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LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
(Mr. SCALISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I rise for the purpose of inquiring of the majority whip the schedule for next week.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), my friend, the House majority whip.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and I appreciate him letting me stand in today for the majority leader. I have talked to the majority leader this week, and I understand he is doing very well, and I hope that he will rejoin you at this desk next week.
Madam Speaker, before I go to the schedule, I also thank the gentleman for joining me yesterday for an historic occasion, the dedication of H-150 on the first floor of this building, which happens to be part of his office. That building has been designated the Joseph H. Rainey Room.
As you know, Rainey was elected to the United States Congress from South Carolina this past December 12, 150 years ago. None of us really realized it at the time but H-150, now a part of the Republican whip's office, was an Indian Affairs room back when Rainey was here. And Rainey was on that committee, so it is fitting and proper for that room to carry his name. I thank the gentleman for being so kind yesterday and being part of that.
{time} 1130
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, it was a special day for all of us that were there, not just to celebrate Joseph Rainey, but to have the Rainey family. You had direct descendants of Joseph Rainey, his great-
granddaughter was there, as well as other relatives of Joseph Rainey to celebrate, especially during Black History Month, the first African American ever elected to the United States Congress, and to learn more about his history.
Someone who was born into slavery--something we talked about--only in America can someone born into slavery just a few years after the end of slavery be elected to the United States Congress and come up here and fight for equality. He had a great record for almost 10 years serving in Congress from the great State of South Carolina.
Now there is a room, the Joseph Rainey room, H-150, named after him. It was a truly special day, especially to have direct descendants of Joseph Rainey come to participate in that ceremony. I am happy to yield to the gentleman.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, as the gentleman occupies one of the offices that he served in, I am proud to now be representing many of the communities that he represented here in this body. Thank you so much.
Now, for the schedule for next week. On Monday, the House will meet at 12 p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and 12 p.m. for legislative business. On Wednesday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business.
The House will consider H.R. 4445, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, introduced by Representative Cheri Bustos, which would end forced arbitration in cases relating to sexual assault and harassment, providing survivors with legal recourse to seek justice in court against their assailants.
The House will also consider H.R. 3485, the Global Respect Act, introduced by Representative David Cicilline, which furthers our Nation's commitment to LGBTQ rights around the world by sanctioning foreign individuals found to be complicit in violating the human rights of LGBTQ people.
Additionally, the House will consider Representative Carolyn Maloney's bill, H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act. This bipartisan bill would strengthen the financial position of the United States Postal Service and ensure it continues to successfully carry out its mandate to the deliver mail to every household and business in the country.
Lastly, the House stands ready to act on the Build Back Better Act, as well as the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, should the Senate amend them. Of course, we will act on appropriations, hopefully on an omnibus bill, but we will not allow the government to shut down.
Additional items may be possible in our view.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, as it relates to the funding of government, February 18 is the current date of expiration for government funding. As the gentleman knows, we are not scheduled to be in that week, so next week would be the last week that the House is scheduled to be in session prior to that date.
We haven't seen any agreement on a broader, long-term package. There has been some talk--we have been hearing there may be a short term CR brought forward next week.
Does the gentleman know if there is any anticipation of a continuing resolution to be brought forward next week, and if so, is there a length of time that is being anticipated if that legislation were to come forward next week?
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, yes, we have heard all of those discussions. We are hopeful that something will come forward next week in the form of an omnibus, but if not, we will respond appropriately when we get to that point.
Mr. SCALISE. So we will determine whether or not that happens. If there is a date that the gentleman is aware of if there would be a short term--we would be interested in seeing that.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I am not aware of a date, but I would hope that if we do not get an omnibus there will be a short term CR because as the gentleman knows that getting the omnibus is very, very important to our constituents back home so that people can plan their lives sufficiently. We both are very concerned about the effectiveness of our representation of our constituents.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, hopefully those negotiations can escalate. As it relates to a few weeks from now, the State of the Union that was announced will be March 1, where President Biden will come here to this Chamber to give his annual State of the Union.
We know last year's State of the Union was a very different look in terms of a limited House Chamber. Does the gentleman know the protocols that are being planned for this year's State of the Union?
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I know that the Speaker is in consultation with the attending physician on what the protocol for this year might be. In the weeks ahead as we approach the date, the attending physician will make recommendations based on the current state of the pandemic.
I think, as all of us are very pleased with what we are hearing about the pandemic, it is moving in a very favorable direction, and I am sure the attending physician will take all of that into account when he establishes the protocol for the State of the Union address.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, as we talk about the broader issues relating to opening things back up, hopefully we can get the House fully operating again, ending proxy voting, getting committees to meet in person again because across the country you are seeing more States open, more communities and businesses open.
If you just look this past weekend, you had red States, blue States--
in California you had the NFC Championship Game, over 73,000 people were in SoFi Stadium to watch that game. From all the footage you saw, very few people had masks on. You didn't hear of incidents, but you saw in the State of California 73,000 people gathered together. In Missouri, for the AFC Championship Game, again, over 73,000 people watching that game.
For those of us from LSU, as the gentleman knows real well, we are excited by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Shelvin, and other LSU Tigers going to the Super Bowl for the Bengals. To see that many people--and we would understand for the Super Bowl there will be over 73,000 people there as well.
Is there any reason why science changes in California or Missouri, and when you get to D.C. why we can't have a full House Chamber here? We have been hearing we might only get 25 tickets in a Chamber that typically holds over 500 for a State of the Union.
There is clearly no science that has come against what we saw in those stadiums with over 73,000 people. We would sure encourage that we open up the House Chamber, not to just the State of the Union but to voting in general, to getting the House functioning again, to show the rest of the country that is already getting there themselves that we should and can open back up again.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I, like the gentleman, witnessed those games over the weekend. I don't know why you want to remind me of the last time you and I shared a stadium with Joe Burrow, but I do want you to know that I was pulling for him over the weekend. That is tough for this Clemson guy to do.
I enjoyed those games. I am sure that all the people who attended them enjoyed those games. Now, what I am sure the attending physician will be taking into account is he will probably get the reports from the aftermath of those games and will be guided by that.
I am sure that if the day or two following the games everybody was well, he will take that into account. He will look and see how people faired the next day and the day after that to establish the protocol, and I am perfectly willing to wait to hear from him.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, as we have seen some more reports coming out, Johns Hopkins just came out with new reports that talk about, frankly, the detriments of shutting down. When you look at schools, especially, there is a lot of science that shows that kids that are in the classroom are not only learning better but having better health outcomes than in those schools that are shut down, where theoretically they are sitting alone by themselves which, as we know, that is not what is happening. You know, in a controlled environment it is actually better for those students than you are seeing in other environments.
If you are only looking at a silo of cases at a stadium, but you are not looking at cases that are going up in places that are shut down, you have got to look at the whole picture. I think too often some people have only cherry-picked data, and it has been at the detriment of the overall picture.
So the science ought to be clear and vivid in its description of what really is happening out there across the country in States that are fully open, in States that are more shut down. Again, red State, blue State, last weekend was a really good example that you can open things up again.
People are making choices. People know what is out there. Whether they are home alone, theoretically, they are still getting COVID in those places where things are shut down. So we would sure hope that the science would not just look at a silo but would look at the whole picture. Other scientists have done scientific studies like the Johns Hopkins report that just came out yesterday, they show there is a bigger picture.
We are hearing reports that there would be a limited number of tickets available. Maybe that is premature, but if the gentleman is saying that you are waiting on the doctor to make those recommendations, then maybe the number we were given a few days ago of 25 limitation is a premature number. Hopefully that opens up.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, you are absolutely correct, I agree with you. The number that was announced previously was based upon the situation as it stood at that moment. I suspect that if things change dramatically in the next week or two or three that number may go down, everything else may get back close to normal.
I come from a pretty red State and the reviews are pretty mixed as it relates to even school children. Some schools are doing well, other schools aren't. It is not just what State you may be from, but a lot depends on what community that you live in.
We have a community here that we all enjoy living and working in. I am sure that the attending physician will take into account things that exist in and around this community in making his decision as to how we should conduct ourselves during the State of the Union.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, is there an expected date when that protocol will be released?
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.
Mr. CLYBURN. No, I don't have any idea and have not been informed as to what date that decision will be made. I am sure it will be made and we will be given enough time for us to conduct ourselves accordingly.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I am glad to hear the gentleman's update as well on the majority leader's health. We miss him here and look forward to seeing him back here. He has left things in very good hands with the majority whip, but we also look forward to the day when he returns, hopefully next week, and that is encouraging news to hear as well.
Madam Speaker, unless the gentleman has anything else, I am prepared to yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I have nothing else.
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 23
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