On the recordJune 16, 2021
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the holiday and in objection to the means by which the Democrats have brought this to the floor. It is just wrong that this holiday, which should be recognized-- arguments against it are vacuous. A CBO score is not real because it doesn't recognize the productivity of Americans during a holiday week in anticipation of a holiday and increased productivity after the holiday, and it doesn't recognize the positive impact of the economy by those who celebrate the holiday, and the money they spend. So, the CBO score is not an argument. We support the holiday. But why would the Democrats want to politicize this by co-opting the name of our sacred holiday of Independence Day. Why would it not be named the Juneteenth National Emancipation Day? Why would we want to inject conflict about this? I don't understand this body and the way it moves forward contrary to the best interests of the American people. We all support the holiday. I am voting in support of the bill, but the objection--and my Democrat friends know this--the objection would be to the naming of the bill. Where would that have been confronted? In committee. But this bill was not brought to committee, was it? It was brought directly to the floor for a vote, a trap set by my Democratic colleagues for conservatives on this side of the aisle who they knew would object to the naming of this bill and the co-opting of our Independence Day.…





