Providing for Consideration of H.R. Postal Service Reform Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question so that the House can immediately consider Congresswoman Hinson's H.R. 6619, the Unmask Our Kids Act.

The Unmask Our Kids Act would restrict funds from going to any local education agencies that don't offer an option for in-person instruction at both elementary and secondary public schools. Further, the Unmask Our Kids Act would allow parents to opt their child out of having to wear a mask at school.

As the mother of two children, I understand how important it is for all kids to be in school, learning among their peers. Unfortunately, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a political theater of both masking policies and virtual learning, which has resulted in K-12 students paying the price through learning loss, which is at an even higher rate among students who come from disadvantaged families.

Several studies have found that there are adverse effects on the quality of education due to the lack of time students spend with their peers, especially for students who struggled with school before the pandemic. Students need and deserve to have in-person instruction so that they can receive the best education possible for their future.

As a physician and former director of public health, I recognize that children are at low risk of severe illness with COVID and low risk of transmission. A recent study found that grade-schoolers are at a lower risk than vaccinated adults.

Wearing a mask at school can create both behavioral and physical complications for students. A student wearing a pair of glasses may have to keep defogging their lenses, or a student that has a facial tic may have to keep correcting their fallen mask.

As we have seen across the Nation, mental health has been a big part of this pandemic, and students are not immune to this impact. Not being able to see other peers or your teacher's face can lead to only further loneliness, anxiety, and depression, and the rate of suicide in children as young as 9 has been staggering. Many young students are also unable to learn because facial expressions are absent.

Just yesterday, New Jersey's Democratic Governor announced that, beginning in March, the State will no longer require students and school employees to wear masks. The Governor was quoted saying that: ``This is not a declaration of victory as much as an acknowledgment that we can responsibly live with this thing.'' Europe has had that policy for almost a year.

Beginning this Friday, the Governor of Delaware, the President's home State, will lift Delaware's universal indoor mask mandate, with a lift on the school-based mask mandate beginning March 31.

Also yesterday, a medical analyst for CNN said that the decision to wear a mask should shift from a government mandate to an individual choice.

If a parent and student believe it is in the best interests of their health and well-being to wear a mask, so be it. Let them make that decision for themselves. We do not need elite, powerful people imposing their will upon our most innocent and most powerless.

Remove the mask. Let students be back in school. And vote down the previous question.

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