Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, even the CDC has confirmed that young kids have an extremely low infection rate right now, a low transmission rate, and a low rate of serious illness from COVID-19. Yet they are forced to stay home and learn from behind a computer screen, that is if these kids have access to computers and broadband internet. For many students, especially those in rural Iowa, virtual learning is not easy. It is not just going downstairs and logging onto the family computer. It is sitting in the parking lot of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, logging onto the WiFi to finish homework or take a test. So it is no surprise that our most vulnerable students are the ones who will suffer the most and are suffering the most. Isolation, lack of social support, added stress, and environmental strain of this lockdown have gone on far too long. Kids and families are suffering. As a mom of two school-age kids, this issue is personal to me. This issue is personal to all parents, and it is personal to all families who care about their kids' well-being. Kids need to be in school. We can get them back behind a desk instead of in front of a screen, and we can do so safely. That is exactly why we allocated funds for this purpose. It is past time for States and local school districts to stop hoarding these resources and use them for their intended purpose: To pay for science-based safety measures that get students and teachers back in the classroom with less risk.…”