Press Releases

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga) issued the following statement after Democrats voted down his amendment in the House Financial Services Committee, which would prohibit local governments from receiving federal funding from the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill until those governments open their schools for in-person learning.

“Democrats continue to do the exact thing they accused former President Trump and Republicans of doing, and that is not following science, and undermining public health officials. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said it herself, ‘schools can safely reopen,’ even before teachers are vaccinated. We simply cannot throw billions of dollars at this problem and pay people to be stuck at home indefinitely without addressing the root cause of the problem, which is the government prohibiting working parents from returning to work because their children’s schools remain closed to in-person learning.

“Not only have school closures been devastating for working parents; they have been devastating for the children. Our kids are suffering psychologically, physically, and intellectually, from needless school closures. The rates of depression, suicide, and failing grades among students have increased. A CDC survey of students showed that 11 percent of them have seriously considered suicide. I am disappointed that this president and Democrats in one breath accuse Republicans of not following the science and undermining public health officials; and, with another, kowtow to teachers’ unions and special interest groups, at the expense of our children’s educational needs.”

To read Rep. Loudermilk’s amendment, please click here.

Rep. Loudermilk’s full committee remarks can be watched here: Part 1, Part 2