American Rescue Plan (Cong. Rec., Nov. 16, 2021)
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate, November 16, 2021, pages S8219 and S8220. The page opens partway through a speech that criticizes the proposals to pay for the Build Back Better bill and discusses the Virginia election. Mr. Kaine then speaks as a former city councilman and mayor about the American Rescue Plan, saying Virginia and its localities received $7.2 billion, with $4 billion to the Commonwealth of Virginia and $3.2 billion to cities, counties, and towns. Kaine describes local uses of the money and the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed at the White House, and calls the Build Back Better bill an education and workforce bill.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“American Rescue Plan (Cong. Rec., Nov. 16, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-11-16-crec-2021-11-16-pt1-pgs8219-64c44de777/
, SHA-256 1b6face6e8570ef7f75bc82cfa21d32b52359a024931184b3f54e7601ab6bc0e.Full text
November 16, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S8219
cost of the bill. That is $2 to $2.5 tril- back. The message, I think, from our I spoke yesterday to the Virginia As-
lion that would be added to the already voters pretty loud and clear was: We sociation of Counties, the gathering of
$30 trillion national debt. want you to get stuff done. If we in the all county supervisors of all 95 counties
Let’s just say, for example, that Senate and in the House had passed the around Virginia. They gather once a
these ideas they have to partially pay infrastructure bill and passed the Build year, usually in person. Last year, it
for this bill seem to change on a daily Back Better bill before the Virginia was by Zoom.
basis. A corporate tax hike? No, let’s election, I think the outcome would They were so glad to be back to-
change it to a corporate minimum tax. have been different. gether, in person, in Norfolk yesterday,
A new death tax? No, let’s change it to What we were hearing again and hundreds of them in a conference room.
a new tax on wealth—something we again from voters is: We gave you a And they asked me to come and talk
have never talked about before in this majority. Please act on it, especially at about what is going on in Congress.
country, taxing unrealized gains. That this time when Americans are so chal- And I said: How much time do you
is taxing income before people have ac- lenged by now nearly 20 months of pan- have? But what I really focused on was
tually seen the income—the realized demic and economic devastation. three things, and I want to focus on
income. So I stand on the floor as a proud those three things now, speaking about
Funding for their bill seems to be a Virginian, very focused on celebrating them from the perspective of local offi-
matter of throwing spaghetti at the the accomplishment of yesterday— cials not just in Virginia but all over
wall on a daily basis to try and see President Biden’s signature on the in- this country: first, the American Res-
what sticks. There isn’t a day that frastructure bill—but also saying we cue Plan, which was passed in March,
went by in the last couple of weeks, have to pass the Build Back Better bill but it is just beginning to have an im-
when we were in session the week be- in order to respond to what our con- pact in Virginia’s cities, counties, and
fore last, where there wasn’t another stituents are asking of us at this chal- towns; second, the bipartisan infra-
horrible idea that came from that side lenging time. structure bill that was signed at the
of how to raise revenue to finance this AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN White House yesterday; and, third, the
massive, reckless, and radical spending Mr. President, I want to speak today, education and workforce bill that we
bill. And of course all of Democrats’ sort of, maybe not so much as a Sen- are working on now that I believe will
current funding proposals put together ator but as a former city councilman reach the President’s desk in Decem-
will not be able to pay for their legisla- and mayor. ber.
tion, especially when you remove, as I I am sort of unique. There are 30 peo- I started off by telling these county
said earlier, the budget gimmicks that ple in the United States who have been supervisors what I truly believe; that
are disguising the true cost of their a mayor, Governor, and U.S. Senator— anybody in public life right now, elect-
plans. 1 of only 30 in our entire history. The ed or a first responder or any class-
As their narrow majorities made first time I was introduced and some- room teacher, when we are all finished
clear, the 2020 election did not give one said that, I thought, that clearly with our times in public life, I think we
Democrats a mandate for Big Govern- cannot be right. So many Governors will look back on this period of time,
ment socialism. And if that wasn’t become Senators, that clearly cannot beginning March 2020, as the most im-
clear to Democrats in 2020, it should be right. I asked the Historian to re- portant period of our public service ca-
certainly be clear to them now after search the matter because someone in- reers. The pandemic has created such
the election for the Virginia Governor troduced me that way. And it came destruction, death, economic catas-
this month, which saw Republicans win back that that is correct. Only 30 peo- trophe, illness, and division that we
statewide for the first time since 2009. ple in the history of this country have have all been tested in our personal
Voters in Virginia sent a clear message been a mayor, a Governor, and a Sen- lives and our work on behalf of our
to Democrats that they weren’t look- ator. And as I pondered the reason for citizens. Our constituents have needed
ing for far-left government or a far-left that, it suddenly occurred to me: Being us in unparalleled ways since March of
social agenda that would seek to cir- a mayor will kill you. 2020.
cumvent parents’ role in their chil- Governors can become Senators, but Last year, on a cold Saturday in
dren’s lives and education. But just as mayors often make everyone mad, and March, we passed the American Rescue
inflation concerns have not stopped it is hard to go from being a mayor to Plan. It contains significant funding in
Democrats, it has become clear that having a post-mayoral political career four basic pillars: healthcare, relief to
their rebuke in Virginia won’t stop because the job is so tough. individuals and families, aid to busi-
them either. In fact, some Democrats And yet, when people ask me: Which nesses, and then, finally, aid to State
seem to think that their response job do you like better, Governor or and local governments, including edu-
should be to run faster and further to Senator, I always say: Look, I like cational institutions.
the left. them all. But if you made me give up The American Rescue Plan imme-
So the big agenda item for Demo- every title I ever had except one, the diately affected millions of Ameri-
crats for the rest of the year continues one I would hold on to is mayor. I cans—families, healthcare, institu-
to be passing their partisan Build Back would hold on to being a mayor be- tions, businesses—through measures
Better tax-and-spending spree, which cause when you are a mayor, it is 24/7, like massive vaccine deployment,
means Americans will be able to look 365. There is no recess for a mayor. checks to individuals, business grants.
forward to further inflation and a City councils and mayors don’t go into These kept families afloat and helped
weaker economy, not to mention in- recess. You are dealing with people on protect themselves against COVID, and
creased government control of their de- the issues that are the closest to them. they also kept the lights on for many
cision making. You can make people happier or mad- of our local businesses.
It is a poor legacy for Democrats’ der. But what I want to focus on is the aid
first year in office, but it seems to be You can convince people in local gov- that we gave to State and local govern-
the legacy Democrats are determined ernment, in a nation of 330 million, ments and, again, particularly—par-
to secure. sometimes they think: What does my ticularly—to local governments. Vir-
I yield the floor. vote matter? What does my voice mat- ginia and its localities, through the
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ter? No one will listen to me. In local American Rescue Plan, received $7.2
PADILLA). The Senator from Virginia is government, you can convince people billion in the American Rescue Plan; $4
recognized. that actually they will be listened to. billion to the Commonwealth of Vir-
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I am glad So I would hold on to that mayoral ginia and $3.2 billion to our cities,
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
to follow my colleague from the Dako- role, and, frankly, if I had not been counties, and towns.
tas because I would certainly never at- mayor, I never would have been a Lieu- And as soon as we passed it, I started
tempt to interpret the electorate of an- tenant Governor or Governor or a U.S. to go around and talk to our cities,
other State. Senator. So I owe anything that I am counties, and towns: How are you going
I can tell you about the Virginia or do in politics now to the fact that I to spend these local moneys? What
elections that happened a couple weeks started in local government. they told me was interesting in April
VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Nov 17, 2021 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G16NO6.007 S16NOPT1
S8220 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 16, 2021
of last year. They said: Well, first, we are in local government, you care tion calls this bill the Build Back Bet-
are going to wait and see how the State about infrastructure. When I was a ter bill, and some call it the reconcili-
decides to spend their $4 billion be- mayor, I had a transit system, I had ation bill because of the Senate budget
cause we don’t want to spend on some- roads, I had bike trails, I had an air- procedure that we are using to pass it.
thing and have the State spend on the port, I had an Amtrak station, and I As a member of the Budget and the
same thing. So we are going to let the had a port on the James River, which Health, Education, Labor, and Pen-
State, the Governor, Governor is connected to the Chesapeake Bay. sions Committees, I call it the edu-
Northam, the General Assembly pro- There is a lot of oceangoing and freight cation and workforce bill. It is an edu-
gram the $4 billion. But while the going out of our port. I had all of that. cation and workforce bill. This bill, to
State is doing that, we are going to go If you are in local government, you me, is fundamentally about preparing
out and dialogue with our citizens. care about infrastructure. That is why America’s workers for tomorrow and
And I really applaud my local gov- it was exciting to see so many mayors making sure that our workforce has
ernments. Recognizing this was one- and local officials at the White House the training and the childcare and the
time money that wouldn’t happen yesterday when the bill was being housing and the healthcare to
every year, they had intense public dia- signed. outcompete any country in the world.
logue with local constituents about I was proud to cheer on my col- If we want to make good on the
what can we do to really transform? leagues who worked on that bill, and I promise of the infrastructure bill, who
How can we use this money? And they thank all of them. I am especially is going to build it? We just signed an
have done it in fascinating ways. proud that a provision that I had with infrastructure bill, but it didn’t have
As I traveled around the State and Senator WICKER, of Mississippi—to en- the training and the education compo-
talked to these local governments, I able our historically Black colleges nent. Who is going to build this? We
see them advancing long-delayed cap- and universities and other minority- have to have a workforce to build this
ital projects, water and wastewater up- serving institutions to be involved in massive infrastructure improvement, a
grades, closing the digital divide by in- training the workforce and creating once-in-a-generation improvement.
vesting in broadband, constructing the innovations that we will need to That is what the Build Back Better bill
community centers in parts of the make this infrastructure investment— is about.
community that haven’t received in- was included in the bill. We are not going to outcompete
vestments in the past. I want to give a special thanks to my China just by diplomacy or tariffs or
Many gave hazard pay to first re- Virginia colleague, MARK WARNER, tough talk. We aren’t going to
sponders. The American Rescue Plan who, I think, was sort of an unsung outcompete China just by growing our
helped people fund police, ambulance, hero in the negotiations around the in- military budget. The best way to
fire, mental health workers, public frastructure bill. outcompete China is to invest in Amer-
health workers, grants to local non- The impact of the bill is going to be ica’s workers.
profits and churches that supported the felt in Virginia for generations: bil- The success of America’s economy in
community during COVID, grants to lions for roads and bridges, ports and the next 50 years will depend on our
shore up Virginia’s hard-hit businesses dredging, airports, rail to trails, rail- making the same investments that al-
that were engaged in the tourism in- road, climate resiliency, broadband, lowed us to thrive in the 20th century—
dustry as people stopped traveling. energy grid modernization, waste and investing in infrastructure, investing
This is what our local governments wastewater infrastructure. The infra- in people—and that is the basis of
have done with these dollars. structure bill contains a significant in- Build Back Better.
The investments are supplemented vestment for Chesapeake Bay clean- This education and workforce bill
by more than three and a half billion up—that really matters to us—and a also provides sizable investments in
additional dollars to Virginia childcare significant investment in the Appa- community colleges to train workers
providers, K–12 school systems, col- lachian Regional Commission. That for infrastructure jobs, to train the
leges, community colleges, with bil- really matters to southern and western next generation of K–12 teachers, and
lions more for other local priorities Virginia, the parts of our State that to train workers to enable America to
like transit and broadband infrastruc- are in Appalachia. lead the world into a new and innova-
ture. Allocating these dollars to States in tive energy economy. There will be in-
So it was heartening to talk to these smart ways will allow them to vestments in rural economic develop-
county officials. And there are more prioritize the use of the funds in our ment, a Pell grant increase, an exten-
red counties in Virginia then there are cities, counties, and towns in a way sion of the child tax credit, and addi-
blue counties, so I was talking to coun- that will ensure that each State gets to tional healthcare and housing funds to
ty officials from all over the State, and tackle the most important priorities, reduce costs for American families.
more would have been in Republican because the Virginia solution wouldn’t The bill will close the Medicaid cov-
counties than Democratic counties. be the California solution or the New erage gap, lower healthcare costs and
But they were thrilled that Congress— Hampshire solution. Every State can the costs of prescription drugs, and will
that the Senate by a one-vote margin, use these funds to fund the projects fund better public health infrastruc-
as we all remember—passed the Amer- that are the most important there. Vir- ture.
ican Rescue Plan to invest in these key ginia is going to receive a minimum of The thing about this bill that maybe
local priorities. $100 million for affordable broadband, excites me the most is this: We will be
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL at least $7.6 billion for roads and able to provide funding for States to
Mr. President, on the bipartisan in- bridges, and at least $2.7 billion for make prekindergarten universally
frastructure bill, I told them: I am transit, among other sizable invest- available for every 3- and 4-year-old in
going to leave this floor and race to ments. this country, and we will do it through
Washington and hope that there aren’t As I explained this to my Virginia a mixed delivery model that supports
any State troopers nearby because I Association of Counties yesterday high-quality public and private pro-
need to get to Washington to go to the morning, they were overjoyed because viders. This will help an additional
signing at the White House of the in- they all had—and the Presiding Officer 140,000 3- and 4-year-olds in Virginia
frastructure bill. remembers this—their local capital im- have pre-K, and we will also fund
This is the Nation’s biggest commit- provement projects lists, with projects childcare for the kids younger than 3
ment to infrastructure since the Inter- that had been bumping along for years, years old to bring down costs of
state Highway System initiative in the and there were never enough dollars to childcare for working families. When
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
Eisenhower administration. It will em- really advance them. Now the dollars you combine both the pre-K and the
ploy hundreds of thousands of people will be there to get the projects done childcare support in Virginia, it will
and raise the platform for economic and cross them off the lists. mean that 500,000 more kids just in my
success for decades. BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA State will have access to quality and
The Presiding Officer was in local Mr. President, I want to now talk affordable childcare and early edu-
government just like I was, and if you about the third bill. The administra- cation. When kids get a strong start, it
VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Nov 17, 2021 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G16NO6.009 S16NOPT1
File and source
- File
- CREC_crec-2021-11-16_crec-2021-11-16-pt1-pgs8219.pdf
- Size
- 216,758 bytes
- SHA-256
- 1b6face6e8570ef7f75bc82cfa21d32b52359a024931184b3f54e7601ab6bc0e
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov