American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Senate amendment to this payoff package.

According to the Treasury, at the end of 2020, $46 billion provided to States in the CARES Act pandemic relief funding remained unspent. And this payoff package provides them an additional $360 billion.

The partisan formula used will direct hundreds of millions more to liberal States like California and New York. That is because the formula is determined by the State's population of unemployed people. States that enacted stricter lockdowns with the heavy hand of government saw higher unemployment rates and, therefore, will get more money.

I will also highlight the racist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers provision. This provision should be a clear violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and I call on the Department of Justice to investigate it if it becomes law. It is shameful and, in my opinion, illegal. I cannot justify conditioning relief based on race and ethnicity. This is not equality under the law. Federal aid dollars should be colorblind, and this bill puts the Federal Government in a precarious position.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this relief package.

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