Providing for Consideration of H.R. Parents Bill of Rights Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANDSMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and to this very controversial and very dangerous bill, H.R. 5.

I am a former teacher. I am a parent. My wife and I have two children right now in public schools. This is the life we lead. This is our reality right now.

I can tell you that I offered several amendments because I know what I am talking about. One of the amendments was to protect our schools, our teachers, and our parents from unnecessary, awful, and very expensive litigation. That is what this is going to do. This is going to drown our school districts, our schools, our teachers, and maybe our parents in lawsuit after lawsuit after lawsuit.

I offered amendments because everyone in my district believes in local control. One amendment just said: Hey, if you are a believer in local control, then allow school districts to opt out of this very dangerous bill. That is a local control issue. That amendment and the other amendment was not ruled in order so there will be no vote on it.

I believe that this government that they are proposing has become too big for most Americans. It is too intrusive. They are banning books. You can't say this, you can't say that. They are in doctors' offices, and they are in classrooms. They are going too far and trampling on our freedoms.

If they want to help, then invest in preschool, invest in childcare, invest in prenatal care, invest in stable housing, invest in afterschool programs, and invest in all kinds of things that are going to help children and parents.

Stop telling us what to do with our lives and with our children.

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