Congressional Record, Senate, March 18, 2020 — Coronavirus (Markey)
Summary
Congressional Record — Senate for March 18, 2020, beginning at page S1797. A senator speaking of Oklahoma says the State has already received almost $7 million to help with what is happening in the county, and says the first principle for Congress is "do no harm". Under the heading Coronavirus, Mr. MARKEY addresses the people of Massachusetts, says "We are at war with the coronavirus", and calls for a massive wartime manufacturing mobilization for coronavirus testing kits and personal protective equipment for medical personnel and emergency responders.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, March 18, 2020 — Coronavirus (Markey).”
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March 18, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1797
fact—it is interesting—multiple other closed. Many retailers and res- We need to take action, but we need
countries are also developing their own taurants—many small businesses are to take action that helps people keep
testing processes. In the days ahead, really struggling with how they are their jobs, helps people stay employed,
we will be able to catch up on the test- going to pay for this when they have no and helps us deal with the dip in the
ing so that any American could be able income coming in right now. They are economy right now to help them pull
to get testing, but for now, it is lim- hearing the promise of a Federal reim- back out. My fear is that we didn’t do
ited. bursement coming to them, but they that just now. We might have just
In States like my State of Oklahoma, don’t know when that is coming, and made it worse.
where the virus is beginning its accel- they are literally teetering on the edge There are important things for us to
eration—we were late in actually get- right now. Their struggle: Please don’t do, and many of those things we are
ting the virus coming to Oklahoma, do something that pushes us over the working on this week. We have to get
but now that the virus is there, it edge. We need help, but we don’t need help to as many people as we can, as
starts to accelerate, and testing is ex- a bureaucracy that is going to be slow fast as we can. It is my hope that the
ceptionally important to us, as it is to to respond or a way that is actually Senate will continue to stay in ses-
everyone else. going to get us some help but help that sion—as the leader has already said
The Department of Transportation is comes to us too late. and promised that it would—until we
engaged on things like waivers for I have heard these terrifying words actually come to some proposals where
hours of service to allow the movement from multiple employers: I cannot we have wide bipartisan agreement
of goods all over the country dealing make it with that structure. I am that can get help rapidly to the people
with livestock and with food. going to have to lay people off and who need the help the most: those
There has been a big push from just hope to be able to hire them back when workers, those individuals who are
about every retailer in the country to this all ends. struggling, the folks who are hourly,
make sure they are cleaning facilities For those families who are laid off those folks who are waiters and wait-
more and being open and accessible and and in unemployment now, this is a resses, those folks who work at the cof-
having hours early in the morning for very different day for them. My fear is fee shop and own the coffee shop, and
those in the most vulnerable popu- that some of what pushed some of those folks in retail locations that are
lations so they are not shopping with those individuals over the edge into un- shut down. They need us to stand with
people who may have the virus and employment was a nudge to say we are them, and this is our moment to do it.
don’t even know it. going to add one more mandate to you Let’s do it together.
There has been a shift around the at your worst possible economic mo- I yield the floor.
country to encourage people to ment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
telework or to find ways to separate in The first principle we should have as ator from Massachusetts.
their place of work. Congress is, do no harm. We need to f
All of these things have occurred just step in and help those folks who need CORONAVIRUS
in the last few months. Again, 3 help. There are lots of ideas being ban- Mr. MARKEY. Madam President, I
months ago, none of us knew this term tered around by the Senate and the want to start my remarks by saying to
or this virus existed. All of this is hap- House, from both sides of the aisle, to the people of Massachusetts and fami-
pening extremely rapidly. figure out how we can get help as rap- lies all across the country: Many of
Three weeks ago, Congress and the idly as we can to as many people as we you are making big sacrifices—quaran-
President agreed on a proposal—it was can. tining yourselves, postponing or can-
a wide bipartisan proposal—to deal This is a moment unlike what we celing major events, dealing with
with additional funding for testing, ad- have seen before where it is not that closed schools and daycare. We are
ditional funding for vaccine develop- the economy is crashing because of grateful.
ment, additional funding for State and some economic foundation that is not Right now, our primary goal needs to
local departments of health to make there; it is fear and panic that is glob- be to slow the spread of this virus, and
sure they are taking care of that. My al, that literally we are struggling with we all share in that responsibility. So
own State of Oklahoma has already re- ‘‘what if’’ and the CDC and our own we thank you for everything you are
ceived almost $7 million to help with governments saying to employers: It doing to keep your loved ones and ev-
what is happening in our county, and would be best if you closed for a sea- eryone else’s loved ones safe at this
we are in desperate need of those dol- son. And they, being good citizens and time.
lars to get that done. good neighbors, quite frankly, are com- We are at war with the coronavirus,
Vaccine development is already in plying with that out of fear for their and we need a massive wartime manu-
human trials now. It is in phase 1. It own business and for their own employ- facturing mobilization for coronavirus
will take multiple months to get that ees. testing kits and personal protective
done, but we have already begun that I finished my day yesterday—late equipment for medical personnel and
process. That is important to us. last night—talking to a small business emergency responders. That is why,
The bill that was on the floor today owner in Oklahoma who related to me last weekend, I was the first to call on
dealt with multiple helpful things. It what he is going through right now and President Trump to immediately use
expands SNAP—what some people still the struggles he is having keeping the existing authorities under the Defense
call food stamps, but it is supplemental doors open. Quite frankly, he was fairly Production Act to bring all of the
nutrition. It is assistance for those blunt with me to say: The things that power of the Federal Government to
families. It is an expansion of that. are being passed in the bill tomorrow bear in mobilizing industry to meet
It also deals with unemployment in- will affect me, but my competitors this crisis. It is why I authored the
surance benefits to make sure those that are big companies—it doesn’t af- Senate resolution calling on him to do
are staying consistent and those get fect them. It is already hard enough for so. It is why I spoke directly to Vice
extended to people who are going to me as a small business to compete with President PENCE yesterday to urge the
need them because in the past week, them, and now I have a new mandate administration to take this critical ac-
unemployment has dramatically in- on me that is not a mandate on them, tion, and I am glad they are doing so.
creased all over the country. In the and it makes it even harder, and I The Defense Production Act allows
days ahead, when we see the numbers, don’t think I will have the cash flow to the Federal Government to direct sup-
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE
we will see the difference between what be able to make this work. plies of critical materials and equip-
is happening this week versus the week Toward the end of the conversation, ment that our hospitals and first re-
before versus the week before that. he paused and literally began to cry, sponders need. It allows us to mobilize
The struggle is, my phones have been and he pulled himself together and industry to expand production and
filled with one other element that is in said: I am having to call people and tell gives us the power to coordinate indus-
that bill, and that deals with a man- them ‘‘I don’t have hours for you next try to respond to this crisis. We need to
date on small businesses for sick leave. week,’’ and these are people I care fully use all of those powers that are
Small businesses in my State are about. provided under this law.
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S1798 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 18, 2020
That is why I am so glad President are now running short of, and other they get the resources they need. If
Trump has today invoked the power of testing materials. that system in our country, where 48
the Defense Production Act to respond We have used the Defense Production percent of all workers are employed—
to the coronavirus crisis. I am glad he Act before—during the Korean war—to small businesses in our country—and
is exercising it. I am glad that after my mobilize defense infrastructure and they are living on the margin, then we
conversation yesterday with Vice during the Cold War. Make no mistake, are going to have an economic catas-
President PENCE, they decided to put we are facing an equally deadly enemy trophe by August or September where
this on the agenda for our country. in this virus, and we need to bring all millions of these small businesses will
We need to massively increase pri- of our authority and resources to bear just declare bankruptcy. That is the
vate production of the lifesaving per- to defeat it. bottom-line economic fact of the mat-
sonal protective equipment, medical All of us owe a debt of gratitude to ter. We have to give them help, and we
supplies and devices, and diagnostic our frontline health and medical care have to make sure we have the re-
testing supplies we need to combat this workforce. They don’t have a roadmap sources inside the Federal Govern-
viral enemy. We need to activate our for what is happening right now. It is ment—the personnel—that will ensure
capable and talented domestic industry unprecedented. They just have skills, a we can deliver that relief too.
and bring the full weight of the Federal commitment, and the hearts of heroes. To the people of Massachusetts, I
Government behind this effort. We owe them the resources they need want you to know I am here for you,
We are talking about gowns, gloves, to be protected in order to do their and I will help any of you individually
face shields, surgical masks, N95 res- jobs. who need any assistance during this
pirators, ventilators, disinfectant Sadly, this pandemic is going to get emergency. This current moment may
wipes, and hand sanitizers. We do not worse before it gets better. I had been call for distancing and isolation, but
have nearly enough of this lifesaving calling for the President to declare a we cannot and should not sever our
equipment. national emergency, which he finally basic human connections to one an-
For instance, the U.S. Department of did last week. Now that he has done so, other because we are all in this to-
Health and Human Services estimates we need Massachusetts to get all of the gether.
that the United States could need up to funding that is due. I have been in reg- I want to end with the most impor-
3.5 billion respirator masks. Let me say ular contact with Governor Baker and tant remark. We must continue to lis-
that again. Our own Department of Mayor Walsh, and I will support their ten to the guidance of scientists and
Health and Human Services says that requests for Federal resources. medical professionals. This pandemic is
we could need upwards of 3.5 billion As the Senate works on an economic unprecedented and will require an un-
respirator masks. But our strategic na- relief package that matches the scale precedented mobilization and response
tional stockpile, the country’s emer- of this crisis, we need to ensure that we at every level of society. We can get
gency medical supply bank, holds only put people and family first—no half through this, but it will require a com-
a tiny fraction of that, just 12 million measures, no hidden bailouts and give- mitment from every single one of us.
respirator masks—not 3.5 billion but 12 aways just to big corporations: paid We are one big family in the United
million. sick time for all workers; unemploy- States. Many families are going to be
The medical community calls this ment insurance for all workers, includ- suffering. It is going to be our job to
personal protective equipment ‘‘PPE,’’ ing for tipped workers, gig workers, make sure that we protect those fami-
but ‘‘PPE’’ also stands for a ‘‘promise contractors, home workers; expansion lies, and it is the job of this institution
to protect everyone,’’ and this is a of SNAP, WIC, and other food security to do so. We are the legislative first re-
promise we should make and keep for programs; no evictions, no cutting off sponders. We are the ones who have to
our hospital personnel, first respond- of utilities, no cutting off of Wi-Fi; provide the resources that then allow
ers, and patients. Invoking the powers halting all deportations and releasing the first responders, the families in
of the Defense Production Act will help of detained immigrants who pose no every community across our country
ensure that we can keep this promise threat to public safety; provide free Wi- to have the resources to help everyone
to our American heroes who are on the Fi to low-income households with stu- in our society. That is our goal.
frontlines of battling this epidemic. dents who cannot afford it but are A pandemic should know no partisan-
I have been in regular contact with going to be at home because of school ship. Let us come together and produce
the Massachusetts Health and Hospital closures so that we don’t have a huge the big package our country right now
Association and the Massachusetts homework gap that now explodes in so desperately needs.
Nurses Association, and both have our country, as poorer children don’t With that, I yield back.
issued a terrible alarm: There are in- have access to the Wi-Fi technology at The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
sufficient medical equipment and sup- home, so they can learn at the same ator from Kansas.
plies to test and treat affected individ- pace that kids who just happen to live f
uals and protect healthcare workers in wealthier families will have. We can-
and first responders. For example, the not allow that to happen. These kids CORONAVIRUS
Berkshire hospital told me that they should be able to learn at home, re- Mr. MORAN. Madam President,
required 3,500 respirator masks a day. gardless of their income. We need free thank you very much. This has been a
That is 35,000 in just 10 days for the Wi-Fi for those kids. We have to reim- trying and difficult and challenging
Berkshire hospital, which is in the burse our States and cities and Tribes. time in our country and in my home
least populated part of our State—for They are bearing the brunt of this cri- State of Kansas. There are lots of con-
just that one smaller hospital. Yet the sis, and they need resources imme- versations, care, and compassion going
entire State of Massachusetts recently diately. on. We can’t give anybody a hug these
received only 70,000 of these respirator My commitment to protecting the days. We can’t extend a hand—at least
masks. That is not nearly enough. We health professionals, ensuring the con- literally—but we are extending a hand
do not want our nurses and our doctors sumers, workers, and families of Mas- to all of our friends and our neigh-
reusing or rationing masks. sachusetts get relief from the impacts bors—those across our community,
Additionally, hospitals and labs of the coronavirus is my No. 1 priority. those across our State, and across the
across the Nation are trying to ramp We have to protect the small busi- country.
up testing capacity but face shortages nesses in our country. We have to I am troubled, of course, by what cir-
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE
in test kits and supplies. But we need make sure they receive the resources cumstances Americans find themselves
to dramatically scale up testing and they need. Millions and millions of in. There are those who are in a poor
ensure our continued ability to test. small businesses right now are feeling circumstance in which they can re-
Our Nation must be able to conduct enormous stress. We have to make it cover from the circumstances that we
tens or hundreds of thousands of tests possible for them to receive the relief face. I want to make sure that Kansans
daily, ultimately testing millions of they need, the help they need in order know that we hear their cries, that we
people over the course of our response. to survive, and we have to put upfront know of their problems, and that work
That means producing swabs, which we whatever the capacity is to make sure is afoot to try to make a difference.
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