the case, the right thing to do is also objection, it is so ordered.
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the smart thing to do. This will not The resolution (S. Res. 109) was NATIONAL ASBESTOS AWARENESS
only help these families, it will help agreed to. WEEK
the American economy. The preamble was agreed to. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
I am just old enough to remember (The resolution, with its preamble, is unanimous consent that the Senate
when they started talking about trick- printed in the RECORD of March 15, 2021, proceed to the consideration of S. Res.
le-down economics. I know some com- under ‘‘Submitted Resolutions.’’) 145, submitted earlier today.
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