[Senate Hearing 117-200]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 117-200
SCHOOL REOPENING DURING
COVID-19: SUPPORTING STUDENTS,
EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES
=======================================================================
HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION,
LABOR, AND PENSIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
EXAMINING SCHOOL REOPENING DURING COVID-19, FOCUSING ON SUPPORTING
STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES
__________
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
46-780 PDF WASHINGTON : 2023
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS
PATTY MURRAY, Washington, Chair
BERNIE SANDERS (I), Vermont RICHARD BURR, North Carolina,
ROBERT P. CASEY, JR., Pennsylvania Ranking Member
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin RAND PAUL, M.D., Kentucky
CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, Connecticut SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine
TIM KAINE, Virginia BILL CASSIDY, M.D., Louisiana
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
TINA SMITH, Minnesota MIKE BRAUN, Indiana
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada ROGER MARSHALL, M.D., Kansas
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico TIM SCOTT, South Carolina
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado MITT ROMNEY, Utah
TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama
JERRY MORAN, Kansas
Evan T. Schatz, Staff Director
David P. Cleary, Republican Staff Director
John Righter, Deputy Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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STATEMENTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
Page
Committee Members
Murray, Hon. Patty, Chair, Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions, Opening statement................................ 1
Burr, Hon. Richard, Ranking Member, a U.S. Senator from the State
of North Carolina, Opening statement........................... 3
Witnesses
Becerra, Hon. Xavier, Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Washington, DC................................................. 7
Prepared statement........................................... 8
Cardona, Hon. Miguel, Secretary of Education, Washington, DC..... 13
Prepared statement........................................... 15
SCHOOL REOPENING DURING
COVID-19: SUPPORTING STUDENTS,
EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES
----------
Thursday, September 30, 2021
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m., in
room 216, Hart Senate Office Building, Hon. Patty Murray, Chair
of the Committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Murray [presiding], Casey, Baldwin,
Murphy, Kaine, Hassan, Smith, Rosen, Lujan, Hickenlooper, Burr,
Paul, Collins, Murkowski, Braun, Marshall, Romney, and
Tuberville.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR MURRAY
The Chair. Good morning. We are going to get started. We
have a number of votes this morning and a really good
attendance at hearing, so we want to get going. The Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will please
come to order. Today, we are holding a hearing with Secretary
of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Secretary of
Education Miguel Cardona, and on how we can help schools across
the country as they work to safely reopen for in-person
learning.
Ranking Member Burr and I will each have an opening
statement and then I will introduce our witnesses. And after
they give their testimony, Senators will each have 5 minutes
for a round of questions. While we are again unable to have
this hearing fully open to the public or media for in-person
attendance, live video is available on our Committee website at
help.senate.gov. And if you are in need of accommodations,
including closed captioning, you can reach out to the Committee
or the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services.
This pandemic has been incredibly hard on students and
families and educators. For over a year, many students were not
able to see their teachers or friends or counselors or coaches.
Students with disabilities could not get the support they
needed. Many students from families with low incomes could not
get nutritious school meals, and students without Internet at
home were left struggling to keep up with the shift to remote
learning. Every student's learning was disrupted in some way,
and educators and school leaders found themselves trying to
meet students' needs through a screen, making their already
challenging jobs even tougher. I heard from so many families in
Washington State about these challenges and how devastating
this crisis has been.
My goal since the start of this pandemic has been to get
students back in the classroom safely for in-person learning.
And I know that has been shared by many Members of this
Committee on both sides of the aisle. And while no one thinks
our work is done, we have fought to make our goal a reality by
working to get relief straight to schools over multiple relief
bills in 2020 and critically in the American Rescue Plan last
March.
This funding has allowed schools to take steps to keep
their students safe, like providing masks and tests and
improved ventilation, to keep students connected, like making
sure they have access to technology and the Internet, to
accelerate their learning, like offering summer learning and
high quality tutoring, and to help them navigate this
incredibly tough time, like increasing mental health resources.
And now, according to the CDC, 96 percent of K-12 public
schools are offering full in-person learning. But as the Delta
variant has shown us, this pandemic is far from over.
We saw nearly 1 million new COVID cases among kids over the
past 4 weeks. Pediatric hospitals across the country are
running out of beds. And according to CDC, we have seen over
1,800 school closures this school year related to COVID
outbreaks, meaning children have their learning once again
interrupted and parents had their work plans upended as they
needed to take care of their kids. Families are exhausted.
Everyone wants to get back to the classroom and stay there. But
to get there, we have to continue working to keep students
safe. And look, we have more than a year's worth of data now.
Public health experts like those at the CDC and in state
and local health Departments have made clear what works, masks,
ventilation, physical distancing, testing, and getting everyone
vaccinated who is eligible, which is especially important to
protect children under 12 who cannot yet get vaccinated. And
finally, flexibility. In other words, ensuring school districts
have plans to provide high quality distance learning to all
students when necessary to keep them safe.
The work the Biden administration has done to promote
common sense public health measures is so important. It has
been a relief to have leaders in charge who set an example that
public health and safety should not be partisan. It should be
part of what you do to protect yourself and to protect others.
And I wish every elected official took the same approach.
Unfortunately, in too many parts of our Country, the basic
steps that could keep students and educators and community safe
have been politicized. So much so that instead of promoting
basic steps like wearing masks in schools, some Republican
Governors and state legislators have been trying to outlaw
them. Schools have been pushed to the brink by this pandemic.
But instead of giving them help, those Republican Governors
and state leaders are threatening school funding, banning mask
requirements, and undermining efforts to get people vaccinated.
They are not only ignoring and in some cases denying the fact
that we are in a pandemic, they are making denial a badge of
honor. Let's be clear, there is nothing honorable about putting
kids and educators and their families at risk to score
political points. And the risk is real.
New data from CDC confirms schools without mask
requirements are three and a half times more likely to have a
covered outbreak, while cold case rates in school districts
with mask requirements are half that of those without them. For
anyone truly concerned about public health and safety, there
should be no question about putting that real world data into
practice, because this is not a game to the school leaders who
are being threatened and harassed for doing the right thing. It
is not a game to students who want to be able to go to school
without contracting a deadly disease that could hurt them, or a
family member who is immunocompromised, or a sibling who is too
young yet to be vaccinated. And it is not a game to parents who
want to be able to put their kids on the school bus without
worrying they are putting their child at risk. They are
counting on policymakers to take this pandemic seriously.
Now, looking down the dais here today, I know there are a
lot of perspectives on COVID-19 represented here, but I hope
all of us can send a message that the basic public health
measures we need to help kids keep safe and learning in school
should not be political, they should be American, because we
still have a lot of work ahead to get our schools and students
through this pandemic, and we have got to do it together.
Everyone eligible who has not gotten vaccinated should get
their shots. States and localities need to keep following the
science and doing what works to keep kids safe and learning in
school.
The Biden administration needs to continue to build on the
progress made so far to promote vaccinations, increase testing
capacity, and make sure schools and districts have the guidance
and the support they need to spend those funds. And our work
will not end when this pandemic does. We will all have to work
together to repair the damage COVID-19 has done, address
students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs,
and help our schools build back stronger and fairer. That means
addressing the sharp drop in enrollment this pandemic caused,
the sharp rise in mental health issues among kids, and the fact
that COVID has sent many students learning back significantly,
particularly students whose families earn low income, students
of color, English learners, and students with disabilities.
It also means addressing the inequities and systemic racism
that have long plagued our education system and have made this
pandemic so much harder on so many students. So today I look
forward to hearing from both of our witnesses on these
challenges and working with them and with the President to help
students, parents, educators, and schools across the country
get through this crisis. With that, I will turn it over to the
Ranking Member Burr for his opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR BURR
Senator Burr. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning. Let's
start with some good news. For the most part across the
country, children are back in public schools. That is not
really new for private schools, which mostly stayed open during
the highs and lows of the pandemic. But public schools have now
taken steps to ensure that students and teachers are able to
get back to school and back safely. These are based on lessons
learned from schools that stayed open during the pandemic.
For example, a study out of Duke University and UNC looking
at North Carolina school districts showed that in-person
learning can continue with minimal transmissions of covered by
being thoughtful, having a plan, taking common sense steps to
make students and teachers safe. More good news, thanks to
Operation Warp Speed and the development of vaccines, most
teachers are vaccinated, though that number needs to get
higher. And now that boosters are available for workers in high
risk settings who got the Pfizer vaccine.
I hope teachers will get the booster as well. Hopefully,
individuals who receive Moderna and Johnson and Johnson
vaccines will have information on boosters soon. Even more good
news. We now also have vaccines for children, 12 and up. Also,
Pfizer reports that they have good data on lower dose--on a
lower dose of their vaccine for children's age 5 through 11 and
have submitted that data for FDA review. It is my hope that we
will have a vaccine for children under 12 very soon. And good
news continues with therapies. We have at least six effective
treatments for those who get COVID, and more treatments are on
the way. Unless, of course, this Congress were to pass
legislation that imposes price controls that kill the incentive
to innovate and explore science so more treatment and cures can
be developed.
I have said from the very beginning of this pandemic that
vaccines and therapeutics are going to be our way out. We have
seen the power of these vaccines and treatments, and we all
have a responsibility to do what we can to turn the tide on
this pandemic. I continue to encourage every American who is
eligible for a vaccine, or a booster shot to get it without
delay. While all of that is good news, the Administration needs
to do a better job getting therapies approved--therapeutics
approved and working with the industry to increase supply of
therapeutics that work.
Now for the bad news. We are here today to hear from the
Biden administration, Secretary of Health and Human Services
and Department of Education about their efforts. Gentlemen,
welcome back to our hearing room. The President has said that
opening school is a national priority. I agree. As his cabinet
members for Health and Education, the responsibility falls
squarely on your--in your hands to develop the Federal response
and help state and local leaders have the tools they need to
keep schools open and students and teachers safe. But I am very
displeased that your staff have failed to live up to the
commitment you both made to me privately and publicly to be
responsive to my oversight requests.
On August 25th, I sent you both letters asking a series of
questions I received from students, parents, teachers, school
administrators, and public health officials from my state, from
people across the country, as well as many of my colleagues on
both sides of the aisle in Congress. I received a thoroughly
inadequate response yesterday, less than 24 hours before this
hearing. Gentlemen, Congressional oversight is not an option.
These questions were simple, there were no tricks.
In fact, this letter was aimed at helping you inform this
Committee about what was happening around the country as
schools were already in the process of welcoming students back
in the classroom when I wrote the letter. In many places in the
country, we are almost 2 months into the school year, so this
really isn't a back to school hearing, it is a back in school
hearing. In many places in our Country, we share goals as to
how to help school districts stay open. Which is why I sent the
letter in August.
I asked about the $97.8 billion in testing money that was
made available to HHS to learn how it was being administered,
how schools were able to access this massive amount of money,
and whether Head Start would have access to the money, and how
we were accounting for the testing needs of private schools in
your plan. Of course, the schools are still asking about
testing. It seems you have failed to communicate to them how to
access these dollars. I asked about the supply chain of test
and your testing strategies, because people still cannot access
rapid tests when stores are out of stock and people go back to
waiting days for testing results.
You have squandered the gains we have made in scaling up
the capacity last year. I also asked about the $190 billion in
funding for our schools and why 92 percent of that money still
remains unspent. You can't have it both ways. Either the money
was urgently needed and should be spent quickly, or schools
don't need the money and it should be reallocated to other
priorities tied to COVID.
This isn't a slush fund for unrelated priorities of future
needs. I also asked for a snapshot of basic data about
infections, breakthrough cases, hospitalizations, and
fatalities so we could have a clear picture of what is
happening on the ground. You should have easy access to that
data. There is no reason not to respond--respond in a timely
manner to share with me and this Committee. I asked about the
availability of therapeutics for children to help ensure that
children who get COVID have access to life saving treatments
and that parents and health professionals know about those in
advance.
I asked about the scientific evidence behind masks, because
the more you can share sound science and data, the more you can
use that to persuade people that science exists. When you
resort to pounding the table, quite frankly, you are losing the
argument. Which brings me to the inappropriate use of civil
rights law by the Administration, which further politicizes the
issue and ignores the importance of state and local policy
decision-making.
I believe that your civil rights investigation into states
that have banned mask is counterproductive. The theory behind
it is unwise, and the potential for abuse of our part--of our
bipartisan civil rights laws causes grave harm to all of us. If
you want to use the bully pulpit to encourage mask or you want
to use the bully pulpit to criticize and condemn those who have
banned mask mandates, that is the perk of your job. Developing
preposterous legal theories and abusing the powers you have to
try to bully your political opponents into submission is a step
too far.
I turn to you for your agency's help in developing clear
and consistent answers to questions for my constituents, people
around the country, and more importantly, my colleagues who
will vote on what that pathway is in the future. Waiting for
over a month for a reply is not acceptable. This is the first
time either of you have appeared before our Committee since you
were confirmed. If you aren't going to respond to oversight
letters in a timely fashion, we certainly can't wait 6 months
for you to reappear before this Committee again to answer
critical questions from the American people.
Maybe we should just ask you to appear before us once a
month until the pandemic is over so that we make sure we are
getting responses to these and other vital questions in a
timely fashion. The reason I raise the importance of our
oversight work is that it helps to inform us where to go
legislatively. As we transition into the fall and winter,
students and teachers will be spending more time indoors. We
will likely see more cases of COVID, flu, and other respiratory
illnesses.
We will need to determine how to manage a potential surge
in the demand for testing and treatments that will come with
the holiday season. We need a clear, straightforward strategy
of what must happen in the next 60 to 90 days and beyond so
Americans don't have to spend another holiday season apart from
their friends and their family. Last week, some of my
colleagues and I wrote Jeffrey Zients to ask about the
Administration's strategy, and I hope to get a more timely
response from him than I have from the two of you. Finally, I
need to take a few moments and confront the stonking at the
picnic.
The reckless spending tax and spend agenda of partisan
majority is threatening to tear apart this Congress and the
country. You have the barest of majorities, just three seats in
the House. Only the vice President breaking the tie in the
Senate. Republicans get the role of chair and--Democrats the
roll a chair and Republicans the role of ranking. It is not the
moment for grand and sweeping legislation to reshape every
aspect of the American family on your own.
It is unconscionable to take issues in this Committee's
jurisdiction, propose to spend $723 billion on these priorities
without a hearing, without a markup where we can offer
amendments, without consulting anyone outside of those writing
this terrible piece of legislation about the real world effects
of these proposals on faith based providers, on small mom and
pop childcare providers, on the cost of college and state
oversight of community colleges.
If you succeed in ramming through partisan legislation like
this, Republicans and Democrats may no longer be able to agree
on higher education or childcare or national service or even
public health. Bipartisanship means getting some, not all of
your wish list.
Bipartisanship means having to accept the other side may
have some good ideas. We reach on easy compromises here. We
work ideas out so that more, not less, of the elected Members
of Congress, the representatives of the American people can say
yes. It is sometimes slow. It is frequently messy, but it
brings about unity and lasting change that is supported by the
American people. If that is not the goal, I don't know why any
of us are here. Madam Chair, I yield back.
The Chair. Thank you, Senator Burr. I will now introduce
today's witnesses. Today the Committee will hear from Xavier
Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Miguel
Cardona, Secretary of Education. Secretary Becerra, Secretary
Cardona, thank you both for joining us today. I am very pleased
to welcome you back before this Committee and I look forward to
your testimony. Secretary Becerra, we will begin with you.
STATEMENT OF HON. XAVIER BECERRA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES, WASHINGTON, DC
Secretary Becerra. Chair Murray, and Ranking Member Burr,
it is a pleasure to appear before you alongside Secretary
Cardona. At HHS, the health and safety of our students, their
families, and our school personnel is our top priority, always
not just during a pandemic. COVID has robbed so much from our
children, a safe and comprehensive learning environment, a
normal school year, time with mentors and friends.
For some, the costs have been even greater. Roughly 40,000
children have lost a parent to COVID-19, and more than 1.5
million have lost a caregiver. The numbers only tell part of
the story. It is the empty chair at the dinner table, the open
seat in the bleachers. It is the quiet homes and crowded
hospitals. It is not having the chance to say goodbye. That is
the real story. We owe it to our children to make the classroom
as safe, nurturing, and instructive as possible.
Every step we take and take together can save lives. That
is our mindset at HHS. Thanks to President Biden's leadership
and robust funding from Congress, our Department has made
critical investments in COVID mitigation to help schools stay
open safely. We have learned a great deal in 18 months.
Vaccination, masking, testing, increased hygiene, distancing,
and improved ventilation all can significantly reduce COVID-19
transmission when layered appropriately. And make no mistake,
vaccinated Americans against COVID is the most effective
prevention strategy for our schools.
The science is clear. I call your attention to chart one.
While the COVID-19 rate for children has increased nationwide,
data from August show that children and adolescents in low
vaccination states are being hospitalized at four times the
rate of their peers in high vaccination states. Add in data for
adults, and the lesson is undeniable.
As you can see from chart two to today, COVID is attacking
our children, or at least vaccinated population at rates even
greater than adults in states with low vaccination rates. That
is why this Administration is taking several steps to turn the
Delta variant tide. HHS will require the nearly 300,000
educators at Head Start programs to be vaccinated.
Our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, is
working with partners to broadcast the importance of
vaccinating children, teachers, and school personnel. HHS is
also coordinating public education campaign that lifts up more
than 14,000 trusted community voices to remind everyone that
vaccinations are safe and effective. Our Food and Drug
Administration has reaffirmed it will follow the science on
COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 12. The agency is
working around the clock.
I am hopeful that pediatric COVID-19 vaccines will become
available in the coming months for children 5 to 11 years of
age. Our National Institutes of Health, NIH, is working to get
parents and care providers the data they need to make good
decisions for their kids, both today and for the long term. And
thanks to the American Rescue Plan, community health centers
have administered nearly half a million COVID vaccines to 12 to
18 year olds and conducted more than 2,500 vaccination events
at school based clinics, mobile vans, and pop up clinics.
Testing is another cornerstone of our strategy.
In April, HHS provided $10 billion for screening testing to
help schools reopen safely, and more than $2 billion to scale
up testing in underserved populations. We partnered with the
Department of Defense to make $650 million in investments to
expand testing opportunities for K through 8th schools in
underserved congregate settings. Masking has also shown
extraordinary results.
On September 24th, CDC published data that showed schools
without school mask requirements were three and a half times
more likely to have a covered outbreak than schools with an in
school mask requirement. The pandemic is not only taking lives,
it is devastating our kids' mental health and we are not
waiting to act. In May, HHS announced $14 million from the
American Rescue Plan to expand access to mental health care by
integrating telehealth services in pediatric care.
We have made the largest investment ever in mental health
and substance abuse block grants to states. And in August, our
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
SAMHSA, announced additional grants to strengthen resources for
our Nation's youth. This is just a snapshot of our efforts.
Over the past 6 months, I have met with parents and teens in
Georgia, visited the tribal leaders in Seattle, and farmworkers
in California's Central Valley. I met with faith leaders in
Oklahoma, families in Dallas, health workers at hospitals in
New Orleans.
Madam Chair, I have seen firsthand the resilience of our
people. They are counting on us to keep their children,
tomorrow's leaders, healthy and educated. But as Robert F.
Kennedy reminded us, their future is not a gift, or a
guarantee, it is an achievement.
I appreciate your support for HHS through this crisis, and
I am committed to working with all of you to achieve the
healthy future for our children. And it is what they deserve.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Secretary Becerra follows:]
prepared statement of xavier becerra
Chair Murray, Ranking Member Burr, and distinguished Members of the
Committee--thank you for inviting me to address you today, and for all
of the work you're doing to help us end this pandemic and move our
Nation forward.
Secretary Cardona--it's a pleasure to appear with you.
Today, I'm here to talk to you about our agency's response to
COVID-19 and our efforts to keep kids healthy in the classroom--both
during this pandemic and for years to come.
Childhood should be a time of hope and possibility, not worry and
despair. And yet, our Nation's children are living through one of the
most challenging moments in modern history. The world as they knew it
has been turned upside down, and we need to be there for them during
this vulnerable time.
At HHS, the health and safety of students, parents, school staff
and educators, and school systems is a top priority. Thanks to the
leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, and robust
funding from the Congress, our agency has made critical investments in
COVID-19 mitigation to help schools reopen safely, and we're seeing
promising progress.
Let me be clear: Schools have the tools to limit the spread of
COVID-19. We can and must do everything to provide our children with a
safe place to learn, especially as we continue to confront the more
contagious Delta variant.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) show that, when prevention strategies are layered and implemented
correctly, transmission within schools can be limited. We know that we
will be confronting COVID-19 in our schools for the near future, but
there are key strategies, including vaccinating, masking, testing,
tracing, distancing, and improving ventilation, which can significantly
reduce its transmission.
But our efforts can't end there. Just as the Biden-Harris
administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to this crisis,
HHS is taking a whole-of-children approach. We are not just focused on
protecting children from COVID-19 today. We want to keep them healthy
long after this pandemic subsides. That means investing in mental
health services, ensuring routine vaccinations, and conducting long-
term research so parents can make informed decisions about their
children's health and future.
Here's why each of these strategies is important, and what HHS and
the Biden-Harris administration are doing to help schools implement
them correctly and consistently.
I. VACCINATIONS
Make no mistake: Vaccinating adults and children ages 12 and up
against COVID-19 is the most efficient and effective prevention
strategy to help schools safely return to full-time in-person learning
as well as extracurricular activities and sports.
Everyone who is eligible should get vaccinated immediately to help
protect themselves from getting and spreading the virus that causes
COVID-19, especially to those who cannot yet get vaccinated. This is
especially important for children ages 12-15, who are currently
eligible but whose vaccination rates remain low.
The science is clear on this. And, sadly, so are the numbers. While
the COVID-19 rate among children has increased across the country, the
data show that children are becoming hospitalized at higher rates in
states with low levels of vaccination.
In August 2021, hospitalizations among children and adolescents
living in states with low levels of vaccination increased 4 times more
than hospitalizations in states with high levels of vaccination.
That's why, on September 9, the Administration released the ``Path
out of the Pandemic: President Biden's COVID-19 Action Plan.'' This
bold blueprint calls for additional actions to ensure that all schools
consistently implement science-based prevention strategies so they may
stay open for in-person learning and maintain the health and safety of
all students, staff, and families.
Under the Action Plan, HHS will require the nearly 300,000
educators at Head Start programs--which are funded by our
Administration for Children and Families--to be vaccinated. President
Biden also called on all Governors to require vaccinations for all
teachers and staff--just as we are for teachers and staff in federally
run programs.
CDC is working with partners to spread the word about the
importance of vaccination in school-aged children, teachers, and other
school personnel. And at HHS, we have a public education campaign
underway that involves lifting up the voices of 14,000-plus trusted
messengers in communities across the country to remind everyone
possible: vaccines are safe and effective.
We launched a Back to School ``Week of Action'' in August to
mobilize school districts, students, teachers, other school personnel,
national organizations, local government leaders, businesses, social
media influencers, celebrities, and thousands of volunteers to
encourage young people to get vaccinated and offer accessible ways to
do it in their community.
We've worked with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), and other
organizations to incorporate COVID-19 vaccination into sports physicals
for student athletes. We're working with the National Parent Teacher
Association to equip parent leaders to host community conversations
with pediatricians on vaccinations. And we're making it easier than
ever for school districts to answer President Biden's call to host at
least one pop-up vaccination clinic in the coming weeks. The Federal
Retail Pharmacy Program continues to be an important component in our
commitment to address the disproportionate and severe impact of COVID-
19 on communities of color and other populations who are medically
underserved. More than 108 million vaccine doses have been administered
and reported by retail pharmacies across programs in the United States.
A total of 21 retail pharmacy partners are participating in the
program, with more than 41,000 locations available online and
administering doses nationwide. Overall, 44 percent of the doses
administered through the program have gone to a person from a racial or
ethnic minority group (among people with known race or ethnicity).
As we ensure that those interacting with young children are
vaccinated, we continue to make progress on vaccinations for children
under age 12. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reaffirmed on
September 10 that it will follow the science on COVID-19 vaccines for
young children, sharing the steps the agency will take to ensure the
safety and efficacy of vaccines for children.
The agency is working around the clock. This review process is
complex and relies on robust clinical trials and data, and while I
cannot offer a specific date or timeline for when the trials and FDA's
review of the data will be completed for each vaccine candidate, I can
assure the public that we are working as quickly as possible to meet
this critical public health need. And I'm hopeful that we will be able
to make these pediatric COVID-19 vaccines available in the coming weeks
and months.
Our National Institutes of Health (NIH) is also working around the
clock to get parents and care providers the data they need to make good
decisions for their kids. When we knew that vaccines were safe in
adults, NIH started working with manufacturers to test them in kids in
a step-by-step approach. Now that teenagers are eligible, the NIH and
manufacturers are actively reviewing data on the 5-112 age group, and
we're collecting data from trials with children under the age of 5.
When we heard from hospitals that some kids were getting severely
sick, we activated existing pediatric research networks to understand
which kids are at risk for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in
children (MIS-C) and continue to look for best practices in treating
them. We've folded long-term impacts on child development into our
research plan and launched pilot programs on testing in schools to
support superintendents and teachers.
Community Health Centers represent another vital piece of our
vaccination efforts. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we have funded
over $7.3 billion in community health centers in our fight against
COVID-19. With support from our Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), these centers have administered nearly half a
million COVID-19 vaccines to 12-18 year-olds, and conducted more than
2,500 vaccination events at school-based clinics, mobile vans, and pop-
up clinics. And in early September, HRSA awarded approximately $5
million to 27 HRSA-funded health centers to expand school-based
services.
Finally, HHS is monitoring the horizon for a future where children
younger than 12 are eligible to be vaccinated against this virus. We
look forward to that day when all school children have the opportunity
to be vaccinated.
Those are just a few examples. As you can see, every division of
our agency is playing their own critical role in getting our children
and the Nation vaccinated against this deadly virus.
II. TESTING AND MASKING
Testing is another important cornerstone of our strategy to make
schools safe. Screening testing identifies infected people, including
those with or without symptoms who may be contagious, so that measures
can be taken to prevent further transmission. A modeling study found
that weekly screening testing of students, teachers, and staff can
reduce in-school infection by an estimated 50 percent. In April, HHS
provided $10 billion for screening testing to help schools reopen
safely, and more than $2 billion to scale up testing in underserved
populations. We also partnered with the Department of Defense (DOD) to
make a $650 million investment to expand testing opportunities for K-8
schools and underserved congregate settings.
As of September 17th, the FDA has authorized over 400 COVID-19
tests, including 13 authorizations for rapid, at-home tests to increase
availability and consumer choice. With a large number of tests now
authorized, FDA's focus is on helping increase the availability of
specific types of tests that will have the biggest impact in addressing
ongoing COVID-19 national testing needs, consistent with the national
testing strategy--including at-home tests and tests that can be used at
the Point of Care (POC) to diagnose infection with SARS-CoV-2. FDA will
continue to authorize at-home diagnostic tests that work while
protecting our children from bad tests that produce false results.
Right now, a majority of states are using POC testing as part of
their primary strategy. This kind of testing is especially important in
the school environment, where children often get sick from colds and
other infections that may at first appear to be COVID-19, or vice-
versa.
Schools establishing a screening program for asymptomatic
individuals without known or suspected exposure may want to consider
highly sensitive tests, tests with rapid turnaround times, pooling
strategies to conserve testing supplies, and frequent serial testing.
One study found that, among five programs with regular screening
testing (at least weekly) of most students and staff in the fall of
2020, one-third to two-thirds of total COVID-19 cases identified in the
schools were identified through screening.
When all of this is done in concert with other mitigation factors--
such as universal and correct indoor masking--the results are clear.
On September 24, CDC published three reports highlighting the
importance of COVID-19 prevention measures in schools to protect
students, teachers, and staff and keep schools open.
First, schools without in-school mask requirements were 3.5 times
more likely to have a COVID-19 outbreak than schools with an in-school
mask requirement. The second report showed that while 96 percent of
schools have offered in-person learning during the 2021-2022 school
year, COVID-19 continues to cause disruptions as closures due to COVID-
19 have affected more than 900,000 students. The third report showed
that counties without school mask requirements experienced larger
increases in pediatric COVID-19 case rates after the start of school
compared with counties that had school mask requirements. These
findings reinforce the importance of following CDC recommendations to
limit spread of COVID-19 in K-12 schools including wearing masks
indoors and vaccinating all eligible students, teachers, and staff.
III. VENTILATION, TRACING, AND DISTANCING
CDC guidance makes clear that K-12 schools should prioritize in-
person learning, and that schools can safely operate in-person by
implementing layered prevention strategies (using multiple strategies
together consistently) in alignment with CDC recommendations. Studies
show that schools that consistently implemented layered prevention
strategies showed lower or similar levels of transmission than the
communities in which they are located. Vaccinations, testing, and
masking are not the only important tools to help prevent the spread of
disease. Good ventilation is another critical COVID-19 prevention
strategy for schools. This can reduce the number of virus particles in
the air and the likelihood of spreading disease.
In this case, reduced ventilation was shown to increase
transmission risk even more in a classroom already at risk due to
crowding, lack of distancing, and no masking requirement.
Another study of K-5 schools in Georgia last fall found that COVID-
19 incidence was 39 percent lower in schools that improved ventilation
and 37 percent lower in schools that required teachers and staff
members to use masks.
Combined with appropriate distancing and timely contact tracing,
these strategies can significantly reduce the rate of infection in
schools. Just this month a study from Arizona showed that the odds of
school-associated COVID-19 outbreak in schools without a mask
requirement were 3.5 times higher than those in schools with an early
mask requirement.
IV. BEYOND COVID-19
Of course, this pandemic has robbed our children of far more than
just normal school years. Roughly 40,000 children have lost a parent to
COVID-19, and more than 1.5 million have lost a caregiver.
These numbers are heartbreaking. But it's more than the numbers.
It's the empty chair at the dinner table or the open seat in the
bleachers. It's the home that's a little too quiet, and the hospital
that's a little too crowded. It's not even having the chance to say
goodbye.
All of this is affecting our kids and impacting their mental
health. Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a disturbing rise
in youth anxiety and depression. We also know that the pandemic has
exacerbated a broad range of issues like food and housing insecurity,
coping with loss, and racial/ethnic inequities. In addition, school
closures, loss of income, and social isolation during the pandemic, all
of which contribute to heightened stress, may have increased the risk
for children and youth to Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs. All
these factors may increase mental health challenges in youth, including
stress, depression, and anxiety.
But this mental health crisis began long before COVID-19. Between
2007 and today, the overall suicide rate for youth ages 10 to 24
increased more than 50 percent. Suicide rates in certain groups, such
as LGBTQ youth and youth of color, are also of concern. According to
the Trevor Project's National Survey on LGBTQ Youth and Mental Health
2021, more than 40 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide
in the past year.
The data is clear and devastating, and the Biden-Harris
administration is not waiting to act. We are committed to continuing to
address this multi-faceted issue to support the social, emotional, and
physical health of our Nation's youth.
HHS has invested billions of dollars to provide resources and
increase access to mental health services for vulnerable groups,
including children and youth. I want to take a moment to acknowledge
that this Committee has been invaluable in these efforts. You all
continue to ensure that HHS has the support we need to prioritize
mental health care. Thank you.
In May, HHS announced $14.2 million from the American Rescue Plan
to expand mental health care access that will integrate telehealth
services into pediatric care.
We have released nearly $3.8 billion through the mental health
block grants and $4.8 billion in substance use block grants to states.
This is the largest-ever investment ever made in these two programs.
And in August, our Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) announced even more grants to strengthen mental
health resources for our Nation's youth.
Again, because of prioritization from this Committee, we are
committing $80 million in supplemental funding to Project Advancing
Wellness and Resiliency in Education (AWARE), which helps build or
expand state and local governments' coordination to increase awareness
of mental health issues among school-aged youth.
We have provided nearly $1 billion in both supplemental and annual
funding in fiscal year 2021 to Certified Community Behavioral Health
Centers (CCBHCs), and we are investing in mental health first aid,
including more than $17 million we're releasing to programs today.
In fiscal year 2021, we provided $12 million in annual funding to
CDC to work upstream and support states and communities. This includes
implementing a comprehensive suicide prevention approach with a focus
on populations disproportionately impacted by suicide, including youth,
racial/ethnic minority populations, and others at increased risk.
We also provided $5 million to CDC to better understand the burden
of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in their communities and engage
in strategies that can prevent ACEs from occurring, in order to help to
promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments where
children live, learn, and play. This work is a shared and mutual
priority of the Biden-Harris administration.
As millions of children go back to school, HHS is also elevating
mental health resources for supporting students and staff. That's why
in May, I announced a cross-department behavioral health coordinating
council to drive change and action across all agencies in HHS. One of
the dedicated subcommittees of this council focuses on addressing
barriers and improving the coordination of behavioral health services
and supports for children and youth. A national problem calls for
Department-wide coordination, so we need to get outside of our silos
and act together.
I look forward to driving prevention initiatives across the
department and building on the investments we have made already in our
Nation's youth. And I appreciate this Committee's commitment to these
critical programs.
As our kids come back, we need to meet them where they are with the
critical health care services they need and deserve--not just for the
visible scars of this crisis, but for the invisible ones as well. HHS
is committed to partnering with youth, families, and communities to
ensure that children and youth have the support they need.
V. CONCLUSION
I'm deeply proud of the work our department and the Biden-Harris
administration are doing to fight COVID-19, help schools reopen safely,
and protect our communities. And as Secretary, I have not been content
to simply view this work from the halls of the Humphrey Building.
Over the past 6 months, I have traveled the country to engage
communities directly about this pandemic and the importance of getting
vaccinated. I visited the Indian Health Board in Seattle and a
farmworkers vaccination clinic in Salinas, California. I toured a
health center in Oklahoma and a community hospital in Massachusetts, a
testing clinic in Nevada, and our own CDC Headquarters in Georgia. I've
met with patients and providers, parents and educators, health workers
and tribal elders. At every stop along the way, parents raised the
importance of their children's health, wellness, and education.
While I have certainly witnessed the devastation of this pandemic
on these trips, I have also seen the resilience of our people. They
have weathered the worst of this storm with remarkable courage, and now
they are counting on us--their representatives--to keep their children
safe.
Yes, our children are tomorrow's leaders, but they are today's
priority. And we need to give them the tools and resources to thrive.
That starts with keeping them healthy--both mentally and physically.
Many of the challenges facing the health of our Nation's children
began long before this pandemic, and they will remain long after--
unless we do something about them.
I'm committed to working hand-in-hand with all of you on these
issues, and I appreciate your support of HHS through this crisis.
Chair Murray, Ranking Member Burr, and Members of this Committee:
Robert F. Kennedy reminded us that the future is not a gift. It is an
achievement. We have a lot of work to do to achieve the kind of future
our children deserve. But if we're committed, if we're determined, and
most of all, if we work together, I believe we can make that future a
reality.
______
The Chair. Thank you, Secretary Becerra. I will turn it
over to Secretary Cardona for his statement.
STATEMENT OF HON. MIGUEL CARDONA, SECRETARY OF EDUCATION,
WASHINGTON, DC
Secretary Cardona. Good morning, Chair Murray and Ranking
Member Burr. I am honored to be alongside my colleague and
friend Secretary Xavier Becerra, speaking about the critical
work of safely reopening our Nation's schools for in-person
learning. President Biden made it clear on his first day that
getting all students safely into the classroom is a top
priority. That has been my priority as well.
I am proud that the vast majority of America's 50 million
students are in school full time learning in person. Schools
are the heartbeat of communities. They are like second families
to students and staff. They are thrilled to beat together
again. In many areas, schools are the only place where students
have access to STEM laboratories, music and theater,
gymnasiums, social services, and nutritious meals. Especially
amid the pandemic, schools also empower parents and caregivers
to get back to work and access the vital services that they
need themselves.
Last week I visited 5 states and 11 cities during the
Department of Education's return to school road trip. I saw
sheer joy, the joy that students and educators feel about being
back together, learning in person. My team and I saw students
reconnecting with friends in band practice, on the basketball
court, in the classrooms, and yes, even in the cafeterias. The
Biden administration has worked hard to help make that a
reality. Schools are the most effective means of ensuring
students receive the academic, social, emotional, and mental
health support they need to thrive. First, the American Rescue
Plan, or ARP, has been a historic lifeline.
Our education system didn't serve our students well before
the pandemic, particularly students of color and students from
low income backgrounds. With $130 billion, ARP is empowering
states, school districts and educators to safely reopen schools
and address education inequities that COVID-19 highlighted and
in many cases made worse. But these funds are just the first
step.
At the Department of Education, we are a service agency. We
are supporting districts to implement ARP funds and sharing
best practices. We have released multiple resources and have
convened conversations with education leaders to provide
tailored support for schools and districts. We spent a lot of
time listening. Our work is far from over, but we have seen
great progress. When the Biden administration took office, 23
percent of K-8 schools were operating fully remote.
By May, just 2 percent were remote. I am proud to say that
we are going to be launching a data dashboard soon where you
can see re-opening data throughout the country in real time.
Currently, about 96 percent of school districts are fully
reopened for in-person learning. Only a handful are utilizing
hybrid or remote models for brief periods to contain the spread
of COVID-19. While we must stay vigilant, I am proud to say
that despite an increase in a variant of COVID-19 about a month
before school started, America is back to school.
Moving forward we will promote health and safety in
schools, we will support students' social and emotional needs,
and we will accelerate students' academic learning. And health
and safety, we know mitigation strategies work. The data is
proving that. We cannot risk another year of shuttered
classrooms and canceled sports performances or extracurricular
activities. We owe it to our students, and we owe it to our
families to follow the science and implement evidence based
mitigation strategies in our schools such as masking and
physical distancing.
Regarding our students' social and emotional development,
they have suffered enough. Students' wellness must be factored
into the reopening. School districts are determining their
students' needs and hiring social workers and school
psychologists and implementing new mental health supports. And
finally, we are assisting school districts in their work to
address lost instructional time. Not only as an educator, but
as a father, I can tell you that learning in front of a
computer is no substitute for in-person learning. Districts are
using ARP funds to invest in tutoring, extend the learning
time, and much more.
Despite the adversity we faced, I am more optimistic about
the future of education than ever before. I have seen teachers
face unprecedented challenges with determination, creativity,
and an unwavering love for their students. I have seen families
come together to support the education of the children.
I have seen education leaders make tough decisions knowing
that they are not always going to be popular, but they are
putting the students' needs first. And I have seen students
flourish. Their resilience is our inspiration at the Department
of Education. States are using ARP to build back better. The
education system we had before March 2020 is not the goal. We
can and we must do better. Thank you. And I look forward to
your questions.
[The prepared statement of Secretary Cardona follows:]
prepared statement of miguel cardona
Good morning, Chair Murray and Ranking Member Burr.
It is a pleasure to speak to you today alongside Secretary Becerra
about the critical work of safely reopening our Nation's schools and
campuses and setting all students up for success this school year.
President Biden made clear on the first day of his Administration
that getting all of our students safely back into the classroom for
full-time in-person learning was one of his top priorities. We know
that school buildings are so much more than four walls and a roof. They
are the heartbeat of towns and cities across the Nation. Schools are
where our young people come together to learn side by side, and forge
deep bonds with their classmates and teachers. Schools are where our
students play, and develop critical social, emotional, mental health,
and academic skills, and where they explore their passions in the
theaters, laboratories, gymnasiums, art rooms, and computer science
labs that can only be found on school grounds. And schools allow for
parents and caregivers to get back to work and for students to access
critical school services, including nutritious meals, counseling, and
social services. In short, school buildings are the best vehicles we
have for empowering our young people to live up to their full potential
and to maintain vibrant and thriving communities.
Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration, our
expectations have been consistent and clear--we want all schools to
safely offer all families 5 days a week of full-time, in-person
learning. At the U.S. Department of Education this remains our top
priority, and for the past several months, under the leadership of
President Biden, the Department of Education, the Department of Health
and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, and many more, Federal officials have been working
tirelessly to support a healthy, equitable, and joyful return to
school.
While the work is far from done, we saw these efforts pay off last
winter and spring. In January, when the Biden-Harris administration
took office, 23 percent of all K-8 schools were operating fully
remotely, leaving millions of students without the ability to learn in-
person, and many without access to remote learning even when offered.
By May, the percent of all K-8 school operating fully remotely had
dropped to only 2 percent and nearly every school in America was
offering in-person learning. Early estimates from this school year show
that about 96 percent of school districts are offering families fully
in-person instruction. Only a small percentage of schools are switching
on a temporary basis to a hybrid or remote model to contain the spread
of an outbreak in the school and then quickly returning to in-person
once it is deemed safe, and a proper quarantine process has completed.
Steps the Biden-Harris Administration has Taken to Accelerate the Safe
Reopening of Schools
The Biden-Harris administration has taken several critical steps
thus far to help States and local school districts safely reopen our
Nation's schools, and support schools in meeting the social, emotional,
mental health, and academic needs of our students.
Funding
We provided $122 billion in American Rescue Plan
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds
to help schools safely reopen--including to implement
strategies recommend by the CDC to prevent transmission of
COVID in schools, address inequities exacerbated by the
pandemic, and support the social, emotional, mental health, and
academic needs of students.
The Department of Education also distributed $800
million in American Rescue Plan funding to help States and
school districts identify students experiencing homelessness
and provide wraparound services to support their full
participation in school activities.
We released more than $3 billion under the American
Rescue Plan to support children with disabilities, helping more
than 7.9 million infants, toddlers, and students with
disabilities across the country.
In April, the Department of Health and Human Services
distributed $10 billion in funding for COVID-19 screening
testing for teachers, staff, and students in K-12 schools.
FEMA is providing 100 percent reimbursement for
school reopening costs.
Resources to support state and local leaders
Our Department has provided three volumes of the
COVID-19 Handbook focused on safely reopening schools and
meeting the needs of students in K-12 and higher education, and
launched a clearinghouse of best practices to share with
educators across the Nation.
The Biden-Harris administration, including the
Department of Education, has also released several resource and
guidance documents to support the implementation of best
practices on ventilation; hosting school-based vaccine clinics;
using community school approaches to meet the needs of the
whole child; strategies for effective instruction when students
are temporarily unable to attend school in-person, like when
they are in isolation or quarantine; addressing lost
instructional time, including the impact on the mental health
of students; and supporting all students' rights in educational
environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our technical assistance has included the ``Lessons
from the Field'' webinar series, which has focused on a range
of issues including safely reopening and sustaining in-person
operations, improving indoor air quality, addressing mental
health needs, and re-engaging the students most impacted by the
pandemic. We also launched the Summer Learning and Enrichment
Collaborative to bring states, school districts, and community-
based organizations together to focus on evidence-based summer
interventions to support students' social, emotional, mental
health, and academic success.
Our Office for Civil Rights released a Question and
Answer document that provides answers to common questions about
schools' responsibilities under the civil rights laws and is
designed to help students, families, schools and the public
support all students' rights in educational environments. We
published Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of
COVID-19 on America's Students, a report that explores how the
impacts of COVID-19 are falling disproportionately on students
who went into the pandemic with the fewest educational
opportunities. We also released a fact sheet that provides
information about "long COVID" as a disability, and, together
with the Department of Justice, we put out a fact sheet on
Confronting COVID-19-Related Harassment in Schools.
Vaccinations
The Biden-Harris administration has prioritized
vaccine access for school staff, by issuing a directive making
teachers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in March, setting a
goal of getting all school staff who wanted the vaccination to
be able to get at least one shot in the month of March, and
resulting in about 90 percent of educators vaccinated today.
The Biden-Harris administration is also working to
expand access to the vaccine for young people, by issuing a
call to school districts to host onsite, pop-up vaccination
clinics at schools, in partnership with the Federal pharmacy
program; and incorporating COVID-19 vaccination into sports
physicals for student athletes.
Return to School Roadmap
For the 2021-2022 school year, we launched our Return to School
Roadmap for parents, educators, schools, and districts to prepare for
the safe and sustained reopening of schools this fall. The roadmap
includes actionable resources and examples from the field on how to
address our three priorities in returning to in-person learning safely:
(1) prioritizing the health and safety of students, school personnel
and families, (2) building school communities and supporting students'
social, emotional, and mental health, and (3) accelerating academic
achievement by addressing learning gaps accumulated from lost
instructional time.
I will touch briefly on each of these three pillars, and now that
the school year has begun, will provide a quick glimpse into the
incredible work we are continuing to see from school communities across
the country in these three areas.
Ensuring Safe and Healthy In-Person Learning
We learned last school year that with the right safety measures in
place, schools can safely offer in-person learning to all families 5
days a week. Studies show that schools that consistently implemented
layered prevention strategies--as recommended by CDC guidance--showed
lower or similar levels of transmission than the communities in which
they are located. This is due to the heroic work of our teachers,
school leaders, and school staff, who were able to implement mitigation
strategies while also keeping learning fun, engaging, and high-quality.
For the current school year, CDC guidance makes clear that K-12
schools should prioritize in-person learning and do so by continuing to
implement layered prevention strategies (using multiple strategies
together consistently). This includes helping everyone eligible get
vaccinated, universal and correct indoor masking regardless of
vaccination status, diligent sanitization and hygiene practices, using
contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, improving
ventilation, and maintaining physical distance to the maximum extent
possible.
There are so many great examples of districts using ARP dollars to
go above and beyond to safely reopen schools for students. We know that
effective ventilation systems clean and disperse air, decreasing the
risk of various airborne illnesses including COVID-19. We also know
that our Nation's underserved students are attending schools that often
do not have effective ventilation systems. Adequate ventilation has
been a concern in Philadelphia's school buildings. The district
responded to concerns by using their funds to purchase air and surface
purifiers to reduce the number of contaminants in the air.
We know that vaccines are the best way to prevent the spread of
COVID-19. To support vaccine access, several Maine municipalities and
district sites also served as vaccination sites in the spring of 2021,
and this fall many are working with local providers to host COVID-19
vaccine clinics for age eligible students and staff. South Carolina has
launched a vaccine community confidence campaign complete with toolkits
and easily distributed materials for families. Minnesota has developed
and promoted the Roll Up Your Sleeves campaign to increase vaccination
rates, which includes targeted outreach to 12-17-year-olds as well as
connecting local public health departments to school districts and
charter schools to provide onsite school vaccination clinics for
students, staff, and community members.
To support testing, New Mexico is leveraging ARP dollars to offer
screening testing for students and staff at all of their schools.
Alaska is facilitating diagnostic and screening testing in schools and
will continue to work with its state Department of Health and Social
Services to provide resources and supports for mitigations plans for
districts and schools.
We also know that there are some states that are standing in the
way of school districts implementing strategies aligned with CDC
guidance to maintain health and safety. To support local educational
agencies (LEAs) that adopt and implement strategies to prevent the
spread of COVID-19 consistent with the guidance from the CDC, the
Department of Education launched the Project to Support America's
Families and Educators (Project SAFE) grant program. Project SAFE is
intended to improve students' safety and well-being by providing
funding to LEAs that are financially penalized for doing so by their
state educational agency (SEA) or other state entity. The Department
has awarded the first two Project SAFE grants, which will protect
students in Alachua County (FL) Public Schools and Broward County (FL)
Public Schools.
Social and Emotional Learning and Mental Health
We know that in order to excel academically, students need a strong
social and emotional foundation. Students have suffered so much over
the past 18 months, and we cannot unlock a student's potential unless
we also help them heal and recover from all the trauma and hardship the
pandemic has brought. For many students, schools are the only place
where they can access mental health professionals, school counselors,
nurses, and support structures they need--including their friends--to
help them through the adversity of the last year. I'm pleased that
across the country, we're seeing American Rescue Plan funds being used
to prioritize our students' mental health needs, and tend to their
social and emotional development, by hiring more of these invaluable
education professionals.
Nevada is reserving ARP funds to hire 100 school-based mental
health professionals, , and Alaska is using ARP funds to help social
workers offer key services to remote districts such as virtual lessons
in self-care and methods to reduce student stress, depression, and
anxiety. ARP funding will also allow the Kansas Department of Education
to address a state-wide shortage in licensed professionals trained to
address the documented social and emotional needs of students.
According to Communities in Schools (CIS), CIS of Washington is
expanding integrated student support services to four counties and 16
rural schools with ARP funding, anticipating serving approximately
2,500 students. The New York City Department of Education is using ARP
funding to hire over 600 mental health professionals to provide care as
students returned back this fall. This means that every school will
have at least one full-time social worker or school-based mental health
clinic.
Addressing the Impact of Lost Instructional Time
Every parent and caregiver across the country knows how challenging
the last year was for our students. It was tough for us adults, too--
with many of us taking on the role of parent and teacher at home. I
want to give thanks to all the parents and caregivers across America.
Over the last year, what was made clear is that sitting behind a
screen simply isn't the same for most children as learning in a
classroom among their peers. And we know that many students may have
been disconnected from their school communities for weeks, months, and
for some, over a year.
It's our responsibility--as leaders and as educators--to do
everything in our power to help our students excel. This is especially
important for communities hardest hit by the pandemic, who may have
been furthest from the opportunity to learn and succeed to begin with.
This means investing in building teacher capacity to meet students
where they are and accelerate learning, high-quality, evidence-based
tutoring programs, extended learning options, and other opportunities
to support student academic success during the school year.
Many state leaders are meeting this challenge. The Louisiana
Department of Education will allocate ARP funds to school systems
through grants that prioritize those students most impacted by the
pandemic. The State's plan emphasizes accelerating learning--which
connects instruction to new learning rather than remediation--and
includes tutoring in reading and math. North Carolina is seeking to
address the impact of lost instructional time through interventions
such as $30 million for high-impact tutoring statewide, $19 million for
updated assessment tools and new testing platforms, and $35 million for
a competitive grant program for summer school and after-school
extensions. New Hampshire has launched the Recovering Bright Futures
program which creates for students who suffer from anxiety or who have
experienced learning loss, small, in-person, multi-age learning pods.
Students receive individualized instruction and participate in project-
based instruction in the pods, with the goal of rekindling curiosity
and accelerating learning so they can catch up with their peers.
Building Back Better
If prioritized together, the three landmarks in the Return to
School Roadmap will enable more students and communities to heal,
learn, and grow together this fall. However, we cannot go back to the
way things were in March 2020. Our students deserve more. The American
Rescue Plan built a strong foundation for us to begin to recover. It
has empowered schools across the country to bring their students back
into the building and address critical social, emotional, mental
health, and academic priorities. But we owe it to our students to Build
Back Better from the pandemic and overcome the inequities that existed
prior, and we can do so by passing the Build Back Better agenda.
From creating universal high-quality preschool, to fixing our
Nation's school infrastructure, to investing in educators, to improving
career pathways, to providing free community college, we have an
opportunity right now to transform American public education for
generations to come. We can build truly equitable schools that finally
close the opportunity and achievement gaps that have existed in our
education systems for far too long. We can set all our children up for
success by investing in our strongest asset--our people--and ensuring
that America remains competitive in a global economy. These resources
will allow us to build an education system more equitable and excellent
than ever, where every student--no matter their race, ethnicity,
religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, income, disability
status, age or background, is seen, valued, and set up to succeed.
Conclusion
Thank you again for the opportunity to share about our priorities
for a safe, joyful, and equitable launch of this school year. I am
committed to working collaboratively with each of you and to set all of
our students up for success.
Thank you, and I will do my best to respond to any questions you
may have.
______
The Chair. Thank you very much, Secretary Cardona. We will
now begin a round of 5 minute questions and I ask my colleagues
to please keep track of the clock and stay within those 5
minutes. And I will begin. Secretaries Cardona and Becerra, it
has been a challenge over the last year and a half to know how
to keep ourselves and our families safe, especially when it
comes to our children and schools. Some states and localities
are following the science and public health guidance and
putting in place safety measures. Others are not.
In fact, in some schools, basic measures to keep students
safe are prohibited by extreme Republicans politicizing masks
and vaccines. A recent survey showed the majority of parents of
color needed ventilation in classrooms, vaccinated teachers,
social distancing, masking and COVID-19 testing in place to
feel safe sending their children to school in person.
Yet, we know these things are not happening consistently
for our families. I think it would be helpful for parents and
families to hear straight from each of you the following. One,
when should a child wear a mask and what additional measures
should schools be taking to keep kids safe? Secretary Cardona,
I will start with you.
Secretary Cardona. Thank you for the question. And we share
that goal to make sure that we are building confidence in our
schools, so parents feel comfortable sending their children,
all children. And it has been very clear. We have a year's
worth of experience doing this already, not only at the state
level. Before we had vaccines, before we had the testing
protocols, before we had a year's worth of experience, we were
safely reopening schools because we followed what works.
I will tell you, I will start off by saying it is really
important as educators that we work really closely with our
health experts like we are doing at the Department with HHS,
CDC, and our U.S. Surgeon General to make sure that we are
listening to medical experts when we are making decisions.
Masks prevent the spread of COVID-19. And in schools that have
high spread, and which we are seeing across the country, it is
critically important that masks are being utilized. The
promotion of vaccinations for students that are eligible is
critically important to reduce spread and make sure that the
illness isn't serious if students do contract COVID-19.
Quarantining when students are--do have COVID or are were
exposed to someone that did until they are able to get tested,
that is critically important. Our schools must be safe for
learning, and we have to make sure we are communicating what we
are doing to keep students safe. It is our responsibility to
follow the science. As my colleague here, Secretary Becerra has
shown, in places that do follow the mitigation strategies, we
are able to keep students in the classroom without disruption.
It is our responsibility to keep our students and our staff
safe.
The Chair. Secretary Becerra.
Secretary Becerra. Madam Chair, the evidence has spoken.
The science is clear. Vaccines are the safest, most effective
route to keeping our kids safe. Even if you are under the age
of 12, it is still important for everyone who can vaccinate to
vaccinate, to keep everyone, including our children, under the
age of 12 safe. Masks, the Arizona study showed very clearly
those places that don't use masks in school are three and a
half times more likely to create an outbreak in the school than
those schools that do use masks.
As Senator Burr said, it is common sense. None of us here
probably would enter a car and start driving without buckling
up. 50 years ago, some people protested using seatbelts. Today,
we don't. We know how safe and effective they are. Same thing
with vaccines, same thing with mask, same thing with social
distancing. Same thing with better ventilation. Same thing with
better hygiene.
We know what works. It is common sense. And I would just
tell each and every parent, please use common sense. Don't let
anyone stop you from protecting your kids.
The Chair. Thank you to both of you. Since the early days
of this pandemic, I have been very focused on making sure
testing is widely available as a tool to prevent and respond to
outbreaks. And I was, as you all know, frustrated at the Trump
administration's failure to articulate a testing strategy and
address supply shortages, and communicate clearly and
effectively. I have pushed very hard to make progress on that
front. I know the Biden administration moved quickly to fix
many of the early issues with testing.
But I want you to know I am troubled, however, by the
continuing testing challenges, which includes some schools not
having access to enough tests. Right now, we know testing would
be a critical part of safely reopening schools, especially for
those students who are too young to get vaccinated. So,
Secretary Becerra, I wanted to ask you, what specific steps is
the Federal Government taking to make sure tests are accessible
to schools and what guidance is being provided to make sure
they are being used effectively?
Secretary Becerra. Madam Chair, first, I want to make sure
it is clear there is a supply of test kits available. It is
that the demand has grown dramatically and the demand for
certain types of tests so that the distribution has been
difficult to get to certain places. But generally speaking,
nationwide, there is sufficient total testing capacity across
the Nation to meet our needs. And this includes the combining
of all lab-based point of care and over the counter testing.
What have we done? Well, you are probably aware that earlier
this month President Biden announced the use of the Defense
Production Act so that we could procure some $2 billion in
rapid point of care tests and over the counter at home COVID
tests.
We are going to continue to mobilize and work with our
industry partners to make sure that we can get into contracts
that allow for multiple testing manufacturers to expand
production. And we are actively engaged with states to mitigate
supply chain constraints while the domestic manufacturing
expands to meet the demand.
But we have seen in the last few months demand increase
month over month, some 300 to 650 percent, and it has been a
demand that has not been evenly spread. And that is why you see
pockets where people say there is a shortage. There is
sufficient supply, it is just getting it at the right places
and coordinating well.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Burr.
Senator Burr. Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I welcome the
Secretaries this morning. Secretary Becerra, you had a bit of
an enterprise in the U.S. Government that incorporates many of
the agencies that dragged COVID policy in this country. Let me
ask you, are you supportive of a mandate for COVID vaccines for
12 year olds and over in K through 12 education?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, thank you for the question.
This Administration from the President on down has been very
supportive of moving forward with requirements to make sure
that our people are safe.
Senator Burr. It is a very specific question. Do you
support mandating that 12 year olds and over in K through 12 be
vaccinated?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, again, if you ask me the
question, as a Secretary of Health and Human Services, I can
tell you that my jurisdiction does not include schools and
requiring 12 year olds.
Senator Burr. But you represent an enterprise that drives
all of the policies that go into COVID. Does the HHS Secretary,
is he supportive of mandating that K through 12, 12 years and
over that they mandatorily be vaccinated?
Secretary Becerra. I am very supportive, both personally
and as Secretary of Health and Human Services of a school
district, of a local jurisdiction, of a Governor that says it
is time to keep our kids in school safe, and we will therefore
move toward requiring masks or vaccinations, but I am----
Senator Burr. But not the Federal Government?
Secretary Becerra. The Federal Government doesn't have
jurisdiction to tell schools what to do.
Senator Burr. Okay. Secretary Cardona, do you believe that
parents ought to control whether their children are vaccinated
and whether they are and have input into what their children
are taught in K through 12?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you for the question, Senator. I
do believe the role of educating students should involve
parental involvement. And I do believe that schools are
adequately able to engage student parents through that process.
Senator Burr. Now, you do support mandates on 12 year olds
and over in K through 12, because you and I had a conversation
on the phone on that, right?
Secretary Cardona. I support efforts that states, and
districts are doing to protect students and staff so that they
can continue with in-person learning.
Senator Burr. Does that mean you are opposed to a Federal
mandate of children 12 and over in K through 12, a Federal
mandate that would require all of them to be vaccinated?
Secretary Cardona. I believe that the decision about
mandating should be at the state and local level. And I support
the efforts being made to promote vaccines and require them in
places where we know spread is high. In fact, the data show
that in places where the vaccination rates are highest, there
is less interruptions in learning. And the goal is to safely
reopen schools, but also to keep them open.
Senator Burr. Both of you have put great emphasis on the
data that is behind the decisions you make. Secretary Becerra,
the President made an announcement on August the 18th that
boosters would be available on September 20th for all
Americans. Clearly he was out in front of the scientific data.
Why would we set an arbitrary date and tell the American people
you will all get a booster if you have gone 8 months past your
initial boost?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, I think the President has been
very clear throughout. He believes in vaccinating America, and
he believes that he should be vaccinated as well. When he
mentioned September 20th, what he was telegraphing to the
country is get ready. We are going to start vaccinating,
getting that boost as soon as we can. Of course, the science
will drive the ultimate result, as we have seen as well.
Senator Burr. Well, you have got five agencies under your
leadership, CDC, FDA, Surgeon General, NIH, NIAID, and they all
wrote a letter, they all signed a letter. Let me just read to
you what it says. We are prepared to offer booster shots to all
Americans beginning the week of September 20th and starting 8
months after the individual second dose. There is no clarifier
in this.
Secretary Becerra. Senator, I think if you read the rest of
the letter, you will see that it does put a qualifier saying,
subject to the science.
Senator Burr. Secretary, one of the challenges that we have
today is that the communications message is so muddled that the
American people don't know what to believe and what not to
believe. In large measure, because one can interpret this is a
decision was made before the scientific data was available.
What if the scientific data had not come out on the 20th? What
if a decision could not have been made then? I think we share a
bipartisan belief that we have tried from the beginning to
follow the science.
Secretary Cardona, I am concerned that taxpayers and
lawmakers will never know what the $191 billion appropriated
for K through 12 pandemic relief paid for. According to the
information my staff received from the Department of Education,
as of September 10th, K through 12 schools spent $18 billion,
less than 10 percent of the $191 billion of Federal coronavirus
emergency relief money appropriated at the end of March, and
GAO reported that the Department's current method to track
funding will not let lawmakers know how these funds are being
used to address pandemic related needs of children. And the
Department agreed to do something about it. What have you done?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you, Senator. The funds that were
provided for our schools are really funds provided for our
students to help them recover. And I have seen firsthand in my
visits to states the creative ways districts are reengaging
students and reconnecting those school communities.
As a former Commissioner of Education, I can tell you
firsthand states are going to first use their ESSER I money.
But we also know that this is a--the path to recovery from the
pandemic and from the impact on children is going to take more
than 1 year. We do have a data dashboard on the drawdown, and
we are going to continue to get information on that. We have an
outreach team that works directly with our states, not only to
learn what they are using the funds on, but also to share best
practices.
At the end of the day, our educators have been heroes to
protect our students and get them safely back in the classroom.
And they are also assessing what the needs are of our students.
And again, last week alone, I saw tremendous innovation to make
sure that we are not only assessing what students lost in terms
of instruction, but also meeting them where they are with their
social, emotional needs, and ensuring that our schools are
safe, which includes new ventilation systems, which I saw in
DeKalb County, Georgia, and in other places that I visited.
I am completely confident, and I trust that educators are
going to put the children's need first, and they are going to
make sure that this recovery provides long term solutions for
these students, not only to get to where they were, but to
thrive higher than ever before.
Senator Burr. Thank you, Chair.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Casey.
Senator Casey. Thank you, Chair Murray. I want to thank our
witnesses for your appearance today and your public service. I
wanted to ask, and maybe I will get at least a big question to
each of you, Secretary Cardona on students with disabilities,
Secretary Becerra on behavioral health in schools.
I just want to put one fact on the table again that
Secretary Cardona, in your testimony, your written testimony on
the first page, you say January, when the Biden Harris
administration took office, 23 percent of all K through 12
schools were operating fully, remotely 23. By May, just 5
months, less than 5 months into the Administration, the percent
of all K through 12 schools operating fully remotely had
dropped to 2 percent, from 23 to 2. So that is good news.
I think it is directly related to dollars that the Federal
Government has provided, to date over $189 billion to schools.
And I note for the record, the Rescue Plan was $122 of that
$189. So two-thirds of the dollars appropriated were done
through the Rescue Plan the Democrats passed. Secretary
Cardona, first, I wanted to start with students with
disabilities. About 7 million, as you know, in the Nation,
students in public schools receive special education services.
It is an understatement to say that the pandemic has been
challenging for those students. Most of them had to adapt to
online instruction. Others had to have their related services,
such as physical or occupational therapy, reduced or adapted.
So many challenges that we have read about. Individual
education plans, which, as you know well, are required by the
IDEA Act from years ago, often require specific therapies and
specific services.
Here is the question, can you tell us what guidance and
resources the Department is providing to states and local
school districts to get students with disabilities the services
and the therapies that they need to set them up for success?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you for that question. It is clear
that our students with disabilities were greatly impacted
during the pandemic. And I recall stories of--I recall
conversations with parents who shared with me the impact that
their child not being able to access in-person learning had not
only on their learning, but on their entire family. With regard
to work, it was much more difficult for many students with
disabilities to learn using a laptop. I recall a mother who
wrote a book and called it, There Is a Rainbow. And at the end
of the rainbow in this book was the school reopening. Her child
has autism, and the remote learning is--as much as educators
did the very best, it wasn't the same.
We need to place special emphasis on our students with
disabilities and their families to make sure that they are
coming back into a welcoming environment, one that is assessing
where the children are now, not where they were in March 2020.
We required states to ensure that IEPs are being updated for
this school year, and many states understood this important
responsibility and did it in the spring so that they can start
the year off where the children are now.
We know individualized education plans are the best
strategy for these students to reach their potential and
updating those is critically important. Furthermore, Senator,
we--from February, we were providing handbooks and special
attention was given to supporting students with disabilities
and also supporting educators that serve students with
disabilities with training and helping them have more
opportunities to understand the social, emotional impact of our
students with disabilities.
We understand the priority it is. We are going to continue
to serve our educators and our students and our families with
children with disabilities.
Senator Casey. Thanks very much. Secretary Becerra, on
behavioral health. Obviously, a lot to talk about. Let me just
make a quick reference to the question. What resources are now
available for both--excuse me, for teachers and school
administrators to support students' mental well-being during
this time?
Secretary Becerra. Senator Casey, thank you for the
question. I know this is a priority for you. We have made the
largest investments in mental health and substance use disorder
in the history of these programs because of the American Rescue
Plan that you and others in this Congress passed. And I am
pleased to say that close to $1 billion has gone out so far to
support the mental health services that are needed throughout
our Country, including in our schools.
We have put out close to $5 billion for substance use
disorders services. Most of that money, as you are aware, is
administered, run through the states. Then they feed it over to
the local Governments and the schools. And so we have done more
because you all pass the American Rescue Plan than we have ever
done before, and we know we have to do more.
Senator Casey. Thanks so much. Thank you, Chair Murray.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Paul.
Senator Paul. Mr. Becerra, are you familiar with an Israeli
study that had 2.5 million patients and found that the
vaccinated group was actually seven times more likely to get
infected with COVID than the people that had gotten COVID
naturally?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, I have to get back to you on
that one. I am not familiar with that study.
Senator Paul. Well, you think you might want to be if you
are going to travel the country insulting the millions of
Americans, including NBA star Jonathan Isaac, who have had
COVID, recovered, looked at a study with 2.5 million people and
say, well, it looks like my immunity is good as the vaccine or
not.
In a free country maybe ought to be able to make that
decision. Instead, you have chosen to travel the country
calling people like Jonathan Isaac and others, myself included,
flat earthers. We find that very insulting. It goes against the
science. Are you a doctor, a medical doctor?
Secretary Becerra. I have worked for over 30 years on
health----
Senator Paul. You are not a medical doctor. Do you have a
science degree? And yet you travel the country calling people
flat earthers who have had COVID, looked at studies of millions
of people, and made their own personal decision that their
immunity they naturally acquired is sufficient. But you presume
somehow to tell over 100 million Americans who have survived
COVID we have no right to determine our own medical care? You
alone are on high, and you have made these decisions, a lawyer
with no scientific background, no medical degree. This is an
arrogance coupled with an authoritarianism that is unseemly and
un-American.
You are the one ignoring the science. The vast
preponderance of scientific studies, dozens and dozens show
robust, long lasting immunity after COVID infection. Even the
CDC does not recommend measles vaccine if you have measles
immunity. The same was true for smallpox. But you ignore
history and science to shame the flat earthers, as you call
them. You should be ashamed of yourself and apologize to the
American people for being dishonest about naturally acquired
immunity.
You want more people to choose vaccination? So do I. You
want to lessen vaccine hesitancy? So do I. You want to have
that happen? Quit lying to people about naturally acquired
immunity. Quit lording it over people, acting as if these
people are deplorable and unwashed. Try persuasion instead of
Government cudgels. Try humility instead of arrogance. Try
freedom instead of coercion. But most of all, try understanding
that there is no more basic medical right than deciding what we
inject into our bodies today.
After hearing that millions of people in the study prove
show without a doubt that there's a great deal of immunity from
getting it naturally, do you want to apologize to the 100
million Americans who suffered through COVID, survived, have
immunity and yet you want to hold them down and vaccinate them?
You want to apologize for calling those people flat earthers?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, I appreciate your question and
appreciate that everyone has their opinion. We follow the facts
and the science at HHS. We use the expertise of the medical
professionals, the scientists at HHS to make decisions. It is a
team effort, and we rely on what is on the ground showing us
results.
Senator Paul. Except for the dozens and dozens of studies.
In fact, most, if not all of the studies show robust immunity
from getting the disease naturally. The CDC says if you have
had measles and have immunity, you don't have to be vaccinated.
The same was true of smallpox. You are selectively doing this
because you want us to submit to your will. You have no
scientific background, no scientific degrees, and yet you
aren't really concerned about 100 million Americans who had the
diseases. You just want to tell us, do as you are told. That is
what you are telling us. You want to mandate this on all of us.
You are going to tell us, if I have 100 employees, you are
going to put me out of business with a $700,000 fine if I don't
obey what you think is the science.
Don't you understand that it is presumptuous for you to be
in charge of all the science? Have you ever heard of a second
opinion? I can't go to my doctor and ask my doctor's opinion? I
mean, this is incredibly arrogant, combined with this
authoritarian nature that you think, well, we will just tell
all of America to do what I say, and they better or we will
fine them or put them in jail or not go to school or not let
them travel.
The science is against you on this. The science is clear.
Naturally, acquired immunity is as good as a vaccine. The
Israel study actually showing it is better. This isn't an
argument against the vaccine, but it is an argument for letting
people make a decision who already have immunity. You are not
willing to consider natural immunity?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, our team has reviewed every
study that is out there on COVID, whether it is from Israel,
from the U.S. or wherever else. They have used the facts that
have been provided through the rigorous research that has been
done to reach conclusions. 660,000 Americans or more have died
because of COVID. We are trying to do everything we can to save
as many as possible. We are using the facts. We are following
the science and following the law.
Senator Paul. Nobody is arguing the severity of this, but
you are completely ignoring the science of natural immunity. So
is Fauci. So is the whole group. You are just ignoring it
because you want submission. You want everybody just to submit
to your will. Do as you are told. Despite the evidence, the
large body of scientific evidence that says naturally acquired
immunity does work, is an important part of how we are all
going to recover from this. So is the vaccine.
But when you add them together, we are in a much different
place than if you ignore them. 100 million Americans by
conservative CDC estimates have had the disease. 200 million or
more now have been vaccinated. It is a good thing. Combined
together, it is how the disease is--nobody wants to get the
disease. We are not advising anybody to get the disease. But if
you are unlucky enough to get it, think of the nurses and
doctors and orderlies who all bravely took care of COVID
patients, there was no vaccine for a year and a half. They took
care of people, risk their lives. They got it survived.
Now people like you are arrogant enough to say you can no
longer work in the hospital because you have already had the
disease. We are going to force you to take a vaccine that the
science does not prove is better than naturally acquired. That
is an arrogance that should be chastened.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Hassan.
Senator Hassan. Well, thank you so much, Chair Murray and
Ranking Member Burr for this hearing. I want to thank both
Secretary Cardona and Secretary Becerra for being here today to
discuss this important issue, keeping our students safe and in
school. And I just want to note at the top here that as the mom
of a young man with severe disabilities, I am particularly
grateful for Senator Casey's questions about what we are doing
to help students who experience disabilities.
It is not just that, of course, they need their
individualized education plans met, but it is also true, just
as you pointed out, Secretary Cardona, that often school is the
only place that some of these students can get certain kinds of
services. In some cases that may be physical therapy,
occupational therapy, speech and language. And when schools are
also prevented from taking public health measures, these
students often are also the most at risk for severe
complications from COVID-19.
It is a catch 22 for parents. And I just want to thank
Senator Casey and all of you for everything you are doing to
help protect children with disabilities. Secretary Cardona, I
wanted to start with a question to you. In addition to the
teacher shortages many have discussed, schools in New Hampshire
and across the country are struggling to fill other openings,
ranking from paraprofessionals and social workers to bus
drivers and custodians, roles that are essential to keeping our
schools open for in-person learning.
Some school districts are addressing these workforce gaps
in various ways, including with hiring bonuses and paying
parent drivers to help get kids to school. Secretary Cardona,
how can school districts use their elementary and secondary
school emergency relief funding to meet these staffing needs in
order to keep schools open and provide essential support to
students?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you for the question and for your
comments about students with disabilities and families, and the
importance that they are in our schools, and we should be
prioritizing that as we think about reopening, as we should
about ensuring that we address the workforce gaps safely.
Safely reopening schools means we have enough staff to keep
everyone safe and supported. So we do believe the American
Rescue Plan and the ESSER funds can be used to make sure we are
paying a salary that is competitive. People have options now.
And, you know, I can tell you firsthand that my own children's
experience is being influenced by whether or not they are able
to get bus drivers to take them to extracurricular activities.
It is a real situation. And if we are serious about
reopening schools and making sure our children have the best
opportunity to engage not only in the classroom but
extracurricular activities or getting to school on time, we
have to make sure that we are addressing these workforce gaps
boldly.
There are more funds now available to our districts to
address that. But we also have to invest in pipeline programs
to make sure that our dedicated paraeducators have access to
programs to become teachers themselves. I am really excited
about the opportunity in the build back better agenda to make
sure that we are investing in our profession, paying livable
wages, and making sure we create pipelines that with incentives
for paraeducators and other educators to go in, to get their
teaching credential, to serve as special education teachers,
bilingual teachers, and other shortage areas. It is all hands
on deck. I think we have the right policy, and we need to make
sure we are making bold decisions to let that happen.
Senator Hassan. Well, thank you. I want to turn now to the
issue of learning gaps. One report estimates that due to COVID-
19 school closures last year, elementary students were about 5
months behind where they would typically be in math and 4
months behind in reading. If not addressed, these gaps in
learning will have a long lasting negative effect on the
lifelong success of students. So, Secretary Cardona, how can
schools most effectively identify the gaps in student learning?
And how is the Department of Education ensuring that schools
have what they need to do this?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you. Yes, our students missed out
on a lot in the last year and a half. Academic gaps based on
the fact that remote learning doesn't compare to in-person
learning are significant. And the reality is some students
faced more of it than others. It exacerbated opportunity gaps
that existed. We recognize this and we also, part of our return
to school roadmap, prioritized not only saved school reopening
and engaging in social, emotional well-being, but also
addressing the lack of instruction that students were not able
to access due to the pandemic.
We released strategies for using the American Rescue Plan
funding to address the impact of lost instructional time as its
own guidance document in addition to the three handbooks that
we have that address, learning loss, learning losses could be
controversial. I don't want to victimize our students. It was a
lack of access to instruction.
We have handbooks out there. More importantly, we are
talking to states to see what they are doing. And I was
fortunate to see summer school programs that tripled in size.
After school programs that are happening because of the
American Rescue Plan Fund. So they are working on that. And I
know it is a priority for educators across the country.
Senator Hassan. Well, thank you. And Madam Chair, I realize
I am a little over. I just do want to point out that the
Department was very helpful to school districts in New
Hampshire as they tried to use the secondary school emergency
relief funds to improve air quality and ventilation in schools.
And I look forward to submitting a question about how school
districts can access those funds and work with the Department
to make sure their schools are safe. Thank you.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Cassidy.
Senator Cassidy. Thank you all. Thank you for being here.
First, I associate myself with Senator Paul's remarks as
regards the need for our CDC to look at the influence of
natural immunity and its effectiveness relative to a vaccine.
And I agree totally that when we tell Americans that natural
immunity does not confer immunity. That goes against the
science. I will say that.
Some of his other remarks, perhaps not so much, but on that
absolutely. So, Secretary Becerra, if you can take that back to
CDC, etc., I would appreciate that. Secretary Cardona, I think
we can agree on this. Would you accept that the primary purpose
of a school is to educate a child?
Secretary Cardona. Yes----
Senator Cassidy. Or should be--should be--yes. And we know
there is, by the way, social services we don't want to ignore.
My concern is during the pandemic, against science, public
schools were much more likely to close. I am looking at data
from the--and by the way, if we are going to look at what
empirically works, if we are going to follow the evidence and
the primary goal is to educate a child, I think we have to look
more broadly than, say, just the use of a mask.
I am looking here from something from your shop, Institute
of Education Services, ies.ed.gov, and it is showing me that
nationally public schools, only 47 percent were open in January
of last year, Catholic schools 89 percent, and private schools
92 percent. There is also significant dis-enrollment from
public schools as parents sought to have their child educated
even though they were being kept shut upon the insistence of
some teachers unions, against the science, against the clear
recommendation of, among other things, the American Academy of
Pediatrics.
There has been a hostility among Democrats, frankly, and
among the Administration as regards charter schools. Seeing how
charter schools, actually--private vouchers and charter schools
actually give an alternative to a parent who is otherwise
locked into a system that will not literally educate her child,
why is there this hostility toward this alternative for the
parents?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you, Senator. I do agree with you
that school reopening was critically important for all students
across the country. And I am very pleased to say that across
the country, our schools are open----
Senator Cassidy. Yes, but we are really talking about a
period of time, an extended period of time where children lost
a significant amount of their education. And I am being--and by
the way, this is about social justice because it was the
minority child in the inner city school that did worse by far,
with some saying that 7 months of learning was lost among
African-American children, on urban children, and 6 million--
seven month for the low income and 6 months for the African-
American child. And so why are we holding our parents and our
children prisoners to a system that ignore their educational
needs when the science showed that the schools could safely
reopen?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you for that question. I remember
last spring and even before that, working on reopening schools.
And what I can tell you is those schools where predominantly
Black and Brown students attend were woefully underfunded, and
they didn't have the funding to address the ventilation
systems, to address some of the basic needs----
Senator Cassidy. Now, Secretary Cardona, are you going to
tell me that inner city parochial school that some
philanthropies had opened up for these children, that was an
older facility, did not have similar problems but somehow did
not attempt to adapt? I find that--I just don't believe that.
Secretary Cardona. Okay, what I am sharing with you, sir,
is my visits, my experience as a Commissioner talking to
superintendents, visiting schools with ventilation systems that
weren't touched for 20 years, with class sizes of over 25, 26--
we make sure that schools are safe for students and for staff.
And many of these same families were sharing their concern
about schools not being reopened. I am very thankful for the
money that the Federal Government provided----
Senator Cassidy. Let me ask you--I am almost out of time, I
apologize. That may be the case. By the way, my wife is the
chair of a board of a public charter school, full disclosure.
They managed. They just opened up their gymnasium. They just
converted their lunchroom. They made it work for those children
who disproportionately are minorities. But why shouldn't the
parent have the choice to take her child elsewhere if she
decides, well, it may be that they have a lousy ventilation
system, but they have a good ventilation system, and so I am
going to take my child to the private school with a good
ventilation system so that my child doesn't lose 7 months of
education this year. Why should she not have that choice?
Secretary Cardona. Senator, it is my belief that all
children should have access to a safe school and one where all
children can succeed. And it was important that all schools be
given the tools and resources----
Senator Cassidy. If they are--and I will finish with this,
if they are to have access, and defying science unions demand
that a school close, why would that access not include the
ability to take dollars that would go to the public school,
they are not open, they are not there for the kid, to take the
child to a school which is opened. Can you tell me, should that
parent--just yes or no, should that parent have the right to
take their child?
Secretary Cardona. Well, it requires more than a yes or no.
It is more nuanced than that. But I will say, we have been
working closely with educators, including our unions, to safely
reopen schools. And today, all of America's students have an
opportunity to learn in-person safely because of the work that
we have done together.
Senator Cassidy. That was papering over a terrible loss of
educational opportunity for those who are most vulnerable in
our society. And frankly, our perception is, it is due to
obeisance to teachers unions, not because of putting children
first. I yield back.
The Chair. Thank you. The vote has been called and I am
going to go over and vote and return right away. The next three
Senators in order are Senator Smith, Senator Romney, Senator
Baldwin.
Senator Smith. Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you very
much, Secretary Cardona and Secretary Becerra, for joining us
today. It is very good to be with you. I am going to direct my
questions to Secretary Becerra. Mr. Secretary, I applaud the
Biden administration's commitment to keeping our children safe
in school through vaccinations, through masking, through
ventilation, and through testing. And this includes the
Administration's recent announcement that they will ramp up the
production of rapid COVID-19 tests and purchase $2 billion
worth of rapid tests, which can detect, as we know, up to 98
percent of cases that are infectious with COVID.
Rapid, in home tests are a huge benefit to parents because
they can get quick test results and they--so they know whether
they can send their students to school after they have been
exposed to COVID in the classroom. And it is also a huge help
to schools that are, frankly, I have heard, overwhelmed in some
cases by asking educators to administer tests and do contact
tracing, and on top of everything else that they are doing.
Rapid tests are a better alternative than lab based tests,
which can be so frustrating to Minnesota parents and students
as students are pulled out of school and activities are put on
hold for the days while they are waiting the 3-days, while they
are waiting for results. And I know that, I believe both
Senator Murray and Senator Kaine has raised this issue.
As we know, unfortunately, rapid tests are difficult to get
a hold of right now. So here is my question, Secretary Becerra.
Some policy experts believe that by reclassifying rapid COVID-
19 tests as a public health tool rather than as a medical
device, that this could help unlock a greater supply of tests
while also reducing the price of those tests. So could you talk
to us about how the Administration is thinking through this
recommendation?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, thank you. Thank you, Senator,
for the question. And I know this is on the minds of many
people, not just here in this chamber, but at home as well. As
I mentioned before, in responding to some of the previous
questions, we have the tests. It is that getting them to the
right source at the right time has been difficult. We are now
coordinating far greater--in far greater ways with our state
and local partners.
Whereas before it was at the point of contact where the
test would be made, that the request could be made for those
types of tests, what we are trying to do now is coordinate far
better how all of this is done. And what I will tell you is
that between the money that was made available through the
supplemental appropriation that you all passed, through the
money from the ARP, we have been able to provide substantial
funds, $10 billion in one case, $2 billion as you just
mentioned more recently, another $2 billion was made available
to try to make sure that we are reaching everyone.
We--can we coordinate better? We are going to try to do
that with our local and state partners. We have--the Federal
Government don't have the capacity to be the administrators of
the test, but we can work in partnership with those on the
ground who can do it to make sure that we go where the tests
are needed.
Senator Smith. Do you think that there is an opportunity to
think about reclassifying these tests? I mean, how do you----
Secretary Becerra. That is certainly something we could
take a look at. I can get back to you as quickly as possible,
talk to the team to find out if that is at all--that is
something we could consider.
Senator Smith. Thank you. I appreciate that. I think that
there is an opportunity there given the high level of accuracy
and just as another tool that the Administration could have as
you are working to ramp up these tests, so.
Secretary Becerra. We have been using every tool you all
give us and we will look at this one as well.
Senator Smith. Thank you very much. I also wanted to ask
you a little bit about the work that we need to do to support
students with disabilities, particularly in the context of what
has been happening with COVID. Pardon me, this is a--I should
have said, Secretary Cardona, this is directed toward you,
pardon me. This is about supporting students with disabilities
as we navigate through what has been such a difficult time in
schools.
I am in particular, I just want to quickly highlight a
couple of aspects of support for students with disabilities
that we are seeing in my home State of Minnesota. There is many
great examples, but recently we have seen educators from
Moorhead Public Schools in Northwest Minnesota, they have
shared with me how they have been able to make really important
investments for their students using American Rescue Plan
dollars, thanks to American Rescue Plan.
Secretary Cardona, could you just quickly, in the few
seconds I have, discuss the Department's approach to supporting
education of students with disabilities and mitigating the
learning loss that they have experienced.
Secretary Cardona. Thank you for the question and for the
support of the great programs there. Thanks to the ARP. You
know, we are back. Kids are back, kids are back in school. That
is the best thing we can do for our students with disabilities
and all students. They are back in their classrooms with their
teachers, with their peers.
The best thing we could do for students with disabilities
is the same thing we can do for our students, get them back in
the classroom with those teachers that love them, that want to
support them. However, for students with disabilities that
might have had interrupted learning, it is really important
that we are monitoring where they are today, not where they
were in March 2020, and make sure that we are using American
Rescue Plan funds to provide enough resources, enough support,
personnel to give the students what they need today and to make
sure that their families feel supported as the students
transition back. Thank you.
Senator Smith. Thank you very much, Secretary Cardona.
Next up, we have Senator Romney.
Senator Romney. Thank you, Madam Chair. Secretary Becerra,
I am going to clear up a social media rumor that you spend most
of your time outside of Washington, DC. Is the majority of your
time spent--the great majority spent in Washington, DC?
Secretary Becerra. In many ways, I would say unfortunately,
yes, because I still have a home in California as well. My wife
is still in California.
Senator Romney. Spend your time here. It is great. Let me
turn to another topic, I concur with Senator Paul--I am
concerned about natural acquired immunity with regards to
COVID-19. And I was disappointed with your response. I had
expected you either to say one or two things. One that the
science is clear, that inoculation adds to one's protection
against COVID-19. And that is--that he was wrong about the
studies he described.
He said every single study said that natural acquired
immunity is better than vaccination or at least as good as. Or
I expect you to say, look, maybe it is the same, but we can't
determine whether people have had COVID necessarily or not, and
therefore, we are, out of an abundance of caution, we are
insisting they be vaccinated. Could you please get back to the
Committee with an answer to his question so that we can know
where the science stands and where the Administration stands?
Secretary Cardona, I note that as young families are thinking
about having children, they consider the plans for what it will
mean to have a child and they consider about pre-k, about
childcare, about college expenses down the road.
I note that in the President's plan, the so-called
reconciliation bill of $3.5 trillion, that the plan is that
children--child care rather, and early learning expire after 6
years instead of 10 years of the full program. That pre-K
expires after 7 years. And that community college coverage
expires after 5 years. Do you think that young parents should
therefore plan on these programs disappearing in six, seven,
and 5 years as proposed under the Administration's legislation?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you, Senator Romney, for the
question. We are at a point in our Country's history where we
have the opportunity for transformational change for our
students and our families.
Senator Romney. I totally agree. I don't want to go on a
different topic here, which is the transformation--is this a
permanent change or--transformation is permanent, but if it is
just temporary, five, six and 7 years and all these programs go
away, that is not transformational, that is bait and switch.
Secretary Cardona. Well, Senator, I do believe at this
point the families, especially post pandemic, providing
community college access, that only helps the economy.
Senator Romney. But should it expire at the end as it is
planned out?
Secretary Cardona. I am hopeful, Senator, that today goes
really well for our families across the country and that in the
coming years, we will find ways to continue to support those
strategies that we know lift American families----
Senator Romney. You mean it is your anticipation that these
programs then that parents should count on them continuing?
Secretary Cardona. That is the goal to have community----
Senator Romney. Well, if that is the goal--if that is the
goal for all these programs, not the 5-years, 6 years and 7
years that is in the legislation, how are you going to pay for
it? Because there is only one or two ways, either more debt or
higher taxes. Which do you prefer?
Secretary Cardona. Well, Senator, I know that in this
proposed budget, no one making under $400,000 will see an
increase in taxes. But I will tell you----
Senator Romney. Well, that is right. That is right away.
But if you are saying that down the road when these programs
are set to expire, you would expect them to continue instead,
that means any promises about not raising taxes on people
making under $400,000 today, those are going to expire as well.
Secretary Cardona. As a lifetime educator, I can tell you
what is being proposed is transformational for our families.
Senator Romney. I agree it is transformational. I am not
sure it is transformational in the right way. I am concerned,
for instance, that we are going to double the child tax credit,
child tax credit, which allows people to help pay for
childcare. At the same time, we are going to give them free
pre-K for 2 years. Why double?
Why give people free pre-K and double their child tax
credit, which they could use themselves to either decide to
care for their own children at home, to go to Head Start, to go
to a private childcare facility. Why do we have to both double
the child tax credit and at the same time provide free pre-K,
and by the way, build new school classrooms to do so?
Secretary Cardona. Sir, for me as an educator, early
childhood education is a foundation for a strong educational
program.
Senator Romney. Totally agree, but why are we going to pay
for it twice?
Secretary Cardona. I have seen the benefit of it. And I
know for many of these families, their ability to get back to
work and add to their income is----
Senator Romney. Look, I am perfectly happy with providing
funding to families so they can provide childcare for their
child. I think they ought to have the choice of one, providing
it themselves if they want to, either with a family member or a
spouse, or No. 2, sending a child to a childcare facility of
their choice.
But to say you are going to do that and we are also going
to give you a public school childcare, that is two programs
doubling the cost and it is taking away the incentive for
people that might choose to decide to have the childcare for at
home. I think my time is up. I am sorry. Madam Chair, back to
you.
Senator Smith. Thank you. Senator Romney.
Senator Marshall.
Senator Marshall. Okay, thank you, Madam Chair. And again,
thanks to the Secretaries for being here to talk about the
intersection of health care and education, something that is
near and dear to so many of us. If we talk about the highest
causes of death for your students, for our students, it is
accidents or trauma. Suicide is No. 2. Homicide as No. 3.
Cancer might be going up or down depending which age group we
are talking about. But focus being this morning for me is on
the emotional health and the impact on the suicide rates from
COVID as well as our policies.
That is what I want to focus on today and especially what
our mandates do to the emotional health of our children. I turn
to the conversation of natural immunity just for a second.
Look, I have seen the data, all the moms out there have seen
the data on natural immunity, and I am telling you, these mama
bears are going to protect their kids. They don't see the
benefit of a vaccine for something their children are already
immune to. And there are risks associated with the vaccine.
Don't get me wrong, I have had the vaccine, my parents have
had the vaccine. I hope my parents get their booster soon. I am
in favor of vaccines. But when we are talking about our
children and those ones that already have immunity, I think
that many Americans have concern about this and the emotional
impact if those kids get kicked out of school because of this
mandate.
I think you both would acknowledge that getting kicked out
of school has a huge stigma to it. And if--this is my question
for you both, yes or no. If the CDC would acknowledge natural
immunity and a child has antibodies, would you consider
excluding them from the mandate? Let me say that again, if the
CDC would acknowledge natural immunity and a child has
antibodies, would you consider excluding the child from the
mandate? Secretary Cardona, yes or no?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you, Senator. This answers
requires more than a yes or no. I know states and local
districts are the ones making decisions around masks and
vaccines, and we rely on them. What I have done because I am
not a medical doctor is rely very heavily----
Senator Marshall. That is what my question is. So if the
CDC acknowledges and a child has antibodies, would you support
excluding that child from the mandate? Think of the emotional
impact of that child being kicked out of school for something
they are already immune to and the suicide rate. Secretary
Becerra, can you answer the question, yes or no?
[Technical problems.]
Secretary Becerra. I was about to say, you are going to be
disappointed to know that it is not a yes or no answer because
science doesn't act as quickly as you would like on those
answers. What I can tell you is that we have looked at the
science. We have looked at some of the studies and the data.
And for example, in the State of Kentucky with regard to
children, there was a study that showed that for those--
actually individuals, not just children. People, who were
unvaccinated, who had COVID, showed that they were twice as
likely to be reinfected with COVID, than those who had been
vaccinated.
Senator Marshall. We could argue about the studies all day.
And I am a physician, you are a lawyer, and you probably don't
want to go down that road, because I am telling you, the huge
majority of the studies show that natural immunity is better
than the vaccinations. A huge majority. And those don't talk
just about getting the virus. Let's talk about hospitalization,
about morbidity and mortality.
Your jobs, neither your jobs is to decide what--if the
statement is true that I am saying that the natural immunity is
better, that is up to the CDC. So my question was, if the CDC
would acknowledge it and a child has antibodies, would you
excuse them from the mandate? But we need to go on. I am very
concerned about migrants coming across the border carrying
infectious diseases as well. Probably over 3 million migrants
have come across the border illegally, legally, and many of
which are children.
I am very concerned about not just their COVID and the
variants they are bringing in, but tuberculosis. Haiti has the
highest incidence of tuberculosis in the Western Hemisphere,
measles, mumps as well. And what are you two going to do to
test those children before they get into our schools, and (b),
to make sure that they get their immunizations, Secretary
Becerra.
Secretary Becerra. Senator, great question. And we do, as
you know, have jurisdiction over some of those migrant children
who are unaccompanied. And we have jurisdiction over the ones
that are turned over to us by Customs and Border Protection. We
make sure that no child is placed in any setting, whether it is
in our care or in a licensed care facility or in the hands of a
responsible custodian, without first making sure that they are
free of COVID and they have had a vaccination. And so we make
sure that no one, whether it is a U.S. citizen or anyone coming
into this country, can infect someone else.
Senator Marshall. I am sure you are measuring that somehow.
Secretary Cardona, anything to add to the students entering to
our school systems that have not been tested or properly
immunized?
Secretary Cardona. All students, including noncitizen
students, have access to meals, to education, and any health
care needs that they have to make sure that they are healthy.
Senator Marshall. But there is a huge difference in access
and it is actually happening, right. I mean, we have to be just
overwhelmed right now. Our systems do, our schools do with
these children. 12,000 Haitians recently have been turned in to
the United States. And I want to share compassion and love with
those folks. I have done mission work in Haiti. I have been to
the border. I understand the humanity of all this. But I also
don't want my grandchildren exposed to tuberculosis, let alone
new variants of COVID. Madam Chair, I yield back.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Baldwin.
Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Madam Chair. I am ambitious in
hoping that we can get to three topics in my 5 minutes, all
related to how your two Departments are working together with
resources provided in the American Rescue Plan. I want to start
with mental health services. Senator Casey earlier brought that
up with you.
As we do reopen schools and recognize the mental health
toll that the pandemic has had on our Nation's youth and
families, I think there should be a focus on making mental
health care more accessible in schools, including by promoting
and expanding the availability of school based mental health
programs.
I am certainly working with the Chair of this Committee in
our other joint Committee appointment on the Subcommittee on
Labor, HHS and Appropriations to emphasize and elevate funding
to expand school based mental health programs in Wisconsin and
across the country. Can you talk about how your agencies are
collaborating to expand access to mental health services in
schools, and what else you need from Congress in order to
advance this effort? And start with Secretary Cardona.
Secretary Cardona. Thank you very much for the question.
And I will be brief, because I know you have three topics and I
know my colleague here wants to speak. Thank you for bringing
up the importance of social, emotional well-being of students
and the fact that we have to build back better. We can't go
back to how it was before. Our students have been traumatized.
I would argue that before the pandemic, we should have been
doing more. The collaboration has been great.
I recently had a road trip and Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S.
Surgeon General joined, and we were talking about the
importance of mental health access. I visited a high school
where they are restructuring their day to provide mental health
access and social emotional well-being for 6,000 high school
students and the ARP funding is therefore that, the $1 billion
in the build back better agenda, I have to mention to double
the number of social workers, school counselors, and then the
importance of community schools also to make sure that outside
agencies are coming in. I can continue. It is a priority. Our
return to school roadmap has that as a priority. We are going
to continue to do that.
Senator Baldwin. Great. Secretary Becerra.
Secretary Becerra. Microphone. Oh, there we go. Senator, I
will just simply add the Department of Education and HHS's CDC
have been working closely together to make sure that we are
using the data properly together. We are constantly working to
make sure that we are informing school districts as best we can
what the science is telling us. And so they are working
together very closely. And that is a good sign.
As I mentioned to you before, we have made historic
investments in mental health and in substance use disorder as a
result of the work that you all did to pass the American Rescue
Plan. And I will mention something very important, not just
between Departments, but within my own agency, because we are
so large, and we have so many agencies that touch mental
health.
I established a coordinating council within HHS to make
sure that we are all working together, SAMHSA, Administration
for Children and Families so that we are not missing anything.
We are working together and working with our sister
Departments.
Senator Baldwin. The second topic I wanted to mention is
the funding for testing in the American Rescue Plan. I am
encouraged by the Administration's efforts to follow the
science, but unfortunately, conventional testing, especially in
schools, has come with challenges. We have heard about some of
them this morning, and we need to make sure we are advancing
innovative approaches to keeping our kids and teachers healthy.
At the University of Wisconsin, we are working on a
proposal to expand surveillance of respiratory viruses,
including COVID-19 and influenza, by collecting air samples
from schools. Unfortunately, they have been struggling to
access funding from the American Rescue Plan because entities
in the state are focused on funding conventional diagnostic
testing.
How are your Departments working together to evaluate
innovative approaches to testing that might be very beneficial
to schools and school settings? And will you commit to
providing states with the flexibility they need to expand and
enhance testing, including through innovative proposals?
Secretary Cardona. I will start off by saying, yes,
definitely we recognize the importance of testing and
accessibility. The testing, surveillance, testing for our
students, that is how we keep our schools safe and that is how
we are going to keep our children in the classroom, which is a
priority for all of us.
We have seen great examples in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, New
Orleans, Louisiana, Louisville, Kentucky. And what we are doing
is lifting up best practices. One of the sites that I visited
with Dr. Murthy last week was a access family center where they
provided testing and they partnered with the schools. So we
went to see that firsthand to see how it worked. And we want to
make sure we are promoting best practices to educators across
the country.
Secretary Becerra. Senator, I would simply add that along
with working together Department wide, we have also provided
about $10 billion through CDC directly to the school districts,
to states and school districts, so they could start doing the
testing they need. We continue to provide technical assistance,
collaborating with them, trying to give them the guidance they
may need to know how best to use those resources. And we are
ready to do more.
Senator Baldwin. Thank you. I will state the last question
for the record, and you can follow-up, but I wanted to know how
your agencies are collaborating with experts and industry in
the ventilation space to ensure that the improvements supported
by the American Rescue Plan funding are designed and installed
and maintained in a way that promotes health and minimizes
illness among students, teachers, and staff?
Secretary Cardona. I will have my staff follow-up with you.
Thank you.
Senator Baldwin. Thank you.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Tuberville.
Senator Tuberville. Morning, gentlemen. Good to see you
all. Secretary Becerra, been hearing a lot, of course, people
in Alabama and all across the country, everybody is ready to
get back to normal life. I know you are, too. Specifically our
teachers.
I am hearing from a lot of teachers. We have been full
class most of the last year and a half in Alabama, but teachers
are concerned. They are concerned that they know they are going
to get exposed. There is no way around it. But they want to
know that they have got an effective means once they get sick.
For example, I had a teacher write me a letter about, she
got sick, and she goes to the hospital, real sick, but they
turned her back because there is no monoclonal antibodies.
Alabama hospitals have had a pretty good supply over the last
couple of I would say four or 5 months of the antibodies.
Secretary Becerra, why did HHS take over the supply chain
of monoclonal antibodies just in the last few months? Can you
give us a good reason?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, thank you for the question. And
I am glad you asked, because this is something on the minds of
a lot of folks. We have seen a tremendous increase in the
demand for these monoclonal antibodies. Let me give you an
example. In your State of Alabama in July, your state ordered
all those providers ordered the total of 6,800 doses. In
August, your state ordered over 45,000 doses. In less than 2
months it went up that quickly. And your state wasn't the only
one.
The difficulty is that with that immediate surge trying to
meet, that demand became complicated. So what we have done is
we have surged with that to make sure that we are manufacturing
more. We are working with industry to make sure that they
continue to manufacture more. But what we thought was important
is to make sure that every state, Alabama, as any other state,
had access to those monoclonal antibodies.
What we did is rather than let those therapies be secured
onsite by anybody onsite, we decided to let the states decide
how to best coordinate that, so that state would make sure,
Alabama would make sure that every Alabaman would have access
to those monoclonal antibodies, not just that one place in one
part of Alabama.
The formula for that distribution is public, your staff and
you have that. And so we would ask you to take a look, because
what we are trying to do is have transparency guide how we make
sure those therapies and those treatments are available to all.
Senator Tuberville. Yes, it is my understanding in the
second quarter of this past year that we had a huge contract
with two companies with monoclonal antibodies. And when they
were ready to deliver, we said we don't need them. This was in
April, and I just want to know who in the world would turn
those down in this time of need?
It doesn't make sense. Now, they came back and gave us a
lot of them because we went back to them, the companies, and
they said, well, luckily we have held some of them, but then we
had to crank it back up. Who would make that decision?
Secretary Becerra. Well, so remember, the request for the
use of the monoclonal antibodies was coming from the places at
home in your state. And we were making sure that we were
providing the distribution to make it possible to do that. And
so we were meeting the needs until these last few months when
the Delta variant really surged and all of a sudden a lot of
people were getting sick, especially in your state.
By the way, seven states are right now essentially taking
in about 70 percent of all those monoclonal antibodies of the
50 states, 7 states. And so you can see the surge has occurred
quickly. And what we are trying to do is make sure the
manufacturers are producing the supply that is needed.
We are trying to make sure that distribution is done
fairly, equitably, and it is done transparently and that there
is accountability as well, because we don't want to find that
an Alabaman goes without that monoclonal antibody because
somebody else got in, shouldn't it.
Senator Tuberville. Yes. And, we are so fired up about the
vaccine. And I am, too. I have taken it. And it is not going to
keep you from getting the most time, but it is going to keep
you from getting real sick. And I think everybody can agree
with that. But we need to focus more on therapeutics.
I don't think there is any doubt about--and testing. I have
talked to a lot of doctors, especially in the school systems,
we need to be testing almost every day or every few days kids
before they come. Now, they can have the virus if we wait till
they get symptoms, they have had it for 2 days and they have
already been in school, and it has been exposed. I just want--I
just hope, I heard you say about equity, and I continue here by
talking about equity and I believe in that. But we need to save
people's lives.
We can't shut down Alabama or some of these other states
simply for the fact that we might not be taking as many
vaccines. We cannot let people die. And especially teachers, we
are telling them to go back to school and they want to go
teach, but we can't do that. So I would hope that we would not
get political with this. Red state, blue states, it shouldn't
be about that.
It should be about everybody, if they need it, they get it.
And we just need to be more prepared. So Secretary Cardona, I
have got some question for you, and I am going to put it on
record, Madam Chair, but thank you. Very good answers. Thank
you and look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
The Chair. Thank you very much.
Senator Lujan.
Senator Lujan. Thank you, Chair Murray. And thank you to
our distinguished witnesses for being available today. Several
studies have found that mask usage dramatically reduces the
spread of COVID-19, including one of rural schools in Wisconsin
that found mask wearing reduce the spread of COVID-19 by 37
percent. Secretary Becerra, do you agree that wearing masks in
schools reduces the spread of COVID?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, I think the evidence now is
overwhelming that good mask policy helps keep people safe.
Making sure that even if you are vaccinated, you continue to
use masking policy if you are indoors makes sense, especially
for our kids, because we have kids under the age of 12 who are
not vaccinated. And so there is no doubt that the studies, the
evidence, the science has shown is that masking works.
Senator Lujan. Secretary Becerra and Secretary Cardona, I
am going to ask a series of yes or no questions, and I would
ask for you to try to get through them quickly, as I have
several others. Is the best way to keep schools open to deploy
proven health measures like masks and testing? Secretary
Becerra?
Secretary Becerra. Use it--follow the science and the data
that is helping us keep people safe.
Secretary Cardona. Sounds like a yes. Secretary Cardona.
Secretary Cardona. In the last year and a half have proven,
yes, mitigation strategies work.
Senator Lujan. Yes or no, does banning localities from
implementing public health measures undermine the effort to
reopen and keep schools open? Secretary Becerra.
Secretary Becerra. Senator, we have to use common sense and
we have to do everything to keep our kids safe. And we would
want to make sure we are using the different treatments and
therapies and strategies that keep our kids safe. And masking
vaccines, distancing, ventilation, hygiene, all that worked,
and we should be able to do all of those. And why should any
parent not be able to do those?
Senator Lujan. Secretary Cardona.
Secretary Cardona. The reopening data is pretty clear. In
places where they are more relaxed about mitigation strategies,
they are three and a half times more likely to have spread,
which results in school closures.
Senator Lujan. Does banning localities from implementing
public health measures disproportionately impact students with
disabilities and underlying health conditions? Yes or no,
Secretary Becerra?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, folks with disabilities, kids
with disabilities are more vulnerable, therefore more
susceptible to COVID. We have to do everything we can to keep
them safe. And the most effective way to do that is all the
different strategies that I just mentioned.
Senator Lujan. Secretary Cardona.
Secretary Cardona. Students with disabilities are
disproportionately impacted when poor policies are implemented.
Senator Lujan. Yes or no, has misinformation on masking and
vaccine on tech platforms negatively impacted the response to
getting kids back into the classroom? Secretary Becerra.
Secretary Becerra. Again, the science should guide us. The
facts should guide us. The data that shows where to go should
guide us, and not social media, not politics. And so I hope
that families who are concerned for their kid's safety at
school will follow the science and the facts.
Senator Lujan. Secretary Cardona.
Secretary Cardona. Yes, we are focused on sharing--
following the science and communicating that in different
platforms to make sure that our families are getting accurate
information.
Senator Lujan. Recently, it was announced that YouTube is
going to stop allowing disinformation videos on vaccine and
COVID. I applaud them and I hope the other social media
platforms follow them. Turning to the effective use of relief
funds, New Mexico school districts reported that the Elementary
and Secondary School Emergency Relief Program, ESSER and CDC
control of emerging infectious diseases funds are critical
lifelines. With the recent doubling of teacher vaccinations in
New Mexico, school worker shortages are one of the main reasons
for school closures in my state.
I am proud that my state took bold steps of investing $38
million in the American Rescue Plan ESSER III funds to stand up
a teaching fellows program to strengthen the teacher pipeline
into New Mexico schools. It also invested $10 million to
increase the number of school based mental health counselors.
ESSER funds are also building a more equitable education
system by helping schools to close the homework gap. Secretary
Cardona, what other innovative uses of ESSER funds have you
seen from states and districts that have kept our schools open
and made education more equitable for the long term?
Secretary Cardona. Just last week, I visited five states in
5 days a back to school road trip where I was able to see
firsthand how our students are happy to be back. Our teachers
are happy to be back. We are back in business because of the
American Rescue Plan and the funding from the Federal
Government. And I have seen ventilation systems improved.
I have seen students having access to school social
workers, parents having access to support in the schools. I
have seen better professional development. I have seen students
in summer programs that are intended to get students to
reengage after a year and a half of being in front of a screen
through the use of the American Rescue Plan funds. And I have
seen colleges also engaging students in different ways,
creating new pipeline programs, all because of the American
Rescue Plan.
I am fortunate that I get a bird's eye view and I get to
visit schools across the country and see the amazing things
that are happening as a result of the American Rescue Plan. And
our students are fortunate that they have educators that are
committed to meeting their needs when their students come back.
Many great things happening in our schools today.
Senator Lujan. Appreciate it. And I do have some additional
questions in the area of in-person learning and mental health
with students, but also with those to the record. And I thank
the witnesses for being here today.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Collins.
Senator Collins. Thank you, Madam Chair. Secretary Cardona,
I think all of us can agree that students suffer when they are
not in school. And in order to avoid another year of learning
loss or emotional turmoil and behavioral problems, some school
districts are implementing a test to stay approach. And what
they do is they allow symptomatic students who test negative
for the virus to stay in school rather than quarantining them
after another student or a staff member has tested positive for
the virus.
A recent study in The Lancet suggests that the test to stay
approach can be saved. There was a randomized trial that
included more than 150 schools in Britain that found that case
rates were not significantly higher at schools that allowed
close contacts of infected students or staff members to remain
in class with daily testing than those that required at home
quarantine.
If our goal is to keep schools open, it seems to me that we
should be looking at the science. Yet despite this evidence,
the CC has said that at this time they do not recommend or
endorse a test to stay program, even though the consequences
are that thousands of students in this country are once again
not in school because of quarantine.
My question to you is, do you agree with the CC, or do you
agree with the Lancet study and those school districts that are
using a stay in school and testing method?
Secretary Cardona. Thank you, Senator, for the question and
for, communicating the importance of in-person learning. That
is the best way we can get the students to support that they
need after this year and a half. And I recognize that there is
emerging data or studies around this test to stay. To be very
frank, since the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked
closely and listened to the science of CC and it is helped us
safely reopen schools.
We are going to continue to work with the CC and as their
guidance changes will implement the school. But we are going to
rely on our health experts who have guided us to the point
where we are reopening schools across the country for all
students.
Senator Collins. Well, the problem is that the guidance
from our health experts over the past year has been conflicting
and inconsistent, and that heightens the distrust in these
institutions at the time when the public needs to be able to
rely upon them. And I think the latest example of this
confusing, conflicting advice has to do with the booster shots.
And that would lead me to my next and final question for
Secretary Becker.
At FDA, the longtime Director of the Office of Vaccine
Research and Review and her deputy are leaving this fall in
part because of the decision-making over boosters. This
weekend, the CC Director commented and conceded the confusion
in messaging around who should receive the booster. And this
was after she overruled the recommendation of her own advisory
committee.
Two public health experts from Brown and Harvard, wrote in
The New York Times that the new Federal recommendations go,
``well beyond the data.'' So how can SHAHS better ensure that
public health agencies in this country at the Federal level
truly are following the science and produce a consistent,
reliable message?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, thank you for the question. Let
me put it this way, OVID does not run a linear course, and as
we have seen now with Delta especially, it is widely, it can
dodge, it can get around and it can be strong and fast. And we
have to try to keep pace. We have to wait for the science to
give us the direction on where to go, where to turn. And go
back to what was said earlier, we have to use our common sense.
I believe that Director Aliens used the science and common
sense to decide how best to make sure we keep Americans safe
with regard to boost in her latest action and I think FDA has
done a tremendous job with the science that is also evolving
with the variant to make sure that we keep Americans safe. The
evidence is in.
If you have been vaccinated, chances are you are not going
to die. You are probably not going to be hospitalized. If you
are unvaccinated, in fact, 99 percent of people dying today are
unvaccinated. And so I think between FDA, CC, all of our
different agencies, NH and others, we have done the best we can
using the science to guide us and staying within the framework
of the law.
Senator Collins. Thank you.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Chicken.
[Technical problems.]
Senator Hickenlooper. I apologize for the delay. Thank you
both for your service. Thanks for answering all of our
questions in what are clearly difficult times. Secretary
Cardoon, I will start with you. Obviously, we have seen drops
in enrollment. Colorado, we saw a drop in enrollment of 9
percent. That is 7,000 students.
I want to see if it is possible to what are the ways we can
try and recapture some of those students. And if it is possible
to give students the freedom to explore, or the flexibility
alternative methods and such as the example of climate allows
providing the tools for students where it is appropriate to
actually learn outside.
Secretary Becerra. Thank you for the question.
Disembowelment has been an issue and there was one study,
Bellwether Education Partners estimated 3 million students
across the country. That is significant, and we know that our
students that maybe were undeserved by our education
institution are more likely to be students who are just
disembroiled.
What would--our priority is to get students back into the
classroom, to knock on doors, to make sure we are doing
everything in our power using A funds, to create programs that
didn't exist before, to reengage families and students, get
them the support that they need. Part of this is data. We are
requiring chronic absenteeism data to be reported from states,
especially if they have received accountability waivers. We are
expecting more information on chronic absenteeism to make sure
that we are focusing on those students that not only were
impacted by the pandemic but haven't returned to schools.
We have provided at least three handbooks updates with
strategies on how to get those students re-enrolled. And I have
to tell you, last week I listened to examples, and I saw some
examples firsthand of what is happening across our Country. We
have programs in different states where there are teacher
corps, is now going out, knocking on doors, getting students
back into the classroom. There is a lead program in Connecticut
that has social workers knocking on doors.
In Ohio, I was introduced to a teacher leader there who
spent time over the summer knocking on doors, bringing students
back in because students are more likely to engage when they
see someone they know. And then with the outdoor instruction.
We know--one of the innovative practices that came out of last
year was learning outdoors.
This is a practice that I hope continues when we reopen our
schools. Students enjoy it more and we know they learn better
when they are outdoors and with their peers. So that is a
strategy and an innovation that I hope to see continue in our
schools.
Senator Hickenlooper. Great. Thank you very much. And I
have seen you have been everywhere all over this country, so I
give you tremendous credit for putting it at a time. When it
was so needed, you are out there serving America, and I really
appreciate that. And I can say the same thing about Secretary
Becker. You have also been all over this country.
I wanted to ask you, as Chair Murray and other Members
know, I have been focused on trying to get sufficient funding,
full funding for pandemic preparedness. The Bidden
administration called for $30 billion to invest in research,
manufacturing, the infrastructure, right to create a library so
we are prepared for whichever--I think it is 25 families of
virus, the next pandemic comes from.
We have seen estimates that when you average it out over
100 years, the cost to society is in the hundreds of billions
of dollars per year. And yet for over 4 years, for $30 billion,
we could build--make sure that we could get a vaccine within
100 days, not 320 like this past time, which was a miracle, but
within 100 days.
Anyway, I wanted to see if--how an investment like this
allows your agency to succeed.
Secretary Becerra. Senator, first, I think the comments I
am hearing are not just those of a Senator, but of an
executive, someone who ran a state and has to be thinking ahead
of the curve, right. And that is what we are trying to do. We
are trying to get ahead of the next pandemic because we know
something will follow OVID. And so we are trying to make those
investments now. We are working, making sure that all of our
agencies, whether it is CC or FDA, NH, they are thinking beyond
what we know.
That is where this RH funding that we are requesting will
take us to the next level, where we coordinate with the private
sector far more closely, be nimble and do the things we need to
do. We are going to make sure that the supply chain, we work on
that to make sure we never have a situation again where we
don't have enough masks. All those things, we learn a great
deal. OVID, as bad as it is been, taught us a whole lot. But we
do need people who have that mentality, as you just mentioned,
as an executive thinking what is next versus just waiting until
it happens.
Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you. And I appreciate that. It
is one thing to learn the lesson but making sure that we put it
into the lessons we have learned into practice is, as you point
out, equally important. And we thank you both of you for your
service. I yield back to the chair.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Markdowns.
Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Madam Chair. And Mr.
Secretaries, thank you for being here. Appreciate it. Important
discussion here this morning. Many of my colleagues have
touched on some of the issues that I wanted to raise. And so
rather than try to repeat, let me go into a couple of different
areas. Obviously, this past year and a half, we have really
learned the benefits of distance learning, how we are able to
connect virtually. While it is not the ideal, I think we
recognize that it has helped to facilitate learning, and
particularly in some very remote areas.
My state is one where we have many parts of the state that
are either unserved or certainly underserved, and it has made
distance learning very much a challenge. In certain areas that
underserved comes about because the cost for Internet, the cost
to deliver broadband to these communities, is prohibitively
expensive. You can have a family that is paying $800 a month to
receive their services, their Internet, and it is slow, and it
is cumbersome.
It doesn't work for anyone. We have, I think, done a lot to
address this inequity that we know exists within access to
broadband. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is another great
example of the work that we continue to do there. But we know
that it is going to take time to buildup this broadband
capacity to connect communities and homes. The FCC has been
working on a rule to allow schools to use their eRate funded
broadband to basically beam the instruction into students'
homes.
The FCC, as I understand it, has not yet finalized this
rule. So to you, Secretary Cardona, are you working with the
FCC to encourage them to get that work finalized? You know
where we are in that, because, as they say, daylight's are
wasting.
Secretary Cardona. Right. Well, thank you, Senator, for
bringing up the importance of making sure our rural communities
also get the support that they need. This pandemic did impact
rural communities greatly, and broadband access was really
difficult to come by.
We have spoken about this, and I recognize the challenge
that it is for students in your state to access learning
online. We are, our agency is working with the FCC to, move the
process along. I can have someone reach out to you with updates
so that you have more up to date information.
Senator Murkowski. I would appreciate that, because I am
getting those requests and I don't have anything definitive to
provide them at this point in time. Another concern that I am
hearing is, all right, we have got lots of money for tests,
whether it is for the rapid test, whether it is for the tests
that you are able to get and take home. But having access to
Federal funding doesn't necessarily mean that you can find
those tests. And I am hearing not only from schools, but I am
hearing from businesses that are worried about this mandate
that is coming out of the Administration that says either get
vaccinated or do testing, but there is no place to get the
testing or certainly not to get the rapid test.
You have indicated in response to Senator Smith's question,
Secretary Becerra that we have got the tests out there, but it
is difficult to get them distributed. I don't know whether that
is just within the schools, but you need to know that right now
there is a real crush to be able to get the testing that can
get the results back in a timely enough manner to make a
difference.
Right now, you go into the Anchorage International Airport,
where I get tested every time I land, and there are no rapid
tests that are available. They say it is due to a national
shortage is the sign that they have posted. So where are we?
How can we assure people that if you want the test, whether for
work or for school, we can't just say we put lots of money out
there? We need to know that it is actually getting out to
folks.
Secretary Becerra. Senator, and I think you will agree that
we have seen the surge in these last couple of months. Delta
has really been the driver of all this.
Senator Murkowski. Alaska is No. 1 and we don't want to be
No. 1. We are in a very, very, very challenged place right now.
Secretary Becerra. By the way, before I forget, I want to
make sure that I mentioned that we are getting ready to move
forward on telehealth rulemaking and which might interest you
as well. I know that broadband is an issue, but telehealth, we
could talk about that later. But what I will tell you in terms
of testing is that FDA has moved forward to try to provide as
many different type of testing opportunities as possible.
I think it is now up to some 400 different types of tests
that could be made available. We are trying to work closer with
the industry, the manufacturing base, to make sure that they
know what supply will be needed. We are trying to coordinate
far better now with the states and local Governments. We are
trying to let the states help us determine where the tests
should go rather than let just the people in any part of the
state or any part of the region of the country to dictate where
those tests should go.
We make sure there is always sufficient supply for every
state. And so it is one of those things where we have to work
in close partnership with our state and local teams to make
sure that we are coordinating well, because in some places
there is enough supply. In others, as you just mentioned, it is
not. And so we have to make sure we coordinate very well.
Senator Murkowski. Well, I think we recognize that we are
going to be dealing with this, living with this, having this in
our schools for a lot longer than any of us would like. And so
the availability of tests and the affordability of tests and
the quick turnaround of tests is going to have to be made a
priority. Thank you, Madam Chair.
The Chair. Thank you.
Senator Kaine.
Senator Kaine. Thank you, Madam Chair, Ranking Member, and
thanks to our witnesses. And I want to follow-up on Senator
Murkowski on this, because it is the one thing that everybody
on this Committee agrees on, vaccination. There is sadly
political turmoil about it. I wish there wasn't. In masking,
there is political turmoil about it, and I wish there wasn't.
But everybody here in this Committee thinks there ought to
be a lot of tests and they ought to be cheap and serious. I
want to follow-up with you on this, because when you said there
is adequate supply, there is distributional problems, that may
be true. But it is not true that there is an adequate supply of
affordable tests. So the cheapest test, that rapid COVID test
you can buy over the counter right now in the United States is
an Abbott BinaxNOW, and that is basically $12 a test. They come
in two packs. And the second cheapest is Quidel's QuickVue
test, and that is $15 per test.
In Germany, you can get a rapid COVID test at the grocery
store for less than $1. In India, a rapid COVID test at the
grocery store is $3.50. The UK provides 14 free tests to
everybody in the United Kingdom. The studies have shown that
adults, if the tests are like a dollar or two, they will get
tests to make sure they can go to work, or they will test their
kid to make sure it is safe for them to be at school. But if it
is $15, the willingness to regularly test yourself dramatically
goes down.
Since I think there is bipartisanship on the issue of we
ought to have tests that people can afford, why are tests in
the United States so much more expensive than in countries like
Germany or the UK or India? And what are we doing to make sure
that the costs are costs that people can afford?
Secretary Becerra. Senator, a great question, and I am not
sure I can give you the full answer, but here, let me give you
a shot at giving you something. Remember that Germany, some of
those European countries have a Federal system that lets them
move much faster than we do. We have a system, a republic that
allows the 50 states to dictate so much of this. And as I just
mentioned, some states prepared better. Some states didn't. And
what we are trying to do is coordinate far more with them.
Among the billions of dollars that you all made available to us
in supplemental appropriations, in the rescue plan, there is
about $42, $43 billion that you made available for testing.
$10 billion, by the way, of that was specifically for
schools. I mentioned earlier that President Biden has called
for another $2 billion to help make sure that the industries
are manufacturing sufficient supply of the test. So we are
trying to do everything we can to make sure the supplies there.
We are trying to work, as I mentioned earlier, to Senator
Murkowski, we are trying to work closer with our state and
local partners to make sure that we coordinate better so we can
make sure we are hitting the spots that need it most and we are
never running out of supply.
Senator Kaine. I will probably ask this for the record or
maybe a follow-up hearing, but I would like to hear what your
metric is about, not just supply, but what the cost should be
to somebody who goes to a pharmacy to buy an over the counter
test. Because, again, if the research shows that people will
get tested, if it is a buck or two bucks or three, but they
won't get tested if it is $15, they won't regularly test, we
can have all the supply we want.
If the cost isn't affordable, then people aren't going to
take advantage of it and then one of the three legs of testing,
vaccination, masking, the one that we agree on, we won't be
able to accomplish and we ought to be able to accomplish the
one we agree on. So I would hope to maybe get some metrics from
you all about it. The President has used the Defense Production
Act to expand supply. I hope you have a metric about
affordability in there. And I will follow-up on that.
I just want to say really quickly, Secretary Cardona--good
to see you. I am really worried about teacher shortages and
school shortages, generally. School bus drivers and guidance
counselors. And my city of Richmond, my hometown, 435 vacancies
at the start of the fiscal--at the start of the school year
just a couple of weeks back. It is been a very difficult time
for teachers.
What are you all doing to kind of put your arms around that
problem and focus upon teacher recruitment and retention and
teacher preparation, because I think this is a challenge all
across the country?
Secretary Cardona. It is. Thank you, Senator. We are--
reopening schools was the goal. Children are back in school, we
are back in person learning, but there are so many other needs
that we have to focus on now. And the teacher shortage was
exacerbated during the pandemic. What we need to do is make
sure we are being creative and innovative with programing to
allow for recruitment programs and pipeline programs.
We have educators, paraeducators, climate specialists,
liaisons in our building. We have to work with our higher-ed to
make sure that there are clearer and quicker pathways to get
into the profession. I saw a great program at University of
Wisconsin, Madison, where they are doing that. They have folks
that are interning and then getting a job in the school for a
Masters.
There are funds available and the agenda to help accelerate
this, especially in special education, bilingual education, and
some of the other shortage areas. But we really have to make
sure we are also elevating the profession by providing the
supports that they need--ensuring teachers are safe, let's
start there, and making sure that we are promoting the
profession as a viable option and that teachers are getting a
livable wage as well.
Senator Kaine. Senator Collins and I have a bill called the
Prep Act that is very focused upon increasing new pathways into
the profession and attracting more people. And I think it would
accomplish some of those goals. Look forward to working with
you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
The Chair. Senator Braun.
Senator Braun. Thank you, Madam Chair, I have two questions
for Secretary Cardona and one for Secretary Becerra. I know you
are in Indiana recently and schools across the country are
trying to reopen. And my travels, everybody is trying to do it
safely. It is different in every school corporation. And I know
that some of those meetings are a little rowdy. And this case,
I think discussion was on mask mandates, curriculum related to
maybe critical race theory.
I think that civic engagement--I was on a school board for
10 years, and I always tell people you will get an earful of
something, it will be a good indication whether you are ready
for something else. But I was a little disturbed and I want to
see if you really meant the comment, and it was in relation to
how why are they doing this?
I am going to quote this in your response for that
engagement was, ``I think it is a proxy for being mad that
their guy didn't win.'' And I am quoting it verbatim here. And
I know you probably didn't mean that. And I will give you a
chance to retract it. Is that something you would want to take
back?
Secretary Cardona. I know that across the country, our
school board meetings are a little bit more intense. But I will
tell you, the school boards are unwavering in their support for
returning students to school and providing a safe learning
environment.
Senator Braun. What about the statement--and I agree with
you 100 percent there? Would you want to take that back to not
politicize something where I think it is an honest, sincere
difference of opinion across the country. And I don't know that
I would want to be on record with that.
Secretary Cardona. Senator, I will tell you, the lack of
civility in some of our meetings is disappointing and
frustrating, especially because our superintendents and
educators and board members, and you should know you are a
board member, they have worked tirelessly over the last 18
months to provide a safe environment.
Senator Braun. I know it can get rowdy and I will take it
that you don't want to retract it at this point.
Secretary Cardona. Rowdy--it was very dangerous in some
places.
Senator Braun. Indiana has led the Nation in school choice.
And it is something that coming through the pandemic, I think
it is clear that parents, again, ought to be the drivers of the
equation. I think parents from K through 12 and especially with
them that have had kids pursue a 4-year degree and they end up
in the basement with an unmarketable degree, need to have more
say. So they pay the bills through property taxes, then
tuition, room and board. Fairly quick answers here, because I
want to get to Secretary Becerra. Do you think parents should
be in charge of their child's education as the primary
stakeholder?
Secretary Cardona. I believe parents are important
stakeholders, but I also believe primary educators have a role
in determining educational programing.
Senator Braun. Primary--and I think that is going to be a
little out of focus with what I think you are going to find
across all elements of education, since they pay the bills,
they raise the kids, they probably need to be the primary
spokespeople for their own kids' good education. Should parents
have more school options, including private schools?
Secretary Cardona. As I said in previous hearings, I
believe public education schools should be the first and best
option. The neighborhood school children want to be in their
neighborhood school, but parents should have options, and I
believe they do across the country.
Senator Braun. I think it sounds like you think there might
need to be more options. I came from a great public school
system. I think competition and choice always exceeds any of
the other things when you want to get real quality at
something. Should the money follow the student, or should it
follow the school?
Secretary Cardona. I believe education system should have
strong schools for all students, and I believe we need to make
sure we are investing in public schools because for some
students that is their only option, we need to have that be a
high quality option for all students.
Senator Braun. Thank you. Secretary Becerra, we have been
navigating through this saga, fighting the coronavirus, which
has been challenging in many respects. The baseline of fighting
it have been vaccines. Some countries are under 10 percent
vaccination rates. We can see variants come from there
normally.
What is your opinion on making it maybe a tripod of
therapeutics and prophylactics? And I know Pfizer is out there,
I think addressing a real market need that we not only keep
doing what we are doing on vaccines, but we put equal emphasis
on curing it once you get it and preventing it in the first
place. What do you think?
Secretary Becerra. All of the above, Senator.
Senator Braun. When are we going to start pushing it from
this level to where we give resources and emphasis and a more
broad based approach?
Secretary Becerra. Well, I think at HHS we have been doing
that because the fact that we are able to meet so much of the
demand these days for therapeutics is a sign of that. But I
want to make sure we remember that it is all of the above. And
as my mom used to always tell me, ``mejor prevenir, que
remdiar,'' ``better to prevent than to remediate.'' And so
therefore masking, social distancing, all those things that
prevent us from getting sick and therefore needing the things
that keep us from dying are the most important things we can
do.
Senator Braun. Very good. I am glad to hear you are on
board with a broader approach of remediation and protection
from it in the first place. Thank you.
Secretary Becerra. Thank you.
Senator Kaine. Well, I want to thank the witnesses, there
being no additional Senators that have questions. This has been
a really important hearing. Both the information that is been
put on the table and other questions that I think will come and
follow-up will help us do our work.
I want to thank my colleagues for their thoughtful
questions, and then Secretaries Becerra and Cardona for the
work that you are doing in a really challenging time and for
having this conversation with us. Look forward to working with
you both as we continue to help students, families, educators
both get through the pandemic, but also grapple with the
challenges that we discussed today so that our schools can get
stronger.
Many of the issues like testing we discussed are about
schools, but they are also about the workplace and quality of
life in the community. Any Senator who wants to ask additional
questions should get those questions in, for the record, in 10
business days on or before October 15th at 5 p.m.
The hearing record will also remain open for any Members
who wish to submit additional materials for the record. The
Committee will next meet on October 7th, in this room Hart 216,
to consider the nominations of Lisa Gomez to be the Assistant
Secretary of the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits
Security Administration and Jose Javier Rodriguez to be the
Assistant Secretary for the Department of Labor's Employment
and Training Administration. The Committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 12:15 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
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