[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 204 (Thursday, December 3, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6052-H6053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
            DEMOCRATS PRIORITIZE MARIJUANA OVER COVID RELIEF

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Hill) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, in March, our public health 
experts said that we needed to stay home to fight this virus and to 
bend the curve. Those public health experts urged the administration 
and Congress to design COVID-19 relief that included 8 weeks of 
paycheck protection and enhanced unemployment compensation through 
July, all with the thought that that was the amount of support that we 
needed to provide, given the nature of this virus.
  Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to state the obvious: Months later, 
America remains in the throes of a brutal pandemic, Americans are 
hurting, and Arkansans are hurting. Every day I hear from restaurant 
owners and hotel operators who are concerned about whether or not they 
will stay in business and whether or not they can survive.
  Central Arkansans tell me that they are spending more time worried 
about their school kids, keeping their schools open, and having 
reliable broadband to be able to do telemedicine and tele-education. 
More central Arkansans are taking their meals at food banks. Mr. 
Speaker, frontline workers depend on help and our health industry to 
deliver the care that is essential.
  Yet, Mr. Speaker, for what has the House leadership and Speaker 
Pelosi brought us back to Washington, D.C., to consider? Is it to 
consider this much-needed delivered COVID-19 relief for the American 
people?
  No.
  Is it to extend the deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program or 
bring the discharge petition to the House floor that House Republicans 
have proposed, that has over 180 signatures of this body to help our 
small businesses who desperately need that assistance?
  No.
  Mr. Speaker, while Arkansans and Americans are suffering, and while 
Republicans are working to extend critical assistance like the Paycheck 
Protection Program, our House Democratic leadership is putting a bill 
to legalize pot on the floor of the United States House for a vote.
  Let that sink in. In the midst of this pandemic and in the midst of 
calls across the country to help the American people, our leadership in 
this House has proposed a bill to legalize pot.
  My friends on the other side of the aisle are showing just how much 
they are out of touch with conditions in our country today. People are 
working to make ends meet for their families. They are trying to 
educate their children while juggling work obligations. They are trying 
to protect themselves and their loved ones from this virus.
  And that is why we are here this week: To legalize pot?
  Mr. Speaker, Republicans are leading. Our discharge petition could 
help small businesses right now, and every Democrat should sign it. 
Yet, Mr. Speaker, for 40 times, our Speaker of the House has blocked 
the consideration of extending the Paycheck Protection Program. House 
Democrats need to follow the lead of House Republicans and put 
Americans above their special interest friends by moving COVID-19 
relief today on this House floor, by calling up our discharge petition 
and voting on paycheck protection relief.


                       Recognizing Clayton Boothe

  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an 
exceptional young man in my district, Clayton Boothe, who was raised to 
value a broad span of interests. At just 17 years old, he is excelling 
in many of these areas.
  He is captain of his quiz bowl team, founder of Maumelle High 
School's chess team, and a member of Arkansas' Governor's School and 
the National Honor Society. He is ranked top of his class, and he is 
one of 16,000 semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship 
Program out of 1.5 million nationwide applicants.

[[Page H6053]]

  He is a writer who is working on a novel. He is a musician and a 
member of the Arkansas Sympathy Youth Orchestra. He hopes to attend 
Northwestern University in Chicago, and I expect him to succeed 
wherever life takes him. I congratulate Clayton on his hard work and 
keen interests.
  Keep it up, Clayton, and make Maumelle High School and your family 
proud.

                          ____________________