I am excited to say this would be the largest budget authority increase for CDC in nearly two decades.

I always say a budget is a reflection of your values and your priorities.

Well, this is a top priority for me, and I know it is for pretty much every working parent out there so, we will work with you on that.

Well, to every one of them that is listening, I am not done with this.

I do want to thank all of our fellow committee members and Secretary Becerra for a very thoughtful discussion today about the President's budget request.

I believe we can work toward consensus with the Department's budget, but as I have said at other FY2022 budget hearings this year, this can only be achieved when there is parity between defense and non-defense funding.

the loss of learning in many cases to people who couldn't go to school, either they didn't engage in a virtual class, or that wasn't the right way for them to learn.

There are workers around the country right now, as you well know, trying to support their families, make ends meet, but they are being denied the unacceptable--or the unacceptably low Federal minimum wage, overtime pay, or both.

Last December we were able to finally reach a bipartisan agreement to significantly simplify the Federal Student Aid Application process with the passage of FAFSA Simplification Act.

This budget will invest $220 million to combat our maternal mortality crisis.

And while we have a lot of work left yet to do to reach communities who still cannot get vaccines and reassure people who still have many questions about them, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We need longitudinal money so that we are able to have sustainable infrastructure that is up to date with the times.

right now, Democrats are hard at work building back an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. We are committed to fighting for workers. And we have big, bold ideas to do that, like establishing national paid sick…

I move to proceed to legislative session. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion to proceed. The motion was agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington. ____________________

if we expect to fill the jobs that we are creating, we need to get more older workers into the workplace, and we need to get more immigrants into the workplace.

Thank you very much. And I want to thank all of our witnesses today for their really--for a really productive hearing.

We have an opportunity here, an obligation, a privilege to make sure we are funding our schools, and giving our educators the tools that they need to be successful.

I have joined Senator Gillibrand, who has long been a champion on this issue, in reintroducing the Family Act to provide paid family and medical leave to all workers.

Providing paid leave is not radical. It is commonsense. It is basic decency, and it is a public health necessity.

We cannot rebuild a stronger and fairer economy if workers are forced to choose between their and their families' health, or their paycheck.

It is unconscionable, and it is unacceptable.

It is far past time we make paid leave a right for all, not a privilege for some.

Paid leave is an issue that I have been focused on since I first got into politics.

It is why I reintroduced my Healthy Families Act with Congresswoman DeLauro, so workers across the Country can earn paid sick days and put their health first.

I am going to do everything I can to get the paid leave policy President Biden proposed in the American Families Plan across the finish line.