DOCSLIB.ORG

House Section

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
House Section E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 117 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021 No. 82 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was impacted by horrific events. They pre- I wholeheartedly agree with my called to order by the Speaker pro tem- vent the tragedy from fading from our friend, the chief of police in Chambers- pore (Mr. CORREA). memories by educating the generations burg, and Congress must do our part to f to come, and they highlight the mod- support these heroes. Instead of talk- ern-day implications of such events. ing about defunding the police, we DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO My resolution would provide a day should be working to better train and TEMPORE for slavery remembrance, and the lan- equip law enforcement officers to do The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- guage of the resolution would com- the job that we have entrusted them to fore the House the following commu- memorate the lives of all enslaved peo- do. nication from the Speaker: ple, while condemning the act and the As we move forward, the American WASHINGTON, DC, perpetration as well as perpetuation of people know that Republicans are lead- May 12, 2021. slavery in the United States of Amer- ing commonsense, bipartisan solutions. I hereby appoint the Honorable LUIS J. ica and across the world. For over a year, Senator TIM SCOTT CORREA to act as Speaker pro tempore on The resolution would discuss the and Congressman PETE STAUBER have this day. Middle Passage, the Underground Rail- led our efforts to improve trans- NANCY PELOSI, road, and the lives of Nat Turner, Har- parency, accountability, and training. Speaker of the House of Representatives. riet Tubman, and John Brown. It would Rather than defund or dismantle the f also make the 18 persons who were police, the Justice Act will enact bi- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE elected to Congress from the Recon- partisan reforms to better equip these struction era as honorary cosponsors of brave Americans who serve our com- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- the resolution in a posthumous way. munities. I was proud to cosponsor that ant to the order of the House of Janu- I am proud to do this, and I ask that legislation, and I encourage my col- ary 4, 2021, the Chair will now recog- all Members please consider becoming leagues on all sides of the political nize Members from lists submitted by original cosponsors of the resolution. spectrum to join us in this common- the majority and minority leaders for f sense approach. morning-hour debate. Democrats say that they want to The Chair will alternate recognition NATIONAL POLICE WEEK work together on police reform. Now is between the parties, with time equally The SPEAKER pro tempore. The the chance. Getting this right today is allocated between the parties and each Chair recognizes the gentleman from critical for the future of policing in our Member other than the majority and Pennsylvania (Mr. JOYCE) for 5 min- Nation. We cannot allow the radical minority leaders and the minority utes. left to erode trust in the justice system whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. and degrade the good name of the pub- event shall debate continue beyond Speaker, equal justice under the law is lic servants for the sake of their own 11:50 a.m. a cornerstone of our American democ- woke agenda. Right now, our law en- f racy. At home in Pennsylvania and forcement community is facing unprec- around our country, our communities edented attacks. Every day, the left SLAVERY REMEMBRANCE DAY are blessed with dedicated law enforce- threatens to abandon these heroes who The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ment officers who work daily to pro- protect us. Chair recognizes the gentleman from tect and to serve. During National Po- Chief Camacho leads an exemplary Texas (Mr. GREEN) for 5 minutes. lice Week, the American people honor police force in Franklin County, Penn- Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and thank the law enforcement officers sylvania. He and the vast majority of the British statesman, Sir Winston who keep us safe each and every day. the law enforcement community go Churchill, is credited with having stat- While no organization is perfect, our above and beyond to protect our com- ed that those who fail to learn from local police work hard to uphold the munities. history are doomed to repeat it. This is law and maintain peace in our commu- As a nation, we must never turn our the reason why, in part, I will be intro- nities. As Chambersburg Police Chief backs on the police. We must never ducing legislation for a slavery remem- Ron Camacho told me just this week, defund the police. During National Po- brance day. Currently, no such day ex- good police forces are centered on pro- lice Week and throughout this year, it ists in the United States. tecting and learning how to protect is my privilege to stand with the thin National days of remembrance pro- better. He said that good police forces blue line, and I will always back the vide an effective means to honor those are constantly evolving and improving. blue. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H2199 ® Pdnted on recycled papfil. VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:36 May 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12MY7.000 H12MYPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE H2200 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 12, 2021 OUR DEDICATED STAFF diciary Committee recently adopted a bor and American against American on The SPEAKER pro tempore. The measure on a party-line vote to estab- the basis of their race. They say this is Chair recognizes the gentleman from lish a commission with the avowed pur- healing. It is precisely the opposite. Washington (Mr. KILMER) for 5 min- pose of enshrining racism into law They know it. Indeed, they count on it. I think all Americans of goodwill and utes. under the guise of slavery reparations. of every race and creed have had Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, staff are The biased composition of this com- enough of this. We are tired of seeing the backbone of this institution. In mission—there is not a single Repub- our children taught to hate themselves fact, the Select Committee on the Mod- lican appointment—lays its intent bare and to hate each other. We are tired of ernization of Congress, over the course for all to see. It is designed to reach seeing our country demonized as racist of the last few weeks, has had hearings into the dead past, revive its most ma- by those whose first and solitary focus specifically related to how this institu- levolent conflicts, and reintroduce is on race. We are tired of the lie that tion can recruit, retain, and have more them into our age. our Nation is systemically racist when diverse staffs. I cannot imagine a more divisive, po- it has done more to produce a civil and The staffs who work in Congress are larizing, or unjust measure than one that would use government force to re- tolerant multiracial society than any dedicated public servants who are here people in the history of civilization. because they want to do meaningful quire people who never owned slaves to pay reparations to people who never It is long past time that every Amer- work for our country. Today, I want to ican of every heritage denounces this rise to say thank you to some very tal- were slaves—based not on anything they did, but solely because of what evil for what it is and to extirpate from ented and very special staffers who our civil discourse those race-baiters of were instrumental to the success of the race they were born. History offers us an inexhaustible every persuasion who have polluted our Select Committee on the Moderniza- supply of grievances and injustices national dialogue and corrupted our tion of Congress in the 116th Congress: that are powerful enough to stoke national heritage. Allie Neill, Jake Olson, Danielle Stew- hatreds and resentments that can tear f art, Mariah Harding, and SoRelle any society apart. That is what this Gaynor. PROTECT THE RAIZAL PEOPLE OF movement is all about. It is evil in its As chair of the Select Committee on THE SAN ANDRES ARCHIPELAGO effect, if not in its intent. the Modernization of Congress, I was Lincoln often pointed out that our The SPEAKER pro tempore. The fortunate to have Ms. Neill and Mr. country was born into a world where Chair recognizes the gentleman from Olson at the helm leading our staff and slavery was an established institution. Massachusetts (Mr. MCGOVERN) for 5 guiding our members through an in- The American Founders reviled it, and minutes. Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I have credibly productive 2 years. Their dedi- they placed principles in our founding very strong views about the national cation to our bipartisan mission along documents that they were confident protest taking place across Colombia with their institutional expertise was would ultimately place that wicked in- over the past 2 weeks and the abso- critical to the committee’s success. To stitution upon the course of ultimate lutely brutal response against the dem- their credit, when they came in to do extinction and would lead to a republic onstrators by the Colombian public se- the work of our committee, they where men and women of every race weren’t wearing red jerseys or blue jer- curity forces.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • How North Carolina's Black Politicians and Press Narrated and Influenced the Tu
    D. SHARPLEY 1 /133 Black Discourses in North Carolina, 1890-1902: How North Carolina’s Black Politicians and Press Narrated and Influenced the Tumultuous Era of Fusion Politics By Dannette Sharpley A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Honors Department of History, Duke University Under the advisement of Dr. Nancy MacLean April 13, 2018 D. SHARPLEY 2 /133 Acknowledgements I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to write an Honors Thesis in the History Department. When I returned to school after many years of separation, I was prepared for challenging work. I expected to be pushed intellectually and emotionally. I expected to struggle through all-nighters, moments of self-doubt, and even academic setbacks. I did not, however, imagine that I could feel so passionate or excited about what I learned in class. I didn’t expect to even undertake such a large project, let alone arrive at the finish line. And I didn’t imagine the sense of accomplishment at having completed something that I feel is meaningful beyond my own individual education. The process of writing this thesis has been all those things and more. I would first like to thank everyone at the History Department who supports this Honors Distinction program, because this amazing process would not be possible without your work. Thank you very much to Dr. Nancy MacLean for advising me on this project. It was in Professor MacLean’s History of Modern Social Movements class that I became obsessed with North Carolina’s role in the Populist movement of the nineteenth, thus beginning this journey.
    [Show full text]
  • Read John Rhodes' Oral History Transcript
    John Rhodes_Transcript.docx Page 1 of 31 CAP Oral History Interview with John Rhodes February 11, 1999 (C: being interviewer Crystal Thompson) C: I was just describing your background a little bit. Were you born and raised in Arizona? John: Sorry. C: Were you born and raised here? John: No, incidentally, my ears are reasonably good for 82 years old, but they’re 82 years old. C: Okay, I’ll speak up. John: As my children keep saying, dad you should get a hearing aid. I said no I don’t need a hearing aid; I just need for people like you to articulate better and face me when you speak. I was born and raised in Council Grove, Kansas. My parents were. My father was a retail lumberman and he was born in Kansas also. My mother was born...he was born in a little called Colony and mother was born in Emporia which was a fairly good size town. C: My grandmother was born in Emporia. John: No kidding. C: My mother was raised in Lacygne. John Rhodes_Transcript.docx Page 2 of 31 John: Oh yes, L-A-C-Y-G-N-E there aren’t too many who can spell Lacygne. My mother’s family was Welsh. In fact my maternal grandparents were both Welsh immigrants. It’s coming from about the same part Wales and when Betty and I were in that part of the world once upon a time, we rented a car and drove to the town where my grandmother had lived. I was pretty close to her.
    [Show full text]
  • H.Doc. 108-224 Black Americans in Congress 1870-2007
    “The Negroes’ Temporary Farewell” JIM CROW AND THE EXCLUSION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM CONGRESS, 1887–1929 On December 5, 1887, for the first time in almost two decades, Congress convened without an African-American Member. “All the men who stood up in awkward squads to be sworn in on Monday had white faces,” noted a correspondent for the Philadelphia Record of the Members who took the oath of office on the House Floor. “The negro is not only out of Congress, he is practically out of politics.”1 Though three black men served in the next Congress (51st, 1889–1891), the number of African Americans serving on Capitol Hill diminished significantly as the congressional focus on racial equality faded. Only five African Americans were elected to the House in the next decade: Henry Cheatham and George White of North Carolina, Thomas Miller and George Murray of South Carolina, and John M. Langston of Virginia. But despite their isolation, these men sought to represent the interests of all African Americans. Like their predecessors, they confronted violent and contested elections, difficulty procuring desirable committee assignments, and an inability to pass their legislative initiatives. Moreover, these black Members faced further impediments in the form of legalized segregation and disfranchisement, general disinterest in progressive racial legislation, and the increasing power of southern conservatives in Congress. John M. Langston took his seat in Congress after contesting the election results in his district. One of the first African Americans in the nation elected to public office, he was clerk of the Brownhelm (Ohio) Townshipn i 1855.
    [Show full text]
  • ©2013 Luis-Alejandro Dinnella-Borrego ALL RIGHTS
    ©2013 Luis-Alejandro Dinnella-Borrego ALL RIGHTS RESERVED “THAT OUR GOVERNMENT MAY STAND”: AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICS IN THE POSTBELLUM SOUTH, 1865-1901 By LUIS-ALEJANDRO DINNELLA-BORREGO A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-New Brunswick Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in History written under the direction of Mia Bay and Ann Fabian and approved by ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ New Brunswick, New Jersey May 2013 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION “That Our Government May Stand”: African American Politics in the Postbellum South, 1865-1913 by LUIS-ALEJANDRO DINNELLA-BORREGO Dissertation Director: Mia Bay and Ann Fabian This dissertation provides a fresh examination of black politics in the post-Civil War South by focusing on the careers of six black congressmen after the Civil War: John Mercer Langston of Virginia, James Thomas Rapier of Alabama, Robert Smalls of South Carolina, John Roy Lynch of Mississippi, Josiah Thomas Walls of Florida, and George Henry White of North Carolina. It examines the career trajectories, rhetoric, and policy agendas of these congressmen in order to determine how effectively they represented the wants and needs of the black electorate. The dissertation argues that black congressmen effectively represented and articulated the interests of their constituents. They did so by embracing a policy agenda favoring strong civil rights protections and encompassing a broad vision of economic modernization and expanded access for education. Furthermore, black congressmen embraced their role as national leaders and as spokesmen not only for their congressional districts and states, but for all African Americans throughout the South.
    [Show full text]
  • "ZACK ATTACK" Written by Brittany Ashley "Happy Endings" Spec
    "ZACK ATTACK" Written by Brittany Ashley "Happy Endings" spec INT. ROSALITAS - DAY BRAD, ALEX, DAVE, PENNY, JANE and MAX sit in their booth at Rosalita’s. Max, surrounded by birthday presents, opens one wrapped in newspaper. Much to his dismay, it’s the same exact shirt that Dave is wearing. MAX Another v-neck... from Dave. DAVE Hey man, you’re welcome. Max opens another gift, covered in a shitload of glitter. MAX Saved by the Bell boxed DVD set! Thank you, Penny! PENNY When we dated in college, I always thought we were like the Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski of the quad. ALEX Aww, you guys! PENNY That is, until you lost your virginity to my RA, Zach Mores... ALEX Ehh... Roof stoof. MAX (remembering) Oh yeah, that dude was a smoke show, had a mouth like--- PENNY (interrupting, Shakespearean-style) Ah yes, a twist of irony that Past Penny wasn’t prepared for. But Present Penny finds quite charming. JANE Well it’s clear that I’d be the Jessi Spano. Top of the class, unstoppable dancer and that brief addiction to caffeine pills. 2. BRAD Caffeine pills, really? JANE I HAD TO PASS MY CALC MIDTERM, you don’t know the type of pressure I was under! I was so... scared. BRAD That makes me Slater, right, Mama? MAX I was thinking more like the Lisa Turtle. Alex, Dave, Penny, Max and Jane all nod. BRAD Why? Because I’m black? Alex, Dave, Penny, Max and Jane all hem and haw. ALEX Because you’re stylish.
    [Show full text]
  • May 26, 2021 the Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker U.S
    May 26, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives H-232, The Capitol Building H-204, The Capitol Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy: The potential exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for millions of Americans is one of the most pressing environmental and public health issues facing our nation today. PFAS, a large group of toxic man-made chemicals, are typically used to help make consumer and industrial products resistant to water, grease, or stains. Their widespread use in applications such as food packaging, commercial household products, electronics manufacturing and firefighting foams has resulted in the contamination of water and soil across the United States. According to recent analysis, more than 200 million Americans could be drinking PFAS- contaminated drinking water.1 In addition to Congressional action and stronger regulatory action from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a nationwide effort will be needed to tackle this challenge, relying on the federal government, state and local communities and industry partners to ultimately assess and remediate these dangerous chemicals. While prior federal funding has not been sufficient to address the issue, we believe there are opportunities this Congress to make historic investments to address PFAS. Therefore, we support the highest amount of funding necessary in a final legislative infrastructure package to assess, monitor and remediate PFAS. As part of federal PFAS funding, we also urge Congress to ensure that these dollars are appropriated and executed as part of a national, programmatic strategy led by the EPA.
    [Show full text]
  • George Henry White: the American Phoenix
    George Henry White: The American Phoenix "This is perhaps the Negroes' temporary farewell to the American Congress, but let me say, Phoenix-like he will rise up some day and come again. These parting words are in behalf of an outraged, heart-broken, bruised and bleeding, but God- fearing people; faithful, industrious, loyal, rising people – full of potential force." ~George Henry White Overview In this lesson students examine the life and career of North Carolina native George Henry White, the last African American Congressman before the Jim Crow Era, as well as the reasons for the decline in African American representation in Congress during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through examination of Congressional data from the time period, viewing a documentary (optional), analyzing speech excerpts, class discussion, and more, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the political, cultural and racial realities of the Jim Crow Era. The lesson culminates with an assignment where students are tasked with creating a reelection campaign for White. Grades 8-12 Materials • “George Henry White: American Phoenix” 15-minute documentary; available at http://www.georgehenrywhite.com/ o Teachers can also utilize online information to share with students (via lecture or having them read a handout) at https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/george-henry-white • Computers with internet access for student research (optional) • “African American Members in Congress, 1869 - 1913”, attached (p. 9-10) • “The Negroes’ Temporary Farewell: Jim Crow and the Exclusion of African Americans from Congress, 1887– 1929”, attached (p. 11-12) • “American Phoenix Viewing Guide”, attached (p. 13) • “George Henry White Quotes”, attached (p.
    [Show full text]
  • HRBC 2020 General Election Endorsements
    HRBC 2020 General Election Endorsements To receive an endorsement from HRBC, candidates and issues must receive a two-thirds majority of Trustee votes. No money was accepted from candidates in our endorsement process. U.S. Senator: John Cornyn U.S. Representative, District 2: Dan Crenshaw U.S. Representative, District 7: Wesley Hunt U.S. Representative, District 8: Kevin Brady U.S. Representative, District 10: Michael McCaul U.S. Representative, District 18: Wendell Champion U.S. Representative, District 22: Troy Nehls U.S. Representative, District 29: Jaimy Blanco U.S. Representative, District 36: Brian Babin Railroad Commissioner: James “Jim” Wright Chief Justice, Supreme Court: Nathan Hecht Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6: Jane Bland Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7: Jeff Boyd Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8: Brett Busby Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3: Bert Richardson Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4: Kevin Patrick Yeary Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9: David Newell State Board of Education, District 6: Will Hickman State Board of Education, District 8: Audrey Young State Senator, District 4: Brandon Creighton State Senator, District 11: Larry Taylor State Senator, District 18: Lois W. Kolkhorst State Representative, District 26: Jacey Jetton State Representative, District 29: Ed Thompson State Representative, District 126: E. Sam Harless State Representative, District 127: Dan Huberty State Representative, District 128: Briscoe Cain State Representative, District 129: Dennis Paul State Representative,
    [Show full text]
  • 2019-2020 PAC Contributions
    2019-2020 Election Cycle Contributions State Candidate or Committee Name Party -District Total Amount ALABAMA Sen. Candidate Thomas Tuberville R $5,000 Rep. Candidate Jerry Carl R-01 $2,500 Rep. Michael Rogers R-03 $1,500 Rep. Gary Palmer R-06 $1,500 Rep. Terri Sewell D-07 $10,000 ALASKA Sen. Dan Sullivan R $3,800 Rep. Donald Young R-At-Large $7,500 ARIZONA Sen. Martha McSally R $10,000 Rep. Andy Biggs R-05 $5,000 Rep. David Schweikert R-06 $6,500 ARKANSAS Sen. Thomas Cotton R $7,500 Rep. Rick Crawford R-01 $2,500 Rep. French Hill R-02 $9,000 Rep. Steve Womack R-03 $2,500 Rep. Bruce Westerman R-04 $7,500 St. Sen. Ben Hester R-01 $750 St. Sen. Jim Hendren R-02 $750 St. Sen. Lance Eads R-07 $750 St. Sen. Milton Hickey R-11 $1,500 St. Sen. Bruce Maloch D-12 $750 St. Sen. Alan Clark R-13 $750 St. Sen. Breanne Davis R-16 $500 St. Sen. John Cooper R-21 $750 St. Sen. David Wallace R-22 $500 St. Sen. Ronald Caldwell R-23 $750 St. Sen. Stephanie Flowers D-25 $750 St. Sen. Eddie Cheatham D-26 $750 St. Sen. Trent Garner R-27 $750 St. Sen. Ricky Hill R-29 $500 St. Sen. Jane English R-34 $1,500 St. Rep. Lane Jean R-02 $500 St. Rep. Danny Watson R-03 $500 St. Rep. DeAnn Vaught R-04 $500 St. Rep. David Fielding D-05 $500 St. Rep. Matthew Shepherd R-06 $1,000 St.
    [Show full text]
  • Policy & Legislative Outlook November 13, 2020 9 -- 11 AM CT
    Policy & Legislative Outlook November 13, 2020 9 -- 11 AM CT Presented in partnership with the City of San Antonio, Department of Neighborhood and Housing Services 1 9:00 AM Event Kick-Off Welcome by Leilah Powell, Executive Director, LISC San Antonio 9:05 Keynote Panel 2020 Election Results & What to Expect in 2021 • Matt Josephs, SVP LISC Policy, Washington DC • Mark Bordas, Managing Partner, Aegis Advocacy, Austin TX San Antonio Policy & Legislative Outlook, November 13, 2020 2 2020 Election Outcomes Control of the White House Potential Cabinet Secretaries: Treasury, HUD and HHS Lael Brainard Raphael Bostic Karen Bass Eric Garcetti Vivek Murthy Mandy Cohen Sarah Bloom Keisha Lance Bottoms Michelle Lujan Raskin Grisham Control of the Senate 117th Congress Democrats Republicans 48 50 116th Congress Control of the House of Representatives 117th Congress Democrats Republicans 218 202 116th Congress 117th Congressional Leadership (Anticipated) House (pending leadership elections) Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Minority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) Senate (pending elections results) Majority Leader: Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Minority Leader: Chuck Schumer (D-NY) 117th Congress: Senate and House Appropriations Committee Leadership (Anticipated) Senator Richard Senator Patrick Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Rep. Kay Granger Shelby (R-AL): Chair Leahy (D-VT): Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and (R-TX): Ranking of the Senate Ranking Member of Debbie Wasserman Schultz Member of the Appropriations the Senate (D-FL)
    [Show full text]
  • August 10, 2021 the Honorable Nancy Pelosi the Honorable Steny
    August 10, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Steny Hoyer Speaker Majority Leader U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer, As we advance legislation to rebuild and renew America’s infrastructure, we encourage you to continue your commitment to combating the climate crisis by including critical clean energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation tax incentives in the upcoming infrastructure package. These incentives will play a critical role in America’s economic recovery, alleviate some of the pollution impacts that have been borne by disadvantaged communities, and help the country build back better and cleaner. The clean energy sector was projected to add 175,000 jobs in 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic upended the industry and roughly 300,000 clean energy workers were still out of work in the beginning of 2021.1 Clean energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation tax incentives are an important part of bringing these workers back. It is critical that these policies support strong labor standards and domestic manufacturing. The importance of clean energy tax policy is made even more apparent and urgent with record- high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, unprecedented drought across the West, and the impacts of tropical storms felt up and down the East Coast. We ask that the infrastructure package prioritize inclusion of a stable, predictable, and long-term tax platform that: Provides long-term extensions and expansions to the Production Tax Credit and Investment Tax Credit to meet President Biden’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035; Extends and modernizes tax incentives for commercial and residential energy efficiency improvements and residential electrification; Extends and modifies incentives for clean transportation options and alternative fuel infrastructure; and Supports domestic clean energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation manufacturing.
    [Show full text]
  • March 17, 2021 Steve Poftak MBTA General Manager Massachusetts
    March 17, 2021 Steve Poftak MBTA General Manager Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 10 Park Plaza Boston, MA 02116 Dear Mr. Poftak, We write to follow up on our letter of December 11, 2020 to again express our concerns regarding the MBTA’s Forging Ahead proposal. We have yet to receive a reply to our request for information justifying the level of service cuts the MBTA has implemented. Moreover, since our original letter, Congress has secured over $250 million for the MBTA, and the American Rescue Plan will provide an estimated $1 billion in additional transit funding to the Commonwealth. We urge you to provide evidence that justifies decreased service despite this robust federal relief, as we previously requested, or immediately reverse the recent service cuts, which disproportionately harm essential workers and low-income communities who rely on the MBTA for commutes and access to critical services. We consider mass transit to be a public good, a vital tool for combatting climate change, and an integral part of our post-COVID recovery. As such, we again request that the MBTA provide clear evidence demonstrating the continued need for this degree of service reduction in light of the significant federal assistance the Authority has received. Finally, we hope you can reassure us that the federal assistance Congress has provided will be used to completely restore any and all service cuts as soon as possible. We appreciate your time and attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response. Sincerely, Katherine M. Clark Elizabeth Warren Member of Congress United States Senator Edward J.
    [Show full text]