Congressional Record — House, June 15, 2021
Summary
Congressional Record, House, page H2803, June 15, 2021. The page opens with remarks on illegal marijuana grows in Siskiyou County. Hern, in a Special Order, presents the fiscal year 2022 budget from the Budget Task Force of the Republican Study Committee, named ‘‘Reclaiming Our Fiscal Future,’’ and says the budget will balance in just 5 years. Blumenauer, under Continue Restaurant Revitalization, says the Restaurant Rescue Plan ($28.6 billion) was totally subscribed in 3 days and urges support for legislation to replenish the fund with a $60 billion allocation.
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“Congressional Record — House, June 15, 2021.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-06-15-crec-2021-06-15-pt1-pgh2803-2-918ff0967b/
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June 15, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2803
recognize this is still an illegal sub- may have 5 legislative days in which to In order to combat aggressive spend-
stance at the Federal level. revise and extend their remarks and in- ing, we need an aggressive plan. That
We have, in my district—it is amaz- clude extraneous material on the topic brings us to this year’s budget, aptly
ing—many hundreds of illegal hot- of this Special Order. named ‘‘Reclaiming Our Fiscal Fu-
houses that have been planted in The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there ture.’’
Siskiyou County full of marijuana objection to the request of the gen- President Trump’s budget proposal to
grows. tleman from Oklahoma? Congress would have balanced in 15
Now, we haven’t had many resources There was no objection. years. That was our starting point, and
to help out up there until very re- Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, our we knew we were capable of balancing
cently, when a sheriff up there took it country is facing a crisis of our own in less than 10.
upon himself to eradicate these grows, making. Republicans and Democrats Madam Speaker, I am proud to say
to go against the county ordinances alike have contributed to the rampant that our budget will balance in just 5
there, to go against other ordinances spending in Washington over the last years. Many of you would ask how that
on water use, chemical use. They are several decades. But it is time for is even possible. There are two parts to
using chemicals that are not even someone to stand up and say enough is that answer. The first part is due to
available to farmers that have long enough. changes in inflation and interest costs
been made illegal in this country and I am here tonight with some of the following the COVID–19 pandemic. The
in the State of California. greatest minds in Congress to talk second is due to pro-growth policies
These grows cause irreparable dam- about our floor-ready plan to tackle like the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
age to the environment and wildlife wasteful spending and restore fiscal re- When we give Americans more con-
and are even dangerous to people who sponsibility to the Federal Govern- trol of their own money, the result is
happen to traipse in there accidentally, ment. market growth, wage growth, con-
with folks who are so heavily armed. In December, Republican Study Com- sumer confidence, and, yes, increased
They are cartels from out of the coun- mittee Chairman JIM BANKS asked me revenues for the Federal Government.
try that are in there doing this oper- to lead the Budget Task Force for the We are making provisions from the
ation—all illegally. Why do we allow 117th Congress, and I gladly accepted. I Tax Cuts and Job Cuts Act permanent,
this to go on? put together a team of incredible fiscal reducing the tax burden by $1.9 trillion,
These marijuana grows are dangerous conservatives to help repair our fiscal almost $16,000 per household.
and are against the law. The Federal year 2022 budget. We are shielding the middle class
Government needs to be a stronger I thank these intelligent, hard- from capital gains taxes, eliminating
partner in backing the locals on eradi- working colleagues for rising to the oc- the death taxes, and repealing market-
cating these grows because of how casion, working diligently to meet our distorting tax carve-outs.
much damage they do to the commu- ambitious goals, and putting together Our budget is the most pro-life budg-
nity, to the environment, to the wild- a fine product that will serve all Amer- et ever introduced, with 17 pieces of
life, and to the overall feeling people icans. They are Chairman JIM BANKS, pro-life legislation included. Our budg-
have of their community up there. We ROGER WILLIAMS, TRENT KELLY, RALPH et stands strong for the issues Ameri-
need to help more. NORMAN, RON ESTES, MICHAEL CLOUD, cans care about, and we are crystal
BEN CLINE, BYRON DONALDS, and BOB clear about how to pay for it.
f
GOOD. Thank you, gentlemen. We are securing our border and build-
CONTINUE RESTAURANT In addition to my task force mem- ing the wall. We are protecting your
REVITALIZATION bers, I would like to thank a man who Second Amendment rights. We are sup-
is integral to the work of the task porting our police officers and ensuring
(Mr. BLUMENAUER asked and was
force and is a huge reason for the suc- our communities remain safe for every-
given permission to address the House
cess of this final budget, Richard one.
for 1 minute and to revise and extend
Stern. Our budget includes over 30 specific
his remarks.)
When I said yes to drafting the budg- deregulation bills ensuring liberty for
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker,
et for fiscal year 2022, I committed to American job creators and workers
earlier this year, Congress sprung into
creating a thorough, floor-ready budget alike.
action to deal with the part of the
that reflects the conservative values
economy that was hit perhaps hardest
that gave us the greatest economy in b 1815
than any: the hospitality industry. We are putting Medicare and Social
the history of the world before the pan-
Independent restaurants suffered Security on a path to solvency without
demic. I believe, as do my colleagues,
massive job losses. Congress responded cutting immediate benefits. Whether
that the pro-growth policies of the
with the Restaurant Rescue Plan, $28.6 you call them earmarks or community
Trump administration are proven tac-
billion. Madam Speaker, the need was project funding, we are getting rid of it
tics to grow the economy and give
so overwhelming that the fund was to- for good. We are reforming the budget
Americans more control of their own
tally subscribed in 3 days. process to be transparent and effective.
money.
We are working now with H.R. 3807 to To put it simply, we are fighting for
Everyone in Washington seems to
replenish that fund with a $60 billion Main Street America.
forget that we have no money of our
allocation, with bipartisan support in Tonight, you will hear from me and
own. Everything we appropriate in this
the House and Senate. my colleagues who helped shape this
Chamber, every dollar, comes from the
Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my budget, whether as a member of the
American taxpayers. None of it belongs
colleagues to support this important task force or by contributing legisla-
to us.
legislation to replenish the fund and In the last year, we spent $7.6 tril- tion that is included in our budget.
rescue our restaurants, which are the lion, largely due to an unprecedented These Members all have something
cornerstone of a livable community. global pandemic. The Biden adminis- very important in common, a deep re-
f tration has shown no sign of slowing spect for the American taxpayer.
RECLAIMING OUR FISCAL FUTURE down and is starting to alarm more It is our job to ensure that Ameri-
than just conservatives. It is our re- cans’ tax dollars are being spent wise-
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. sponsibility to hold this administra- ly, that the government is making
ROSS). Under the Speaker’s announced tion accountable and prove to the every effort to prevent waste and pro-
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policy of January 4, 2021, the gen- American people that there is someone mote efficiency. It is pretty clear this
tleman from Oklahoma (Mr. HERN) is left on Capitol Hill who cares about our hasn’t been the case in Washington for
recognized for 60 minutes as the des- debts. a long time.
ignee of the minority leader. We need to return to federalism, Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen-
GENERAL LEAVE where the Federal Government, the tleman from Texas (Mr. ROY), my dear
Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I ask State, and the individual have their friend from the 21st Congressional Dis-
unanimous consent that all Members own distinct roles. trict.
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H2804 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2021
Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, I thank of another magazine, while perpet- inherit the greatest country in the
the gentleman from Oklahoma and ap- uating a whole lot of myths that scare world, rather than $30 trillion in debt,
preciate his work on this important the hell out of the American people. and leaving us crippled and unable to
matter, and my colleagues on the Re- That is just what occurred over the carry forward for the good of our coun-
publican Study Committee. last year. try.
I am happy to be working on a task And what is the impact of that? Well, Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I would
force to advance healthcare freedom, last week the Bureau of Labor Statis- yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois
personalized healthcare, the ways that tics reported that year over year con- (Mrs. MILLER), the 15th Congressional
we believe we can get the American sumer prices rose 5 percent in May. Has District.
people to see the doctor of his or her anybody gone to go buy a sheet of ply- Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Madam
choice without having to see an insur- wood? Two times, three times, four Speaker, I want to thank the Repub-
ance bureaucrat or a government bu- times. Anybody talking to the builders lican Study Committee for hosting this
reaucrat and be able to get access to in your districts? How is their pipeline important Special Order. Our Nation’s
care. And that is all germane, by the looking down the road? taxpayers deserve to be respected when
way, to this question of spending. Did anybody go talk to the small res- it comes to our Federal budget. Fiscal
I think it is really important here, taurants and businesses out there? responsibility is vital for a stable,
and I am going to talk in a minute They are devastated, unable to hire strong, and long-lasting economy.
about how good I believe it is that we people. Why? Because we are paying Under the current administration
have a 5-year balanced budget that the people more not to work than to work. and Democrat control in Congress,
Republican Study Committee has put How many people do you talk to that there are actual Federal efforts being
forward, and proving that it can, in are in your district that say, well, I conducted at the taxpayers’ expense to
fact, be done. have got a help wanted sign up, but I redefine gender and demonize tradi-
But let’s talk for a minute about the can’t get anybody to work. tional American values. We must put a
irresponsible budgeting and spending of How is that going to bring back the stop to this nonsense, especially on the
our colleagues on the other side of the economy and bring back jobs and bring taxpayers’ dime.
aisle. back opportunity and bring back pros- I have always told my children; the
Most Americans hear these large perity for the American people? And, government has no money except for
numbers and they don’t know how to oh, by the way, how is it ever going to what they extract from the American
put them in context. What our national allow us to have any fiscal responsi- people. The Republican Study Com-
debt is, over $28 trillion. But nobody bility as a nation? And that is what we mittee released a counter budget to the
knows what that means. It doesn’t are talking about here. extremely irresponsible and radical
mean anything to the average person. And we are talking about a plan that budget that the Biden administration
We divide it and we say how much it is Republicans are putting forward. has put forth. This budget would bal-
per person or family. We got numbers Meanwhile, our Democratic colleagues ance our Federal budget in 5 years, cut
here, $226,000 per taxpayer, $85,000 per have not passed a budget. We just had spending by $14.4 trillion over 10 years,
citizen. People still don’t know what a deeming statement, or whatever it is incorporate 30-plus deregulatory legis-
that means. we adopted, for $1.5 trillion, it just slid lative proposals, and reduces taxes by
If you set out to count the roughly in this week. $1.5 trillion. It is like Mo- $1.9 trillion.
$28.2 trillion debt we have now, how nopoly money. Nobody even under- The RSC budget will also adopt my
long do you think that would take, stands what we are doing here. bill, the Safety and Opportunity for
Madam Speaker? 900,000 years if you And so we have got a budget that we Girls Act, to protect spaces for women
counted one per second; one Mis- put forward that balances in 5 years. and girls in schools. The bill would pre-
sissippi. It would take you 900,000 years Why don’t we debate it? For all the C– vent the Title IX provisions in Presi-
to count to $28.2 trillion. It is just ab- SPAN viewers out there, look how dent Biden’s executive order—it would
surd. many people are in the Chamber. limit them to being biological and the
We are literally destroying the fiscal About, what, 10 of us. Ten Members, genetic definition of sex.
health of our country by the second. election certificates, in here. Why I support the RSC budget proposal
We are destroying it by the second. Our don’t we have a bill on the floor and because it treats the government’s
children and grandchildren are going to why don’t we debate it? money as its own and works to pro-
inherit this. But what is the real prob- How many Americans would love to mote all the best parts in America.
lem? We are killing our economy in the hear that the people’s House has not Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I yield
process. We are killing the American had an amendment offered on the floor to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Dream in the process. We are killing of this Chamber since May of 2016 in BABIN), the co-chair of the Border Cau-
small businesses in the process. regular order, an open amendment? cus from the 36th Congressional Dis-
We just spent $6 trillion appropriated Congressman ROY offers an amendment trict.
in the process of spending. $6 trillion in to a bill. Not since May of 2016, 5 years. Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I thank
a year in the name of COVID, as my It is all done in committee and rules my good friend from Oklahoma for hav-
friend from Oklahoma and my other and some smoke room in the back up ing this Special Order tonight.
colleagues well know. $6 trillion. Some here, just drop down, and we all go up Madam Speaker, my message tonight
of that was worthwhile. I think there and we vote ‘‘yes’’ or ‘‘no’’, and then is simple. We are more than $28 trillion
was some PPP money in there that we go out and give speeches. That is no in debt and sinking fast. If we don’t
helps small businesses that I was happy way to govern. The American people make drastic changes to the way we
to support, but $6 trillion. know how to balance their own budgets govern, we won’t have a country left to
Would it interest the Madam Speaker at home. Businesses know how to bal- govern.
to know that we spent $4.1 trillion for ance budgets. Yet, this irresponsible In 2011, former chairman of the Joint
all of World War II, in current dollars? government doesn’t. Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen,
All of World War II, from the very be- Madam Speaker, I would implore my famously proclaimed that the national
ginning, from Pearl Harbor all the way colleagues on the other side of the aisle debt is the single greatest risk to our
to the second bomb in Japan, $4 trillion to follow the great work of the Repub- Nation.
over 31⁄2 years. lic Study Committee, and look at the When I was elected in 2014, 7 years
We just spent $6 trillion in a year, ef- budget that we put forward that bal- ago, the national debt was $18 trillion.
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fectively shutting down our economy, ances in 5 years, bring it to the floor of In just 7 years, Madam Speaker, we
scaring the heck out of our children, the House, and allow us to have an have increased the debt by more than
forcing them to wear masks, shoving open debate. Go through the Budget $10 trillion. In fact, we have spent more
them into the corners of the classroom, Committee, go to the floor, and actu- in the last year than the annual eco-
forcing people not to go to the doctor ally have a debate about the fiscal nomic production of every single coun-
of their choice, all so that Anthony health and responsibility of this coun- try in the world, with the exception of
Fauci could find himself on the cover try so that our kids and grandkids can our own, China, and India.
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June 15, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2805
Shockingly, President Biden’s only rightly put a lot of attention on trade, The debt that we face as a nation is
idea of how to deal with our rapidly in- and it is right that Congress would re- crippling, and the generations yet un-
creasing debt is to spend $6 trillion claim some of its authority. Because born will not survive a $31 trillion debt
more. The President and my colleagues when Congress doesn’t enact a law, it that we are looking at right now.
across the aisle throw the word trillion doesn’t endure, it pivots from adminis- America will not continue to exist as
around like it is nothing. It is hard to tration to administration. It pulls the we know it with that type of crippling
contemplate the magnitude of a tril- authority back to Congress where it debt. But we won’t get there. We won’t
lion, but think about this: one trillion lies in the Constitution, and it puts the get to our grandchildren and great-
seconds is around 32,000 years. Let that President on a shot clock. And, frank- grandchildren as a strong American na-
sink in. ly, not the President so much as the tion if we allow the sovereignty of
The left’s out of control spending and people we initiate against; either come America to be destroyed in the course
blatant disregard for our future must to the table and negotiate something of one Presidential term.
absolutely be stopped. Our failure to do within 90 days, or the authority goes Madam Speaker, we are trending
so will undoubtedly lead us down the away, and you have to change some- over 2 million illegal crossings this
road to economic ruin, which is exactly thing. 90 more days. And, in general, year. We cannot allow this to happen. I
why the Republican Study Commit- until you agree, it is going to keep get- urge my colleagues to take a reason-
tee’s, the RSC’s balanced budget is our ting worse. able look at the RSC budget.
best chance at reclaiming our fiscal fu- Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I yield
ture. b 1830
to the gentleman from the Fourth Con-
Madam Speaker, I am incredibly Lastly, we have the fair representa- gressional District of Iowa (Mr.
proud that one of my bills, the State tion amendment, and that would say FEENSTRA).
and Local Pensions Accountability and that when we apportion congressional Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I
Security Act, which prohibits the districts, we apportion them based on rise today to discuss Sarah’s Law, a bi-
unelected bureaucrats at the Treasury the number of U.S. citizens. cameral bill I introduced along with
Department or the Federal Reserve Frankly, rural America is being dis- Senator JONI ERNST from Iowa.
from bailing out irresponsible State or enfranchised by counting noncitizens Our proposal was named in honor of
local government pension systems was when we apportion Representatives. Sarah Root, a 21-year-old girl who,
included in the RSC’s final budget pro- Ohio is losing yet another Representa- after her graduation, that night, was
posal. tive. killed by an illegal immigrant. The il-
So let’s eliminate the deficit and That is not a partisan issue. It legal immigrant was drunk and drag
let’s balance the budget in the next 5 doesn’t break on party lines. Frankly, racing. He posted bond. ICE did not de-
years, as this does. Let’s cut spending Texas and California benefit by count- tain him, and he left the country,
by $14.4 trillion over the next decade, ing noncitizens, but it is hurting a lot never to be seen from ever again.
and reduce taxes by $1.9 trillion, and of our country by counting them. The bill would require authorities to
get our country back on the right There are factors in terms of how we keep illegal immigrants in custody if
track, and that is exactly what this allocate dollars. Instead of dollars per they have been charged with a crime
budget proposal does. citizen, we are allocating dollars per that resulted in death or serious bodily
To quote my colleague from Ala- capita, and that sends more dollars to injury.
bama, Congressman MO BROOKS, he urban districts and fewer dollars to I am pleased that my proposal was
says, ‘‘Great nations weaken from rural districts. included in the Republican Study Com-
within before they fall from without.’’ It is important work. I thank the mittee budget. After all, budgets re-
Our future generations are counting on committee, and I thank, particularly, flect priorities, and given the crisis at
us to get this done. Mr. HERN for his work leading it.
Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I yield our border, it is crucial that we imple-
Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I yield ment tougher immigration policies
to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. DA-
to the gentleman from the great State that protect Iowans and protect Ameri-
VIDSON).
Mr. DAVIDSON. Madam Speaker, I of Louisiana (Mr. HIGGINS). cans.
thank my colleague and the whole Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Madam Border encounters have hit an all-
group of the Republican Study Com- Speaker, I rise today in support of time high in the last two decades, with
mittee for working on this budget pro- America’s fiscal future as it is envi- over 180,000 encounters in the month of
posal because, frankly, this is an in- sioned in the RSC budget. May. Last year, we had over 23,000. Yet,
credible threat to our Nation’s secu- For the first time since I have been President Biden’s bloated $6 trillion
rity. It is a threat to the U.S. dollar as here in 5 years, we have managed to as- budget proposal does not include a sin-
our global reserve currency, and as the semble a very reasonable path forward gle cent more for homeland security.
Fed continues to accommodate it, we to fiscal stability for our country. Unlike Vice President Harris, the ad-
are destroying the value of our dollar. I have language in this bill reflective ministration’s self-appointed border
This is an essential duty of our body of the crisis at the border. My legisla- czar, I went to the border. I heard di-
here in the House of Representatives, tion, H.R. 2729, the Finish the Wall Act, rectly from law enforcement officers.
and so it is an incredible honor to have is included in the language of the un- We need to ensure they have the re-
three of the bills that I have drafted be derlying bill. sources they need to do their jobs, and
included in the proposal. One is the On President Biden’s first day in of- we need to start enacting stricter im-
CBO Show Your Work Act. Frankly, fice, he halted the use of border secu- migration and border security policies
the Congressional Budget Office is our rity funds allocated by Congress, ended that address this crisis.
accounting office. all ongoing construction of the border At the very least, we can all agree
Now, imagine if you worked at a firm wall, and implemented very weak bor- that neither American citizens nor ille-
and you were on the board, and you der policies that have had dire con- gal immigrants should ever be able to
simply said, I want to see the books. sequences for our Nation. evade the law. Sarah’s Law would en-
And the accounting department said, We have had over 1 million illegal sure illegal immigrants cannot escape
no, we are not going to show it to you. crossings thus far this year. In history, justice simply due to immigration pol-
They won’t even show it to regular it has never been this high. We have icy loopholes.
Members sometimes. They should show had surges here and there in 2014 and Madam Speaker, I urge my col-
it to the whole public. They are doing 2019, yes, under various administra- leagues to support the Republican
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the work on behalf of the public. It is tions for various reasons. But we have Study Committee’s budget. It is a fan-
not a trade secret. It is not propri- never had 1.1 million illegal crossings tastic budget.
etary. They model our economy, their into our country. Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, may I
scores have incredible consequences, Our border has created layers of cri- ask how much time is remaining.
and they need to show their work. sis, and we must deal with it. We must The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen-
Another one is the Global Trade Ac- act. We must force action from our ex- tleman from Oklahoma has 35 minutes
countability Act. President Trump ecutive. remaining.
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H2806 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2021
Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I yield cials. As a free-market conservative, I have budgets, cities have budgets,
to the gentleman from the Fifth Con- know there is no better way to stimu- schools have budgets, businesses have
gressional District of Virginia (Mr. late our economy than by opening it up budgets, and States have budgets. The
GOOD). He is also a task force member and turning the American people loose. United States of America has gone 3
who gave us a tremendous amount of Congress cannot continue bailing out years now without a budget from the
input on our process, and I want to poorly run States whose economies Budget Committee that is run by my
thank him for his work. It was a 5- have been devastated by these colleagues from the Democratic Party,
month journey that we went through lockdown orders. the people in power.
to arrive at this budget and a lot of My Protecting Religion from Govern- We have a budget that we are asking
sleepless nights. I really appreciate the ment Act seeks to preserve all Ameri- to get on the floor, a budget that is
gentleman’s inputs and his thoughts. cans’ First Amendment rights by al- built on the pro-growth policies that
Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Madam Speak- lowing citizens to sue State or local we saw 16 months ago yield the great-
er, I thank Congressman HERN for his governments that seek to prevent or est economy in our lifetime, the lowest
work as chairman of the Republican regulate religious services. Govern- unemployment rate, the most people
Study Committee Budget Task Force ment has no constitutional authority employed with all diversity, of all
and for leading this effort. Also, I over religion. ethnicities, of all countries of origin,
would like to thank RSC Chairman JIM My Students Before Unions Act women, African Americans, and His-
BANKS for his outstanding leadership would put children first and make panics. Everywhere, people have seen
overall of the RSC. COVID funding contingent upon the the greatest jobs they have ever seen.
This team has done remarkable work transparency of local teachers’ unions. There were double-digit increases for
to try to keep money where it belongs: My bill to repeal the Jim Crow-era the lowest earning wage earners among
in the wallets of hardworking Amer- Davis-Bacon Act, which requires the us.
ican taxpayers. Federal Government to pay the pre- We know these policies work. This
The RSC budget proposal would bal- vailing wage, would end this inexcus- budget builds upon them. The Amer-
ance the Federal budget within 5 years able, long-held practice that drives up ican people are demanding that we be
of implementation, and I am thrilled to prices for taxpayer-funded construction accountable for the dollars they send
say that it is the most pro-life RSC and eliminates opportunities for hard- us. What we are seeing now in the
budget ever. working Americans. budget that was just put out by the
The RSC budget would cut Federal Finally, my SHUSH Act would de- President in a piecemeal fashion is a
regulate firearm suppressors at the budget that sends jobs overseas and
spending by $14.4 trillion over 10 years
Federal level and preempt State laws that destroys jobs in our energy-pro-
and cut taxes by $1.9 trillion. In fact, it
that regulate, tax, or prohibit the pos- ducing companies, some of the highest
reduces the burden on American tax-
session of suppressors. No constitu- wage earners we have in this country.
payers by nearly $16,000 per household.
tional right should be at risk of public We see our defense budget being cut
Unlike Biden’s budget buster, this
opinion or subject to regulatory and below the inflation rate.
budget prioritizes American families
tax burdens. As we speak about inflation, the
and hardworking taxpayers. As a freshman, I am truly grateful
I am proud to have served as a mem- President promised the American peo-
and humbled to have so many of my ple that he wouldn’t raise taxes on
ber of the RSC Budget Task Force, and
bills included in the budget, second anybody making less than $400,000 a
this budget is historic for two reasons.
only to the number submitted by RSC year. Madam Speaker, I will tell you
First, it unapologetically and un- Chairman JIM BANKS.
equivocally affirms the conservative the greatest hidden tax in America is
At $28 trillion of debt that we have inflation, and what we are seeing right
values that we were elected to fight now, that equates to about $85,000 per
for. Second, it courageously addresses now is inflation rising at an annualized
American citizen. Every time we reck- rate of 5, 6, and 7 percent that spans ev-
our unsustainable entitlement pro- lessly and foolishly spend another $1
grams, preserves and protects our com- erybody in America on top of the pro-
trillion, that is about $10,000 per house- posed tax increases that the President
mitment to America’s seniors and hold. This is unsustainable. The major-
those nearing retirement, builds the is talking about.
ity in this administration is, at best, He is proposing looking at changing
framework for responsible fiscal man- economically and fiscally illiterate and the tax rates for our multinational
agement, and secures the future for incompetent, or, at worst, they are in- companies, our companies that were
younger generations of Americans. tentionally crushing our financial fu- starting to move jobs back to America.
The RSC budget contains many of ture and our very Republic. Now we are seeing a deal is being
the conservative principles that I have Our work on this conservative budget struck by Secretary Yellen to try to
fought for since my first day in office shows that it is possible to do what the take the G7 to tax our companies to
nearly 6 months ago. From protecting Democrats seem to find impossible: the point that we are going to see jobs
people of faith from government intru- balance the budget through practical leave our country and return back to
sion to shielding small businesses from solutions that put American taxpayers where they moved their headquarters
the heavy hand of government regula- first while preserving the values that overseas, to lower tax nations.
tions to putting the needs of our stu- have made this the greatest country in To my colleagues out there, all we
dents before teachers’ unions, the RSC history. are asking for is to put a budget on the
budget contains many pieces of legisla- Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman floor, our budget, to get your vote to
tion that I have personally introduced. HERN again for his leadership in be responsible to the American tax-
This includes my ALERT Act, which crafting this budget that deserves a payers so that we can see, once and for
would require monthly updates from vote in the House Budget Committee all, where everyone is on doing the
executive agencies about any rules and on this very floor so that the right thing for the American tax-
they are working on, including the American people can see if their Rep- payers.
costs to taxpayers of those regulations. resentatives are serious about fighting
My Article I Regulatory Budget Act inflation and restoring our fiscal san- b 1845
would restore direct, accountable con- ity. For all of my colleagues that joined
gressional control of the Federal regu- Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, Speaker us tonight, what we have heard over
latory system, as the Founders in- PELOSI reminded us about 3 years ago the last hour was a clear vision for
tended, and require a budget from the when she infamously said: Show me America, an outline of how conserv-
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President for all regulatory costs, simi- your budget, and I will show you your atives intend to govern. It is sad that
lar to the annual budget for other values. we have to call it a conservative budg-
taxes and spending. That phrase and that statement have et. It is a budget for the American peo-
My Right to Earn a Living Act would been made so many times by leaders ple. This is the future of our Nation.
prevent Congress from subsidizing cost- talking about budgets. This is the hope of democracy.
ly lockdown policies like those handed In America, individuals have budgets, Before I finally close, I would like to
down by State and local Democrat offi- counties have budgets, communities yield to the gentleman from Kansas
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June 15, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2807
(Mr. ESTES), my dear colleague, a their government hasn’t left them be- members with disabilities, childcare
member of the task force, to give his hind. We have a plan and it will benefit workers, home health aides, nurses,
thoughts on what he saw and worked all Americans. and so many more. Care is something
on, on our budget. I am proud of the budget we put to- we all need at different stages in our
Mr. ESTES. Madam Speaker, I thank gether this year, and I am ready to de- lives.
the Republican Study Committee for fend it in front of any committee and The care economy includes our essen-
hosting this Special Order hour. any Member of this House. tial workers who put their lives on the
Today, our Nation’s debt is more We have spent the last hour talking line every day during the most dev-
than $28 trillion. With a number that about conservative principles. Well, I astating global pandemic in a century.
large, it is hard to really understand want to make it clear that this budget Many of us will be caregivers ourselves,
how much taxpayer money we are real- is not just for conservatives. It is not if we haven’t been one yet.
ly talking about. Well, $28 trillion is $1 just for Republicans. It is a budget for Ask any working family about how
million 28 million times. Or another all Americans. hard it has been to find affordable,
way to think about it is it is 28 with 12 It doesn’t matter if your children quality childcare even before COVID.
zeros behind it. grow up to be Republicans or Demo- Ask a childcare worker if they can
Spending far beyond our means and crats. They will be paying for our debts afford to send their own child to the
watching the debt clock grow astro- regardless, long after we are gone. That center they work at.
nomically higher has real implications is why it is important to have leaders Ask any one of the vast majority of
for the future of our country and for who are thinking about our grand- workers who do not have paid family
our citizens. While many out there children and great-grandchildren’s fu- and medical leave how hard it is to
would like to believe that we can go on ture. care for a loved one who is ill while
spending without some sort of re- It is clear that Joe Biden, KAMALA holding on to their job.
straint and it doesn’t have any con- HARRIS, NANCY PELOSI, and CHUCK Ask anyone who qualifies for long-
sequences, common sense tells us that SCHUMER would rather auction off that term care under Medicaid but has been
is not true. future in order to pay for an unpopular unable to access it due to the
Because of overspending, the debt radical agenda. healthcare workforce shortage.
held by Americans has already eclipsed The American people need to know Ask a home health aide how much
the size of our economy and will top 200 that we are the captains of this ship they make hourly, and the need to re-
percent of the GDP by 2051. Every and we will not let economic doomsday design our care infrastructure will be-
American, adult and child, bears a bur- destroy America’s future. come abundantly clear.
den of more than $85,000. Fiscal responsibility does not have to Just as our physical infrastructure is
The problem is so stark that our be partisan, which is why I am calling crumbling, the United States today
country spends about $800 million per on my colleagues on both sides of the suffers from a lack of care infrastruc-
day on interest payments alone. The aisle to help us bring this budget to the ture. These two truths are intertwined.
net interest costs for taxpayers financ- floor for a vote. Our crumbling infrastructure dis-
I thank everyone who supported this proportionately harms Black, Brown,
ing this debt will skyrocket from 1.4
budget tonight and to everyone who Indigenous and low-income commu-
percent of GDP, about $300 billion this
helped us put it together. nities. The negative health impacts
year, to 8.6 percent of GDP. That would
Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal-
be more than 21⁄2 times higher than arising from fossil fuel use, industrial
ance of my time.
what the U.S. currently spends on de- pollution, and toxic materials in our
f homes and schools are literally making
fense as a percent of our GDP.
Another way to look at this problem AMERICAN FAMILIES PLAN us sick.
is through the lens of any family budg- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under We need to invest in eliminating car-
et and take away some zeros. the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- bon emissions, and we also need to in-
Let’s say in 2020 an individual made uary 4, 2021, the gentleman from New vest in the caregivers we are counting
$34,000. That same person spent $65,000, York (Mr. BOWMAN) is recognized for 60 on to heal us now.
meaning they spent $31,000 they didn’t minutes as the designee of the major- We are calling for a broader shift to
have. And they also had a credit card ity leader. a society based on care for the people,
with $280,000 already on it and growing. GENERAL LEAVE
communities, and the planet we share.
This would clearly be absurd and We are still grieving more than
Mr. BOWMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask
unsustainable, yet somehow that is 600,000 lives lost to COVID in our coun-
unanimous consent that all Members
how the Federal Government operates. try, many of them caregivers them-
have 5 legislative days to revise and ex-
Madam Speaker, American families selves. In this last year, we saw how
tend their remarks and include extra-
understand that we should tackle the badly we need a robust care economy
neous material on the subject of my
spending problem first and live within and what happens when our investment
Special Order.
our means. This has to be the focus of The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there in care doesn’t match our needs.
our body. It is our duty and our respon- objection to the request of the gen- I know that for some, talking about
sibility to those we represent. tleman from New York? caregiving as infrastructure sounds
We have got to tackle the out-of-con- There was no objection. like a new idea and a ‘‘nice to have.’’
trol spending before it brings down this Mr. BOWMAN. Madam Speaker, to- None of this work is new, and all of it
great Nation. We need to stop mort- night, I am pleased to be joined by is necessary.
gaging our grandkids’ future just to many of my colleagues in the Congres- I have heard directly from New York-
sustain and spend our lifestyle today. sional Progressive Caucus to talk ers who rely on caregivers every day;
Madam Speaker, we need to do the about the long overdue investment we like a constituent of mine in West-
hard work now to address our spending, would need to make in the care econ- chester, who was born with diastrophic
balance the budget, and fiscally secure omy, something that our infrastruc- dysplasia, and wrote in about how we
our Nation for future generations. Our ture has always relied upon. need to do better by our caregivers and
constituents deserve it. I introduced the Care for All Agenda pay them a living wage. Now in her fif-
Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, the earlier this spring calling for the Fed- ties, she qualifies for Medicaid and
Biden administration has put them- eral Government to dramatically ex- needs home-based care. The home
selves on the side of Big Government, pand and strengthen the care economy. health aide who cares for her has to
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big taxes, and big bureaucracy. The American Families Plan outlines work two additional jobs to make ends
To paraphrase the great President the next step we need to take to get meet. That should give us all pause.
Ronald Reagan, he said: You can’t be there, which must include improving One of the biggest champions for
for Big Government and still fight for work conditions and compensation for caregivers and domestic workers, Ai-
the little guy. care workers nationwide. jen Poo, said that: ‘‘The definition of
Our budget is a clear outline for mid- The care economy impacts all of us: infrastructure is that which enables so-
dle and working-class Americans that Our children, elderly loved ones, family ciety and the economy to function. So
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