08 Provider Relief Fund Congressional Record Coronavirus
Summary
Pages of the Congressional Record — Senate dated May 20, 2020, opening on S2544. A senator closes remarks on the national debt, stating it is over $77,000 per American, and objects to a request; the Presiding Officer notes the objection. Mr. Portman, recognized as the Senator from Ohio, then speaks under the heading Coronavirus, stating that the first four relief packages total about $2.8 trillion and that only about half has been disbursed. He says about $160 billion of PPP capacity has not gone out, that less than half of the $175 billion for hospitals under the Provider Relief Fund has been sent, and that less than $40 billion of roughly $450 billion for Federal Reserve lending facilities is operational. He criticizes the House's $3 trillion bill, including $136 billion to repeal the cap on the State and local tax deduction.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Full text
S2544 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 20, 2020
needed, one, for coronavirus relief, and, This crisis is unlike anything we have worked a lot in, and he is talking
unfortunately, many States have not have ever seen. I mean, it has dev- about the increase he has seen in do-
been shy about their desire for hun- astated so many families. It has turned mestic violence and human trafficking
dreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer our lives upside down. It has put an and the calls that have increased, the
bailouts for their liberal agendas. enormous strain on our healthcare sys- number of suicides.
I am not going to let this happen. I tem; and our frontline healthcare This is all troubling. This kind of a
think about this in the context of my workers, our researchers, our first re- crisis, therefore, requires swift and de-
seven grandchildren. We cannot saddle sponders are working around the clock cisive action to ensure that we have
them and children like them all across to help patients and look for treat- got the resources and the help to be
our great country with mountains of ments. For the past couple of months, able to respond to both the healthcare
debt. Right now, the debt stands at every American has been asked to do crisis, which we have to address on the
over $77,000 per American. his or her part through social coronavirus front, but also on the eco-
Now, think about that for a second. distancing, through doing smart things nomic and the broader societal issues
The median income for Americans is like wearing masks, like being sure we talked about here and how it im-
about $33,000, and we already have put that we are doing all we can within our pacts us and the rest of our lives. It is
them on the hook for $77,000—$9,000 home, within our workplace, and out in a tough balance.
just with what we have done this year. public to stop the spread of the dan- I think, for the most part, Congress
Now, to put that in perspective, after gerous virus. and the Trump administration have
the first 200 years of this country’s ex- I think these have helped. I think done that. They have responded swiftly
istence, national debt per person was these measures have made a difference, and correctly with major new legisla-
around $3—$3, after 200 years—and now, and I think we are in a better place by tion. We came together here in Con-
we are at $77,000. most metrics on the public health dan- gress, on a bipartisan basis, to pass leg-
I think about that in the context of a ger. I just saw the numbers from Ohio islation already that has addressed the
Social Security recipient like my a moment ago here, and we have fewer healthcare crisis the virus has caused.
mom. How are we helping people like new positive cases today than we have We have also passed legislation that
my mom when we run multiple tril- had over the past week or the past few has helped the economic crisis caused
lion-dollar deficits and grow our na- weeks on average, and so we are begin- by government at all levels effectively
tional debt to an excess of $26 trillion? ning to make progress, but it has come pumping the brakes on the economy.
What happens to those living on fixed at an enormous cost to our economy, The legislation that has been en-
incomes when our deficits and national and I would say even at an enormous acted, of course, isn’t perfect. It is
debt cause high inflation? cost to our culture and our society. thousands of pages, and it is now four
I grew up in a poor family in public Since the crisis began a couple of different bills that have been passed al-
housing. My mom worked three jobs months ago, more than 36 million ready. I think it was necessary for us
and my parents—my adopted dad and Americans have lost their jobs or filed to act quickly, in a unified manner,
my mom—were constantly struggling for unemployment. Some estimates and on a bipartisan basis to get stuff
for work. Even though my mom had no show that we could potentially hit a 25- done around here. By the way, that bi-
money, she told me: You are the percent unemployment rate before this partisanship has been a welcome
luckiest kid alive because you grew up is over. I think we probably will. By change because that is not typical for
in this country. She was optimistic, the way, that would match the worst of this place.
and she was hopeful. She told us that our country’s unemployment that we So far, on each of the 4 pieces of leg-
we were blessed because God and our have ever seen, and that would be dur- islation we passed to respond to the
Founders created the greatest country ing the Great Depression. That is challenges of this pandemic, an aver-
ever, where anything was possible. where we are headed. age of 500 of the 535 Members of both
To take away the same opportunities Some small businesses have had to the House and Senate have voted in
I had to live the American Dream from close their doors; others are teetering favor of passage. That is how bipar-
our children and grandchildren would right on the brink of bankruptcy. Hos- tisan it has been. Five hundred of the
not only be a political failure, it would pitals have been closed for needed pro- 535, on average, have voted yes on
be an abdication of our moral responsi- cedures like mammograms and cancer these 4 pieces of legislation.
bility. screenings. More are being missed These are not small bills. Combined,
It is time we make the hard choices every day, and basic healthcare is at the funds provided by these first four
to put our Nation on a path to recov- risk. So that is one consequence that rescue packages total about $2.8 tril-
ery—recovery from this virus, from the we don’t always focus on, but our lion. That is $2.8 trillion—$2,800 billion.
economic devastation it brought with healthcare system has had to respond Phase 3 of the CARES Act alone—the
it, and the fiscal calamity that decades to the coronavirus appropriately. most recent one we passed—is about
of politicians have ignored. But there is a balance here, and the $2.2 trillion in resources. That is an un-
I hope my colleagues will join me in result has been we have had other precedented amount of spending. It has
this fight to keep our country’s future healthcare needs that have gone never been done before. It has certainly
bright. To do that, we have to make unmet. never been done in such a short period
hard choices; we have to be fiscally re- Without that revenue, by the way, of time.
sponsible. from surgeries—so-called elective sur- Now Congress is talking about a fifth
Mr. President, I therefore respect- geries, although some aren’t very elec- rescue package. The fifth rescue pack-
fully object. tive, like they are necessary surgeries age that is being talked about—it has
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- for a back or a knee or something like already passed the House of Represent-
tion is heard. that—many hospitals now are in very atives. It is being talked about even
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- deep financial trouble because that is though—and this might surprise you—
ator from Ohio. how they make most of their money. only about half of the $2.8 trillion in
f Colleges and universities, of course, the first four packages has actually
are losing revenue, and children are been disbursed. Think about that. Only
CORONAVIRUS out of school, which is not a good thing about half of the money in the first
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I am because our kids, many of whom are four legislative projects that we have
here on the floor to talk about how not able to get the same help at home undertaken here has actually gone out
Congress can do a better job in re- that they can get at school are falling the door to the intended recipients. Yet
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
sponding to the coronavirus pandemic behind. we are talking about another package.
that has gripped our country. We have also got to acknowledge the For example, the Paycheck Protec-
I just thought that debate was great, impacts of isolation on people’s mental tion Program to help small businesses
something we just heard a moment ago health, on substance abuse. I talked to stay afloat still has about 25 percent of
about what we should do going for- an individual earlier today who focuses its original capacity that hasn’t gone
ward. a lot on human trafficking, an area I out, about $160 billion. Well below half
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 May 21, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G20MY6.057 S20MYPT1
May 20, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2545
of the funding—the $175 billion that first four bills. I believe it was nec- part that went to the State hasn’t even
Congress provided to hospitals has yet essary to act and act quickly, but I gone down to the local communities,
to be sent out under the Provider Re- also believe there are real limits as to and that is happening all over the
lief Fund. Less than half of the how much financial risk we should country.
healthcare dollars have even gone out take beyond the, again, $2.8 trillion we We need more information to be able
the door. have already spent in the first four to know how much of this new spend-
Of the roughly $450 billion that the bills. We have to be sure, at a min- ing is necessary. But again, even with
CARES Act gave to Treasury to unlock imum, that every new dollar is spent as all the new spending, this new $3 tril-
the Federal Reserve lending facilities, wisely as possible, so it is as targeted lion House bill does very little to do
less than $40 billion of that has been as possible. something else really important in the
operational. That is right—less than 10 Even overlooking the massive $3 tril- next bill, which is help get the econ-
percent of the money designated to lion price tag, by the way, the House omy moving. Again, it raises taxes on
provide direct lending to businesses of bill also focuses on some things that businesses. It does some other things
all sizes so they can stay in business just seem unrelated to this crisis. For that have nothing to do with the
and hire people has been sent out. example, the House spends $136 billion coronavirus. What it doesn’t do is it
So even though about half the money on repealing the cap on the State and doesn’t provide the stimulus you would
from the CARES Act hasn’t even been local tax deduction. There is a deduc- hope would be in the next bill we are
spent—and we still don’t have a good tion, but it is capped right now. going to pass because that is what ev-
handle, of course, on how the money By the way, this $136 billion policy erybody is looking for right now. How
that has been sent out is being spent— they have in their bill would deliver do you do something here in Wash-
Democrats in the House have gone half of its benefits—50 percent of its ington to make it easier to create jobs,
ahead and passed a new rescue pack- tax benefits to the top 1 percent of tax- make it easier to invest, make it easier
age. payers. Tell me how that is related to for small businesses to get back on
In many respects, it is a wish list of the coronavirus. To put that in some their feet?
Democratic priorities that has been context, we can use that same amount Much of what we did in the first four
talked about here on the floor. Some of money—the $136 billion—to provide bills was really a rescue package, and
are related to the coronavirus, and almost 2 million more PPP loans to it was necessary. People had lost their
some are not. It passed by a near-party small businesses that need it most: jobs for no reason that they could do
line vote. I think one Republican voted movie theaters, bowling alleys, res- anything about. It wasn’t their fault—
yes and more than a dozen Demo- 36 million Americans. We had to do
taurants, bars.
crats—more moderate Democrats— There are also provisions that would something to shore that up—the direct
voted no. Again, this is a $3 trillion force States to adopt broad changes in payments, unemployment insurance,
package—$3,000 billion. That is more their election laws regardless of wheth- and other things. We had to help small
than the total spending of all four of er they want to. Election law has al- businesses with the PPP program to
the previous coronavirus bills. So all ensure they weren’t going to close
ways been in the province of the
four of the previous combined are less
States, but that is in this legislation. their doors, some forever.
than the spending that the House is They also want to raise taxes on em- Those were more rescue packages to
recommending for the fifth coronavirus ployers. Bad time to raise taxes. We get us through the storm, to weather
bill. want employers to stay in business be- the storm. Now we have to figure out
It is actually also a lot more money
cause they are the ones who create the how we do something to actually get
than Congress would normally appro-
jobs. this economy moving. That ought to be
priate in an entire fiscal year. It is
They also want to help cannabis the goal because there is a limit to how
about half of what we just appropriated
growers, which I think is interesting. much Federal tax dollars can be relied
from the fiscal year we are in, in one
Cannabis is mentioned dozens of times on to subsidize the economy. The bet-
bill—in one bill. I am sorry; it is twice
in the legislation. ter way is to get the economy moving,
as much as Congress appropriated for
They also want $50 million, as an ex- get revenues flowing again, and reopen,
the current 12-month period we are in.
ample, for environmental justice therefore, our hospitals and schools.
So the appropriations for this fiscal
grants. What does that have to do with Hospitals can get more revenue if they
year, 2020, are less than half of what
the coronavirus? can reopen and do more procedures,
the House is now proposing to spend in
Once more of the existing funds are and they can keep from either shutting
one bill.
I think, you know, we have to be very delivered—in other words, as I said ear- their doors or relying on the Federal
cautious, and we have to be sure it is lier, of the first four bills, only about taxpayer for more and more subsidies.
the right amount of money going out half of it has even gone to the intended Getting back to work is critical, and
because it is a huge and unprecedented recipients. Once more of these existing we have to do it in a safe way, and we
spending package. Our annual deficit funds are delivered and we know more can.
here in the Congress is already pro- about what is working, what is not We have to use social distancing
jected to be over $1 trillion. We were working, and where the needs are, I smart practices. We have to be sure we
already running a large deficit. suspect more funds will be needed. have the testing. I agree with all that.
By the way, it has only been at that They will probably be needed for the But any new legislation that Congress
level four times in the history of our healthcare side of this—for testing, as considers has to include measures that
country. So the $1 trillion was already an example—and that is probably are going to help get people back into
viewed by many of us, including me, to money well spent. the workforce safely and get this econ-
be an unacceptably high number for There probably needs to be more omy moving again. I think that should
our annual deficit. Now the estimate is flexibility, as the Senator from Lou- include some tax incentives for invest-
that this year’s annual deficit will be isiana just talked about. I believe there ment and jobs. I think it should in-
between $3.7 trillion and $4.2 trillion— does need to be more flexibility. I also clude some targeted infrastructure in-
mind-boggling. We have just never had believe we need to find out, once the vestments to create good jobs and also
deficits like these before. Of course, money goes to the local communities, economic benefits that come from the
that adds to the $23 trillion national what their budgets look like. Do they right kind of infrastructure.
debt, which is already at record levels. need more money to be able to con- I think one place to start is Federal
We are entering dangerous, unchart- tinue to provide police protection, fire- highway projects. We need to pass that
ered waters here from a fiscal point of fighters’ salaries, and EMS services? bill around here. Also, there are a
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
view. Most economists agree that this We don’t know that yet. How can we bunch of State highway projects that
increases the chance of a fiscal and know it when the money hasn’t even would normally be funded by the State
therefore a financial crisis that would gone down yet? In Ohio, not one penny gas tax. Because we aren’t driving
follow. is gone except for the amount that nearly as much, the State gas tax has
Of course, we have to respond to this went directly to the largest five coun- plummeted. In the State of Ohio, for
immediate crisis. Again, I voted for the ties and the one large city. But the instance, there are a lot of great
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 May 21, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G20MY6.059 S20MYPT1
S2546 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 20, 2020
projects out there that have gone are reopening all around the country, stay on unemployment insurance. Yes,
through all the process. They have and, small business people are telling it pays more for many Americans, but
been vetted, and they have gone me: I would like to get started again, they would rather be at work. The dig-
through a merit-based process. They but I can’t get the employees. nity and self-respect for work is real. It
are ready to go. In other words, they Some say: Well, you can go to that gives meaning to your life.
are shovel-ready. Yet the State is not unemployment insurance office and say I think we need to take a hard look
going to have enough money to pay for ‘‘I have a job,’’ and then, under the at this flat $600 increase in the unem-
them. State’s rules, they have to tell these ployment benefits and ask ourselves
So rather than sending the money to people ‘‘You are no longer under UI, whether it is really in the best interest
the States, how about sending some and you have to go back to work.’’ of those workers, of our businesses. Is
money directly to these infrastructure That is true, but, one, the unemploy- it really the best system to have it in
projects? Good jobs. Economic benefits. ment insurance systems are over- place when we are trying to get people
The analysis is, in the right kind of in- whelmed. They tell me that really is to get back to work? Again, this addi-
frastructure investments, you spend a not something they have the capability tional $600 benefit on top of the $360 av-
dollar and you get back more than a of doing right now. They are over- erage the States have means that un-
dollar in terms of revenue from the whelmed. They have never seen these less you are making more than
economic benefit. That is the sort of kinds of numbers ever. $50,000—or in some States, $60,000 a
thing I think should be in this next Secondly, a lot of employers don’t year—it is more advantageous to be on
package to help get the economy back want to do that, and I get it. Their em- unemployment insurance than to go
on its feet. ployees are making a lot more money, back to work.
Right now, I am told by small busi- A recent study by the American Ac-
in some cases, on unemployment insur-
nesses that one of the biggest barriers tion Forum and the University of Chi-
ance than they can in their place of
to getting the economy going is the un- cago says that between 60 and 70 per-
business, and they are just hesitant to
employment insurance provisions that cent of individuals on unemployment
tell them to come back and make less
are making more than they did in their
were passed as part of the CARES Act money. I do think there is a role for us
prior job—60 to 70 percent. Further, for
back in March. This is what I am hear- to help make that happen and do it in
about 20 percent of wage earners, they
ing from small business owners all a smart way.
say, on average, they are making dou-
around Ohio—that the additional un- Things are different in other respects
ble on unemployment insurance what
employment insurance benefits in the too. Not only is the economy starting
they made in the workforce. So they
CARES Act, which allow individuals at to reopen around the country, but it is
say that for the bottom 20 percent of
or below the average income to receive being done in a much safer manner.
wage earners, on average, they are
more in unemployment than they Why? Because we have a lot more test-
making double on unemployment in-
could get at work, is a disincentive to ing, and that is good.
surance.
work. We need to do a lot more, by the way. Again, people needed the help. They
Of course, again, we needed to act to Ohio has gone from about 3,700 tests needed direct payments, and they need-
make sure people who lost their jobs per day a few weeks ago to over 10,000 ed the UI help. A lot of people lost
through no fault of they own could get tests a day now. Soon it will be over their jobs and had no income coming in
by while government at every level ef- 20,000 tests a day in a couple of weeks, just to put food on the table, pay the
fectively pumped the brakes on the they say. That is good. rent, and pay their car payment. Some
economy to better withstand the We also have more PPE, personal people used this UI, even though it was
health crisis. In other words, people protective gear, and that is important more than they were making before, to
lost their jobs because the government because if you reopen—say you run a help with healthcare. That is impor-
said: You can’t go to work. factory. You want people to have the tant. But isn’t the best thing to do is
At the same time, it was not the best protective gear they need to keep them to get people back to work?
solution to provide a flat $600 increase safe. We need to continue to help people
in benefits to everybody, which is on Also, we finally have some anti-viral during this time who have lost their
top of the State unemployment insur- medications coming online, thank jobs, no question. Not every business is
ance benefits, and that is what we did. goodness. Remdesivir is the first one ready to reopen, by the way, and the
That was the proposal here that was approved by the FDA. It is now in Ohio, employees who had to be let go by
passed. That continues, by the way, my own State, and other States. Peo- some businesses certainly shouldn’t be
until July 31. ple are using it. That is great. That punished for that.
Wage replacement for people making gives people more comfort in being At the same time, we have to ask
at or below the average income level able to go back to work more safely. ourselves whether there is a way we
would have been a good and generous It is time to start to transition from can combine that need with the need to
approach—in other words, saying: If thinking about helping people get by actually get people back to work as we
you make up to whatever the wage av- and helping to encourage them to stay reopen. I think there is. Specifically, I
erage is in your State—$52,000 a year, home through unemployment to think- would propose that instead of keeping
$48,000 a year, or $58,000 a year—you get ing about how we can get people back in place the additional $600 of the Fed-
full wage replacement. But that is not into the workforce safely so we can get eral benefit for people on unemploy-
what this is. The $600 on top of the this economy, our small businesses, ment between now and July 31, let’s
State benefit, which is, on average, $360 our hospitals, our colleges and univer- shift some of those Federal dollars to a
probably, puts you up near $1,000 a sities, back on track. back-to-work bonus—a program where
week. That is more than wage replace- We should also want to help people you let people take some of that $600
ment for people who make less than get back to work because that is good with them to work. I propose $450 a
the average wage. for everybody. It is where most people week. Others have different numbers,
Regardless of how you feel about the get their healthcare—from work, from probably. They think that is too much,
$600-per-week Federal increase, we are their employer. We want to get them or they think it is too little. I chose
in a very different situation now than back to that. It is where most people $450 per week because that represents
we were 2 months ago when we passed get their retirement, their 401(k). Not the amount that would be needed to
it. Back then, remember, we were en- everybody offers it, but if you have make a person making the average
couraging people to stay home and not one, you are probably getting it from minimum wage better off in the work-
to go to work because that was the work. force than on unemployment. When
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
time period when we were shutting It is good to get people back to work you take the minimum wages around
things down and we were giving stay- and connected with their benefits. It is the country, on average, you take $450
at-home orders. So it made much more also good to get people returning to a a week with you to work. That means
sense to have an unemployment insur- safe workplace because that is what that you would be making a little bit
ance system that actually would en- most people want to do. They want to more in the workforce than you would
courage people to stay home. Now we go back to work. They don’t want to be on unemployment.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 May 21, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G20MY6.060 S20MYPT1
May 20, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2547
What is more, this return-to-work footing it had here only a few months an invisible enemy that can’t be seen
bonus would put additional cash in the ago. or heard; yet just as we did in World
hands of individuals who lost their jobs Back in February, we had the 19th War II—just as Michigan has always
due to the health crisis, which would straight month of wage increases of done—we are standing up, and we are
provide additional stimulus to the over 3 percent, most of which was fighting back, together.
economy, which is experiencing his- going to lower income and middle-in- Our plants once produced bombers
toric declines in consumer spending. come workers. We had unemployment and tanks; today, they are producing
This incentive for people to get back tied with the 50-year low. Unemploy- ventilators and respirators, gowns and
into the workforce to get our economy ment was low then. It is incredibly testing supplies. People are stepping up
running again is exactly the kind of high now. to serve across our State: tending the
policy we should all want. Instead, I To get back to that, we have to put sick in our hospitals and clinics, deliv-
will tell you that as for the $3 trillion some more policies in place, and I be- ering food to neighbors in need, even
House bill we talked about earlier, all lieve the back-to-work bonus is exactly sewing masks to keep one another safe.
it does is to propose extending the $600 that. It will not solve everything, but Seventy-five years after World War
per month from the end of its expira- it will help people get back into jobs, II, a lot of things have changed, but
tion at the end of July into the begin- and it will send a clear message that one thing hasn’t: The people of Michi-
ning of next year. Congress is looking forward and pro- gan are still willing to step up and
We talked earlier about how the next viding a positive path forward for serve whenever and wherever we are
package—whatever it is—ought to en- workers, for small businesses, and for needed, and we are needed today.
courage the economy to get moving taxpayers. On Memorial Day and every day, let
again, right? The House bill doesn’t do Thank you. us remember all servicemembers we
that in a lot of respects we talked I yield the floor. have lost, thank those who are still
about. But, specifically, on unemploy- f with us, and surround our military
ment insurance, what it says is, let’s families with love and support. Our
VOTE EXPLANATION military members and veterans have
continue this policy of making it hard-
er for people to get back to work. It Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I was provided us the very best examples to
will ensure that that 60 or 70 percent of unable to attend the vote No. 93 on follow. Let’s honor their service and
the workforce that the study showed May 18, 2020, on the nomination of sacrifice with our actions.
are making more on unemployment in- Scott H. Rash to be the United States f
surance would be better off staying on District Court for the District of Ari-
zona. Had I been able to attend, I would TRIBUTE TO MYRON LEPP
the unemployment rolls.
By the way, it is also another $300 have supported the nomination. Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I want
billion of taxpayer spending in this $3 f to honor the half century of distin-
trillion bill. I don’t think it is going to guished Federal service of a remark-
MEMORIAL DAY able North Dakota man who is retiring
move our country forward. It is going
to make it even harder to get back on Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I at the end of May.
track. rise today to pay special tribute to the Myron Lepp has been the administra-
By the way, our back-to-work bonus Michigan heroes who have given their tive program director for the North Da-
also benefits taxpayers. So instead of lives for their country while serving in kota office of USDA Rural Develop-
$300 billion in additional funding that our military. This is an especially fit- ment for the past 13 years. He took this
is going to go into the House bill for ting time to do so as we commemorate position after 37 years in the military,
unemployment insurance, if we assume the 75th anniversary this year of the retiring as a full colonel. In these 50
that States would have trouble enforc- end of World War II. years of service, Myron has brought
ing their UI laws, which we talked The people of Michigan have always knowledge, intelligence and dedication
about earlier, and that individuals stood up whenever our Nation has to everything he has undertaken.
would choose unemployment over re- needed us. That was certainly the case He began his military service in 1971
turning to work, even if 25 percent of during World War II. Perhaps no State and became a commissioned officer in
those who were on unemployment in- was as crucial to our Nation’s victory 1976. Myron served in the North Dakota
surance today chose to take advantage in the fight against tyranny as was National Guard as director of informa-
of this $450 bonus—and I think a lot Michigan. tion management for 12 years and later
will; I think a lot more than that will, More than half a million Michigan held other positions such as chief of
but let’s be conservative, and let’s say men and women proudly served in uni- staff for the adjutant general, State di-
that just 25 percent take advantage of form in the Pacific Theater, the Atlan- rector of maintenance, and joint forces
it—that will result in tens of billions of tic Theater, and anywhere and every- logistics director. In his final 2 years in
dollars of savings to the taxpayer. where we were called. Back home, the the military, he was the national com-
Think about it. For the State, they people of our State were hard at work mand logistics inspector for the Na-
will not have the unemployment insur- producing the bombers, tanks, trucks, tional Guard Readiness Center in
ance benefit that they are providing helmets, and guns needed to win the Washington, DC, traveling every other
because the person will be at work. war. We were the Arsenal of Democ- week to conduct combat readiness in-
That is good. And for the Federal Gov- racy, and both at home and abroad, spections at all State Army National
ernment, the $600 is reduced to $450. So victory depended on us, the people of Guard units
that enables savings to the taxpayer. It Michigan. Myron brought this invaluable back-
enables people to get back to work. It We won that fight; yet the costs were ground to the USDA Rural Develop-
allows our small businesses to be able staggeringly high. Sadly, more than ment office, giving exemplary guidance
to reopen. 10,000 Michiganders never made it to the crucial work this agency does to
It is a solution that I think Repub- home. These were our beloved children support our rural communities in
licans and Democrats alike can get be- and parents, siblings and cousins, North Dakota. His lifelong background
hind. Let’s continue to help the people friends and neighbors. We were so in- in farming and ranching enhanced this
who can’t return to the workplace credibly proud of their willingness to work. Myron has raised crops such as
through no fault of their own, but let’s give everything—even their lives—to wheat, oats, and corn, and he has a
also remember that the American peo- defend freedom; yet that pride could cow/calf operation near his hometown
ple right now are looking to us here in never fully fill the aching loss our fam- of Lehr.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
Congress to come together on a bipar- ilies and communities endured. Those I came to appreciate Myron’s dedica-
tisan basis to put in place policies that losses are still felt 75 years later. tion and professional expertise when
will actually help move us forward in Now, once again, Michigan is mourn- we worked together on North Dakota’s
this crisis, get back to normalcy, get ing. Far too many of our beloved chil- Roughrider Honor Flight program. As
back to work safely, and get our econ- dren and parents, siblings and cousins, president of this program, Myron
omy back on the historically strong friends and neighbors have been lost to oversaw the work of many dedicated
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 May 21, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G20MY6.062 S20MYPT1
File and source
- File
- 08-Provider-Relief-Fund-Congressional-Record-Coronavirus.pdf
- Size
- 232,587 bytes
- SHA-256
- dc82109018d9c9dc8004d3a2d5f77b0f1ca0a76bf292411d6a8444a3a14ce26b
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov