Congressional Record, Senate Page S1867 — March 20, 2020
Summary
Congressional Record — Senate for March 20, 2020, page S1867. Under the heading Coronavirus, Mr. BOOKER describes the effects of COVID–19 on families, workers and small businesses, and refers to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act as a bipartisan relief package. Mr. BOOKER says Senators should all agree on funding for transit systems like Amtrak, broadband access in devices for students, and tests for troops serving in high-risk areas like Afghanistan. The text closes with a speaker who refers to Tennesseans.
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“Congressional Record, Senate Page S1867 — March 20, 2020.”
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March 20, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1867
CORONAVIRUS her granddaughter while she works be- frontline responders, we are going to be
Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, this cause she can’t afford childcare. She ill-equipped not just to fight COVID–19,
past week, we have seen that the doesn’t know what she would do if she but we could see widespread interrup-
spread of COVID–19 has really become a got sick and actually had to miss work. tions in the delivery of all lifesaving
crisis not just for our Nation but a cri- She is living every day afraid of get- emergencies in America. Also, this bill
sis for every American. Today, millions ting the coronavirus. we have seen now, which we must
of Americans are asking themselves There are millions of families in a make better, must address not just this
how they will endure this crisis, how similar situation and millions of Amer- issue but also do more for healthcare
long will the crisis last, how will it af- icans who are getting up every day workers and first responders to get
fect their families, their communities, knowing that their going to work is es- them the equipment they need.
and their Nation as a whole. sential for the well-being of others. Yet There are a lot of things that I feel
We have many people who are now they still don’t know how they will strongly about that I know will be in
trying to do the dollars-and-cents of take care of their families. these negotiations.
this crisis, literally sitting down to try The most recent bipartisan relief We should all be able to agree on sup-
to calculate how many weeks they can package that came out of Congress, the porting our veterans and VA facilities
stretch the last 2 weeks of pay. Families First Coronavirus Response as they prepare to fight this virus.
We see people who have been fur- Act, is a very important step in helping There are gaping holes in that in this
loughed, had their hours reduced, been those families and combating the bill.
laid off. spread of the virus and its effects. It We should all agree on funding for
We have seen that small businesses— will help to increase testing, ensure the our transit systems—like Amtrak—
from the mom-and-pop pizza joints, to availability of emergency paid family that are going to make sure to keep
small interior design shops, to barber and sick leave for many workers, in- our country connected, that those sys-
shops—are all trying to determine how crease food assistance programs, and tems don’t fail and fall, especially
they can keep themselves afloat when make emergency unemployment insur- when we will need them switched on
their doors are closed and how they can ance available for more workers who and running vibrantly when our econ-
deal with their fixed costs. really, really need it. omy gets going. We should all agree
I have been on the phone with so Now, as we turn to the next package that this is a time to deal with some of
many employers in my own State who of policies and funding to help Ameri- the massive shortfalls that we have
have spoken to me about the chal- cans who are suffering now, we know now more than ever.
lenges they have trying to continue to this is a moment that demands bold, While places like South Korea have
cover the health insurance of their em- decisive action and doesn’t leave any- universal broadband penetration, we
ployees even with the fact that no rev- body behind. We know we are a nation should all agree that broadband access
enue is being brought in by their busi- born out of crisis. We know that our in devices for our students is critical if
nesses. founding ideals—you have to under- we are going to continue to educate
Over and over again, restaurants, stand that this government was formed our children for the months ahead.
bars, coffee shops, our sports arenas, to protect people and to defend people. We should all agree on providing
hotels—all of them have been emptied, We, in our Declaration of Independ- tests for our troops that are still serv-
and millions of workers have been let ence, talk about mutually pledging to ing in high-risk areas like Afghanistan.
go and had their hours slashed. each other our lives, our fortunes, and We need to make sure these bills ad-
On top of that, schools across this our sacred honor. The spirit of this Na- dress these holes.
country, from colleges to kinder- tion is about being there for each other We should all agree on strengthening
gartens, have been closed, and millions and coming together to be stronger de- our community colleges and our minor-
of families are now scrambling to try spite the crisis, despite the challenge. ity-serving institutions so they, too,
to find childcare. College students are I am so grateful at this time that we can continue to educate their students
displaced and moving back in with are seeing bipartisan work on both digitally. These are holes that must be
families. sides of the aisle, as we are all seeing— filled.
This is, on so many levels, a true cri- from our personal lives to our States as We should all agree that we need to
sis like none of us have ever faced be- a whole—we are all seeing the urgency. be providing funding and flexibility for
fore in our Nation. The emotions are I am worried now that the first pro- our schools and food banks to continue
running the gamut. People are angry. posal that we have seen, though, falls to serve meals to children in our coun-
People are afraid. People are fearful for short of addressing the needs of our try so that, crisis or no crisis, the next
their own physical safety, as well as healthcare workers and first respond- generation can grow healthy and
their economic well-being. ers—those Americans who are really strong.
This is something that is challenging putting themselves out there. I am We should all agree that the utilities
because we do not know how long it confident, though, that we are going to in our Nation should not be shut off
will last. The one thing we do know is come together in the coming hours to during this crisis—we need to address
that this crisis is a shared one, but try to create a package that rises that in this bill—so that families, re-
many people face their own privately above or rises to meet the moment we gardless of income, who are already
painful challenges. I will give one ex- are in. now struggling to make ends meet
ample. Right now, our Nation’s first re- don’t see themselves without light,
There is a single mother in my sponders, our firefighters, and our power, and gas. These holes in this bill
State—a mother of two—who works at healthcare professionals are being should be addressed.
a nursing home and is also raising her asked to respond to situations where We should all agree that everyone
granddaughter. At work, she cares for they don’t have the personal protective must have coverage for testing and ac-
elderly patients, and because family equipment they need to stay safe. In cess to healthcare services that keep
members can no longer visit, she is ris- my own city, I talked to the head of them and their families safe, and that
ing to the challenge of not just being a public safety, who talked to me about includes the people who are in our
professional there, but she also feels the courage of these folks who, no mat- country, whether they are documented
she is serving as a surrogate family ter what, are going to go to work, even or not, because our health is directly
member. Now, for weeks, the basic per- without that protective gear. But, dear interrelated with their health. And to
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE
sonal protective equipment she needs God, shouldn’t we be doing everything make sure that the only people who
to keep herself safe is in short supply we can, because if they get sick, if they can get treatment are citizens of the
and is literally dwindling. can’t show up, we will see a cascading United States—ignoring the millions of
For all of this incredible work, this crisis. It would be disgraceful. It would people who are not—means that the
incredible dedication literally on the be dangerous. citizens of the United States are at
frontlines, she makes $14 an hour. With It is not an exaggeration to say that risk.
schools now closing, her teenage chil- if we don’t move quickly to get per- We should also think about those
dren will be responsible for caring for sonal protective equipment to our folks whom we don’t think about
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S1868 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 20, 2020
enough, like those who are incarcer- something that is anemic, that is inad- tion, people stressed over bills, and
ated, as well as the correction officers equate, that leaves some of the most people worried about their next pay-
and workers who deal with those who vulnerable people out in the cold, when check. This is an emotional strain to
are incarcerated. We are not doing we know those people—they are our our country and will have physical
enough to address that pending crisis family members; they are our neigh- manifestations.
in our country. There are holes in this bors—wouldn’t qualify for the plan as I want to say that I love my Nation
bill. it is right now. for so many reasons, but one of the rea-
I want to take one moment, though, I know those family members be- sons is because it has often been my
to address an aspect of this bill which cause they are people who live in my life experience that during the tough-
there seems to be general consensus community. Someone who worked est times, I have witnessed the best of
about but which can be made so much their entire life, who has a mother who us.
stronger, and that is the issue of cash is dying, just last year quit their job to I was a college student in 1989, when
payments. try to support her. These are folks we a horrible earthquake hit the Bay
Economic relief packages coming know. They might even be in our own Area. In Stanford, we were closer to
from this body should be about offering family. We shouldn’t exclude them at the epicenter than even San Francisco
everyone relief, including those who, this time. By the way, including them was. I remember the fear, as people
through no fault of their own, now find helps to further the impact of the stim- were knocked out of their homes. But
themselves on that financial brink. ulative effects of this plan. It literally the other thing I saw was America. I
It is why we must strengthen unem- puts more money in our economy and saw the best of who we are—people
ployment compensation that includes into the hands of people who will spend pulling together, sheltering friends,
both increasing benefits across the it, and that will have a multiplier ef- sharing food. It was one of these expe-
board and expanding eligibility to in- fect. riences, as a young person coming of
clude more workers, like gig economy We need to be injecting cash directly age, that I will never forget. I am not
workers and other independent work- into our economy and giving people happy an earthquake happened, but,
ers. That is why I specifically want to agency again in their lives at a time God, it so inspired me to see the best of
address this cash payment part, be- when so many people feel helpless who we are.
cause that is not enough. As for the amidst this health and economic crisis. Later, as a young man and a city
idea of cash payments, I am so grateful And, God, we need to be doing it councilman in Newark, about 10 miles
to see a lot of my colleagues be sup- quickly, getting payments to people as from the World Trade Center, 9/11 hap-
portive of that idea. soon as possible. For seniors, these pened—horrible, horrible things. I lost
Earlier this week, Senators BENNET, payments should simply be added to my childhood best friend in one of
BROWN, and I, along with several of our their next Social Security check. And I those buildings.
colleagues, proposed sending cash pay- remind you that about 7 million of our God, in that crisis, what did we do in
ments directly to American families, seniors live at or below the poverty this country? God, I remember the
starting with $2,000 sent immediately line because their Social Security lines—people lining up in front of hos-
to every American, low- and middle-in- checks don’t go far enough. For vet- pitals to donate blood—how people
come, with additional payments if our erans, they should receive theirs at the pulled together, stood for each other,
economy remains in distress. Under same time they get their VA benefits. and sacrificed for each other. There
our plan, in the worst case scenario, We can do that quickly. For everyone was something so powerful and so pa-
over an entire year, with three else, the IRS should send checks or de- triotic—people remembering that pa-
tranches of payments, if our economy posit funds directly into their bank ac- triotism is not a flag pin, and patriot-
remains in distress, a family of four count. ism is love of country. You cannot love
would be eligible for $18,000. These are the kinds of actions we your country unless you love your fel-
Critically, our plan would not require need to ensure that, once we get low country men and women, and love
an income threshold to receive pay- through this public health crisis, we is not sentimentality. It is sacrifice. It
ments, which means that everyone have the tools in place we need to reac- is service. It is being there for each
under a certain income level would tivate the world’s greatest economy other.
qualify. and enable it to recover. God, when Hurricane Sandy hit New
The current proposal would exclude The great thing about designing Jersey and thousands of people lost
exactly the people and households who something this way is that we could their homes and power was shut off in
actually need it most. By creating an put it in place now, while we are all as- our communities for days or over a
income requirement and phase-in, this sembled here as a body. I said this to week, again, I saw the best of who we
plan currently proposed would be skip- my caucus, and I didn’t mean it to be are as a nation. In a crisis, in a chal-
ping over the most vulnerable people. in any way draconian. But there are 100 lenge, we don’t pull apart. We pull to-
That means a mom who quit her job to of us, and it is likely some of us could gether. We stand up for each other. We
spend the last year caring for her sick be sick. While we are all assembled serve each other. It may put us back
child or a husband or a parent with here, let’s put things in place so they individually, but the generosity I saw—
Alzheimer’s, whose full-time job has are triggered. If the economy is still people reaching into their bank ac-
been caring for that spouse or loved down, it triggers the next set of ac- counts, buying blankets, buying food—
one, would receive nothing under this tions. Instead of having to come back was inspiring. They were putting peo-
plan. here and negotiate more now, put ple up in hotels who were out of their
It also means that a college student, things in place with automatic triggers homes.
forced to leave school, now no longer so 3 months from now, if the economy It hearkened me back to the stories I
having the sources of support at col- is down, it triggers more action, like heard from my parents and my grand-
lege, trying to enter the job market the next tranche of payments. At the parents about what it was like in the
but not able to, would receive nothing end of the year, if the economy is still Great Depression in poor communities
under this plan. where it is, let’s trigger another auto- in the South and how much people
Some tipped workers, seasonal work- matic payment. That is not just com- were there for each other. It reminded
ers, and people coming out of the mon sense; it is proactive. It means me of World War II. My grandmother,
criminal justice system, who paid their that people can begin to rely on those literally, until the day she died, an Af-
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE
debt to society, would receive nothing resources and do that kind of planning, rican-American woman, was bragging
under this plan. by having predictable sources of in- about her victory gardens, how eagerly
This is a moment where we have to come, and not having the challenges and how it gave her pride that she was
understand that we should be thinking that I am starting to find now, just for rationing—how this poor woman, who
boldly and acting in a bipartisan way a week or 2, which are the emotional worked as a domestic at times, was
at a scale we have never seen before be- challenges, the stress of families. buying war bonds. Everybody was
cause we have never seen a crisis like I talked to medical professionals this pitching in. That is who we are. That is
this before. This is not a time to do week who worry about this home isola- America.
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March 20, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1869
Now the wealthiest Nation on planet even as this virus that came out of caused those protesters to have to pro-
Earth is facing one of its biggest trials. Wuhan, China—they had it in Decem- test in a different way.
I pray it is one of the biggest trials in ber. It has now touched six continents, I cosponsored the Hong Kong Human
my lifetime, if not the biggest trial. and we know people are dealing with Rights and Democracy Act and spon-
The wealthiest country on the planet is containment. They are dealing with sored legislation prohibiting the com-
showing what we are called to be. I mitigation. They are dealing with mercial export of covered munition
have always felt, as the prophet Elijah going through the process of getting items to the Hong Kong police force.
says in the Bible, that we are the light the anti-virals, getting the vaccines But the world moves on, even as that
onto other nations—about how we pull that are necessary to deal with COVID– standoff in Hong Kong continues.
together, stand together, fight through 19. The Senate was forced to pen a reso-
a storm, and fight through a crisis. We The questions that people have lution asking the International Olym-
are showing what we do for each other. around this are compounded by the pic Committee to rebid the 2022 Winter
It is not just the men and women sit- growing realization of how China has Games to a country that respects
ting in these seats. It is all of us. In the chosen not to be honest and not to be human rights. That was really quite a
greatest crisis of our lifetime, what are transparent in their dealings with the bold move. It leaves me to wonder, why
you doing for other people? rest of the world. The way Beijing han- was China given this honor in the first
I pray our legislation keeps that spir- dled its initial response to the place? I have to tell you, nobody seems
it in mind. When the most common coronavirus was nothing new. In fact, to really know the answer to that ques-
faith talks about what are you doing deflection and lies meant to protect tion. The aggression they display to-
for the widower, what are you doing for the Communist Party is part of their ward Taiwan and Tibet and the out-
the orphan, what are you doing for standard operating procedure. They right repression of the Uighurs—this is
those people in prison, I hope we keep have defied norms governing the pro- something that has gone unchecked
that in mind. tection of human rights. They embrace many times due to fear of economic re-
It is not a time for half steps or half innovation by incursion, defy property taliation.
measures. It is time for the bold spirit rights, and steal intellectual property I have addressed this body several
of America, where we stand up for each as a matter of course. times on the subject of Huawei and
other. We don’t pull apart; we come to- We have U.S. companies that have China’s leveraging of the impending 5G
gether. We don’t tear down; we rise up. suffered for decades from what China rollout to create national security vul-
That is where we are right now in has done to steal their intellectual nerabilities in our network. Their ef-
American history. In this great global property, to infringe on their intellec- forts to undermine our sovereignty are
pandemic, we are a light unto each tual property. They defy the sov- not limited to high-tech espionage. In-
other, as well as to the world. ereignty of other nations and terri- deed, their goal is to place their equip-
And for the Senate, right now, while tories, and they defy what should be ment everywhere. That is why it is so
there still are 100 of us here doing the their role as a leader in the global incredibly affordable to so many coun-
work, let’s do it nobly and boldly and economy. Certainly, they want to be a tries and so many of our allies. In plac-
with generosity of spirit. Let’s extend market economy or so they say, but ing this equipment, they are seeking to
civic grace because this crisis is not look at their behavior. It is this act of establish their own high-tech cyber spy
bigger than who we are. defiance that makes them incredibly network. We know what they are up to.
We will endure. We shall overcome. dangerous. This month, I introduced a bill to
May God bless America, and may God I have to tell you, this has been temper the influence of China-backed
bless each and every one of us. something that has been going on for Confucius Institutes on American col-
Thank you. quite a while, but we only need to go lege campuses. We all have read the
I suggest the absence of a quorum. back a decade to place a flag marking stories lately of how they have infil-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. our awareness of what has become a trated some of our institutions of high-
HAWLEY). The clerk will call the roll. very familiar story. Over the decades, er learning and how they have co-opted
The bill clerk proceeded to call the as China started to manufacture and some of the staff or professors.
roll. started to pull U.S. manufacturers This is something that needs our at-
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I there and then started to mistreat tention. It is followed on the heels of
ask unanimous consent that the order their intellectual property rights, peo- the Stop Higher Education Espionage
for the quorum call be rescinded. ple became aware of what was going and Theft Act—another effort to pre-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without on. It was right at 10 years ago, when vent Beijing from increasing its hold
objection, it is so ordered. I was a Member in the House, that we on the minds of our younger genera-
f were doing much of the same work that tions. Time and again, we have called
we are doing right now in the U.S. Sen- Chinese tech companies like Tik Tok
CORONAVIRUS onto the carpet for their censorship,
ate; we were preparing a defense au-
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, it thorization bill. Even then we realized their data collection, and their privacy
has been so interesting talking to our the threat that China and Chinese practices—or lack of privacy, we
Tennesseans as they have faced these state-owned companies posed to our should say. Yet content from their pop-
issues we have with coronavirus and national security. We drafted amend- ular apps still dominates social media
what is happening, our response to it, ments to that year’s NDAA, blocking headlines. China’s hold on the global
and how we are going to fight it. And the purchase of Huawei-supplied equip- economy has never been more appar-
yes, we are going to win this war, and ment. Indeed, we are still hearing ent.
we are going to defeat this, but we about the need to block the purchase of Now there are reports that Beijing
have to look at it as our health, food, Huawei equipment not only for us but used the media and keyword censorship
and financial assistance. for our allies. to suppress information about the
Last night, a couple of my Ten- That action was 10 years ago, but coronavirus. Yet Beijing remains defi-
nesseans and I were discussing this— China’s influence has continued to ant, attacking President Trump in
what their thoughts and their ques- grow. What we have done is pretty tweets and accusing everyday Ameri-
tions to me were about the relationship much our part in the Senate to expose cans of racism for daring to suggest
we have with China and how can we those bad actions, even as the rest of that COVID–19 originated in Wuhan,
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE
trust that we know what China knew, the world has allowed Beijing to co-opt China. They are, as many younger peo-
that we know when they knew it, and the trappings of capitalism to perpet- ple like to say, gaslighting us, and it is
their lack of transparency around what uate totalitarianism. madness.
happened with COVID–19. Last year, we saw the people of Hong It brings us to ask, when will enough
As we have gotten a couple of months Kong rise up on behalf of democracy be enough? We must not let our present
past the start of this, these questions and self-determination. Indeed, to this concerns about the response to
are unanswered. As I was telling our day, that fight goes on even though the coronavirus deter us from thinking
Tennesseans on the phone last night, threats and fears of COVID–19 have long term. This pandemic will change
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