During T&I’s Markup of the Democrats’ COVID Package, Stauber Advocates for American Workers and Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Pete Stauber joined members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for a full markup of the transportation-related provisions included in Biden's partisan, nearly 2 trillion-dollar COVID package.

During the markup, Congressman Stauber offered three commonsense amendments, and spoke in support of his measures that would ensure the power to make COVID-related decisions is given back to the American people, put the healthcare needs of the American worker first, and prevent jobs from going overseas to nations that use child slave labor.

Following the Committee markup, Congressman Stauber stated, "Last Congress, Republicans and Democrats worked together on multiple occasions to deliver relief to the American people. I had hoped the majority on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee would resume this bipartisan collaboration to ensure continued economic recovery. Unfortunately, Committee Democrats have instead embraced President Biden's divisive tactics and utilized a one-sided process to rush through their expensive, non-COVID related priorities. Because this partisan process lacks thoughtful solutions; I was proud to offer three commonsense amendments during the markup to ensure Americans are put first."

Stauber's first amendment would require states' Governors, including Minnesota's Governor Walz, to relinquish their executive emergency powers and allow state legislatures to have input on COVID-related decisions.

Of this amendment, Stauber stated, "I was proud to offer an amendment that would require Governor Walz to relinquish his executive emergency powers that he has had for far too long. By tying the federal transportation dollars to this requirement, it puts the power back in the hands of the people, rather than a single executive with the ability to making sweeping legislative changes with the swipe of his pen."

Stauber's second amendment would ensure the Biden Administration's cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline doesn't result in the loss of health insurance for any worker that was directly or indirectly employed because of the project.

Of this amendment, Stauber stated: "The paint in the oval office wasn't even dry before President Biden, slashed thousands of direct and indirect jobs associated with the Keystone XL pipeline. The majority of Americans receive their health insurance through their employer. Not only did President Biden eliminate their livelihoods, he eliminated their health coverage. The COVID-19 crisis is certainly not a time to be forcing these workers off their health insurance. My amendment would have nullified that executive order if any workers would lose their healthcare as a result."

Finally, Stauber's third amendment would require the Secretary of Commerce to certify that no projects funded in this legislation are built with minerals sourced from child labor.

Of this amendment, Stauber stated, "More than 40,000 boys and girls work in mines in the Congo for up to 12 hours a day and earn no more than 2 dollars a day, if any money at all. They do not attend school. They are beaten by security guards and are issued no protective equipment. I was proud to offer an amendment to ensure that no taxpayer dollars are used to fund projects that source their minerals from mines that subject the world's most vulnerable to human rights abuses and horrible conditions. Preventing child labor should never be a partisan issue, so I am incredibly disappointed that my Democrat colleagues opposed this amendment."

None of Stauber's amendments were accepted during markup.

Congressman Stauber was recently renamed to three of the Transportation and Infrastructures Subcommittees:

• Highways and Transit

• Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Material

• Aviation