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, THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 No. 70 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY One important message is to the called to order by the President pro LEADER Asian-American community. By pass- tempore (Mr. LEAHY). The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- ing this bill, we say to the Asian-Amer- jority leader is recognized. ican community that their government f is paying attention to them, has heard f their concerns, and will respond to pro- PRAYER COVID–19 HATE CRIMES ACT tect them; and, second, by passing this The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, bill, we will send a message to the fered the following prayer: after nearly 2 weeks of Democrats and country that should be all too obvious Let us pray. Republicans working together, the by now. Hate crimes will not be toler- Eternal God, nature speaks of Your Senate is going to take a final vote on ated, and Federal law enforcement will glory. With every sunrise and sunset, the anti-Asian hate crimes bill later do everything in its power to detect, we are reminded of Your power and this morning. The vote today on the deter, and, if necessary, prosecute majesty. anti-Asian hate crimes bill is proof crimes to the full extent of the law. Lord, we think of You when we watch that when the Senate is given the op- So this bill has a one-two punch, to the birds You guide through the bound- portunity to work, the Senate can assure the Asian-American community less skies with flawless flight. We hear work to solve important issues. we are going after the bigotry against Your voice in the pattern of the falling In the wake of the COVID–19 pan- them and to tell the American people, rain and the shouts of the thunder. demic, Asian Americans across the particularly those bigots, we are going after you in a legal way, of course. Great and marvelous are Your works. country have been victims of the surge Now, yesterday, we reached an agree- Today, rule in the lives of our law- of discrimination and racially moti- vated violence and bigotry. In New ment to consider three more Repub- makers with the sovereignty You hold lican amendments to the bill before a over nature. Guide our Senators with York, I attended rally after rally and heard one story after another about final vote. The legislation, as is, al- Your perfect and trustworthy precepts, ready includes significant bipartisan bringing joy to their hearts because of Asian Americans who were afraid to ride the subway, afraid to go to work, input, including modifications from Your love. Senator COLLINS and bipartisan legisla- We pray in Your mighty Name. afraid to walk down the streets, and having to adjust their daily lives for tion called the No Hate Act developed Amen. fear of being spat upon, glared at, or by Senators MORAN and BLUMENTHAL f even worse. This was not an occasional and modified by Senator SCOTT of Flor- occurrence. It is occurring every day in ida. Senator WARNOCK has also made PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE just about every corner of America. sure the bill recognizes the recent trag- Now, racism has always existed in edy in Atlanta in which six women of The President pro tempore led the America, unfortunately and sadly, and Asian descent were killed. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: the legacy of anti-Asian sentiment Through it all, Senators DURBIN, I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the goes back centuries to dark chapters in DUCKWORTH, and especially the bill’s United States of America, and to the Repub- our history like the Chinese Exclusion sponsor, Senator HIRONO, have dem- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Act and the internment of Japanese- onstrated exceptional leadership; the indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. American citizens during World War II. same for Representative MENG in the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Now, we have made great strides House. Senator from Nevada. since those days, but over the past sev- Over the past 6 years, we have had Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I suggest eral years, the forces of hate and big- too few opportunities to work together the absence of a quorum. otry seemed to have gained strength, on timely, bipartisan legislation. Let The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The too often encouraged by our former this be a reminder that when Senators clerk will call the roll. President. It is time for all of us to of good will work with each other, at The senior assistant legislative clerk stand up. the end of the day, we can achieve a proceeded to call the roll. By passing this bill, the Senate good result. We can do it again in the Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I makes it very clear that hate and dis- next few weeks with a bipartisan water ask unanimous consent that the order crimination against any group has no infrastructure bill, which will be on the for the quorum call be rescinded. place in America. Bigotry against one floor next week, and soon thereafter, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. is bigotry against all, and I believe another bipartisan package of legisla- ROSEN). Without objection, it is so or- that passage of this bill will send two— tion concerning American competitive- dered. two—very important messages. ness. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2137 ® Pdnted on recycled papfil. VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:49 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A22AP6.000 S22APPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S2138 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 22, 2021 Let’s continue the bipartisan mo- make it harder for minorities, poorer climate crisis to begin preparing for mentum as we move into next week, Americans, and younger Americans to landmark legislation. I repeat once but today I want to thank my col- vote. again that any infrastructure bill we leagues who have worked together to The far right, the hard right—which consider here in the Senate must in- bring this bill to the finish line. I look seems to be so dominant in the party clude green infrastructure, create forward to seeing the anti-Asian hate on the other side—is so afraid of losing green jobs, and make significant crimes bill passed by this Chamber political power and so unwilling to ap- progress toward the reduction of green- today and move one step closer to peal to anyone who doesn’t already house gases. reaching the President’s desk. agree with them that their strategy Luckily, the Senate will have an op- f has become to restrict voting rights portunity to address another serious and deny equal representation in Con- climate-related issue next week. The WASHINGTON, D.C. ADMISSION ACT gress to hundreds of thousands of Senate will consider a Congressional Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on Americans. So DC statehood, unfortu- Review Act bill before the end of the DC statehood, another matter, today nately, is part of a continuing thread work period to reimpose critical regu- the House of Representatives will pass of not allowing people their right to lations concerning the release of meth- a bill granting the District of Columbia vote, to representation, that seems to ane into our atmosphere. official statehood. I applaud my House be growing in the Republican Party, Methane gets less attention than its Democratic colleagues for taking this particularly here in the Senate and in big bad brother, carbon dioxide, but in important step toward recognizing the legislatures throughout the country, truth, methane is like carbon dioxide full citizenship of more than 700,000 unfortunately. on steroids. Over 20 years, a ton of residents of the District of Columbia. Self-government, voting rights: methane will warm the atmosphere This is a matter of just representa- These are not Democratic rights. These more than 86 times as much as a ton of tion. Our system of government is de- are not Republican rights. They are carbon dioxide, but because it breaks signed to give everyone in our country American rights. They are issues of down much faster than carbon dioxide, a voice in forging their own destiny. fairness and democracy. It is not about the gains we make in the reduction of Most citizens do that by voting for right and left; it is about right and methane emissions can reduce global Members of Congress and Senators wrong. warming even faster. Many of the from their States to represent them in DC statehood is an idea whose time things we need to do to reduce methane this temple of democracy to advocate has come. emissions are fairly cheap and cost-ef- for their interests and to voice their f fective, like plugging leaks in fossil concerns. fuel infrastructure. So this made com- CLIMATE LEGISLATION The District of Columbia has more mon sense, especially when our globe is residents than Vermont and Wyoming Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, at risk. and nearly the same as Delaware, Alas- now on climate, this year’s celebration The Obama administration had insti- ka, and several other States, and they of Earth Day comes with an ambitious tuted these commonsense rules of the bear the full responsibilities and duties new goal from the Biden administra- road to encourage that sort of activity.