Bill Cassidy

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I would like to rise and speak to the infrastructure bill that is before us and, specifically, about a component of the infrastructure bill. My colleague, earlier, Senator Tuberville from Alabama, said that when he goes home he speaks to people in his State, and he always gets a consistent message. I, too, get that consistent message: better jobs, greater safety for their family, and a better future for our country. And this infrastructure package addresses those concerns. Now, the infrastructure package is about roads and bridges and highways, ports and waterways, increased access to broadband in areas that don't have it now, flood mitigation, coastal restoration. These are things that will contribute to better jobs, more safety, and a better future for our country. But, first, let me dispel some myths. There are some misconceptions out there about this bill. One misconception is that it is somehow the same as the $3.5 trillion bill that people have heard about that Democrats have proposed, increasing taxes to a record basis and increasing our national debt when obviously we are pushing up on the debt limit. This is not that bill. This bill is about roads and bridges and broadband and flood protection. That bill is about everything else. This bill is about improving the quality of life for our families and improving the future for our country. That bill is about a sugar high on an economy which is already in an inflationary mode. These are two different bills. So I am speaking about the one that has 86-percent approval in two straight polls by the American citizens. The other concern is that this will contribute to inflation. Again, that is confusing it with the $3.5 trillion wish list that my Democratic colleagues have. No, the bill that we are proposing, with $550 billion in new spending over 5 years for roads, bridges, and highways, is judged to not be inflationary, to actually improve our economy over time. Lastly, that somehow this infrastructure bill that we propose is somehow Republicans playing along with Democrats in a way that is bad for our country. Let me point out that President Trump proposed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill. We put up $550 billion in new spending. He proposed $1.5 trillion. Only 5 percent of his was paid for, whereas ours is paid for. To make the point, this is something that Republicans have proposed in the past, that Democrats have proposed in the past, and this version is something which Democrats and Republicans can support. It is paid for, and it does help the American people. How does it help the American people? It gives them better jobs, increases the safety of their families, and gives a better future for our country. Let me give some ideas about how that can occur. There is $110 billion for roads, bridges, and highways, not just to repair some, to construct some others, but also for the safety of those that are being rebuilt or being built--$110 billion. We speak about jobs and safety and a better future. Clearly, we talked about safety. Think about the jobs that will be created by this construction of these highways. Think about the better future because these roads and bridges will last for decades. Some person who is now a child will drive over a bridge as an adult, and her life will be better because of the highway that this money paid for. There is $10 billion for ports and waterways, those liquid highways that take our goods from our country to around the world and bring those goods from around the world back to our country, along the way creating jobs for hundreds of thousands of Americans. By the way, transporting products by water is the most environmentally sound way to transport goods. This investment in our ports and waterways--again, creating jobs, increasing the safety--also gives us a better future for our economy, a better future for our workers, a better future for our families, and a better future for our country. There is $16 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers for, among other things, to address coastal erosion, which is occurring nationwide. My State has lost more land mass than any other State in the Nation. My State has lost as much land as is in the entire State of Delaware. But other States are losing land, too. I saw a picture recently of the Gold Coast, that very swank area in the city of Chicago on Lake Michigan, and it showed how the coastline had eroded over time, and now, waves from Lake Michigan are lapping up onto the road in front of these very expensive apartment complexes. This is not on the Atlantic, the Pacific, or the Gulf of Mexico; this is on a Great Lake. I saw another picture of the beach off of North Carolina, which in the last 150 years has receded--I think it is 500 feet. So homes that formerly had a distant view of the water now have waves coming up to their lawn. That is happening nationwide--no place more than my State in Louisiana. This bill makes a significant investment in coastal erosion and protecting those people who live on the coastlines. It will create jobs as this is addressed. It will increase the safety of those folks who live in such areas. It gives a better future for our country. There is $65 billion for broadband, prioritizing those places without service and those places with poor service. I think of a place in my own State; for example, Opelousas, LA, a small town on I-49. Think of a parent there who wants her daughter to be able to study Mandarin Chinese. There might be people there who speak Mandarin Chinese, but they are not the people teaching school. If she has broadband internet, she gets the same educational experience as someone who lives in New Orleans or Baton Rouge or Shreveport. We need to give every child in this country the same access to that educational opportunity. I am a doctor. Most people know that. I also think of the expansion of telehealth and telemental health. Right now, our country has a shortage of adolescent psychiatrists. If we have rural broadband or broadband in areas of our cities which are currently poorly served, the adolescent psychiatrist can be in her office in Lafayette, LA, doing a visit, an interview with a child who lives in DeRidder. A place that won't have a pediatric or adolescent psychiatrist has access to real- time visits because of the money that is in this bill. Economic development. I once spoke to somebody who was thinking of setting up a distribution center in North Louisiana in a place ideally situated to get all the towns around, but it did not have broadband internet. With this bill, that economic development project takes root because now that investor has the ability to manage inventory to receive orders and to communicate with drivers, all because rural broadband has been made a reality--creating jobs, increasing safety, giving that community and our country a better future. Let me just mention one more thing in the economic aspect and safety aspect of this. There is money for sewer, water, and for drainage. If I think of the four corners of my State, but I am sure every person could think of the four corners of their State--and I think of Hawaii as being a round State, so I am not sure I even think of those four corners--but if I think of New Orleans, Shreveport, Monroe, and Lake Charles and all points in between, there was a pent-up demand to address water and sewer and drainage. This bill puts the money out there, which can be combined with other appropriations, which can meet the needs for those folks in my community. I also want to emphasize some of the environmental aspects of this bill. We have billions being put forward to Superfund and brownfield sites. Now, Louisiana has 27 priority sites of those nationwide requiring funding for the Superfund or brownfield. We also have 4.75 billion to cap abandoned oil wells. That will improve conditions not only in Louisiana but across the Nation. It also includes the bill I wrote with Senator Coons of Delaware called the SCALE Act. The SCALE Act helps build this carbon dioxide pipeline that will take CO2 from these manufacturing plants that are producing a product that emits CO2, and it would build pipelines to sequester that carbon dioxide beneath the ground or to allow that CO2 to be used in another product line, putting to work pipefitters, decreasing the carbon intensity of our environment, and giving a better future for our planet--jobs, safety, and a better future. I have already mentioned the $16 billion going to the Army Corps of Engineers for coastal restoration and other projects. This bill is an example of what Congress should do. It is focused upon jobs and safety and a better quality of life. This is good for the American worker. It is good for American families. It is good for the United States of America. I yield the floor.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I join tonight in the celebration of a significant next step in the passage of a $550 billion, over 5-year infrastructure package, with roads and bridges, highways, sewer systems, broadband, flood mitigation, and coastal resiliency. If our responsibility as Senators is to listen to the American people, this bill is a product of hearing their voices. It is a bipartisan package, which does not increase taxes but does meet the needs that we have heard of. Now, first, let me join others. Senators Portman and Sinema, they just did a fantastic job of leading this effort. Our colleagues, both those here who are speaking but those who are the chairs and ranking members of other committees have really guided us tremendously and produced a great work. I would also like to acknowledge our House colleagues: Brian Fitzpatrick, Josh Gottheimer, the Problem Solvers Caucus, who on their side of the Chamber have also seen fit to already endorse our effort. And when they did, it was certainly a strong wind of encouragement for us. But most of all, I thank the American people. The Constitution gives Congress the responsibility for infrastructure. Our duty gives us the responsibility to listen. If you listen to the American people right now, they are concerned about jobs, the economy, safety, and quality of life. With this bill, we give voice to their concerns. For example, as regards safety, there is $110 billion for better highways, bridges, and roads. Along the way, by the way, you create quite a number of jobs. My State--every State--has been affected by flooding. There is $3.5 billion for flood mitigation; $500 million to make storm drains bigger, so that if there is a tremendous rain event, systems are better able to hand this. There is money for sewer systems, money for broadband. Many places in my State do not have high-speed internet. This addresses it in my State and every other. Quality of life. There are people in my State who, on a Sunday morning, you could drive in 15 minutes to where they are going to work, and on a workday, it takes them an hour and a half. That is 3 hours a day that they are away from their family, 3 hours a day that they are not doing something productive, 3 hours a day of their life which is wasted--times the number of days they work in a year. This will improve their quality of life. And, by the way, did I mention that it will create a lot of jobs along the way? So whether it is to benefit the economy, to create better paying jobs, to make people safer, to improve the quality of life, I feel as if we have done it. Will Rogers said that elected officials are nothing but the hired help. I agree with that. We were sent here to do a job. This legislation shows that Congress can still work, can still do its job for the American people. With that, I yield to my colleague from Utah.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I have good news for the people of Louisiana and good news for the American people: We have an agreement on an infrastructure package. Now, OK, an ``infrastructure package''; what does that mean? Let's just talk. There will be $110 billion for roads and bridges nationwide--$40 billion for bridges. By the way, Louisiana has the third most bridges in poor condition. So, if you are stuck right now in traffic trying to get over the Sabine River or the Calcasieu River or the Mississippi River or any of our other rivers which have bridges in poor condition, there is relief for you. There is $47 billion for resiliency. Now, my State is flooded more than other States, but every State, it seems, has had an issue with flooding. There is $47 billion; a significant portion of it is for flooding issues, for coastal restoration, and other things regarding resiliency. There is permitting reform. Right now, we know it can take 6 to 10 years for a bridge project--an Army Corps of Engineers project--to be permitted. Sometimes it takes so long to permit that the facts on the ground have actually changed, and the permit almost is inaccurate. In building upon pilot projects which have shown that permitting can be shortened from 6 years to 2 years, this infrastructure package has that permitting reform. There will be less money for bureaucrats and attorneys, and there will be more money for construction--what a major advance. By the way, some people have confused this bill with the $3.5 trillion Democratic tax-and-spend extravaganza. They are two different bills. This bill is for roads and bridges and broadband and resiliency and flood control and coastal restoration. The other is for who knows what. This bill, the infrastructure bill, has been judged by economists as to not contribute to inflation. The $3.5 trillion bill, obviously, is going to make the inflation we have now worse. The bill we have does not raise taxes. The $3.5 trillion bill is estimated to raise hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes. One bill I love; the other bill I hate. The infrastructure bill that is going to shorten someone's commute time across a bridge, to make their home less likely to flood, to extend broadband to areas of our country which are not served at all or are poorly served is the bill I love, and I think that it is the bill that the American people desperately need. Let me conclude by saying, again, if you are stuck in bridge traffic in my State or in any other State right now, wondering why this bridge in poor condition can't get fixed, help is on its way. If you are in a place in our country, but particularly in my State, which has either flooded or is at risk of flooding or if you live near a coastline, and that beachfront, which 30 years ago when you bought that home was hundreds of feet out and now waves are lapping up on the road in front of your house and coastal erosion has endangered your property and your life savings, help is on its way. If you have seen an initiative to build a bridge but have been so frustrated that it has taken so long to get the permits, that is about to change. This is legislation-- bipartisan, paid for--that will address all of those issues. I conclude the way I started. We have good news. There is a bipartisan infrastructure bill that begins to address the needs of the American people--to create jobs, to take away frustrations, and to provide more security--that all Americans should support. I yield the floor.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following interns in my office be granted floor privileges today, July 28, 2021: Bryce Billiot and Will Sirmon.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my remarks may conclude shortly after 1:10 p.m.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, we are seeing record numbers of people coming to the U.S. Mexican border. I am told 63 different countries have folks that have arrived at our border. In the latest numbers released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP, they encountered almost 190,000 people coming to the United States illegally through the southern border last month. That is the highest monthly number of encounters by CBP in two decades. This is where we are now. That number is up 471 percent from June 2020. Across the board, every category of CBP encounter at the southwest land border--single adults, unaccompanied children, individuals in a family unit--they are surging in 2021, including in the hot summer months, when it has traditionally been that is when it falls. It is important because these people coming across in the hot summer months are at increased risk for death from dehydration and heat exhaustion. With June's tally, CBP's migrant encounters surpassed 1 million for the fiscal year. Now, in context, the last fiscal year had 460,000 encounters; fiscal year 2019, 980,000. That year was labeled a humanitarian catastrophe. That was for the entire year. Now, we are speaking of 1 million, and we have 3 months left to go in this fiscal year. On Monday, Texas and the national media broadcast videos of migrants trying to force their way past Texas border guards. Eight Federal agents and police officers pushed back on the gate to prevent a rush of about 300 people just breaking through, coming across the border from Mexico. By any definition, this is a crisis--for the individual, who is at risk of dying of dehydration in the desert; for our country, which cannot control the border crisis; for the infection of the COVID and coronavirus situation in our country, because, obviously, coronavirus could be rampant among these folks. The Biden-Harris administration could not be doing worse if they intentionally set out to mismanage the situation. This past weekend, it became clear that it is not just a situation on the border, but it is also a situation in Louisiana. On Friday, KTBS, a Shreveport news outlet, reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement--ICE--dropped off approximately 80 Haitian immigrants with little or no warning to local government and law enforcement officials. And, again, this is multiple levels. I presume that these folks are dropped off because we are out of capacity, but let's think about the individual being dropped off. A source told KTBS that the men had money, but some of the women had little or no money--no contacts, no money, they don't speak the language, dropped off in a strange city. Multiple Louisiana outlets are reporting approximately 400 immigrants from 42 countries have been dropped off by ICE in Shreveport since the end of March, but this is the first we heard. In Baton Rouge, WBRZ, the ABC affiliate, had photos and video of a similar dropoff in Baton Rouge on Friday, July 16. Monroe, LA, had a similar situation; Natchez, MS, similar as well. We called ICE over the weekend, and yesterday, they--we actually spoke to the acting director. He told me the dropoffs are ``not our common practice.'' I would argue that releasing migrants without notifying local officials--at least the NGOs that can give them help, particularly when there isn't--when some of them have no money, no contacts, no place to go, is not good. And he acknowledged that. In fairness, he acknowledged that that was a mistake and that the number of 70 was too large a number. He denied that it was a problem of capacity, but, frankly, when we see what is happening at the southern border and then we see a whole group of 70 being dropped off without the organization required to make sure there is seamless entry into our society, that tells me that there probably is a capacity problem. Again, you cannot imagine a worse immigration policy and execution of what we have seen in the first 6 months of this administration. It is incoherence; it is dysfunction. It appears that Washington told ICE: Just send them someplace with, again, little or no notice to State and local officials. We have to ask: Does the President, does the Vice President care about controlling the border? Do they care about communities? Do they care about these immigrants? It is almost as if they are wishing that the issue be swept under the rug Unfortunately, the crisis continues to worsen. I don't know if there is a plan. I say that because if there is a plan, we have not yet seen it executed. What we have seen is that record numbers of people are now coming into our country. It is more as if hands are being thrown up in the air. I will also say there was a lot of criticism of what President Trump did, but it is my observation, whatever the last thing the last President did was the first thing that worked because it is not as if they tried the immediate solution first off. It is like they worked through some things that didn't work and they finally got to where they were able to stem the tide. So if it is the era of ``let's do the opposite of what President Trump did, even if it is the only thing that has ever worked,'' we are in trouble. I do think it is time for the Biden administration to admit they were wrong and to begin going back to that which appeared to work. I want to thank the people of Shreveport. They have been kinder than the Federal Government in terms of helping people out--the churches, the NGOs that came out to help folks. As one of them said, the Scripture teaches us to help those who are aliens in our land. They have been willing to handle the situation when the administration failed. But the charity of the American people is not a substitute for a coherent policy, and this is an issue for the executive branch, specifically President Biden and Vice President Harris, who was personally put in charge. We need to get it right. We need answers. We need accountability. We need sound immigration and border policies, and it starts with securing our southern border and enforcing our laws. Again, the current situation is unfair to everyone--the migrants, the community, our country. The situation in Shreveport, Monroe, and Baton Rouge shows the failure of the policies. I don't think they are the only communities dealing with this, and we will continue to deal with it even more so until we have a controlled border. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Ashley Roberts, an intern in my office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the day.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I am here to talk about two things. First, let me give a heartfelt congratulations to Zaila Avant-garde, this incredible--if we can get the poster up--14-year-old young lady, who just won the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She is Louisiana's first winner and is the first African-American winner of this spelling bee. She dominated, getting words that I don't think any of the rest of us would have been able to spell. By the way, I should also note that she holds a Guinness World Record for dribbling. I am told there is a YouTube video of her dribbling and, at the same time, juggling basketballs that is incredible to watch. She has a bright future. Zaila shows that hard work and dedication bring success. This week, Senator John Kennedy and I introduced a resolution congratulating Zaila. And Zaila, if you are watching, if you want to do it, when you are a little bit older and you want to do an internship in a Senate office in the U.S. Senate, please give me a call. Believe me, I will remember you. And if you wish to do that internship, we are here to encourage you as you embark on the rest of your life, a life that is going to be incredibly successful.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Savannah Tanguis, an intern in my office, be granted floor privileges today, July 13, 2021.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, Emmanuel Larryn Slack, age 17, entered into eternal rest on Friday, June 4, 2021, at Oschner LSU Hospital in Shreveport, LA. Emmanuel was born on January 18, 2004, to Melvin G. Slack, Jr., and Bridgette L. Wililams in Shreveport, LA. While attending Union Spring Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Roosevelt Seaberry, he was an active member of the youth choir and the drill team. Upon changing residences, he later accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior under the leadership of Pastor Joey Ketchum at the Western Hills Baptist Church. He was a faithful and active member in the ministry. Gifted with reaching young people, he became active with Bible studies, Vacation Bible School, and Youth Group activities under both leaders. Emmanuel attended Huntington High School, where he was a member of the Yearbook club and participated in JROTC. When thinking of career choices, he was originally certain he wanted to be a police officer or an FBI agent, but it was after he took an interest in politics and the Republican Party that he began to thrive. He became active with the Texas Young Republicans and Republican Women of Bossier, where he expressed his beliefs in American individualism, rule of law, the Constitution, and the Holy Bible, which guided him to greatness and continual self-improvement. Emmanuel expressed his views across Louisiana and Texas lines and considered himself to be bipartisan, a conservative Republican, a proud soon-to-be Texan, upholding traditional values like bravery, courage, leadership, and principle, and above all, a follower of Christ. Emmanuel was actively working on an internship with Rhonda Anderson of Longview, TX. He was embraced by Governor Greg Abbott's office; Tarrant County Young Republicans of Fort Worth, TX; attorney general of Louisiana Jeff Landry's office; Caddo Parish Commissioner Jim Taliaferro; Commissioner Mario Chavez of District 10; Congressman Mike Johnson of the Fourth District of Louisiana; Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana Billy Nungesser; Republican Women of Bossier; and Ouachita Parish Republican Women. His hope was to become a Governor, Senator, or President. Preceding Emmanuel in death were his maternal grandmother Marel D. Williams, grandfather Larry N. Williams, Sr., and paternal grandfather Melvin Slack, Sr., a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He leaves to celebrate his life parents Bridgette L. Williams and Melvin G. Slack, Jr.; paternal grandmother Jackie Spivey Slack; brothers Triston M. Williams, Nehemiah C. Slack, and Melvin Slack III; sisters De'Angelique Slack and Jasmine Slack; Godparents Tamra P. Thompson, Michael Pennywell; Pastor Handy Giles and First Lady Charlene Giles; aunt Yolanda Y. Williams-Brown; uncle Larry N. Williams, Jr.; special friends Mario Chavez, Jenna Marie Kimball, Tayler Davis, Clayton Quinn, Parker Ward, and Whitney Scates; mentors, Christ Henry and Joshua Harvey; as well as several uncles, aunts, and loving cousins.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, June marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, and 2021 is on us, but my constituents are still suffering from the storms of 2020. There are a lot of folks in Louisiana who are still hurting. If you were to fly over Lake Charles, LA, you would still see blue tarps on roofs of homes damaged a year ago. I took to the Senate floor last month stressing the need for disaster supplemental while Lake Charles and Baton Rouge at that time were getting hit by heavy rains and severe flooding. At the time, Lake Charles ended up with 8 to 15 inches of rain in less than 12 hours. It is heartbreaking to see them affected once more by a natural disaster. Baton Rouge got more than 13 inches of rain overnight, with 15,000 homes and businesses without power the next morning. All this comes on the heels of Hurricanes Laura and Delta and winter storms which had catastrophic damage to livestock, crops, and structures for Louisiana farmers. For those who need a refresher, 2020 set a record for the most named storms--30 in 1 season and 5 of those named storms hitting Louisiana, which is also a record. Hurricane Laura, a category 4 hurricane, hit Lake Charles, devastated it, and then almost the exact same place that Laura hit, Delta hit--category 2--6 weeks later. It is unprecedented to have one hurricane followed by another. NOAA calculates the damage from Hurricane Laura at about $19 billion and Delta at $2.9 billion. Laura wreaked havoc through devastating winds, which reached 150 miles per hour at landfall--the strongest hurricane to hit my State since 1856. Delta was just rain. In LeBleu Settlement, just northeast of Lake Charles, they received almost 18 inches. I may sound like a broken record, but I need to just play this broken record once more. We cannot allow the impact of an entire year's worth of natural disasters to go unaddressed. Just a few weeks ago, I was in Lake Charles, and I heard incredible frustration about rebuilding in the aftermath of these storms--a church still with its roof ripped off; homes, as I mentioned, covered with tarps--and stories from members of the community who are not back in their homes and, frankly, may not even be back in their city because there are no homes and there is no housing for them to return to. The people in Lake Charles have an incredible resilience and an incredible we-can-do spirit. So you go there, and people are laughing and they are smiling, but then you see that blue tarp, and you know that this community will not recover at the way things are going. I would argue that the weather events were tragic, but the lack of action upon recovery is making a tragedy worse. In March, my colleague from Oregon, Senator Jeff Merkley, and I urged the Biden administration to support a supplemental disaster appropriation to urgently address and direct Federal resources to communities throughout America struggling to recover from hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other 2020 natural disasters. President Biden came to Louisiana. Once more, he heard from Mayor Nic Hunter, Governor Edwards, and myself that we could hopefully have some relief. We need programs like community development block grants, disaster recovery, mitigation funding, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer funding for southwest coastal Louisiana hurricane and storm damage risk reduction. We need emergency solutions grants and social services block grants to provide assistance to the thousands of families who have lost their homes due to hurricanes like those I have been describing. We are past due moving quickly. If it happened tomorrow, it still would have not happened quickly, and we have gone into another year which could have similar storms. We need to help the people of Southwest Louisiana. The region has been pounded. My job is to do all I can to help them get back on their feet. Once more, I call on my colleagues in the House and the Senate with a simple message: Let's get a disaster supplemental done. With that, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, today I rise in recognition of seersucker manufacturers and enthusiasts across the United States. I wish everyone a happy National Seersucker Day. This uniquely American fashion has a storied history dating back to 1909. The first seersucker suit was designed by Joseph Haspel at his Broad Street facility in New Orleans, LA. Louisiana is proud to have played an important part in introducing the country to seersucker apparel. This lightweight cotton fabric, known for its signature pucker, has been worn and enjoyed by Americans across the country during the hot summer months. Mr. Haspel said it best: ``Hot is hot, no matter what you do for a living.'' In the 1990s, Seersucker Day was established by Members of this Chamber to honor this unique American fashion. I proudly resumed this tradition in 2014 in the U.S. House of Representatives and continued this tradition in the U.S. Senate. This year, I wish to designate Thursday, June 17, as the eighth annual National Seersucker Day. I encourage everyone to wear seersucker on this day to commemorate this traditionally American clothing.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Parker Loy, an intern in my office, be granted floor privileges for today, June 17, 2021.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of a young man who was not only an intern in my congressional office but also a friend. Earl Michael Willis was born on May 29, 1993, in Baton Rouge and was the beloved son of Earl and Cristal Willis. He grew up in Brusly, LA, and attended Holy Family School and Catholic High School in Baton Rouge. Michael developed a strong connection to God during his formative years, especially through close friendship with Father Michael Allelo, and his Christian faith and values were an important aspect of his daily life. When Michael was in middle school, his sister Rachael Lynn passed away from cancer. From that point on, Michael's life was dedicated to his sister's memory, and he and his family participated in many Light the Night events. More recently, Michael and his wife Megan established a nonprofit foundation named ``Running for Rachael'' in honor of his sister. Ever since working at River Road Day Care in Port Allen in high school, Michael was passionate about advocacy. At age 20, he became a legislative assistant to Cindy Bishop of Checkmate Strategies and went on to become the director of business development for the firm after finishing college. Michael graduated from Louisiana State University in May 2015 in political science. While at LSU, he was an active member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and vice president of policy for The Center for Development and Learning, where he led the center's ``Literacy and Economic Development'' summit and led a highly successful ``Literacy Day at the Capitol.'' Michael married the love of his life, Megan Voda, on April 17, 2020. He possessed an incomparable measure of love and devotion for his wife, his parents, and all of his family. Sharing quality time with them was always atop his list of priorities. Michael is survived by his wife Megan, parents Earl and Cristal Willis, brother Nicholas Boudreaux, nephews Noah and Nicholas Boudreaux, mother- and father-in-law Cris and Tim Voda, sister-in-law Katie Voda, his honorary nephews Beau Seymour and Harrison Danna, his honorary nieces Lilly Seymour and Caroline Danna, and a host of aunts, uncles, extended family, and friends. Michael Willis was a truly loving and inspiring individual who always ensured that those around him felt loved, valued, and appreciated. He will be deeply missed, but his memory will live on forever in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I rise today kind of expressing the frustration of many of my constituents. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had Federal Agencies and employees not working at all--not from home, not in the office, period. Have not had a lick of work for over 14 months. In April, the Senate Finance Committee had a hearing entitled ``The Social Security Administration During COVID: How the Pandemic Hampered Access to Benefits and Strategies for Improving Service Delivery.'' Now, following the hearing and in response to my concerns that seniors in my State with issues getting their Social Security benefits are not being sufficiently served due to field and local offices being closed, my office got a letter from Commissioner Andrew Saul. The letter states: I urge you to encourage the unions to continue engaging in meaningful dialogue with management that includes a focus on the very best service to the public. That is a nice way of saying: We need help getting the unions to the table so we can get Federal employees back to work. Now, we are talking about mandatory services, reopening Social Security offices for in-person visits in a postvaccine world to assist elderly Americans--my grandparents, your grandparents--having issues with their benefits. This isn't happening because government employees are not showing up. It brings to mind an old quote from an old Governor in Louisiana, Earl Long. They asked Governor Long: How many people do you have working at the capitol? And he looks off into space, and he goes: Working? About two. Now, in this case, that is the way it is going with this. The situation at the Department of Veterans Affairs, in connection with the National Archives and specifically the National Personnel Records Center, is even worse. According to the National Archives, the backlog of veterans' records grew to more than 499,000 requests in April of 2021. They estimate it will take 18 to 24 months to clear once the National Personnel Records Center is staffed at full capacity. I just want to make this point. We have 499,000 ignored document requests from veterans. The people who have served our country are not being served in their current life. Despite the widespread availability of vaccines and the recent relaxation of COVID-19 guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Personnel Records Center only moved to phase 2 on March 29, 2021. In phase 2, the National Personnel Records Center has 25 percent of staff onsite. There are supposedly 200 employees per shift, 2 shifts a day, 6 days a week, but they are only processing emergency requests--for example, immediate burials, hospitalizations, and for the homeless. In the Veterans' Affairs Committee, we led a push to enable National Personnel Records Center employees to get vaccines from the VA's allotment in an attempt to increase staffing. In the latest information provided to my staff, only 36 National Personnel Records Center employees took advantage of this availability. This is 36 out of 600. Now, these aren't just numbers on a poster. There are real consequences. These are people's lives. My constituent Mr. Albert Duplantis, 69 years old, of Lake Charles, LA--there is Mr. Duplantis when he was in the Navy, and there you see him now. He served our country during Vietnam stationed on the USS Pyro. He has diabetes mellitus type II, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension--claimed as due to Agent Orange. He needs treatment for his heart condition, but he cannot get the medical records he needs because the National Personnel Records Center is not processing the needed military record during COVID-19, the one that the VA needs to make this happen. Now, his application for medical treatment for his heart condition-- this is a heart condition, by the way--was received by the VA in December 2019. That is 2019. In an early response, the VA provided a possible date of completion of March 23, 2021. Now, from 2019, December, to March 23, 2021, that date has come and gone, but Mr. Duplantis's application is stuck in limbo until the VA receives his military records from the National Personnel Records Center. Let me repeat. A treatment for heart disease has been held up since 2019 because of the inaction of the National Personnel Records Center. We are over 1 year into the pandemic. We have had access to vaccines, the masks are off, and still records are not being processed. And Federal employees are sitting at home, collecting a paycheck, without working. We are talking since March of last year. We are now in May of this year. They have not shown up for work 1 day, nor have they worked from home, and we have a man who can't get his records for heart disease. This is unacceptable. With vaccines widely available, there is no excuse for mandatory work not being done. If you are not willing to do your job, you shouldn't have a job. This great American went to war for our freedom, but Federal employees won't go to the office to file his paperwork. There are other veterans besides Mr. Duplantis unable to receive medical treatment and other benefits they are entitled to. This weekend we will observe Memorial Day, a time where we honor and mourn the men and women of the U.S. military who died during their service to this great country. This is a reminder of the sacrifice willingly risked--and unfortunately it occurred--and they did this, they signed up for this, without flinching. We should repay our veterans and do more for them just by doing the job that should be done. The National Personnel Records Center needs to get their house in order. They need to go back to work. Our veterans deserve better. Mr. Duplantis deserves medical treatment. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I rise today to bring attention to an ongoing situation in South Louisiana. Heavy rains are hammering our communities. A state of emergency exists across the area, with more rain expected today. It has been a difficult 2 years, pandemic aside. Eight months ago, Lake Charles was devastated by Hurricanes Delta and Laura, one of the few times in history in which a hurricane followed upon a hurricane, almost identically tracking. Yesterday, areas got anywhere from 8 to 15 inches of rain in 12 hours. It was heartbreaking to see Lake Charles hit again by natural disaster. And this is 18 to 15 inches in 12 hours, and there you can see the impact of cars flooded up almost to their window. There is a home in the background, and you can see where the water level is relative to that home. And here we have another example of vehicles flooded, to give you an idea of how much rain occurred in a short period of time. Now, other floods and disasters in parts of the country--often floods and disasters in parts of the country, other than the west and the east coasts, get overlooked. I am here to make the case to not overlook. We cannot ignore the pain and destruction left in the wake of these storms. Overnight, 80 people were rescued from flash flooding in Lake Charles. On top of the rain and submerged roads, there were warnings for possible tornadoes, prompting shelter-in-place precautions. I heard from constituents that students were kept in schools until late into the night. Now, it is not just Lake Charles; Baton Rouge flooded as well. In Baton Rouge, more than 250 people were rescued after the city got a deluge of over 13 inches of rain on Monday night. And this is Baton Rouge--not as bad as Lake Charles in that picture, but even more people had to be rescued. This morning, at least 15,000 homes and businesses were without power in East Baton Rouge Parish. The number of homes and businesses flooded in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge combined is not known, but I can promise we will continue to hear distressing and saddening stories about the loss of both life and property throughout South Louisiana in the coming days. Now, through firsthand accounts, social media posts, and local news coverage, we have already heard emotional stories. In Lake Charles, a resident and their newborn had to swim to safety as water levels rose. In Baton Rouge, a body was found submerged in a vehicle that had gone into a canal. Water rescues and emergency evacuations have been underway for the last 24 hours, but Americans are at our best when we help those in need, and folks in Louisiana are resilient. So I give thanks to all the brave men and women of local fire and police departments for their work in saving lives. We will get through this together. When I was in Lake Charles after the last hurricane, Hurricane Delta, I picked up a bracelet that read ``Lake Charles Strong.'' We are Lake Charles Strong; we are Baton Rouge Strong; we are Louisiana Strong. While some outside of our State have already forgotten about the natural disasters of 2020, Louisiana has not. Many have yet to return to their homes. Just 2 weeks ago, President Biden visited Lake Charles, talking about infrastructure in front of the Calcasieu River Bridge. Well, when I met him, I raised the issue of a disaster relief package. Our State was hit by hurricanes and winter storms, as well as the pandemic. A record five main storms made landfall last year in my State. The strongest was Laura, a category 4 hurricane, hitting Lake Charles, followed by Hurricane Delta, a category 2, just a month later. Louisiana farmers were also hit with catastrophic damage to livestock, crops, and structures during unprecedented winter storms. We need a disaster supplemental legislation to help communities struggling to recover. We cannot afford to allow the impact of an entire year's worth of natural disasters to go unaddressed. Our best line of defense for these natural disasters is coastal resiliency, which in our State is funded through what is called GOMESA. That is revenue from offshore oil and gas development. And folks wonder why I fight so hard to preserve that funding for GOMESA. GOMESA allows Louisiana to rebuild our coastline so if there is a hurricane coming onshore, there is the resiliency from a coastline which is built out with wetlands to absorb the strength of that hurricane. We need to preserve GOMESA to continue having dollars flow not just to Louisiana but to other Gulf Coast States to protect against natural disasters. It will be raining today and maybe longer, but to those--oh, one more thing to mention. There is a portion of the President's--a portion of the President's infrastructure bill which has not attracted a lot of notice but which I would agree with. It is called nature resilience--using the natural structures of our coastlines in order to increase resiliency against water events and other events. And in a spirit of bipartisanship, but once seeing the necessity of it, I would support that provision as I now understand it. So for all those in South Louisiana, please stay safe, listen to local officials for further instructions. I will continue to monitor the situation and help, as possible, with recovery efforts. My office is in contact with the White House, ensuring the full support of the Federal Government is there to help now and then to help recovery. Our prayers are with those experiencing flooding and other hardships. We thank the American people for their support. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I rise today in recognition of National Police Week, where we honor, remember, and support public servants who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities safe. Today, I specifically recognize Louisiana law enforcement officers who lost their lives in 2020 performing their duty. We should all thank God for law enforcement officers and their willingness to put their lives between us and danger, knowing that they may have to sacrifice their lives, as 15 did in Louisiana this past year. To the families, wives, husbands, and children of these fallen Louisiana police officers, we share your pain, and we share your pride for he or she who was here for us all. These are the officers in Louisiana who died this past year in the line of service: Deputy Constable Levi Kelling Arnold, New Orleans First City Court; Trooper George Bowman Baker, Louisiana State Police; SRO/Dare Officer Kejuane Artez Bates, Vidalia Police Department; Reserve Captain Raymond Andrew Boseman, New Orleans Police Department; Probation and Parole Officer Kaitlin Marie Cowley, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections; Captain Steven Michael Gaudet, Jr., Pearl River Police Department; Deputy Sheriff Claude Winston Guillory, Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office; Senior Police Officer Mark Albert Hall, Sr., New Orleans Police Department; Lieutenant Glenn Dale Hutto, Jr., Baton Rouge Police Department; Correctional Deputy Kietrell Michael Pitts, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office; Deputy Sheriff Donna Michelle Richardson-Below, DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office; Captain Kevin Paul Trahan, Church Point Police Department; Captain Randy Michael Vallot, Richland Parish Sheriff's Office; Officer Marshall Lee Waters, Jr., Mangham Police Department; and Senior Police Officer Sharon M. Williams, New Orleans Police Department. Their passing--each of theirs--was felt throughout our States, and they are tragic reminders of the danger law enforcement officers face every day when they report for duty. And they know it; they accept the risk; their families accept the risk; and their spouse and their children. We must honor their sacrifice. I ask that we all join in prayer for the families of these fallen officers and that we keep in prayer those who protect us during the day. It is a difficult time, but knowing our country supports them can make all the difference. Just last week, the Audubon Zoo canceled the annual Blue at the Zoo event that seeks to promote and foster positive, interactive experiences with the New Orleans Police Department. The New Orleans Police Department superintendent, Shaun Ferguson, said he was ``disheartened as a result of that decision.'' Any opportunity for a positive conversation is an opportunity to improve relationships between law enforcement and communities. We need more events, not fewer. We have much work to do. But today, let's acknowledge those who put their lives on the line every day they put on a uniform. Let's remember those we have lost too soon. Let's honor the work they do to keep us safe. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, the year 2020 was a year filled with sadness and grief for me, but, unfortunately, that sadness and grief struck again in the year 2021. Last Tuesday, 100-mile-per-hour winds capsized a lift boat with a crew of 19 off the coast of Grand Isle, LA, just south of Port Fourchon. The U.S. Coast Guard and a group of Good Samaritan boats rescued six crew members as winds continued between 80 to 90 miles per hour and waves were 7 to 9 feet high. The Coast Guard credits those Good Samaritans with saving four of the six rescued crew members. So, fortunately, in the midst of a terrible tragedy, it turns out a crew of Coast Guard men and women were on a boat doing a trial run when the SOS went out. And although technically not Coast Guard, they were coastguardsmen, and they went out and aided in the rescue. We are eternally grateful for their efforts, their hard work, and for the risk they took to themselves to bring those crew members back to shore safely, who returned safely. In this tragedy, which affects us in Louisiana but, in a sense, affects us all, any loss of life is heartbreaking. But there are some who may not be found, and we pray their families find closure. To date, six have been confirmed dead, including Anthony Hartford of New Orleans, James ``Tracy'' Wallingsford of Gilbert, Captain David Ledet of Thibodaux, Ernest Williams of Arnaudville, Lawrence Warren of Terrytown, and Quinon Pitre of Franklin. Seven are still missing. Each day that passes, the prognosis--the chance of finding them--obviously decreases. I would like to take a moment to recognize those still missing: Jay Guevara, Dylan Daspit, Gregory Walcott, Chaz Morales, Jason Krell, Darren Encalade, and Chris Rozands. Our thoughts and prayers are with the crew members of the capsized vessel, their loved ones, and their communities. While we mourn this loss, we also rise to recognize the heroic efforts of the Coast Guard, the Good Samaritans, and all involved in the search-and-rescue efforts that continued for 6 straight days. In just 40 hours, the Coast Guard covered more than 1,440 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico, searching for missing crew members. To put that in perspective, that is an area larger than the State of Rhode Island. By Friday, this area grew to a size larger than Hawaii, searching through sea and air. Late last week, the National Transportation Safety Board announced they will open an investigation. The team arrived in New Orleans on Thursday, and a preliminary report will be released within the next 2 weeks. We deeply appreciate the volunteers who assisted the men and women from the Coast Guard and many others in the search and rescue, particularly during the terrible weather. In the light of this tragedy, this team effort demonstrates the best of humanity. We grieve with the families. We shall always remember the lives of those we lost. May God watch over their souls. May they find eternal peace. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. Consciously or unconsciously, he has been caught up by the Zeitgeist, and with his black brothers of Africa and his brown and yellow brothers of Asia, South America and the Caribbean, the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice. If one recognizes this vital urge that has engulfed the Negro community, one should readily understand why public demonstrations are taking place. The Negro has many pent up resentments and latent frustrations, and he must release them. So let him march; let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; let him go on freedom rides-- and try to understand why he must do so. If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence; this is not a threat but a fact of history. So I have not said to my people: ``Get rid of your discontent.'' Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled through into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. And now this approach is being termed extremist. But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: ``Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.'' Was not Amos an extremist for justice: ``Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.'' Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: ``I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.'' Was not Martin Luther an extremist: ``Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.'' And John Bunyan: ``I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.'' And Abraham Lincoln: ``This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.'' And Thomas Jefferson: ``We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . .'' So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists. I had hoped the white moderate would see this need. Perhaps I was too optimistic; perhaps I expected too much. I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action. I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the South have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it. They are still all too few in quantity, but they are big in quality. Some--such as Ralph McGill, Lillian Smith, Harry Golden, James McBride Dabbs, Ann Braden and Sarah Patton Boyle--have written about our struggle in eloquent and prophetic terms. Others have marched with us down nameless streets of the South. They have languished in filthy, roach infested jails, suffering the abuse and brutality of policemen who view them as ``dirty niggerlovers.'' Unlike so many of their moderate brothers and sisters, they have recognized the urgency of the moment and sensed the need for powerful ``action'' antidotes to combat the disease of segregation. Let me take note of my other major disappointment. I have been so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership. Of course, there are some notable exceptions. I am not unmindful of the fact that each of you has taken some significant stands on this issue. I commend you, Reverend Stallings, for your Christian stand on this past Sunday, in welcoming Negroes to your worship service on a nonsegregated basis. I commend the Catholic leaders of this state for integrating Spring Hill College several years ago. But despite these notable exceptions, I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say this as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I rise today to speak to the fortitude of the students, faculty, and staff of LaGrange High School. Located in Lake Charles, LA, LaGrange High School educates over 1,000 students and is led by their Principal Monica Guillory. As you may know, on top of a global pandemic, southwest Louisiana was ravaged by two major hurricanes last year. In most cases, people would try to return to some sense of normalcy or return to the status quo following a deadly virus and multiple natural disasters. However, the LaGrange High School girls' basketball team, known as the Lady Gators, would not accept the status quo. Led by head coach La'Keem Holmes, and assistant coaches Patrick Woodard, Sharde Henry, and Sean Andress, these ladies carried their school and community through troubled waters and became back-to-back Class 4A State champions. This is the first school in the Lake Charles area to be State champions back-to-back. These young women gave their community something to rally behind during hard times, the purple and white. What a gift that is. It is my honor to visit them and learn of all the great things they are accomplishing.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, we have got an issue in this country related to the pandemic but, more specifically, related to children not going back to school. And one thing that is of incredible concern is it appears that the Biden administration, which campaigned saying that they were going to follow science--alleging that the previous administration was not--seems not to be following science but to prejudice their recommendations to fit a political agenda. With that, let me develop my case. The harms of prolonged closure to school children are remarkable. They are well known. It has been up to a year since the schools have been closed, and in the Presiding Officer's home State of California, there are some school systems that are still not reopened. Now, think about this: Places where children go, not just to learn but to have social workers make sure they aren't being abused at home, a dietary staff to make sure they have adequate nutrition--but also to learn--have been closed for a year. Now, we can say: Wait a second, don't worry about that because the children have been given remote learning. There is ample data which shows that particularly the children from lower income families are not logging on even when they are given a broadband computer--given an internet-equipped computer to take home or given WiFi access to use at home. We can imagine it. Mom has to work. There is no one to supervise the child, so the 7-year-old is home by herself while mom is working. We can also imagine that a family does not have a culture of being online. We can imagine a big family of seven or eight kids where things just kind of get lost in the shuffle, and there is not enough room for someone to be by themselves. Whatever, it is established that there are kids being left behind by not being in the classroom, and those kids, disproportionately, are poor. And that is why the Biden administration's pledge to follow science resonated, and that is why early indications that they are not is not just disappointing, it is a betrayal--and not a betrayal of a campaign pledge, a betrayal of those children who are at home. Now, by the way, data shows that children can safely go back to school. There was a CDC study from January of 2021 finding little evidence of virus spread in a school setting when the recommended precautions were taken, which kind of calls them--and, by the way, there is a recent study by the following doctors--Henderson, Gandhi, Hoeg, and Johnson from universities such as the University of Chicago, UC Davis, and UC San Francisco--showing how safe it is to go to school, not get infected, and social distancing as minimal as 3 feet distant one from the other--OK, just 3 feet distant. Now, that is important because if you say you can't bring kids back to school because you don't have enough classroom space for smaller classes, it is one thing if you say there must be 6 feet between each child and another if there only needs to be 3 feet. So these doctors from these prestigious universities found you only need 3 feet. That begs the question: Why did the Centers for Disease Control, in their February 26 document, say that 6 feet was needed? Now, you may say: 6 feet, 3 feet, why does it make a difference? Because schools aren't reopening, and their excuse is they need 6 feet between students. They are finding a reason to keep kids at home not learning--a spurious reason. The doctors who wrote this paper just put an editorial in USA Today in a nice quote here. I say ``nice.'' It kind of summarizes. It is disappointing that they have to say this. It is that--they open up with ``The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,'' which is a quote from Franklin Roosevelt. But they go on to say--they speak up for lost wages, for families, and the poverty and eviction that this is resulting in but that the research says there is greater risk to life expectancies with schools closed versus schools open, but they then ask that we overcome fear by following the science. And the science says we can safely reopen our schools now--full-time, nonhybrid--and keep them open. Unfortunately, that is not what the Centers for Disease Control is saying. Now, by the way, there is a clear agenda here. Part of the agenda is that teachers unions in certain communities have not wanted to reopen. They are more concerned about the union than they are about the children. So whether it is a Democratic mayor of Chicago trying to force the teachers union in Chicago to reopen, whether it is Los Angeles or San Diego, which are still not reopened, with teachers unions objecting to reopening there, this is not based upon science, not based upon risk to the teachers or the children. They would just rather not be at work. Isn't that amazing? Now, let me tell you who has been open. First, in Louisiana, over 75 percent of our schools have reopened. Hats off to my State. Private and parochial schools have been open. Hats off to them. They are kind of the business model: If you don't get paid, you show up for work. They show up for work. So let's give a hats off. And that is why there should be school choice. If a parent can't get their child educated in Los Angeles, in San Diego, or in Chicago, then why are we keeping that child from going to a private school? ``Oh, they can go,'' you say. Not if they are poor. If they are poor, they don't have the revenue. We should take the money that we are giving to those public schools that will not open because the teachers unions oppose it and give it to the parents so their children can go to a school where their children will actually be educated, and the fact that we don't do that is politics over what is best for that child. It is a betrayal of those children. This administration's policy, 4 months into their 4 years, demonstrates betrayal after betrayal after betrayal. Let's safely reopen schools now. We know we can do so. We knew that a year ago. The science and the data show it. Congress had provided $68 billion before this latest bill in order to make sure we had everything we needed in order to do that. A lack of funding has not been an excuse to reopen. What is clear is a lack of will, and I will repeat where I started: This administration is betraying the most vulnerable children in our country. Reopen schools now. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. CASSIDY

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, on March 15, 2021, having served the Louisiana District United Pentecostal Church in the role of district secretary, 1998-2005, and district superintendent, 2005- Present, Reverend Kevin Cox will retire from his current role, though remaining active in ministry. Kevin was born in St. Paul, MN--spent his early years in Missouri-- before moving to Bogalusa in 1974, when his father became pastor there. He is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, where he earned a BS in accounting. In addition to his ministerial license, he holds CPA credentials. He married the love of his life, Delisa, in 1979. She passed away in the spring of 2012. Kevin and Delisa served as pastor in Wewahitchka, FL, from 1980-1986 before returning to Bogalusa where they joined Kevin's parents and assumed the pastorate of First Pentecostal Church of Bogalusa for 12 years. With his election as district secretary, the Cox Family--Kevin and Delisa, along with their two sons, Andrew and Stephen--relocated to the Campground in Tioga. As district superintendent, in addition to being responsible for the oversight of the ministers and churches of Louisiana, Reverend Cox has continued to coordinate the Louisiana United Pentecostal Camp Meeting. This annual Camp Meeting event has convened for over 100 years here in Louisiana and consists of a week of worship, fellowship, and fun. The Bible speaks of laying up crowns in heaven as a reward for good works on earth. I hope it is many years before Kevin Cox ascends to heaven. When he does, he will have many crowns.