Covid Relief

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, last year, every single COVID relief package passed with bipartisan support and bipartisan input. This is not happening today because the majority has chosen to abandon their calls for unity without even making an effort. Sadly, it is the American people who will bear the burden of this decision.

Components of this package were shoved through committees on strictly partisan lines. One of my amendments asking that we prohibit taxpayer dollars from going to people illegally in our country passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support, but was rejected without a single Democratic vote in our committee.

I know from experience that a hard-earned paycheck is infinitely more valuable than anything from the unemployment office. We need to put Americans back to work, make America tired again. That means we cannot incentivize workers to stay out of the workforce.

Let's not waste any more taxpayer dollars than we have to.

Getting our students back in the classrooms should be a top priority for everyone here. Not only does this bill not help return students to the classroom, most of the education funds are not even allocated until 2022.

There is a lot we can do together, but I fear a one-sided process will leave millions of Americans unaccounted for in this relief package.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source