Build Back Better Agenda (Cong. Rec., Nov. 2, 2021)
Summary
This is S7585 of the Congressional Record, Senate, November 2, 2021, with interleaved columns. A Senator describes the Restoring Trust in Public Health Act, a bill to require Senate confirmation of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and says he will withhold a unanimous consent request because negotiations on a similar proposal are underway. Another speaker, under the heading Build Back Better Agenda, tells the story of a man named Oscar, who dreamed of serving in the U.S. military but was barred without a birth certificate. The speaker argues that immigration reform should be part of the Build Back Better plan, with the views attributed to the speakers.
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
“Build Back Better Agenda (Cong. Rec., Nov. 2, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-11-02-crec-2021-11-02-pt1-pgs7585-2-9b689f1df8/
, SHA-256 c1b717748f056d71cc818985be0187fb2dc4ec600021ecc6aa04a106827aa936.Full text
November 2, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7585
is because of the fact that we stand ac- Words are not enough to honor that When I hear some of the speeches
countable to the people at the most sacrifice. We need to ensure that our given on the floor—one yesterday
regular intervals. Every Member of the veterans and families have access to about how the United States is going
House stands for election every 2 years. the best healthcare in the world, af- to give a million dollars to every one of
A third of the Senate stands for reelec- fordable housing, programs that sup- these undocumented people—I think to
tion every 2 years. So we should debate port them as civilians, whether it is myself, these preposterous, outlandish,
and discuss the authorities of the CDC students, employees or businessowners. exaggerated stories told about these
here in Congress for that very reason. To serve our Nation in uniform takes immigrants belie the real determina-
I look forward to that discussion, a special measure of courage and devo- tion many of them have to come to
which we need to have more of, but the tion. For some members of our mili- this country and make a difference in
matter at hand today is much simpler. tary, it also takes a great deal of per- their lives and a difference in our fu-
We must consider whether the CDC Di- sistence and determination. ture.
rector ought to be confirmed by the Let me tell you about one. I am Oscar is a living example. Oscar, like
U.S. Senate. Now, it is absurd to think speaking, of course, of those members so many others, fought for our Nation
that someone so powerful can assume of our military who were born in other in every war in our history. But even
this office with no say whatsoever from nations and want to serve America. those who are ready to risk everything
the legislative branch. It is even more Over the years, I have shared the story in America, for them, our immigration
absurd to say that the Senate confirms of one of these heroes—his name: Oscar system still is broken.
members of an advisory board on Vasquez. During this pandemic, thousands of
broadcasting in Cuba to protect the in- When Oscar was 12 years old, his fam- DACA recipients and undocumented
terests of the American people—those ily made the journey across the border immigrants have actually helped save
we represent and those who elected from Mexico to America. They settled lives across America. They didn’t en-
us—but that it has no business con- in Arizona. From the time he was a list in the Army. They used their skills
firming someone to be the Director of child, Oscar dreamed of serving Amer- as doctors and nurses and paramedics
the Centers for Disease Control and ica in the military. He studied hard in and respiratory therapists. They may
Prevention. high school, even joined high school have saved a member of your family,
My bill would fix that problem. The ROTC. these immigrants.
Restoring Trust in Public Health Act But during his junior here, he ran On farms throughout the country,
would require that the CDC Director be into a problem. He tried to sign up for thousands more performed back-
confirmed by the Senate. This bill is basic training, but the recruiter in- breaking labor to put food on our table.
cosponsored by Senators BLACKBURN, formed him that he couldn’t serve in Donald Trump’s administration classi-
TUBERVILLE, SULLIVAN, BRAUN, TILLIS, the U.S. military without a U.S. birth fied them as ‘‘essential workers.’’ I
and SCOTT of Florida. I appreciate their certificate. It was a tough setback, but think, for once, President Donald
support for this long-past-due measure. Oscar was determined. Trump was right.
In order to increase trust in the vac- The pandemic has proven how much
He was awarded JROTC officer of the
cine and trust in government, we must we depend on immigrants as members
year by his high school, and he led a
return transparency and account- of the military, first responders, and
group of students in an underwater ro-
ability to the process. This bill, in the agriculture workers. We couldn’t func-
botics competition. They squared off—
spirit of the Constitution, would pro- tion without them.
these high school students—squared off That is precisely why reforming our
vide an important check on govern-
against college students from schools broken immigration system is an inte-
ment power and give the people a say
like MIT. Guess what. They won. The gral part of President Biden’s Build
in the CDC.
Now, today, I had planned to ask the victory led him to Arizona State Uni- Back Better. We must include protec-
Senate to pass this bill by unanimous versity, where he earned a degree in tions for immigrants, like Oscar
consent. However, just in the last few mechanical engineering. Vasquez, who have given everything
hours, I have learned that negotiations After graduating, Oscar got married they can to America.
are now underway and a deal may well and had a child, but his undocumented If we want to rebuild our economy
be struck in order to make this pro- status still prevented him from reach- and drive its growth for years to come,
posal or something very similar to it ing his full potential, so he moved back we should begin by ensuring that im-
law. In light of that development, I will to Mexico—a country he hadn’t lived in migrants can earn their place in the
withhold my live UC request for today. since he was a young boy—to apply for American story.
But I will note here that if progress legal entry into the United States. He How many examples do each one of
isn’t made on such a deal, I will be would have been barred from reen- us know in our own families and other
back soon—certainly before the end of tering the United States and separated families where these immigrants came
the year—to ask this body to imme- from his family for 10 years without a to America with literally nothing?
diately take up and pass S. 2734. special waiver, so he decided to call my Many of them couldn’t speak the lan-
Thank you. office. guage and went hard at work to estab-
I yield the floor. He reached out to us and said: ‘‘Can lish a life, a family, a community, a
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MUR- you help me get a waiver?’’ business that ended up helping the en-
PHY). The Senator from Illinois. When the Department of Homeland tire Nation.
VETERANS DAY Security finally granted it, Oscar came Immigration reform could boost our
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, next home to America. Nation’s GDP by more than $1 trillion
week, our Nation will commemorate What was the first thing that he did? over the next 10 years—hundreds of
Veterans Day. It will be the first time He got his paperwork in order and en- thousands of new jobs. And don’t buy
in a generation that we will honor that listed in the U.S. Army. Within 6 this theory that it is zero-sum when it
day as a nation no longer at war. months of returning to the United comes to the creation of jobs. We have
With the conclusion of the war in Af- States, he was off to basic training. found over and over again that a deter-
ghanistan—the longest war in our his- Oscar served our Nation with honor as mined, hard-working person takes a job
tory—thousands of American troops fi- a cavalry scout in Afghanistan. And, and helps create a new job in the proc-
nally came home. These heroes have today, he is finally an American cit- ess. It happens with the creation of
returned to our shores, just as this Vet- izen. business, the creation of jobs over and
erans Day stands as a reminder of ev- We spend so much time around here over again.
erything we owe them, as well as every talking about immigrants in negative It is far past time to reform our im-
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
American who has served this Nation terms. You look at Oscar and the sac- migration system. With the Build Back
in uniform. More than 2,400 Americans rifice he made to serve our Nation in Better package, we can finally get it
perished in the war in Afghanistan. the military—this man who came to done.
Thousands more return home with the United States as a little boy, knew BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA
wounds—visible and invisible—that what his goal was, and it was to risk Mr. President, on the topic of budget
will stay with them for life. his life for this great Nation. reconciliation, we are on the cusp of a
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:27 Nov 03, 2021 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G02NO6.026 S02NOPT1
S7586 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 2, 2021
historic accomplishment. This Build These are just a few of the provisions porations? Or is it time—at long last—
Back Better agenda is part of a great included in the Build Back Better to support working families?
American tradition: marshaling our package. Our Republican colleagues answered
Nation’s resources and ingenuity to I might add something that is often that question when they were in
build a better future for our country. mistaken. What I have just described charge. They took on nearly $2 trillion
This is the strategy that drove our to you is fully paid for. We pay for it of debt in America to cut taxes for cor-
victory in World War II or the Cold by making certain that those who are porations and the wealthy. It seems
War and our dominance now in the Age making the highest incomes in Amer- they are happy with that brand of so-
of Information. ica and the corporations that are the cialism, so long as it benefits major
Years of gridlock left us at risk of most profitable pay their fair share of corporations and those who are well-
falling behind. Our competitors on the taxes. This is policymaking at its off.
global stage, like China, sense an op- best—fair and fiscally responsible. Democrats believe in putting work-
portunity. They look at the same sta- Yet when our Republican colleagues ing families first, which is why the
tistics we view. And those statistics hear how these investments will ease Build Back Better package includes
tell a sobering story. the burdens of working families, they the biggest tax cut—let me repeat
For example, America used to lead seem to have one takeaway. It is the that—it includes the biggest tax cut—
the world in the best roads and bridges, one thing we hear from them over and for working and middle-class families
but today, according to the World Eco- over: ‘‘Socialism1’’ in American history, and we believe in
nomic Forum, we rank 13th. I mentioned that the Build Back Bet- making smart investments in good-
How is that for a slogan? ter agenda is part of the great Amer- paying jobs.
Our Nation has also fallen behind
ican tradition. Well, that word ‘‘social- We have an opportunity to do all of
when it comes to educational attain-
ism’’ is part of the American tradition, this by enacting President Biden’s
ment. We rank 35th out of the 37 major
too, on the Republican side, but one Build Back Better agenda. Let’s con-
countries when it comes to investing in
that hasn’t stood the test of time. tinue this great tradition and fight off
early childhood information and care.
Let’s look back at history, at how the charges that we are somehow laps-
Our economy is the most unequal it
many times the word ‘‘socialism’’ has ing into socialism.
has ever been since the Gilded Age, I yield the floor.
been thrown around. During the Great
leaving behind millions of American The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Depression, President Franklin Roo-
families who are struggling to pay ator from Missouri.
sevelt proposed Social Security to pro-
their bills.
The Build Back Better agenda, in- tect the elderly from financial ruin. In TRIBUTE TO DEREK COATS
spired by Joe Biden’s administration, response, one Republican lawmaker de- Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, there are
is a once-in-a-generation opportunity clared Roosevelt ‘‘the first Communist lots of things we disagree on here on
to restore the American promise. It President of the United States’’ and ac- the Senate floor, but one thing we all
will create millions of jobs and ensure cused him of advancing a ‘‘Socialist agree on is the importance of getting
every family has a chance to live in platform.’’ the right people to help us do these
Sound familiar? jobs.
dignity and protect our children’s and
Thirty years later, a similar debate I rise today to honor one of my out-
grandchildren’s future.
Sadly, like the American Rescue played out over the creation of Medi- standing staff members, Derek Coats.
care. The American Medical Associa- Derek has recently been awarded the
Plan, we still don’t have a single Re-
tion even recruited a future President, Great Griffon Award by his alma
publican who will step up and join us.
Ronald Reagan, to cut a television ad mater, Missouri Western State Univer-
I hope that changes.
In my home State of Illinois, the to record an album warning the public sity in St. Joseph, MO. The Great Grif-
Build Back Better package would be about the dangers of ‘‘socialized medi- fon Award is given to those Missouri
life-changing. It will fund high-quality cine.’’ Western alumni who have made out-
childcare for more than 750,000 chil- Well, more than a century later, the standing contributions to the work-
dren. vast majority of Americans are still force, to society, or to Missouri West-
I have told the story before of how— covered by private health insurance. ern. Derek has done all three.
when my son Paul learned that his wife But Medicare is one of the most pop- After graduating from Missouri West-
Tanja was going to have a baby, they ular programs in America. ern in 2002, with a bachelor’s degree in
called the grandparents right away. Can you imagine where American political science, Derek began his serv-
The next call was to a daycare center seniors and families would be today if ice to Missouri in the U.S. Senate, in
to enlist their little baby—they didn’t we had listened to those socialist de- the office of my predecessor, Senator
know was a boy or girl—as early as nunciations of Social Security and Bond. He served on Senator Bond’s
possible in their neighborhood daycare Medicare? staff through 2010 in a variety of dif-
center. That shows you the kind of de- Here is one more example from the ferent jobs, rising to the role of district
mand there is in quality daycare. Great Depression: When joblessness in office director.
We also need to make preschool a re- America reached 25 percent and Con- When I came to the Senate in 2011, I
ality for more than 250,000 additional gress was considering the creation of asked Derek to join my team. Since
children in Illinois with this package. America’s first unemployment insur- then, he has served as my State direc-
That is a million children combined, ance system, a Congressman named tor and deputy chief of staff, over-
between childcare and preschool, that Samuel Dickstein decried the idea of seeing day-to-day operations across
will finally be able to access high-qual- unemployment insurance as an ‘‘out- five statewide offices.
ity care and education. and-out communist program.’’ Derek regularly spends his days trav-
The Build Back Better package will Now, you need to hear the rest of the eling the State, meeting with Missou-
also prevent hundreds of thousands of story because, years after he made that rians and hearing their issues and con-
kids from going hungry. And it will declaration, it was discovered that cerns. The information he shares with
give low-wage workers a tax cut of up Samuel Dickstein was a Soviet spy. me from those visits ensures our work
to $1,500 a year. Time and again, the claim of social- in Washington aligns with the critical
How is that for a change? ism has been bandied about to oppose needs and priorities of our State. To
Four years ago, in the Trump admin- commonsense policies that help work- provide just one of many examples,
istration, the Republican priority was ing families get by. Now, as then, these this information assisted in my efforts
a tax cut for the highest income Amer- claims have no basis in reality. It is a to work with others to restore year-
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
icans. smear tactic that is, once again, being round Pell grants to community col-
Our priority, the Democratic Biden used to frighten Americans and distort leges and all colleges and universities
priority, is a tax cut for working fami- and derail a meaningful debate. in our State. That, of course, included
lies and lower-income families to give Let’s get past the name-calling and Derek’s alma mater, Missouri Western.
them a fighting chance to make ends get down to basics. Do you support yet Derek’s knowledge and experience
meet. another huge tax cut for massive cor- are an incredible asset to me and to
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:27 Nov 03, 2021 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G02NO6.028 S02NOPT1
File and source
- File
- CREC_crec-2021-11-02_crec-2021-11-02-pt1-pgs7585-2.pdf
- Size
- 217,433 bytes
- SHA-256
- c1b717748f056d71cc818985be0187fb2dc4ec600021ecc6aa04a106827aa936
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov