Democrats Prioritize Marijuana Over Covid Relief
Floor Speech
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Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, in March, our public health experts said that we needed to stay home to fight this virus and to bend the curve. Those public health experts urged the administration and Congress to design COVID-19 relief that included 8 weeks of paycheck protection and enhanced unemployment compensation through July, all with the thought that that was the amount of support that we needed to provide, given the nature of this virus.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to state the obvious: Months later, America remains in the throes of a brutal pandemic, Americans are hurting, and Arkansans are hurting. Every day I hear from restaurant owners and hotel operators who are concerned about whether or not they will stay in business and whether or not they can survive.
Central Arkansans tell me that they are spending more time worried about their school kids, keeping their schools open, and having reliable broadband to be able to do telemedicine and tele-education. More central Arkansans are taking their meals at food banks. Mr. Speaker, frontline workers depend on help and our health industry to deliver the care that is essential.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, for what has the House leadership and Speaker Pelosi brought us back to Washington, D.C., to consider? Is it to consider this much-needed delivered COVID-19 relief for the American people?
No.
Is it to extend the deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program or bring the discharge petition to the House floor that House Republicans have proposed, that has over 180 signatures of this body to help our small businesses who desperately need that assistance?
No.
Mr. Speaker, while Arkansans and Americans are suffering, and while Republicans are working to extend critical assistance like the Paycheck Protection Program, our House Democratic leadership is putting a bill to legalize pot on the floor of the United States House for a vote.
Let that sink in. In the midst of this pandemic and in the midst of calls across the country to help the American people, our leadership in this House has proposed a bill to legalize pot.
My friends on the other side of the aisle are showing just how much they are out of touch with conditions in our country today. People are working to make ends meet for their families. They are trying to educate their children while juggling work obligations. They are trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from this virus.
And that is why we are here this week: To legalize pot?
Mr. Speaker, Republicans are leading. Our discharge petition could help small businesses right now, and every Democrat should sign it. Yet, Mr. Speaker, for 40 times, our Speaker of the House has blocked the consideration of extending the Paycheck Protection Program. House Democrats need to follow the lead of House Republicans and put Americans above their special interest friends by moving COVID-19 relief today on this House floor, by calling up our discharge petition and voting on paycheck protection relief. Recognizing Clayton Boothe
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Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exceptional young man in my district, Clayton Boothe, who was raised to value a broad span of interests. At just 17 years old, he is excelling in many of these areas.
He is captain of his quiz bowl team, founder of Maumelle High School's chess team, and a member of Arkansas' Governor's School and the National Honor Society. He is ranked top of his class, and he is one of 16,000 semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program out of 1.5 million nationwide applicants.
He is a writer who is working on a novel. He is a musician and a member of the Arkansas Sympathy Youth Orchestra. He hopes to attend Northwestern University in Chicago, and I expect him to succeed wherever life takes him. I congratulate Clayton on his hard work and keen interests.
Keep it up, Clayton, and make Maumelle High School and your family proud.
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