Congressional Record — Senate, S1733 (March 12, 2020)

Summary

Page S1733 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for March 12, 2020. Schumer says Democrats will ask consent to take up and pass measures on paid sick leave for workers, emergency unemployment insurance, and assistance to States for Medicaid costs, known as FMAP. Fischer, reserving the right to object, says negotiations between the House Democrats and Secretary Mnuchin are ongoing, and objects, and the Presiding Officer says objection is heard. Schumer then asks unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of a bill submitted earlier that day. The page opens with remarks that refer to Big Brother and spying.

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“Congressional Record — Senate, S1733 (March 12, 2020).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-03-12-crec-2020-03-12-pt1-pgs1733-ff72660828/, SHA-256 b7d7f6da3bc4f47ed6fb4fd3fbef5565201901417573ff02882be0ba93123ce6.

Full text

March 12, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1733
Brother—the brooding, omnipresent (Mrs. FISCHER assumed the Chair.) Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, re-
Federal Government—knows better. It The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. serving the right to object, this con-
can be trusted. Trust Big Brother. BRAUN). The Democratic leader. cept is under discussion, and it is a
Sure, he is going to spy on you, but his f centerpiece of negotiations between
intentions are good. Sure, he is going the House Democrats and Secretary
to spy on you, but he is really just hop- UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—
Mnuchin, which are ongoing.
ing to go after the bad guys so that you SCHUMER BILL
This Chamber will be in session next
don’t have to worry about the fact he is Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, in a week to ensure that we are taking
spying on your neighbor, on your con- moment, Democrats will ask the Sen- needed actions to appropriately re-
stituents, on innocent Americans. ate’s consent to take up and pass sev- spond to the coronavirus.
Even if I am wrong—let’s say, for a eral measures that would immediately I object.
minute, that somehow I am mistaken help American workers and American The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
in concluding that any of this will ever families cope with the impacts of tion is heard.
be abused—you can’t really get around coronavirus, including paid sick leave The Democratic leader.
the fact that it has been abused. We for workers, emergency unemployment f
know of circumstances in which it has insurance, and much needed assistance
been. We know that the President of to States overburdened by Medicaid UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—
the United States has himself been the costs, known as FMAP. S. 3497
target of abuse under this. These provisions are all included in Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
Yet set that aside for a minute. Even legislation that will soon be passed by unanimous consent that the Senate
under the absurd proposition that none the House. Many of these policies have proceed to the immediate consider-
of this will ever be abused again and already been enacted by other coun- ation of S. 3497, submitted earlier
that PELOSI and NADLER and SCHIFF tries dealing more successfully with today; that the bill be considered read
have somehow found the magical for- the coronavirus than our country is. three times and passed and the motion
mula that will forever guarantee these These policies are targeted directly to reconsider be considered made and
expiring provisions from being abused at the workers and families impacted laid upon the table with no intervening
again, why wouldn’t you still want to
by its spread. They are not going to the action or debate.
make the bill better? Why would you
big, wealthy corporations or powerful The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
be willing to let those provisions go
people or wealthy people. They are objection?
dark? Why would you be willing to
going right at the workers and fami- The Senator from Nebraska.
postpone the consideration of other
lies—average working people who need Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, re-
pressing business before the U.S. Sen-
the help. serving the right to object, this con-
ate? Is it really that important to shut
Now, the Republican leader this cept is also under discussion and the
out of debate your opponents who hap-
morning called these provisions ‘‘an centerpiece of negotiations between
pen to disagree with you? What does
ideological wish list.’’ President Trump House Democrats and Secretary
this say about the next thing we will
referred to them as ‘‘goodies.’’ Mnuchin, which are ongoing.
consider or the next thing after that?
This doesn’t end well. We know it If helping a construction worker who This Chamber will be in session next
doesn’t end well. It never, ever works is laid off as a result of the virus is week to ensure that we are taking
to push U.S. Senators to the point that part of an ideological wish list, then needed actions to appropriately re-
they are told they are not entitled to God help those who believe that. If giv- spond to the coronavirus.
their own opinions; that to the extent ing infected workers paid sick leave is Therefore, I object.
they have them, they may express a goody, then God help those who think The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
them but only in a brief period of time; that. If making sure our States, local- tion is heard.
and that they then have to run off and ities, hospitals, and first responders are The Senator from Washington.
be good little boys and girls and let the compensated for their efforts is ideo- f
adults take over. No. I know that this logical, is a goody, those who believe
those things have lost touch with the UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—
is the way it has been working for a S. 3415
while, but it is not going to anymore. needs and aspirations of the American
It is not going to anymore because the people, and they need to talk to some Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, this is
American people are demanding more. real people who have been impacted by simple. We need people who are sick to
They are demanding better. Things the coronavirus, instead of sitting in stay home if we have any hope of slow-
sometimes have to get a little worse their ideological towers. ing the spread of this virus, but, today,
before they get better. Unfortunately, With the comments made by the one in four private sector workers in
that is the position in which we now President and the Republican leader, our country cannot stay home from
find ourselves. They have gotten worse, they have revealed their own ide- work without losing a day’s pay or po-
but they have gotten worse in a way ology—that even in a time of public tentially a job.
that the American people are now no- crisis and need, the President and the We have got to fight this virus with
ticing and are going to say: Don’t do Republican leader are more willing to everything we have—every single one
this anymore. Don’t lock us out of the entertain corporate tax cuts and bail- of us—and that means we have to have
process. Don’t tell us we don’t matter. ing out industries than helping Amer- policies in place that help people make
Don’t tell us that our own elected Sen- ican workers and families. the right choices for themselves, their
ators can’t have a voice and that they The Senate should pass these bills families, and their communities.
won’t get a vote and that they cannot today. The Republican leader should Our bill will give all employees 14
debate it. not be sending the Senate home for the paid sick days immediately—today, not
The President of the United States weekend without taking action to help next week, not the week after, today—
has been targeted unethically, unlaw- people who are or will soon be really in public health emergencies like this
fully, unscrupulously by the deep state. hurting. one, in addition to allowing them to
We have the opportunity to fix that, to Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- accrue 7, meaning it would help work-
make sure it doesn’t happen to this sent that the Senate proceed to the im- ers and communities right now.
President or any future President or mediate consideration of the Schumer I urge Senate Republicans: Treat this

SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE
any U.S. citizen regardless of how rich bill that is at the desk, that the bill be like the public health crisis it is. Allow
or poor or powerful or powerless. We considered read three times and passed, parents, families, businesses, commu-
must fix it. Shame on all of us if we and the motion to reconsider be consid- nities to have the peace of mind to
don’t. Our oath to uphold, protect, and ered made and laid upon the table with know that we are acting today and
defend the Constitution of the United no intervening action or debate. take this urgent needed step. This is
States requires this. The American The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there nothing short of a chance to save lives
people deserve more, and they deserve objection? and buy desperately needed time to
better, and we must provide it. The Senator from Nebraska. fight this virus. Please don’t waste it.

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