Reconciliation bill includes funding for CRT programs for nurses: 'Tip of the iceberg'
Heritage Action says it's 'only the tip of the iceberg'
Democrats’ $3.5T reconciliation bill is ‘a mess’: Former CBO Director
Former CBO Director and American Action Forum President Douglas Holtz-Eakin argues the draft of the massive reconciliation bill is ‘miserable’ and may not pass immediately.
The Energy and Commerce markup of the massive $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill includes $150 million in grant funding to "bias, racism, or discrimination programs" for nurses, as well as other nursing initiatives.
"Developing curriculum for students seeking to enter careers focused on maternal and perinatal health that includes training programs on bias, racism, or discrimination," the Energy and Commerce markup text reads under the section, "Funding to grow and diversify the nursing workforce in maternal and perinatal health."
The $150 million would also go to fund various nursing scholarships and also "developing and implementing strategies to recruit and retain a diverse pool of students seeking to enter careers focused on maternal and perinatal health."
Heritage Action has been fighting such critical race theory curriculum in schools, the workplace and within the military. Their executive director told Fox News that the inclusion of such classes for nurses is "only the tip of the iceberg."
"The policy agenda that big government socialists are putting forward is completely out of touch with the American public. Inflation is spiking, illegal immigrants are pouring across our southern border, our national debt is out of control, and Biden's Department of Justice is unleashing the FBI against parents, but what are congressional Democrats focused on? Pushing their tax-spend-and-debt bill that is packed with trillions of dollars for liberal policies like critical race theory training for nursing programs," Executive Director Jessica Anderson told Fox News on Wednesday.
"But this is only the tip of the iceberg, this $3.5 trillion bill will fundamentally remake America. Conservatives should refuse to take part in this sham process."
The progressive faction of the Democratic Party flexed their power last week, following through on their longstanding threats that they would hold up the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill without a simultaneous vote on the sweeping $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi twice pulled a vote on infrastructure in response and has now set an Oct. 31 deadline to pass infrastructure.
Moderate Democrats in the Senate, Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, also doubled down last week, saying they would not support the high price tag on the reconciliation bill, calling for it to be lowered to $1.5 trillion. The reconciliation bill also includes progressive programs such as tuition-free community college, expanded Medicare, a universal preschool program.
MANCHIN MUSCLES PROGRESSIVES: I WENT FROM ZERO TO $1.5T
Despite the infighting, Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressives pushing for the passage of the $3.5 trillion have vowed to get the job done.
"We're going to win this thing. We're going to pass a strong infrastructure bill to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. And we're going to pass a reconciliation bill," Sanders said Sunday.