[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 54 (Friday, March 24, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CULTURE WARS IN OUR CLASSROOMS

  (Mr. NICKEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NICKEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5, a 
partisan effort to bring culture wars into our Nation's classrooms.
  My grandfather had a way of saying no to me as a kid. He would hold 
up his hand and he would say, when red hair grows right here in the 
palm of his hand. That was his way of saying no. It is the same with 
this legislation in the Senate which will go nowhere in the Senate.
  It opens the door to more book bans in our local school libraries by 
requiring schools to report each and every book in their inventory.
  Let's be clear: Recent attempts to restrict access to books are an 
attack on the fundamental values of our democracy. Banning books is not 
only a violation of our First Amendment rights, but it also undermines 
our children's education and intellectual growth.
  As a father of two, I am disappointed by these partisan attempts to 
restrict access to books that could inspire and educate our children. 
We should be working together to build a better future for our kids, 
instead of engaging in more partisan political games.

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