[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1214-S1216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Nomination of John H. Chun

  Mr. President, I also rise today to urge my colleagues to join me 
this evening in voting to confirm Judge John Chun for a Federal 
district court judgeship in the Western District of Washington State.
  Judge Chun is a Pacific Northwest native. He is a father. He is the 
son of South Korean immigrants. He would be the first Asian-American 
man to serve on Washington State's Federal bench.
  He is patient and thoughtful, someone the people of Washington State 
can really count on to faithfully uphold the rule of law and treat 
litigants and all parties before him with grace and respect. Judge 
Chun's qualifications are superb, having served for 7 years now as a 
State court judge. His temperament and record of service demonstrate a 
real commitment to fairness and impartiality, whether through his 
service as a board member for the Washington Low Income Housing 
Alliance or his many pro bono commitments over the course of a very 
long career as both an attorney and a judge.
  For all these reasons and more, Judge Chun's service as Federal 
district court judge in my home State of Washington would surely help 
rebuild faith in our judicial system. I respectfully am here today to 
urge my colleagues to confirm Judge Chun.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.


                 Unanimous Consent Request--S. Res. 493

  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I come today to the floor with a very 
simple unanimous consent request.
  This is a resolution. It doesn't allocate any dollars, doesn't change 
any policy. It is just a statement of belief from the U.S. Senate. It 
is a statement to be able to say we hold certain things very important.
  I will talk through some of the resolution part of it--the resolve at 
the beginning of it--but it ends with a very simple statement. It ends 
with:

       Resolved, That the Senate--(1) recognizes and promotes the 
     importance of parental involvement in their child's 
     education; and (2) recognizes the necessity of school choices 
     as a tool to empower all parents with the freedom to choose 
     the best educational environment for their children and to 
     reject destructive ideologies promoted by many public 
     schools, such as Critical Race Theory.

  This comes from a basic conversation that happens in my State and, 
quite frankly, in States all around the country. Parents should be the 
primary decision-makers for their children--not only where they are 
educated so that they don't live in a certain neighborhood and they 
say, I am sorry, you live there so you have to go here.
  This is so the parents have the maximum amount of flexibility knowing 
one child may be a great fit for one school, and the younger child may 
be a better fit for a different school, whether that be a public school 
that allows flexibility within a district to be able to move place to 
place or, as it happens in my State, where you can even change district 
to district within public schools.
  If a parent maybe works in one area--one school district--but lives 
in another, that parent can choose to be able to have their child go 
into a different district. Though it is a public school setting, it 
gives them the flexibility and the choice to do that. Why? Because not 
every kid is the same and not every educational environment is the 
same.
  I would say in my State--and I would assume in other States as well--
not every school district is the same. It is important to us in our 
State that every school district is successful. There is no place that 
we don't want any child to be able to be successful.
  But we should all admit the facts: Not every school district is 
thriving. As we invest dollars and time and encourage great teaching in 
that district, that child who is in that district that is not being 
successful is trapped in a location that is currently not successful. 
Maybe they can be successful in 5 years from now when they work through 
the different issues they have, but that child doesn't have a second 
shot.
  If that child has no other opportunity to be able to choose and their 
parents are locked into that spot, we basically say, We will fix 
everything in this district in a few years, and that child is just not 
allowed to get an option out. I don't think that is helpful for that 
child and that parent at that time.
  Giving parents the ability to be able to make choices--whether public 
schools, charter schools, private schools--whatever may work best for 
their school and for their State and the policies their State has 
created seems like a smart thing to be able to do.
  Any kind of teaching that is within a school that actually promotes 
one kid as the oppressor and the other kid as the oppressed simply 
because of the color of their skin should not be taught in our schools. 
Why don't we teach every child is equal? Why don't we teach every child 
should have opportunity? Why don't we teach every family has the 
opportunity in this great country of ours; and where we have 
weaknesses, we work on our weaknesses? But we don't label a child as an 
oppressor or as oppressed based on the color of their skin--at least we 
used to not in America.
  But that is what is rising up with this critical race theory as it 
rises up from place to place. I have had many of my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle saying: That is not true. That is not being taught.
  Great. Let's make the resolution. Let's say that we as a Senate don't 
believe that this should be taught. Let's teach every child. Let's love 
every child.
  This resolution also affirms the rights of parents to be able to 
speak out--not in a violent way, not in a destructive way, but for 
parents to be able to speak out.
  Why is it that several months ago, the Department of Justice in our 
Nation starts a whole investigation on parents to be able to say: Are 
there parents who are actually maybe closet terrorists who are showing 
up at school board meetings, complaining about what is being taught, 
complaining about a mask mandate in their school, complaining about a 
vaccine mandate, complaining about critical race theory, or just saying 
``I don't like this particular curriculum''?
  That used to be the rights of parents, to engage, and now we hear: 
Really, parents don't know enough about these difficult things. Parents 
need to just sit down over there. We will take care of this as 
professionals.
  So, again, this resolution doesn't add additional funding. It doesn't 
change the structure of our schools. But it does say: We as the Senate 
believe in the power of the parent to be able to make the right choice 
for their children.
  So, with that, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be 
discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to my 
resolution, S. Res. 493. I further ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the 
motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I got my 
start in national politics as a parent advocating for my kids' 
preschool program. I am a former preschool teacher. I am a former 
school board member. I

[[Page S1215]]

am now chair of the Senate Education Committee. I have worked across 
the aisle on fixing No Child Left Behind. I have also fought against 
efforts--many during the former administration with Betsy DeVos as 
Secretary of Education--because I felt they took us further from the 
goal of making sure that every student in our country, no matter who 
they are or where they live or how much money their parents make, can 
get an excellent public education and all the opportunity that comes 
with it.
  All this is to say that I could not care more deeply about making 
sure every child gets the chance to learn and succeed in life, and my 
belief that parents should be as involved as possible in their kids' 
education could not be more firmly or personally held. In fact, I can 
remember the times when, as a U.S. Senator with young kids at home 
myself, I would try to read all my memos at night and help with their 
homework. I wanted my own kids to have that support from me, just like 
I want every parent to be able to be on top of what is going on in 
their kids' school.
  I also know from talking to my own family and so many students and 
families across Washington State that these last two years have been 
some of the toughest, most overwhelming times for parents and kids that 
many of us can remember.
  Here in the Senate, our job is to recognize that and do everything we 
can to get things back on track, which is why Democrats acted quickly 
to pass the American Rescue Plan and give schools the resources they 
need so they could reopen and stay open safely.
  We also recognized that after 2 really disruptive years, many 
students would need extra help, so the American Rescue Plan is, as we 
speak right now, paying for afterschool programs and tutors and summer 
learning so students all across the country can catch up.
  I will remind you that this bill to help reopen schools safely and 
keep them open passed with zero Republican votes--not one. Not only 
that, Senate Republicans have come to the floor twice last month alone 
with ideas about snatching Federal funding away from our schools, and 
Republican leaders even rolled out a plan that would eliminate the 
Department of Education altogether. Could there be a clearer message 
about their priorities?
  At all times but especially after the last 2 years, there is no 
excuse for anything short of an all-hands-on-deck national effort to 
put students' education first, but, unfortunately, here is what we have 
got happening: Democrats acted to reopen our schools safely and keep 
them open. Congressional Republicans, down to the last one, voted no.
  Democrats believe that quality public education for every student is 
a good investment. The Republican Party keeps putting forward ideas to 
gut public education. Democrats want to lower student debt and the cost 
of tuition. Republicans are virtually nowhere to be seen on those 
issues. Democrats want students to learn. Republican legislatures 
across the country want to ban books.

  To sum it up, Democrats want every student to have the ability to get 
a great education. We are focused on that. We are serious about it, and 
we are working on it. Meanwhile, Republicans at all levels--and the 
resolution we are debating today is a case in point--want to use 
students and parents and schools as political pawns rather than 
focusing on making sure every single student in our country can get a 
high-quality education and be able to succeed.
  In fact, I just spoke this afternoon with trans kids and parents 
about what is going on in Texas and other parts of the country. These 
kids are brave, but they are scared. Their parents are worried about 
being investigated by the State just because a politician has decided 
he doesn't like how they are raising their kids.
  How are kids supposed to focus on learning when their safety is in 
question? How are their friends supposed to focus on learning when 
their classmates are dealing with something like this? Why are parents 
having to worry about whether they will get investigated for raising 
their kids according to their beliefs, their doctor's advice, and their 
kids' needs?
  When and if Senate Republicans are truly serious about focusing on 
getting American students the great education they need and deserve, we 
will know because Republicans and Democrats might be able to come 
together again and put students and parents and schools first. I know 
that is possible because I have worked with Republicans to make this 
happen.
  So today I would like to give my colleague an opportunity to take the 
first step in the right direction. In a moment, I will ask consent to 
pass a bill that would help our students.
  If we agree we want parents involved in their kids' education and if 
we agree that this is a moment when students, like so many Americans, 
are stressed and need us to have their backs, which I really hope we 
do, then let's send more counselors and nurses to our Nation's schools. 
Let's prioritize STEM education and advanced coursework and make them 
available to more of our K-12 students. Let's make students' mental 
health a top priority so they can focus on learning.
  So I will be asking unanimous consent on legislation that would help 
us all do this--importantly, in a way that seeks parents' input 
directly on what will matter most to their kids and their communities.
  If you are trying to get our schools back on track, this should be an 
easy yes vote because it will be a vote for students' education, 
parents' peace of mind, and actually doing something real about the 
tough challenges students and parents are facing.
  I hope my friend from Oklahoma will support it and that moving 
forward, Republicans will take education as seriously as they claim to 
and reverse course and join us in working to meet this moment for 
students' and parents' sake.
  At this time, I object to the Senator from Oklahoma's unanimous 
consent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
  Mrs. MURRAY. As if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the Murray 
bill, which is at the desk, a bill to appropriate funds for students' 
academic and mental health needs. Further, I ask unanimous consent that 
the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion 
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I 
appreciate the dialogue on education. A degree is an education. My mom 
is a lifelong educator. I spent my summers growing up in the school 
library, putting books in the Dewey Decimal System, putting the new 
piece of tape on the outside of it, and actually, back in the old days, 
filing a new card in the card catalog, which half the people listening 
to me right now have no idea what that is.
  I am passionate about education. I have two daughters, and I stay 
very engaged in the issue of education. So it is always interesting to 
me when my Democratic colleagues say: When Republicans get serious 
about education.
  It is always interesting. We will pass a bill, like what happened in 
the omnibus or what happened in any Education bill before, and there 
will be billions and billions of dollars in education, but the comment 
will always be ``Well, if you really loved kids, you would do just $1 
billion more, but because you don't love kids, you did $1 billion 
less.'' It is never enough on it.
  This resolution that I brought today was not about an extra $1.3 
billion in education to be able to hire more people; it was just about 
empowering parents.

  It is an interesting side by side to say what families need more is 
more employees at school, and what I am seeing is that we need more 
empowerment of parents.
  One costs $1.3 billion; the other one is just free. One says: Let's 
have folks at school know how to be able to take care of your kids 
best. The other one says: Well, let's make sure there are certain 
things, like critical race theory, that we don't teach at school to 
make sure every child is taught the same. And if that parent wants to 
teach that at home, they are welcome to teach that at home, but let's 
not impose that on every child. Let's not call some children oppressors 
because of the color of their skin.
  Why don't we do that?

[[Page S1216]]

  So the resolution I brought is not about a billion dollars; it is 
just a statement of support of parents, a statement of support of what 
parents want to be able to teach. It is not about more school 
employees; it is about stronger parents. That is what I think that we 
ought to continue to be able to address.
  This is not about who loves education more. Quite frankly, I know my 
colleague from Washington is passionate about kids and about education. 
She has lived it as a mom, as a leader in the Senate, and as someone I 
watched negotiate with Lamar Alexander some of the toughest education 
policy conversations. She is a remarkable legislator and is passionate 
about this.
  We have some disagreements on some of these issues. I am just 
passionate about doing whatever we can to be able to honor parents as 
often as we can and to tell them: No, you are not going to be 
investigated.
  She mentioned parents in Texas being worried about being 
investigated. I will tell you, parents in Oklahoma have said to me: I 
no longer go to school board meetings because I am afraid the FBI is 
going to be there and they are going to open a case on me. I have heard 
that the Attorney General is looking for parents who are problems 
across the country, and so I don't feel comfortable going to a school 
board meeting anymore because the U.S. Attorney General may open a file 
on me.
  Now, that is a real conversation with a parent at home.
  So let's find a way to be able to empower parents and do whatever we 
can. So I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
  The Senator from Maryland.
  Mr. CARDIN. First, I would ask consent that I be able to complete my 
brief remarks before the vote starts.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.