[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

  Mr. President, in so many ways, we know here that government is 
really about whose side you are on, whom you fight for, what you fight 
against. We know we passed--Senator Cardin is here. He came to the 
Senate the same day I did, and we served in the House together. We both 
recognized what a big deal it was to pass that bill last Saturday. That 
is the biggest thing I have ever done in my career, and I heard other 
Senators say the same thing--shots in people's arms, money in people's 
pockets, kids back in school and workers in jobs.
  But I think it is also important, just for a moment--I will be brief. 
This is a chart of the difference--the biggest issue that Senate 
Republicans and President Trump worked on in this Congress was the GOP 
tax bill, the tax bill in 2017. Senator Cardin and I are on the same 
committee that fought against some of the overreach from Wall Street 
greed in that bill.
  The purple, the blue is what our bill does. Just glance at this for a 
moment. The 20 percent lowest earners, we are increasing--we are 
increasing their after-tax revenue by 20 percent, essentially a 20-
percent raise for people making $20,000 or $30,000 a year. There was no 
help in the Trump tax bill for that.

  Then you work up to the second lowest 20 percent, to the people who 
are modest, working-class families, not quite middle class. They get a 
big bump in their incomes from our bill. Under the Trump plan, they got 
pennies.
  Then you work your way up here to, essentially, the top 1 percent. 
All of the money went to them, essentially, overwhelmingly.
  When you think about what we do with taxes and when you think about 
what this Congress did on Saturday when we put shots in people's arms 
and money in people's pockets and kids back in school, one of the most 
important things we did was to give working-class kids in Denver and in 
Santa Fe and in Albuquerque and in Baltimore and Salisbury, MD, and in 
Mansfield and Cleveland, OH--working-class people and poor kids--a 
chance, a shot, at the American dream.
  This is the biggest thing. Senator Tester and I came to the Senate on 
the same day. This is the biggest thing we have done in years. It will 
matter in people's lives. It is something to celebrate. More 
importantly, it is something we need to carry out and make sure that it 
matters in our constituents' lives.
  I yield the floor
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise today to voice my support for 
the confirmation of my friend and colleague Congresswoman Marcia Fudge 
to be the next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. I know that 
she will bring strong leadership to HUD at a time when our Nation needs 
it most.
  Across my State of Maryland and throughout the country, our fellow 
Americans are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Families are 
living in fear of eviction or of missing their next mortgage payment. 
In this time of crisis, we need a leader at HUD who will prioritize 
tackling the ongoing housing crisis spurred by COVID-19. Congresswoman 
Fudge has expressed her determination to do just that. She is a 
dedicated and experienced public servant who has earned a reputation 
for swift action and firm leadership. Her accumulated experience 
spanning a lifetime of service will be invaluable in helping the 
Federal Government mount a robust and coordinated campaign to bring 
those hardest hit back from the brink and ensure an equitable recovery.
  While addressing the urgent needs of renters and homeowners during 
this pandemic, we can't lose sight of the bigger picture. The pandemic 
has exacerbated our country's affordable housing crisis and shone a 
spotlight on how it disproportionately harms communities of color. We 
are seeing the result of decades of discriminatory practices like 
redlining that have targeted minority families and left an enduring 
stain on our communities that won't be easily wiped away. President 
Biden has put forth a bold plan to combat our Nation's housing crisis, 
and as HUD Secretary, Congresswoman Fudge will be charged with 
implementing it, reversing the damage caused by the Trump 
administration, restoring and improving our fair housing protections, 
rebuilding our Nation's supply of affordable housing, and investing in 
our housing infrastructure. She has her work cut out for her.
  There is no doubt in my mind that Congresswoman Fudge will work 
overtime to tackle these challenges head-on. She has spent her career 
fighting on behalf of those most in need and those who have been 
historically barred from stable living and home ownership. She has seen 
these issues up close: first as the mayor of Warrensville Heights, OH, 
and then as a member of the House of Representatives and as chair of 
the Congressional Black Caucus, where she has helped forge compromises 
that brought real results. She is guided by the principle that each of 
us has a responsibility to respect and uplift those most in need. In 
her words, ``there is dignity and there is grace within every woman 
every man and every child in this nation--including those who live on 
the outskirts of hope.'' For Marcia Fudge, service isn't just a job, it 
is a calling. I know that, should she be confirmed, Congresswoman Fudge 
will lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development with 
unwavering commitment. I look forward to partnering with her and the 
Biden administration to provide more Americans with the dignity of 
stable living as we work urgently to strengthen and grow our affordable 
housing programs across Maryland and throughout the country.