[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 62 (Monday, April 12, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Biden Administration

  Madam President, now, on a completely different matter, the Senate 
returns today from its State work period. We got to meet with 
constituents in our home States and hear firsthand about their most 
pressing concerns.
  Unfortunately, back here in Washington, Democrats continue to roll 
out new reasons for the American people to worry. The week before last, 
the Biden administration unveiled their latest misleadingly titled 
legislation. This time, under the supposed veil of ``infrastructure,'' 
the White House has lumped together a motley assortment of the left's 
priciest priorities.
  This plan would impose one of the biggest tax hikes in a generation 
when workers need an economic recovery. It would gut right-to-work 
protections for blue-collar workers. It would throw hundreds of 
billions at the far left's green fads. They even want to include a 
special State and local tax provision designed to overwhelmingly 
benefit wealthy residents of blue States. Less than 6 percent of this 
proposal goes to roads and bridges. It is not remotely targeted toward 
what Americans think they are getting when politicians campaign on 
infrastructure.
  But instead of coming up with a better bill, Democrats have decided 
it is the English language that has to change. They are embarking on an 
Orwellian campaign to convince everybody that any government policy 
whatsoever can be labeled ``infrastructure.'' Liberals just have to 
believe in it hard enough.
  These Trojan horse tactics have become a pattern. Many of our 
Democratic colleagues are trying to rewrite 50 States' election laws 
from here in Washington and mount a partisan takeover of the Federal 
Election Commission but call the whole mess a ``voting rights bill.''
  The White House's claims about State election regulations keep 
getting disproven by fact checkers. But even so, some of the wealthiest 
and most powerful institutions in our country have bowed down to the 
fake narratives and decided to amplify the misstatements themselves.
  So, look, I am as strong a supporter of the First Amendment and free 
speech as anyone in this body. I have been for many years. If people 
want to participate in debates through political speech, that is 
certainly their constitutional right, even if they fall for 
disinformation. But it is one thing to act like free speakers within a 
debate; it is very different to try to short-circuit the debate, to 
shut down the debate through economic bullying of American citizens.