Providing for Consideration of H.R. Guard and Reserve Gi Bill Parity Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition Act; and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act.

As a father of four, I know just how important it is to families across the country that our schools stay open and our kids keep learning.

I want to pause for a moment to highlight what we are hearing right now. I fully appreciate my Democrat colleagues talking about federalism. I am very supportive of that in the face of sweeping Federal mandates that are going to inflict an enormous workforce burden on all of our private-sector companies in my district with a Federal vaccine mandate. We are trying to say: Don't do that. That is not the right approach.

I am hearing the same thing, that it is not the right approach to tell each school board what they are doing. Let me set just a clear concept of what we are talking about here. There is Federal money involved. We want school boards to make decisions--I have even incorporated it into my speech that I will share here in a minute--to use these Federal dollars that are designed to help keep schools open.

We need to make sure that these schools stay open. Let's all embrace federalism. That is the goal. President Biden just realized it a few weeks ago when he said we can't solve this at the Federal level. We fully embrace that.

In-person learning is critical for our children's well-being. From mental health to reading and math skills, American students are struggling.

COVID is spreading, and we can embrace commonsense precautions, embracing federalism, like masks and testing, where relevant. But our kids need to be in the classroom.

Rolling school closures are exacting a staggering toll on our children, particularly those with special needs or those who are already vulnerable or behind academically.

Low-income families with parents who work outside the home are most at risk when schools shut down. Moms and dads race to find makeshift childcare just to be able to go to work and feed their families, and vulnerable kids fall further and further behind on their schoolwork. We cannot fail these students.

Congress allocated $54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to help schools reopen and stay open. Those funds must be used to prioritize the expenses that keep schools open.

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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I am grateful for Utah's educators and superintendents who are working hard to do what is right by our students. They are working hard; I see it. Families across the country are trying the best they can, and we must commit to supporting them in return.

A vote for the previous question is a vote for our students and our future.

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