Congressional Record, Senate, March 22, 2020 — Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act
Summary
Page S1897 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for March 22, 2020. Manchin asks unanimous consent for a recess, and the Senate recesses. Collins, the Senator from Maine, then speaks under the heading Coronavirus, saying that more than 26,700 Americans have tested positive and 340 people have died, and describing unemployment claims and small business closures in Maine. Collins says the Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act, which Collins authored with Senator Rubio, provides a plan to keep employees on payroll, including an emergency loan program with forgiveness for an appropriate percentage of payroll. Later remarks say Democrats voted to block surge resources for hospitals, expanded unemployment benefits and small business relief.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, March 22, 2020 — Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act.”
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1897
vote today at this time, I would vote affected by the coronavirus—not in the and fishing industries, gyms, B&Bs,
no, not to proceed. We will stay here sense that they have become ill with it, gift shops, retailers, and hair salons—
all night long. They are worried about but their customer base has simply have also been hard hit. The hospi-
what happens when the markets open dried up—and 51 percent say they will tality industry, in particular, is at risk
in the morning. We will work around only be able to keep open for up to 3 of being devastated, as conferences and
the clock. I am fine. I can stay here months if the economic consequences vacation trips continue to be canceled.
until 7, 8 o’clock. We can all work continue. The potential loss of more A hair stylist in Biddeford, a good
around the clock, but there has to be a than half of our Nation’s small busi- friend of mine, was forced to shutter
balanced approach and putting nesses, and the impact on the millions her shop, and, at the same time, she
healthcare first. of people they employ is simply unac- lost her part-time job bartending when
f ceptable. the bar that employed her was also re-
In my State the number of claims for quired to close. When these small busi-
RECESS unemployment filed in a span of just 3 nesses suffer, it has a cascading effect
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I ask days this month was nearly double on their employees, from housekeepers
unanimous consent that the Senate those filed in all of March 1 year ago. to wait staff, to bartenders, to fisher-
stand in recess until 5 p.m. today. Maine is on track to surpass the high- men, to drivers, to retail clerks. These
There being no objection, the Senate, est weekly total of unemployment are just some of the countless examples
at 3:18 p.m., recessed until 5:02 p.m. and claims since the great recession of 2008. of the economic damage that is occur-
was reassembled when called to order The situation is dire, and it is only ring in every community because of
by the Presiding Officer (Mrs. LOEF- going to get worse unless we act and the virus and through absolutely no
FLER). we act now. fault of the small businesses or their
We must come together as Repub- workers. But for the coronavirus and
f licans and Democrats in this Chamber the steps that State and local govern-
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS and in the House to provide relief to ments have taken, as well as the Fed-
TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019—Motion the American people to ensure that eral Government, these businesses
to Proceed—Resumed workers continue to receive paychecks would be thriving. In Maine, they
or other forms of assistance. Of course, would be beginning to start staffing up
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
we continue to build on the two bills for the summer months for the height
ator from Maine.
that we have already passed to protect of the tourism season.
CORONAVIRUS
the health and safety of the American It is essential that Congress act im-
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, the people. mediately without partisan bickering,
United States is facing a crisis unlike Looking beyond the statistics that I without delay—act immediately to pro-
any other in our recent history. This is just recited, the real world effect of tect the paychecks and to provide
no time for partisanship or for political this economic devastation is evident other relief to supplement the earlier
differences to prevent us from coming everywhere. I just got off the phone bills that we have passed.
together and working in the best inter- from talking to a couple in Lewiston, I am pleased to report that help is on
ests of the American people. ME, Jimmy and Linda Simones. They the horizon for small businesses and
The coronavirus pandemic has ar- run a third-generation family diner. It their workers that would allow them to
rived on our shores, and it is growing is well known and a favorite place to weather the current storm. As a mem-
exponentially, sickening our people stop by for lunch. They tried to con- ber of the Small Business Task Force,
and devastating our economy. As of vert to a takeout business, but it just I have been working very closely night
today, more than 26,700 Americans didn’t work. So for the first time ever and day with a group of my col-
have tested positive for the virus, and in this diner’s history, the Simones leagues—Senator RUBIO, Senator
340 people have died, while 176 have re- family is forced to close their doors CARDIN, and Senator SHAHEEN. Our
covered. In my home State of Maine, and to lay off their workers—workers staffs have worked literally through
there are now 89 cases in 8 different who have been with them for years, the night on legislation to provide re-
counties. workers who include not only them- lief to small businesses and their em-
Hospitals, doctors, and nurses are selves but their son George. ployees.
struggling to triage the influx of pa- Every day I have heard from small The Keeping Workers Paid and Em-
tients. Nursing homes are locking business owners who are anxious about ployed Act that I authored with Sen-
down their facilities in an attempt to the future of their businesses and how ator RUBIO, the chairman of the Small
safeguard their vulnerable residents. they can continue to pay their employ- Business and Entrepreneurship Com-
Students and teachers have had to ees who are often their family mem- mittee, provides a plan to do just that.
transition abruptly to online learning bers, their friends, and their neighbors. Through our negotiations with Senator
as schools have closed across the Na- The last thing they want to do is to lay SHAHEEN and Senator CARDIN, who
tion. Parents have been left with no off their employees and shut their have been wonderful partners—wonder-
childcare. Workers have been laid off doors, but they fear they may have no ful partners—we have produced, joint-
or fear that they may soon lose their other choice. They simply do not have ly, a $350 billion plan that would help
jobs as the outbreak worsens. the cash flow, the revenue coming in mitigate this crisis.
To help mitigate the spread of this the door, to allow them to remain Our group has worked night and day
dangerous virus and protect those who open. in a bipartisan fashion. We have kept
are at highest risk, Americans have The tourism sector, which is so crit- in mind the common goal of protecting
stepped forward to take the proper pre- ical to jobs in Maine, has been particu- those employees who have been laid off
cautions and to follow the guidelines larly hard hit. A small hotel in Bruns- or who are at risk of being laid off be-
that are issued by the Centers for Dis- wick, ME, received 84 cancellations cause of the cashflow problems of their
ease Control. within 24 hours of the local college sus- employers, problems that these small
Although measures such as limiting pending its in-person classes. A well- businesses did not create but, rather,
large social gatherings and reducing known Irish pub in Bangor, ME, had to are a result of the COVID–19 pandemic.
nonessential travel are important to close for St. Patrick’s Day, probably Our joint vision is to help small busi-
help contain the coronavirus and re- its biggest day of the year, and has nesses and their employees make it
duce contagion, they are also taking a been forced to lay off 60 people. A char- through to the other side of this crisis
tremendous toll on our economy. There ter bus company based in Lewiston lost by providing cashflow assistance quick-
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are 30 million small businesses in the $400,000 in 3 days because two major ly to employers who agree to keep
United States. They employ nearly 60 tours canceled. If tourism is further re- their workers on the payroll. This
million Americans, about half of our duced, this bus company predicts losses would allow employers to stay in busi-
Nation’s workforce. According to a re- of more than $1 million. ness and keep paying their employees.
cent survey, 96 percent of small busi- Countless other businesses in my More than 100 Maine small businesses
ness owners say they have already been State—such as restaurants, the lobster and the Maine Chamber of Commerce
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S1898 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
have endorsed this bill. Additionally, to COVID–19. It is imperative that we main open. We appreciate your under-
nationwide, a group of more than two not delay. Every day that we delay, an- standing that our businesses should not be
dozen business organizations that rep- other business like the Samones’ busi- forced to permanently close because of an
unforeseen, world-wide pandemic we have
resent thousands of companies across ness, their diner in Lewiston, ME, is played no role in causing. You are also right
the country have expressed their forced to close their doors and to lay to focus on protecting the jobs of our work-
strong support for this proposal, and I off their employees. ers—we cannot run our businesses without
would ask unanimous consent that We are truly standing at the edge of them. Finally, we deeply appreciate your un-
both of those letters be included in the a dangerous precipice. Bold, bipartisan derstanding that our businesses cannot take
RECORD at the conclusion of my re- action is required to respond to this on substantial, permanent debt when reve-
nues are plunging. Your proposal to forgive
marks. public health crisis and move us back
cash-flow assistance we use to stay in busi-
Let me explain how our plan would from economic disaster and small busi- ness, preserve jobs, and pay our employees
work. Under our approach, small busi- nesses closing their doors—in some would allow us to reopen, fully-staffed and
nesses would be eligible for a 100-per- cases forever—devastating and deci- ready to serve the public the moment this
cent federally guaranteed emergency mating our downtowns and millions of crisis passes.
loan to cover their payroll for 8 weeks, Americans losing their jobs. I implore Please act now to support Maine’s small
as well as certain fixed expenses—nor- businesses and tourism during the imme-
my colleagues on both sides of the aisle
diate crisis with a responsible solution that
mal customary expenses like rent or to put aside partisan differences and does not further burden and shutter the wel-
mortgage payments and utilities. come together and join our bipartisan coming restaurants, hotels and inns of our
These loans would ultimately be eligi- group in delivering this urgently need- great state.
ble to be forgiven, provided that the ed aid for the American people by pass- Thank you for your dedication to and of
employers kept the workers on their ing this important economic relief for support Maine.
payrolls. That is the key provision. the employees of small businesses
MARCH 19, 2020.
This financial assistance is targeted, throughout our Nation. Senator MARCO RUBIO,
and it could not be used to give raises There being no objection, the mate- 284 Russell Senate Office Building,
to highly compensated employees or to rial was ordered to be printed in the Washington, DC.
increase returns to shareholders, not RECORD, as follows: Senator SUSAN COLLINS,
that most of these small businesses HOSPITALITY MAINE, 413 Dirksen Building,
even have shareholders. Augusta, Maine, March 16, 2020. Washington, DC.
Our goal is to keep these workers em- DEAR HONORABLE SENATOR COLLINS: We are DEAR SENATORS: We, the undersigned busi-
hospitality business owners and supporting ness leaders applaud your efforts to support
ployed, to keep paychecks going to
suppliers, both for-profit and nonprofit, in small businesses during this crisis. In par-
them, to keep payments for their ticular, we support two key aspects of your
health insurance intact, and to keep Maine and we are writing with urgency re-
garding the COVID19 outbreak and its eco- efforts.
contributions that an employer may be nomic impact on our businesses. We ask that
First, an emergency loan program to sup-
making to their 401(k) plan intact. We port small businesses during this crisis, with
you look to support small business owners,
know that keeping people employed loans made available through private banks,
especially those in the tourism industry,
supported with a federal guarantee. Using
and ready to get back to work, not sev- during this immediate challenge. the private banking system to provide these
ering that connection between employ- The spread of the virus, and the subsequent
loans is critical, as small business needs the
ers and their employees, will cost far directives for social distance and quarantine, liquidity immediately.
less than it would to try to rescue the is causing widespread event cancellations, Second, including in the emergency loan
hitting the travel and tourism industry hard. program a clause that forgives a portion of
economy after we have had massive
Since the virus outbreak began to escalate in the loan equal to an appropriate percentage
layoffs and business closures. That is the United States, our businesses have lost of payroll (with an appropriate salary cap)
what our bill would prevent. thousands of room nights and advanced room for any business that keeps their employees
The Secretary of the Treasury has es- reservations and thousands of restaurant on salary despite having to shut down.
timated that if we do nothing and if we reservations and many more walk-in cus- Small business employers are job creators.
do not pass this bill in connection with tomers in just a few short weeks. These can- Small business employers want to keep their
a broader package aimed at preventing cellations are immediate and will not return. employees on salary during this crisis. A
economic devastation, we could see un- Our businesses simply cannot sell yester- small business emergency loan program that
employment rise as high as 20 percent. day’s hotel rooms or restaurant meals today includes forgiveness for an appropriate per-
or tomorrow. centage of payroll for any small business
Keep in mind, we are coming through a It is crucial that any lifeline provided to that keeps their employees on salary will
period where we have had record-low small businesses address this immediate and allow small businesses to keep America em-
unemployment. It could rise as high as severe reduction in demand. With the pre- ployed.
20 percent. cipitous drop in reservations, hotels and res- This is not a bailout. Small businesses are
If that happens, the impact on the taurants around the state of Maine are under closed and the employees are not working
Federal Government would be substan- immediate financial pressure. We know that because of a government order.
COVID19 is a virus and that it will pass. This is not as costly as may appear. Indi-
tial, far more than the $350 billion that viduals who are laid off will receive unem-
we are using for this small business as- What is not known is how long that will take
and what the extent of the damage to ployment insurance. This effort would sim-
sistance program to keep their employ- ply shift the payment from the unemploy-
Maine’s tourism industry will be. In what
ees paid, not to mention the extraor- should have been a celebration year to share ment system to an employment system. Our
dinary harm that this kind of economic economy is better off paying someone to re-
Maine’s Bicentennial with the world, this
catastrophe would cause to millions of main employed, rather than having them un-
Spring will bring a devastating drop in sales,
families. employed.
already down tremendously in just a few This has long term benefits. The disloca-
Congress has already passed two short weeks. Assistance must be immediate tion costs associated with widespread unem-
emergency relief packages. They will and must be workable. Assistance must ad- ployment are severe. Once a person separates
promote the health and safety of Amer- dress a temporary crisis and not be allowed from their job, rehiring is less likely. And,
icans, but it is going to take time for to cause permanent damage to Maine’s im- maintaining employees on salary saves on
portant small businesses with overreaching future training costs.
us to get the coronavirus under con- and complicated requirements as some have
trol. It is going to take time for the so- This is superior to an outright small busi-
proposed. ness grant, as the money would be provided
cial distancing to work. It is going to Maine’s tourism industry is critical—Our in order to foster employment.
take time for new treatments to be de- industry contributes at least $6.2 billion in We thank you for your leadership, and
veloped, much less a vaccine, despite tourism expenditures, brings 37 million visi- hope both Republicans and Democrats can
the extraordinary efforts of scientists tors to the state per year, sustains 110,000 come together to support The Keeping Work-
and physicians and other experts jobs and contributes $610 million in taxes. ers Paid and Employed Act.
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across this country who are all pulling This is accomplished through the hard work Sincerely,
of small business owners and their remark- Job Creators Network, American Associa-
together. able hospitality teams each year. tion of Orthodontists, American Hotel Lodg-
Our Keeping Workers Paid and Em- The Collins proposal would provide emer- ing Association, American Society of Ap-
ployed Act has been included in a third gency cash-flow to employers so long as they praisers, American Society of Travel Advi-
package that I hope Congress will agree to pay their workers whether they sors, Angel Capital Association, Asian Amer-
soon—very soon—consider to respond shut-down and lay-off their workers or re- ican Hotel Owners Association, Associated
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1899
Builders and Contractors National, Blue To the families worried about paying I also want to make a point in saying
Roof Franchisee Association (IHOP), Coali- rent and feeding their children, the that because we are dealing almost
tion of Franchise Associations. small business owner forced to shutter with the whole of the economy, as we
Denny’s Franchisee Association, Dunkin’
their doors and lay off staff who is like discuss what we are going to do to help
Donuts Independent Franchise Owners, Free-
dom Works, Global Business Travel Associa- family to them, those who worry about this country through this crisis, and
tion, Gusto, Independent Electrical Contrac- foreclosure by landlords, the employees you deal, for example, as we have been,
tors, International Foodservice Distributors of service, travel, and tourism indus- with small business, it sometimes
Association, International Franchise Asso- tries left unemployed, the hospitals— interacts with what other parts of the
ciation, NAIOP/Commercial Real Estate De- rural and urban—and the assisted-liv- same agreement are also dealing with.
velopment Association, National Association ing facilities running out of equipment, For example, you might be dealing
of Landscape Professionals. staff, and beds, and the public health with a small business sector, but it
National Association of REALTORS, Na- interacts with what might be hap-
officials—nurses and doctors working
tional Ready Mixed Concrete Association,
around the clock on the frontlines— pening with the group that is negoti-
National Retail Federation, National Stone,
Sand & Gravel Association, The Payroll help is on the way. Every American ating healthcare spending. And so
Group, The Real Estate Roundtable, Tree needs to know that, in Washington, we items like that are things that you are
Care Industry Association, U.S. Travel Asso- have their backs; that we know there is going to continue to work through and
ciation. deep uncertainty and fear; and that we have some understanding over.
Ms. COLLINS. I yield the floor. are working right now to address it. But I think what I feel very confident
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. COL- We must turn our rhetoric into ac- in saying, as you heard a moment ago
LINS). The Senator from Georgia is rec- tion. I will say it again. There is no from Senator COLLINS, is that a group
ognized. room for political maneuvers here. of us who were tasked, from both sides
Mrs. LOEFFLER. Madam President, I want every Georgian to know I am of the aisle, to come up with what we
I want to begin with my gratitude and fighting for them every day. No could do to help small business has
respect for those on the frontlines in amount of false politicized allegations come up with an understanding of pur-
Georgia and across America today. The against me or my family will distract pose and outline of measures that I feel
doctors, nurses, first responders, em- me. Nothing will get in my way of de- very confident every Member of this
ployees in our grocery stores and sup- livering much needed relief to Geor- body should be able to support when its
ply chains, and our State and local gian families—nothing. final version is before us. I am very
leaders who are leading the response on I have spent the last 2 weeks speak- confident that, if, God forbid, we are
the ground at this perilous time—to- ing with hospital leaders, small busi- not successful in these efforts, it will
gether, this is the best of America. nesses, employers, and employees not be because of what we have pro-
Now, 17 days ago, I spoke from this across Georgia. The impact is felt by duced for this body.
podium and called on the country to every Georgian. The need is urgent. In that endeavor, let me first start
come together to combat the outbreak From Lowndes County to Rabun Coun- by saying that I certainly feel both
of novel coronavirus. I asked the ty, the issues of health and economic blessed and fortunate to have had as
media, my colleagues in Congress, and concern are widespread. partners in this, obviously, Senator
Across the country, we must stand COLLINS, who has made a tremendous
leaders across our country to join me
together symbolically, though we can- contribution. It began with her own
in putting politics aside and to put the
not stand together physically. That is ideas, and we were able to merge some
health and safety of all Americans
why I am calling on the Senate to act of the ideas that we had been working
first.
The next day in Congress, we came expeditiously to pass this relief pack- on: Senator CARDIN, who is someone I
age immediately. have worked with on the Small Busi-
together to quickly pass $8.5 billion in
Let me be clear. It is time to deliver. ness Committee but often on issues of
emergency funding to support our re-
As we have seen, this virus does not foreign policy, and Senator SHAHEEN,
sponse to this virus, which President
wait for politics as usual to play out. who, likewise, is a member of the com-
Trump signed immediately. In March,
Only swift action will save lives, fami- mittee, but I have also worked with on
the week after that, the President de-
lies, and jobs at this unprecedented foreign policy.
clared a national emergency, I would just say that because of the
unleashing $50 billion to further mobi- time.
Just as the rest of America has done, nature of the crisis and the isolation
lize testing, therapeutics, and care. that this building finds itself in, a lot
Today we find ourselves in an even the Senate must step up and help win
this war for all Americans. of people weren’t able to see it, but I
more serious and urgent situation. The think if the average person were to
health threat facing our Nation has in- Thank you.
I yield the floor. walk in on the conversations that we
tensified. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. had, you would have had trouble distin-
Recent reports show the acceleration guishing who the Republican and the
LOEFFLER). The Senator from Maine.
of infection. At the same time, people Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I Democrat was.
are losing their jobs; small businesses suggest the absence of a quorum. I don’t mean that from an ideological
are closing; and fear is taking hold, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The perspective. I mean that one of the
while families are home with children clerk will call the roll. things that I believe has allowed us to
out of school, and parents are out of The legislative clerk proceeded to reach this point is that everyone has
work. This is why we must act imme- call the roll. small businesses in their States—small
diately to pass the CARES Act, bring- Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, I ask businesses are not a partisan item—and
ing in well over $1 trillion, with an eco- unanimous consent that the order for that everyone understood that this was
nomic impact being a multiple of that. the quorum call be rescinded. not a moment in which there was a Re-
We are in a rapidly changing environ- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without publican side or a Democratic side.
ment with each passing day that re- objection, it is so ordered. This was a moment in which the entire
quires this immediate and substantial Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, I want Nation was imperiled economically,
action. to caveat what I am going to say by and we needed to act quickly.
Each day, families are put more at the reality of anyone who has ever Senator COLLINS spoke a moment ago
risk and financial peril, and hospitals worked on legislation; that when you and outlined the key provisions and
are going without the resources they make a deal with the other side on ideas, but I wanted to reiterate some of
need. Uncertainty rests on Americans’ something or any group of people, they them because I have a lot of people
doorsteps daily. They wonder: How are always contingent on your having calling and asking if they apply. Let
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much longer can I make this work? to see it in writing. Sometimes what me start out with a few things.
How do I protect my family’s health you agreed to and what the legislative No. 1, small businesses are defined as
and welfare? We need immediate relief language that was written says don’t either some company that has 500 em-
in the hands of the American people, align. Oftentimes, it is not out of ill in- ployees or less or a company that is de-
and we needed it days ago. We cannot tent or anything of that nature; it hap- fined as a small business under the ex-
wait another day. pens. So I want to make that point. isting SBA criteria. So it is one or the
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S1900 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
other. Let me say, that covers close to additional lenders to participate under straight on the SBA staff, Senator COL-
60 million American jobs and well over terms that might be different than the LINS’ staff, Senator SHAHEEN’s staff,
30 million businesses in this country. It current terms, just because we need ca- and my staff—just a handful of people
is an extraordinary swath. pacity. who worked long hours on the legisla-
For the first time ever, we have also One of our biggest concerns about tive draft. I know that, last night, they
included most (c)(3)s—(c)(3)s and not- this bill is that we are going to have were here until 3:45 or 4 in the morn-
for-profit (c)(3)s—independent contrac- tremendous demand and not enough ing, as they were the night before and
tors—people who work on 1099s—and lender supply, not enough places will- the night before that.
gig economy workers who consider ing to stand up and operate to quickly So there has been a tremendous
themselves a business, even though process the paperwork and the like. amount of hard work done on this, and
they have one employee and maybe no The other important thing to under- we are grateful for it. And I have a
real estate that they operate from, but, stand is that this is not a program product that we are proud of. Let me
nonetheless, they consider themselves where you are going to the SBA. You just say it is a product I wish we never
that. are not going to a tent somewhere in a had had to do, not because we don’t
What it basically does, in its simplest disaster area or some government of- want to help small businesses but be-
terms—and I am oversimplifying sim- fice or some government website. cause, by and large, every one of these
ply because there are caveats to some You are going to a bank, to a finan- businesses that we are trying to help
of this with formulas and likewise—is, cial institution, to a credit union, to a were doing just fine until 2 weeks ago.
by and large, the best way to under- fintech, to someone who will set up a That, to me, is the most important
stand it is as follows: You have a busi- process and an agreement, either with point.
ness. You are a restaurant, a small the existing 7a program or Treasury, to These are not businesses that were
one-person, one-shop restaurant. You move this paper. failing or making a mistake, and so
are a dry cleaner. You are a mechanic. The intent here is not to create some government is stepping in to prop them
You have any small business, and you financial instrument that we can col- up. These were people who were lit-
have less than 500 employees or fit the lect loans on. The intent here is what erally doing fine until they woke up
category of the SBA, as we define it in is the fastest way to get this cash into one day and were told by the mayor or
this bill, and the government has said the hands of small business so they can the Governor or somebody else: You
that people can no longer go to your keep the people who work for them em- can’t open anymore. You can’t operate
restaurant or can no longer go out of ployed; so they can rehire, maybe, anymore. People can’t come to your
their homes and use you as their me- some of the people they had to fur- store anymore, to your restaurant any-
chanic, so you have had to lay off your lough or lay off, and they can keep more.
employees, so you are not operating, them on payroll as opposed to going on It doesn’t just impact the owner. It
and you can’t pay your employees—I the unemployment rolls. impacts the people who work for them.
am not here to make fun of or criticize The other reason why this is impor- I will close with this. One of the
the big corporations because I hear a tant, No. 1, is the jobs. No. 2 is, for a unique things about small business is
lot of them saying: Well, we only have small business, if you lose your em- that, in a small business, the owner of
30 days of credit available or we have a ployees, if your employees go away be- the small business is the President and
credit line we can draw down on over cause you laid them off, some of them the CEO, but they are oftentimes also
the next 15 or 20 days. I am not saying may move away, depending on the in- the cashier, the stock clerk, the jan-
that is not an urgent thing that needs dustry you are in and so forth. Then, if itor, the driver, the accountant. They
to be addressed, but the people we have you are told, ‘‘OK, all clear,’’ and you are an employee.
been focused on in this part of the bill have to go out and rehire them or find In an enormous percentage of these
is people who have no line of credit; people to take their place, by the time small businesses, that small business is
that if they go 2 days without revenue, you get going, it is too late. Many of not just the place that makes money.
they are in a lot of trouble. That is the them will never restart. It is the life dream and the life work of
overwhelming majority of small busi- We all want this economy to recover, an individual or a family. In many of
nesses in America, and, more impor- but you can’t have the economy re- these cases, the people who work for
tantly, in my mind, the jobs that they cover if you have no economy. And them are not the names and the num-
represent and support. when you are talking about 58 to 60 bers on a ledger. In many cases, these
So the program will work this way: million jobs and over 30 million poten- are human beings who have worked for
You will go to a financial institution— tial employers that are impacted by them for 30 years, whose kids have
be it at a bank or some other lender or this, it is going to be hard to restart an grown up with them and watching their
credit union—frankly, anyone the economy if any significant portion of kids grow up, who are like family to
Treasury says is OK and wants to par- them can’t get going. them.
ticipate in this—and you will fill out We are dealing with some great un- I have talked to some of these small
very simple forms that prove you are a knowns. No. 1, we have never done this business owners who have had to in-
business, that prove you had payroll on before. We did the very best we could form their employees, tearfully, that,
a date certain, and you will receive the under a tight timeframe and difficult for the first time in 30 or 40 years, they
equivalent of 8 weeks of your payroll circumstances. I am confident that, as will not be opening and they will not
that you can prove you had, and you with any piece of legislation, there are be able to pay an employee—people
will receive this money very quickly. things in it that maybe we have to go whose businesses have survived slow-
Hopefully, this system can set up and back and revisit at some point—noth- downs, recessions, financial crisis, 9/11.
run. And as long as you use that money ing catastrophic. But I just want to say In Florida, they have survived hurri-
on payroll and/or rent or lease for the that up front. We have never done it canes—multiple hurricanes—and all
business, it is forgivable. You don’t before, but we believe this will work. sorts of natural disasters. Many have
have to pay it back. If you decide to What we do know is that, if we don’t been open virtually every day, even the
spend it or any portion of it outside of try to do this and we do nothing, it is day after these storms, in many cases—
that use, then a year from now, it be- catastrophic. until now. The trauma is extraordinary
comes a loan, and you will have to pay The second point I would make is for them.
it back at approximately 4-percent in- there have been a lot of people who Now, imagine the people I know—
terest. The Treasury might have a dif- have worked very hard on this. The close friends, people I have known for a
ferent program that works a little dif- staff director on Senator CARDIN’s part long time—who informed me that, over
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ferently. has been sick. Some members of my a 72-hour period last week, the husband
I mention Treasury because we have staff this morning did not come in, as and the wife were laid off, their two
also given them the flexibility, in addi- well, potentially just to be protective adult kids were laid off, and the
tion to using the existing stable or and be cautious. We are talking about spouses of the two adult kids were laid
small business lenders in America a very small group of people who off—six people, one family, laid off in a
today, they will also be able to attract worked, basically, the last 72 hours 72-hour period.
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1901
So they are sitting at home. Every- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without from Utah (Mr. ROMNEY), and the Sen-
thing is closed. They cannot go any- objection, it is so ordered. ator from Florida (Mr. SCOTT).
where, and they don’t have a job and Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
have no idea when this will end and, colleagues, as everyone now knows, the Senator from Vermont (Mr. SANDERS)
when it does, if they even have a job to coronavirus has arrived here in the is necessarily absent.
go back to. Senate. There are at least five Sen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there
That is the story of millions and mil- ators who are in self-quarantine at the any other Senators in the Chamber de-
lions of people who are living through moment. siring to vote?
it right now. The discussions continue on the The result was announced—yeas 47,
It isn’t what the articles are about. It package that we have been working on, nays 47, as follows:
isn’t what the arguing is about. It isn’t on a bipartisan basis, over the last 2 [Rollcall Vote No. 77 Leg.]
what all the stories on cable television days. It is time to move forward, and YEAS—47
are about. It isn’t what the snarky peo- the next step is the vote we are going Alexander Enzi Perdue
ple on Twitter write about. But it is to have at 6 o’clock. No one is dis- Barrasso Ernst Portman
happening to millions and millions and advantaged by having that vote be- Blackburn Fischer Risch
millions of people, and they are scared cause, by getting cloture on the shell Blunt Graham Roberts
and they are worried. And they are Boozman Grassley Rounds
that we are having the vote on, there is Braun Hawley Rubio
going to get more scared and more wor- time—what we call postcloture time— Burr Hoeven Sasse
ried as the days go by. after that vote. So it doesn’t interfere Capito Hyde-Smith Scott (SC)
I will say this. I hope the Senate can with any further discussions that are
Cassidy Inhofe
Shelby
act as fast as possible on something be- Collins Johnson
going on, on a bipartisan basis. Sullivan
Cornyn Kennedy
yond just what I have described in our We need to signal to the public that Cotton Lankford
Thune
part of this, because tomorrow morn- Cramer Loeffler Tillis
we are ready to get this job done, and Crapo McSally Toomey
ing, all across this country, business the way to do that is to vote aye in 5 Wicker
Cruz Moran
owners, small and large, are going to minutes on cloture on the motion to Daines Murkowski Young
make decisions. People who a week ago proceed.
were talking about pay freezes and hir- NAYS—47
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
ing freezes are now talking about lay- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Baldwin Hassan Reed
Bennet Heinrich Rosen
offs, and maybe a few of them are hold- clerk will call the roll. Blumenthal Hirono Schatz
ing on to see what we do or fail to do. The senior assistant legislative clerk Booker Jones Schumer
But I caution everyone that, if we do proceeded to call the roll. Brown Kaine Shaheen
not get something done, if we think Cantwell King Sinema
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Cardin Klobuchar
that we have the luxury and the ben- Smith
ask unanimous consent that the order Carper Leahy Stabenow
efit of time to play games and for for the quorum call be rescinded. Casey Manchin
Tester
gamesmanship and bargaining and try- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coons Markey
Udall
ing to get a little bit more out of the Cortez Masto McConnell
HOEVEN). Without objection, it is so or- Duckworth Van Hollen
Menendez
deal, in a few hours some important dered. Durbin Merkley Warner
businesses and a lot of small ones are Feinstein Murphy Warren
CLOTURE MOTION Whitehouse
going to make decisions about whether Gillibrand Murray
or not they are going to lay off and fire The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant Harris Peters Wyden
and let go of a bunch of people. to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the NOT VOTING—6
We don’t know what that number Senate the pending cloture motion,
Gardner Paul Sanders
looks like tomorrow morning and in which the clerk will state. Lee Romney Scott (FL)
the week to come. Keep that in mind as The legislative clerk read as follows:
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this
we decide not just how we are going to CLOTURE MOTION
vote, the yeas are 47, the nays are 47.
vote in a few minutes but what we are We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho-
going to do here over the next few ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby sen and sworn not having voted in the
hours. affirmative, the motion is rejected.
move to bring to a close debate on the mo-
We do not have time on our side. We The majority leader.
tion to proceed to Calendar No. 157, H.R. 748,
do not have the luxury of time to nego- a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of MOTION TO RECONSIDER
tiate. I think this is a process in which 1986 to repeal the excise tax on high cost em- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
there has been a tremendous amount of ployer-sponsored health coverage. enter a motion to reconsider the vote.
input. I haven’t been involved in all of Mitch McConnell, David Perdue, Mike
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo-
the other sectors, but I can tell you Rounds, Mitt Romney, James E. Risch,
Lamar Alexander, Steve Daines, Kevin tion is entered.
that in ours I am very proud of the
Cramer, Tim Scott, Martha McSally, Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, the
work of all these Senators with whom
Deb Fischer, Marco Rubio, John Booz- American people are watching this
we have worked. Obviously, there is al-
man, James Lankford, Rob Portman, spectacle. I am told the futures market
ways a little bit of tightening you have Tom Cotton. is down 5 percent. I am also told that is
to do as the language is written, but I
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- when trading stops. So the notion that
believe that, when it is all said and
imous consent, the mandatory quorum we have time to play games here with
done, we will put before the Senate a
call has been waived. the American economy and the Amer-
product that will help millions of small
The question is, Is it the sense of the ican people is utterly absurd.
businesses and tens of millions of
Senate that debate on the motion to I want to explain what just happened.
American workers to be able to con-
proceed to H.R. 748, a bill to amend the Our good friends on the other side
tinue to draw a paycheck during this
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal would not have been disadvantaged one
very difficult time.
I hope that will earn the support—as the excise tax on high cost employer- bit if this vote had succeeded because
it should—of every Member of the Sen- sponsored health coverage, shall be it would have required potentially 30
ate and, then, every Member of the brought to a close? more hours of discussion, during which
House. The yeas and nays are mandatory these seemingly endless negotiations
I yield the floor. under the rule. could go on as long as they would like.
I suggest the absence of a quorum. The clerk will call the roll. Now, the buildup to this, so every-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The senior assistant legislative clerk body fully understands, is that we had
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
clerk will call the roll. proceeded to call the roll. a high level of bipartisanship in five
The legislative clerk proceeded to Mr. THUNE. The following Senators different working groups over the last
call the roll. are necessarily absent: the Senator 48 hours, where Members who were par-
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, from Colorado (Mr. GARDNER), the Sen- ticipating were reaching agreement.
I ask unanimous consent that the order ator from Utah (Mr. LEE), the Senator Then, all of a sudden, the Democratic
for the quorum call be rescinded. from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL), the Senator leader and the Speaker of the House
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S1902 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
show up, and we are back to square The senior assistant legislative clerk there are four or five other task forces
one. proceeded to call the roll. that are doing things to make sure
We are fiddling here—fiddling with Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask that small businesses can qualify for
the emotions of the American people, unanimous consent that the order for loans if they will keep their people em-
fiddling with the markets, fiddling the quorum call be rescinded. ployed.
with our healthcare. The American The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without So I don’t understand this vote at all,
people expect us to act tomorrow, and objection, it is so ordered. particularly considering the good
I want everybody to fully understand Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, in working relationship that I had with
that if we aren’t able to act tomorrow, more than 48 hours of negotiations, Democrats working with me on these
it will be because of our colleagues on there has been a lot of progress made things as well.
the other side continuing to dicker in the subjects that are within the ju- I yield the floor.
when the country expects us to come risdiction of the Finance Committee, RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
together and address this problem. which I chair. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
Now, I changed my vote, which gives The results of these negotiations BOOZMAN). The Democratic leader is
me the opportunity to move to recon- have led to decisions that will be in recognized.
sider at a later time. That is all I can legislation we hope to vote on tomor- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I want
do in the face of this obstruction. row that would make sure that checks to provide everyone with an update
Look, I can understand obstruction go from the Federal Government to in- about the status of negotiations on the
when you are trying to achieve some- dividuals—all individuals—$1,200 for in- third phase of coronavirus legislation.
thing. This obstruction achieves noth- dividuals, $2,400 for married couples, Early this morning, Leader MCCON-
ing—nothing whatsoever—other than and $500 for each child. Those would go NELL presented to us a highly partisan
preventing us from getting into a posi- to people who need it—people with no bill written exclusively by Repub-
tion where there are literally 30 more income and people with up to $75,000 a licans, and he said he would call a vote
hours that they could use to continue year in income or a married couple to proceed to it today. So who is being
to dicker. with $150,000 per year income, with a partisan? He knows darn well that for
So at a time when the country is cry- phaseout to make sure that no very this bill to pass, it needs both Demo-
ing out for bipartisanship and coopera- wealthy people or even higher income crat and Republican support.
tion, and we saw that over the last 48 Furthermore, when Speaker PELOSI
or middle-income people benefit from
hours when regular Members of the and I said let’s have a four-corners ne-
it.
Senate, not in the leadership office, not We are trying to help those who need gotiation, it was Leader MCCONNELL
in the Speaker’s office—for goodness’ the most help, and there wasn’t dis- who resisted. So whatever we do here
sake, she is the Speaker of the House, in the Senate, the House is doing its
agreement from the other side that we
not the speaker of the Senate; we don’t own bill. It made no sense then, and it
ought to mail checks out to people.
have one—we were doing just fine until makes no sense now. I said to the lead-
This would give Americans the cash
that intervention. er then that would slow things down.
So I want the American people to they need to provide for their families
So that is where we are.
fully understand what is going on here. and to weather the storm. Most important is the legislation
This isn’t the first time we have done
The markets are already reacting to itself. The legislation has many prob-
this. We did it in 2008, when we had the lems. At the top of the list, it includes
this outrageous nonsense. We have an
obligation to the American people to start of the great recession. a large corporate bailout with no pro-
We also provided for liquidity for
deal with this emergency and to deal tections for workers and virtually no
small businesses and larger businesses
with it tomorrow, and if we don’t, I oversight. Also, very troubling in the
by delaying some taxes being paid so bill are significant shortfalls of money
want everybody to fully understand,
you have seen everybody who is on that perhaps these people who, right that our hospitals, States, cities, and
record. now, are thinking should they lay off medical workers desperately needed.
Now, I have conspicuously avoided their workforce or keep their work- This is a public health crisis. It is inex-
trying to turn this into any kind of force in place, being productive—to en- plicable to skimp on funding to address
partisan effort for 2 days, but it is pret- able them to do that. the pandemic.
ty clear what is going on here. We also made a very big effort from I told both Leader MCCONNELL and
We will have this cloture vote again both the Republican and Democratic Secretary Mnuchin that our caucus
at some point of my choosing, and, sides to very much enhance unemploy- could not support such a partisan bill
hopefully, some adults will show up on ment with an additional $600 per week and urged Leader MCCONNELL to delay
the other side of the room and under- for people who are unemployed, plus a the 3 p.m. vote so we might come to a
stand the gravity of the situation and lot of people who don’t qualify for un- bipartisan agreement. I am glad he
the need to act before the markets go employment now would qualify for un- agreed, because we Democrats want to
down further and the American people employment insurance for over at least move forward with a bipartisan agree-
become even more depressed about our the next 3 months, with an under- ment. Unfortunately, the legislation
lack of ability to come together under standing that if this thing doesn’t turn has not improved enough in the past 3
the most extraordinary circumstances. around in the next 3 months, getting hours to earn the necessary votes to
We have never been confronted with people back to work, getting the econ- proceed. Given more time, I believe we
anything like this before. It is totally omy up and running—with all of this could reach a point where the legisla-
different, and we are not immune to it stuff we are talking about, we are prob- tion is close enough to what the Nation
in terms of the public health risk. ably going to have to do more. But needs for all Senators—all Senators—
Coronavirus has hit the Senate today right now, the unemployment rolls are to want to move forward. We are not
as well. We have five Members—five going up by the hundreds of thousands yet at that point.
Members—in self-quarantine. each day, and we have a vote tonight America needs a Marshall Plan for
Everybody understands the emer- that can give these people some assur- our hospitals and our public health in-
gency, particularly when it hits close ances. And somehow that is not a cata- frastructure. The bill should include
to home. It is not just back in our strophic situation that we should re- much more money for hospitals and
States, but right here in the Senate. spond to? community health centers, nursing
So I will say to my colleagues on the I don’t know what people on the homes, and enough funding to address
other side of the aisle: Step up. Step other side of the aisle are thinking the coming shortages in masks, ICU
up. Help us reach an agreement so that about, particularly for the unemployed beds, ventilators, testing, and personal
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
we can do what needs to be done for the and particularly for those who don’t protective equipment.
American people no later than tomor- have checks. What are we going to do The bill needs more money to offset
row. for them? the costs now being incurred by State
I suggest the absence of a quorum. This package that came out of the and local governments that are prop-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Finance Committee will not solve all ping up their health networks. We can-
clerk will call the roll. the problems, but, as the leader said, not reach a point where our States and
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1903
localities are going bankrupt or firing we can figure this out over the next social distancing, as they call it, being
public employees, like teachers and several hours. He said 24 hours. I hope safe, washing your hands frequently,
first responders. it is not 24 hours. We need to move and using hand sanitizer—all part of the
The corporate bailout provisions re- move quickly. We see what the mar- strategy of flattening the curve, as you
main unacceptable. If we are going to kets are doing globally. We know what have seen when you see Dr. Fauci and
provide assistance to certain indus- the markets are going to do here. We others giving presentations. It is to re-
tries, there must be far more oversight, have seen what the futures are. More duce our own exposure so that we don’t
transparency, and accountability. importantly, we see the impact in our overwhelm our Nation’s public health
There certainly must be protections for States, among our citizens. system. We can all play a role in this,
workers. The Democratic leader says more and in the end that would help save
On unemployment insurance, we are money needs to be put against hos- lives of our family members, of our
glad the bill has moved in the direction pitals and States and workers. There is neighbors, of our friends, of people we
we outlined, but at the moment the ex- an unprecedented amount of money for may never meet but we come in con-
panded unemployment benefits we all three of those in this legislation— tact with, and the most vulnerable in
fought for last only 3 months. It was unprecedented—and necessary, by the our society. If we follow the guidelines
supposed to be longer. We need it way, because we are in a crisis. But to put out by the Centers for Disease Con-
longer. say there is nothing here that helps trol—the CDC guidelines—we are going
Now, let me be clear. The majority hospitals, oh my gosh—I am going to to be safer. We are going to save lives.
leader was well aware of how this vote talk about this with specificity. But It all depends on all of us doing that,
would go before it happened, but he $100 billion—$100 billion—is a pretty but it also depends on what we do here
chose to go forward with it anyway, good start, and $75 billion of which in the U.S. Congress, both in slowing
even though negotiations are con- goes to hospitals. the spread through the legislative ef-
tinuing. So who is playing games? To say there is nothing for workers— forts I will talk about tonight but also
Our caucus is united in trying to de- the unemployment insurance provi- in getting this economy back on its
liver a bill that addresses this health sions in here comes from the Demo- feet so that people can get back to
and economic crisis quickly, and we cratic side of the aisle. It is the most work and get a paycheck and begin to
are committed to working in a bipar-
generous unemployment insurance make ends meet.
tisan way to get it done—both sides of
plus-up by far ever in the history of our In Ohio we have been taking the lead
the aisle voting for a bill. We are enti-
country. It actually adds more money on this. We have been pretty aggressive
tling our proposal, the Democratic bill
to unemployment insurance than the at saying that people need social dis-
that we introduced, ‘‘Workers First,’’
current system has. By the way, it adds tance and restaurants and bars need to
and we intend to follow through on this
eight times more funding into the un- close. We were one of the first couple of
principle as we negotiate.
The bipartisan negotiations on this employment system for the rest of this States to say that schools needed to be
package continue even as we speak. year than is currently being spent. closed. Governor Mike DeWine and our
Secretary Mnuchin was in my office Think about that. That is not gen- Ohio Department of Health Director,
just about a half hour ago. Changes to erous? By the way, we Republicans also Dr. Amy Acton, have done a good job
the legislation are being made even as agree that those who lose their jobs in responding to this unprecedented
we speak. The bill can and must con- through no fault of their own should be crisis. As of this morning, we have 247
tinue to improve. We are closer than able to get a generous unemployment confirmed cases and 3 deaths.
we have been at any time over the past check while we work through this By the way, the first person to die in
48 hours to an agreement, but there are coronavirus and get our economy back Ohio was a man I know. I knew him
still too many problems in the pro- up and going again. and I respected him. His name is Mark
posed legislation. Let me walk through some of this. Wagner, Sr., of Toledo, OH. He con-
Can we overcome the remaining dis- This coronavirus is something that is tracted this disease and succumbed to
agreements in the next 24 hours? Yes. urgent for us to address. It has closed it.
We can and we should. The Nation de- businesses. It has closed schools. It has Unfortunately, we are going to see
mands it. changed every aspect of our daily lives. more cases and more deaths, but we are
I yield the floor. It has left us uncertain, and for many doing the things to contain this and to
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Americans it has left them isolated— begin to slow the spread, and that
ator from Ohio. literally, self-isolated. needs to happen at every level, includ-
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, we It has put tremendous strain on our ing here. That is why this legislation is
not only can and should; we must. We healthcare system and that is why this so important to pass tonight.
must pass this legislation. I was very legislation addresses that. Our amazing Two weeks ago, Congress started this
disappointed to see that my colleagues first responders, our EMS, and our po- effort by passing the first major relief
on the other side of the aisle chose to lice officers are doing their part, as effort, called phase 1, which was $8.3
vote no on even the ability to move well as our physicians, our nurses, and billion to address the healthcare needs
forward with debating this legislation other medical professionals who are on associated with this pandemic. Ohio
tonight. To my colleague, the Demo- the frontlines combating this disease. has already received $15.5 million from
cratic leader, who said this is a highly God bless them. that first phase 1 legislation.
partisan bill, that is just not the case. It has also done great damage to Of course, much more needed to be
Let’s put the partisanship aside. Let’s what was a strong and growing econ- done. One way we can find out what
do what is best for the American peo- omy. Only a few weeks ago, we had un- needs to be done is by listening to the
ple. employment numbers that were at a 50- people who have been most affected by
I will tell you that over the past sev- year low. We had 18 straight months of it, and we have been doing that. I was
eral days, through a bipartisan process, employment increases and over 3-per- joined by an infectious disease expert
we sat down, Democrat and Repub- cent wage growth every month. But from the University of Cincinnati, Dr.
lican, in four different task forces, and now—now—we see businesses shut- George Smulian, on a Facebook Live
we put together the elements of this tering. We see thousands and now mil- townhall last week, so that we could
legislation. As a result, the bill before lions of Americans unemployed answer questions from Ohioans about
you tonight, the one we are talking through no fault of their own. this crisis. He told us what the
about, reflects Republican priorities The purpose of this legislation is to healthcare system needs. We know
and Democratic priorities. I am going allow people to get back on their feet, what it needs, and we are responding
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
to take the time to walk through it to allow us to get back to normalcy. through this legislation.
and to talk about some of those so peo- Extraordinary times like this require Last week, I hosted conference calls,
ple understand what is in this legisla- us to unify us as a country, and I see it while I was here in Washington, with a
tion. in my home State of Ohio and around number of heavily impacted groups, in-
I was pleased to see the Democratic the country. Everybody has a role to cluding the hospitals in Ohio and a
leader say at the end that he believes play. Everybody needs to be practicing number of healthcare providers, with
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S1904 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
our food banks, with small business The crisis is unprecedented. In the First, in terms of helping people, this
owners, with workers of nonprofits, best interest of public health, we effec- phase 3 package provides direct pay-
and the charities out there on the tively have chosen to pump the brakes ments. These are direct payments—
frontlines doing all they can to help. on the economy. We decided to do that checks to individuals of $1,200 per per-
We spoke to employers of all sizes. We for our country because it is in the best son. If you are a couple, it is $2,400, and
had conference calls with hotels and interest of public health. That means then it is $500 per child. That check
restaurants and more. businesses of all sizes—small, medium, getting out to people will give people
Hearing directly from these stake- and large—are having to either shutter some extra dollars to make the dif-
holders helped us understand what the their doors or slow down their produc- ference in being able to pay bills, pay-
needs are, and this legislation reflects tion, letting people go. So many parts ing the car payment, paying rent, and
what the needs are in our communities. of our economy now are feeling the being able to put food on the table. It
We have to continue to listen to people pain of this slowdown. will give people some comfort to know
because things are changing, and as Applications for unemployment in that there is at least a little help com-
there is an evolving threat out there, Ohio this week, as compared to last ing directly and quickly.
Congress needs to be evolving as well. week, increased twentyfold. That For those who are out of work, these
Last week, we passed a second major means there was a 2,000-percent in- checks also serve as a bridge to getting
bill called the phase 2 package, which crease in Ohio on claims for unemploy- into the new unemployment insurance
provides Federal funds to individuals ment. Obviously, that is overwhelming system I will talk about now. The
exposed to the virus to get healthy. As the system. checks are going to be necessary in
an example, if you want to get tested I have worked with my colleagues that in most States it is going to take
for the virus, that is now free. nonstop over the past 3 days to put to- a couple of weeks—a few weeks—in
Our hospitals needed more resources gether this phase 3 package that will some States several weeks to set up
to combat the health crisis. So we pro- provide some relief to the millions of this new system. In Ohio, they say 2
vided more care—more funding—for American workers and small businesses weeks.
our healthcare network. I am glad the that have made our country and our This is the most significant expan-
President signed that bill immediately economy the strongest in the world. sion of our unemployment insurance
into law. We also provided resources to Our goals are simple. First, slow the system in history, by far. It is going to
State Medicaid Programs, to shore up spread of the virus. Again, if that significantly expand the number of in-
hospitals concerned about losing rev- doesn’t happen, people’s health is at dividuals who are eligible to receive
enue, with no elective surgeries any- risk, and the negative economic impact benefits, particularly self-employed, so
more, and concerned about being over- that is hurting so many families will it broadens those who qualify for un-
whelmed by an influx of individuals continue. So slowing the spread of the employment insurance. These folks, by
suffering from the virus. Phase 2 also virus is not just about the virus; it is the way, have never been covered by
provided needed help in terms of also about our economy. unemployment insurance before.
masks, gowns, and other protective Second, we need to help employers to What is more, it provides a flat in-
gear, and more funding for the continue paying their employees crease of $600 per week per person in
antiviral therapies that are coming. through this crisis. Our objective the unemployment insurance system.
That is incredibly important—that should be to keep people at work and This means that for low- and low-me-
people know that if they get this virus, keep them connected to their employer dium-income folks, let’s say 40- to
they could have something like as much as possible. That is where they 50,000 bucks a year, they will essen-
Tamiflu for the regular flu. That gives get their healthcare. That is where tially have wage replacement now
them a lot of reassurance and comfort, they get their retirement, for the most through unemployment insurance. This
and it is necessary to protect the part. That enables us to be able to en- is a big difference. In Ohio, unemploy-
health of our citizens. sure that as we ramp up our economy, ment insurance is one-third of your
That phase 2 legislation also puts it can ramp up more quickly because wages for those same individuals. Now
more money into getting the vaccine people will be there at work. There will it will be topped up.
as quickly as possible. It is not going not be the process of hiring and re- So, to the point earlier that this is a
to be here soon. It takes a while to get training. So one of our objectives in highly partisan bill, I am sorry. This
a vaccine going, but it will be done at this legislation is not just to slow the legislation reflects the priorities of
an unprecedented speed because of the spread of the virus but also keep people Democrats and Republicans, and this is
funding we are putting into it. at work to the extent possible. an example of that, and we have to ac-
It also provides for expansion of And third, recognizing that not every knowledge it.
emergency food assistance, including employer is going to be able to keep Is the bill perfect? No. No bill is per-
for children who rely on free or reduced employees. Even those who have some fect, certainly not when we are trying
lunch from their school cafeterias who business going, don’t have enough busi- to respond to a crisis like this. We are
no longer have access to those meals. ness. We want to be sure we are pro- pumping out more of our Federal tax
It also provides paid sick leave and viding the resources to help those indi- dollars and borrowing Federal Treas-
family leave benefits of someone who viduals. These are the people who are ury dollars than ever in the history of
had to leave work because of the falling between the cracks. They can’t our country through this process when
coronavirus and who now knows they stay at work because their work no you add up this phase 1, phase 2, and
can still pay their bills. Most impor- longer has any revenue. We need to as- phase 3. This is a bill that represents
tantly, this paid leave is provided 100 sist those people. ideas from both sides of the aisle.
percent from the Federal Government, Again, as we talked about, Ohio’s un- Are there some things that might
dollar for dollar, not on the small busi- employment claims have skyrocketed need to be adjusted by the Democrats
nesses. That is very important. Larger but so have unemployment office in order to support it? I guess so be-
businesses tend to have paid leave, but claims all around the country. The bot- cause that is what we heard tonight
now we have a way for everybody under tom line is that our country is not from the Democratic leader, but we
500 employees to be able to get that going to be able to come back until we cannot start over, folks. This legisla-
paid leave through the Federal Govern- slow the spread of this virus. tion does exactly what so many Demo-
ment reimbursement. I am pleased to say that the phase 3 crats have called for and Republicans,
It is good we acted on phase 1 and package we have negotiated, by the to help people have the financial secu-
phase 2, as I have talked about, but it way, accomplishes all three of those rity and to pay their bills and to stay
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
is clearly not enough. Things haven’t objectives—all three. We do it through afloat. And, by the way, we also pro-
gotten better in the meantime in the four major policy areas. We do it now, vide funding to the State employment
last few days. They have gotten worse. right away, to bring relief to the people offices so they can have Federal fund-
A lot more has to be done to contain we are representing, which is why we ing to deal with their administrative
this virus and to help people weather have to pass this legislation and pass it costs as they shift to this dramatically
the storm in the meantime. now. new system that is being provided
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1905
through this legislation. So that is for of these tax incentives is that the large back on track and get people back to
people directly. majority of them are simply timing work, we need to have some sort of
Second, the stimulus package is changes, meaning that while they are metrics in place. So maybe the most
going to provide relief for small busi- direct deductions in taxes now in 2020, important part is to get better data on
nesses that are trying to stay afloat by when they need it, much of that deduc- the true public health risk that is out
ensuring they are going to have access tion is going to be paid back in the there, and this legislation does that. It
to credit and liquidity needed to adapt coming years. Based on the rough esti- enables us to know, now that we have
and retool their businesses to weather mates we have seen, these tax provi- more and faster testing out there, fi-
this storm. We are going to accomplish sions could provide up to $500 billion in nally—and we needed more testing ear-
this in a couple of ways. immediate cashflow increases, again, lier—but now that we have that, how
One is through a major expansion of with more than half of that paid back many new infections are there? That is
what is called the Small Business Ad- to the Federal Government during the probably the best measurement we
ministration 7(a) loan program. This is budget window. have out there. How many new cases
going to go through businesses that are Third, the phase 3 package takes pre- are there? This legislation provides the
currently providing funding to small cise and targeted measures to relieve funding and provides the direction to
businesses. It is the community bank. particularly distressed industries that support the public health officials at
It is the savings and loan. It is the are at risk of hemorrhaging jobs and every level to get better and more ac-
credit union. It is the regional bank. closing down if we don’t. I know the ceptable results every day and report it
Wherever people are banking, they will Democratic leader said he doesn’t to the CDC—from your local health au-
be able to get these loans directly. think help should go to businesses. I thority and from your State Depart-
Specifically, we are providing hun- understand the Democrats actually ment of Health, those should be re-
dreds of billions of dollars in loans to ported publicly every single day. Also,
want to give more help to some busi-
small- and medium-sized businesses
nesses. So I guess they will pick and all that data needs to come to the Na-
that they can use for a variety of ex-
choose the businesses. But in this case, tional Centers for Disease Control
penses, including payroll, including
these are the businesses we all know every day so that we can know truly
paying rent, paying mortgages. And, by
are, unfortunately, facing the possi- what is going on out there because we
the way, if they use it for that, the
bility of shutting down unless we do don’t have that data now. And to have
loan is forgiven. It really converts into
something. that data, it is going to give us a better
a grant. If they use it for payroll—
Think of the airline industries. understanding to measure both the cri-
again, let me repeat—to keep workers,
Think of the airlines that right now sis as it stands and the healthcare risk
because that is one of the objectives
have seen their passengers be reduced we all face but also to measure success
here, if they use it for rent, and if they
by 80, some say 90, percent. Think of as it starts to happen because we need
use it for mortgage payments, the loan
the airports that are closing. Think of to be able to measure that success to
is written off entirely. It, essentially,
the hotel businesses. Think of the get people back to work, to get people
is a grant to those small businesses.
other traveling tourism businesses and back to their families, and to get peo-
This is why the small business commu-
entertainment businesses. So these ple back on track in their lives.
nity is excited about this because they
folks will be able to access what is So this bill provides an increase in
want to keep their employees, and they
called the Exchange Stabilization Fund funding for healthcare—a major in-
want to keep their doors open. They
to get a loan. And by the way, they will crease—in addition to what I just
are waiting, and they are on the edge
of their seats seeing what we do to- have to pay back that loan, but it is talked about. It provides about $100 bil-
night and tomorrow. I have talked to the Federal Government stepping in lion for hospitals and all healthcare
many businesses back home who are and providing a backup so they can get providers, with $75 billion being appro-
saying: I can wait until Monday, but I that loan and be able to stay in busi- priated to HHS in order to support our
can’t wait any longer. I am bleeding ness. healthcare systems in a more flexible
cash. I have no revenue. I want to keep So those are the three aspects that manner and about $30 billion in Medi-
my people. I want to try to keep the help workers, that help small busi- care payment increases for hospitals
doors open. You have got to give us nesses, and that help with regard to all that are directly treating patients with
some help. businesses. And then, finally, and I coronavirus. This is what they are ask-
As I said before, the best way to pro- think most importantly, perhaps, in ing for.
tect workers and get our economy back this legislation is funding and policy Finally, we have a couple of key pro-
up and running is to enable employers changes to slow the spread of the virus. posals that we championed over the
to keep paying their employees. This Frankly, as I view this, this is to buy years to support people with disabil-
new program for small- and medium- time. It is to buy time for us to in- ities, particularly in institutional set-
sized businesses does just that. crease the capacity of our healthcare tings that are at increased risk of con-
For businesses that might not be eli- system. This phase 3 package ensures tracting the virus. That is in this legis-
gible for these SBA loans, the phase 3 that the men and women who are on lation. We have the Money Follows the
stimulus helps provide immediate li- the frontlines of this epidemic every Person Program, which supports
quidity through a number of different day get more support. It increases transitioning Medicaid beneficiaries
ways. These are larger businesses—say, funding, which we have already in- from dangerous settings—which some
over 500 employees. One is through the creased once, but an additional $4.5 bil- of them are in where there is a lot of
Tax Code. Specifically, our bill in- lion for the Centers for Disease Con- activity—into home-based, long-term
cludes provisions that allow businesses trol. Of that $4.5 billion, $1.5 billion of care. That is important too.
to put cash in the hands of companies it has to go to the States. This is going As I said earlier, these are excep-
so they can keep their workers em- to ensure we can continue to monitor tional times. Not since the influenza
ployed and be ready to get back and and respond to this virus as this pan- epidemic of 1918, 102 years ago, has the
running when the crisis is over. demic continues. United States of America been so swept
By the way, these tax incentives are I think this is incredibly important. up by a healthcare crisis like this. I am
things like not having to pay the em- It also sends more money out to ensure pleased with some of the steps we have
ployer side of the payroll taxes—the that we can get these antiviral thera- taken so far at the Federal level to re-
6.2-percent FICA tax. That is incred- pies going. Think of Tamiflu for influ- spond to this pandemic. We talked
ibly important to these businesses. enza, something that is key to dealing about them tonight.
They told us that—give us a break on with this crisis as we begin to turn We have phase 1, $8.3 billion focused
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
that for this year, 2020, and we can things around and is going to be having on healthcare; phase 2, beginning the
keep more people, and we can keep our an ability to keep people healthier process of helping workers and helping
doors open. That is probably the big- should they contract the virus. people get back to work and helping
gest single one here. To me, maybe the most important healthcare more; and now phase 3,
But guess what. In 2021 and 2022, they parts of this legislation—because I be- which is an unprecedented amount of
have to pay that back. So the best part lieve in order to get our great country support from American taxpayers to
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S1906 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
ensure we can get people through this, our duty station. Yet, if we cannot be the comments of the Democratic lead-
help them weather the storm. here, we still need to be able to do it er, Senator SCHUMER, they were posi-
And, again, these are Republican remotely. And with the technology tive. He really, I felt, gave me the im-
ideas and Democratic ideas through a that we now have, we have the ability pression that even in the last several
process where we had four task forces to do that, as my colleague from Illi- hours, there have been some steps for-
that were bipartisan. We worked long nois said, in a safe and secure way. So ward.
hours. I was part of one of those task I thank him for his advocacy of this. There are key elements that still
forces. Now we need to get this legisla- My hope is that we can have this as a need be resolved, but I feel confident
tion passed. The American people de- possibility, should we not be able to that we can reach that point, and we
serve it. They deserve a Congress that gather. must.
does everything in its power to mini- I think what has happened in the last The first and highest priority from
mize the damage caused by the several hours, as we learned about our our side of the aisle, we share. He said
coronavirus. colleagues who are self-quarantining, it. We all would say it. We have to slow
So let’s put the partisanship aside. one who tested positive, as I under- down and stop the spread of COVID–19
Let’s get to a vote on this package as stand it, it is very important that we in the United States of America. Un-
soon as possible, not 24 hours. Let’s do have that ability. So I thank my col- less and until we do that, there is noth-
it now. Let’s do it now. We owe that to league. ing that we can do to repair and re-
the people we represent. I yield back. store this economy that has any prom-
I yield the floor. Mr. DURBIN. I thank the Senator ise. We have to reach the point where
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- from Ohio. we have crested and start to see a de-
ator from Illinois. This is a bipartisan issue, as it cline in infections in our country so
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, before should be. It affects both sides of the that we can start envisioning the mo-
my colleague from the State of Ohio aisle. We are all vulnerable, and if we ment when we can get back to business
leaves, I would like to note one issue can find a practical solution which re-
in America. That moment couldn’t
that he did not raise, which we have in spects the integrity of the voting proc-
come any time too soon for me or for
common, and that is the issue of votes ess of the U.S. Senate, let’s do that.
on the floor of the U.S. Senate in times As we have drawn it up in the ear- all of us across the United States.
That is why we sent a Marshall
of national emergency. liest version, it has to be agreed to by
Senator PORTMAN and I have cospon- Plan—that is what Senator SCHUMER
both leaders, Democratic and Repub-
sored legislation to address this issue, kept referring to. A Marshall Plan for
lican, to go forward and do it for 30
acknowledging in our introduction of it healthcare and hospitals was our high-
days at a time, renewable for another
a few days ago, that when we face 30 days, with a vote of three-fifths of est priority.
something, as we did this evening, I will concede the bill that he has de-
the Members to go forward an addi-
where five of our Senate colleagues scribed has substantial resources, but I
tional 30 days. So this is not a perma-
were unable to come to the floor of the must add, from my point of view, just
nent change, but it is a change that
Senate and vote because they are self- listening to my hospital administra-
may be necessary if we face a public
quarantining at this moment, this health emergency or a terrorist threat, tors in Illinois, that it is not enough. It
could grow. Let’s be very honest about God forbid, or something of that na- isn’t going to be enough. We are going
it. The numbers could grow to a point ture. So I thank the Senator from to quickly see our healthcare system
where it could reach an extreme where Ohio. overwhelmed if we don’t invest now
there is a question of an actual quorum I know he is prepared to depart. I and invest dramatically.
for the Senate. What Senator PORTMAN thank him not only for his remarks but Many of these hospitals in my State
of Ohio, a Republican Senator, and I the tone of his remarks because what I have said to me—and they said it pub-
have introduced with him on the sensed from the Senator from Ohio was licly, as well—that their revenue
Democratic side, is an effort to estab- a genuine feeling that we can achieve sources, primarily outpatient treat-
lish a verifiable technology procedure this goal of coming up with this crit- ment and elective surgery, have been
so that once the decision is made that ical third piece of legislation and do it pushed aside because so many patients
we are in a time of emergency, that with both sides of the aisle working to- are coming through the emergency
Members could vote and not be phys- gether. room door complaining of symptoms
ically present on the floor of the Sen- The American public has a very low that are consistent with COVID–19.
ate. opinion of those of us who serve in Con- They have to take them as a priority,
If you notice tonight on my side and gress, as much as we respect the insti- and they can’t schedule elective sur-
even on his side, there are some Mem- tutions—and many of us have given so geries. So the revenues coming to
bers who came to the floor quickly and many years of our lives to—but I think many of these hospitals—not just in
left. They are genuinely concerned they have been pleasantly surprised in Chicago but across the State—have
about social distancing and about con- the first two measures that we passed. been compromised.
tagion. I understand that very much. I They were done on a timely basis, and So from a financial viewpoint, let’s
share that concern. they were done on a bipartisan basis. make sure that this third bill we are
So I would just say to my friend from So when we addressed the issue of the debating puts an adequate amount of
Ohio, that we are certainly not going resources to fight this COVID–19, when money in for these hospitals. They are
to call this measure, but I hope we call we talked about providing free testing our first line of defense against the
it soon. It is time for us to have this and medical leave and unemployment spread of this virus across America. I
conversation about how to protect insurance being accelerated and food think we all agree that should be done.
Members and their families, staff and and Medicaid reimbursement to States, I continue to be frustrated—and I
their families, in the way that we vote it was done quickly, and it was done know my Governor, J.B. Pritzker,
on the floor of the Senate when we are with both the House and Senate to- shares this frustration—that all of the
facing a public health crisis, such as gether on a bipartisan basis. I think promises and all of the press con-
the one we have at this moment. that should be the standard. ferences that the White House and
I will be happy to yield for a ques- I am sorry we stumbled today. I wish other people are having about all of the
tion. the Senator from Kentucky, the major- testing kits and all of the equipment
Mr. PORTMAN. I say to the Senator, ity leader, would have withheld calling headed our way have not borne fruit.
I appreciate your yielding for a ques- this vote this evening because I do be- We just don’t see it. We are waiting for
tion. It is not really a question but a lieve that there are serious negotia- evidence of it.
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
comment to thank you for your sup- tions underway, even as we meet here We are not testing nearly enough
port of this on the other side of the on the floor. In another part of this people in our State. A State of 17.7 mil-
aisle. This is a bipartisan effort to en- building, those conversations are tak- lion people is a State that needs more
sure that we can be able to do our duty. ing place. than 350 tests a month. So what we
As the legislative branch, article I, I have heard a lot of speeches on the need to do is to make sure we do this
we have responsibilities here. This is floor, and if you listened carefully to and have the testing kits available so
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1907
we can map the increase or decrease in good faith on both sides of the table, it whether or not we were going to get on
infections, and we can chart, specifi- will be. If it is truly bipartisan, I be- the bill—a bill that is desperately
cally, the spread of the disease in our lieve we can reach the goal that we are needed by our country right now, and I
State, which I hope is moderated very, all seeking. would argue that the American people
very soon. Let’s get this done. Let’s restore the are looking to us for action. And,
As for the protective equipment, we confidence of the American people in frankly, as I said, we just don’t have
have people who are volunteering to Congress that we can act on a bipar- the luxury of time.
make masks at home, we are so des- tisan basis and on a timely basis to re- The Democratic leader got up earlier
perate to supply the needs of protective spond quickly to what is one of the and said that this is a partisan bill.
equipment at all levels. It is not nearly greatest challenges I have ever lived That is just false. That is just flatly
enough, and it needs to be done. through in this Nation. untrue.
Let me also speak for a moment The American people in our neigh- This has been negotiated for the past
about the role of the Speaker in this. I borhoods, towns, and cities across few days now between Democrats and
listened to the Republican Senate lead- America are proving every day that Republicans. Leader MCCONNELL ap-
er speak in somewhat questionable they have the courage and determina- pointed several task forces, and the
terms, to be kind, about the role of tion to see their way through this chal- Democratic leader appointed represent-
Speaker PELOSI in this conversation lenge—first and foremost, our atives from his side to serve on those
about this third bill. I must say, it is healthcare workers, God bless them, at task forces. They have been negoti-
pretty obvious that if we are going to every level. ating elements of this bill now for the
pass this measure and do it with dis- The doctors, the nurses, the labora- past few days. Frankly, what you see,
patch, we need to have cooperation on tory technicians, and those working the legislation in front of us, reflects
both sides of the Rotunda, not just a with our elderly, they are risking their that work.
bill that is acceptable to the Senate lives every day in their mission to deal There is a tremendous amount of bi-
but to the House as well. So when with this crisis. We should do no less partisan content in this bill. The
Speaker PELOSI comes to the table, it when it comes to our responsibility Democrats had ample opportunity to
is important that she be there, along here in the U.S. Senate. make their case and to try to get
with Leader MCCARTHY and the House And a word about our first respond- things included that they said they
Republican leadership, so that all four ers, whether it is the police, the fire- wanted.
Just to sort of highlight, again, what
corners are represented. fighters, or those in the medical profes-
the Democrats said their priorities
That is exactly what Senator SCHU- sions, they, too, are doing their jobs,
were in this legislation—phase 3, if you
MER suggested at the earliest stages; regardless of the threat to them per-
will—it was about workers. It was
that we have the four corners of leader- sonally. So, in that spirit, we should
about small businesses. It was about
ship come together with representa- resolve this matter and resolve it
unemployment insurance. They call it
tives of the White House and reach a quickly. I believe we can do it.
unemployment insurance on steroids.
truly bipartisan agreement that way. I believe there is a feeling of good
It was about hospitals. I have to say
So the fact that Speaker PELOSI is in- will and determination on both sides of
that I see in this piece of legislation all
terested—she should be. She should be the aisle here in the U.S. Senate. I
of that. What they just voted to even
more than interested. She should be at hope that it can even be accomplished debate includes all of those elements.
the table and involved in making the this evening. In fact, if you look at what this bill
decision on this. I stand by what Senator SCHUMER includes, if you are talking about pro-
Let me tell you that cash payments said earlier. There is a light at the end viding help to families and people who
are important. We have never opposed of this tunnel. Let’s try to pursue it, really need it in this country imme-
them. We have said that we want to ex- both parties, and get it done as quickly diately—$1,200 checks to individual
tend unemployment insurance. There as possible. taxpayers, $2,400 to a couple who file
is a proposal for that. The duration of I yield the floor. jointly, and that runs through income
this extension is important to our side. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sen- levels all the way up. If you are a sin-
It is a critical element, which I hope ior Senator from South Dakota. gle taxpayer, $75,000. It phases out at
we can quickly reach an agreement on. Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, we don’t about $99,000 for couples filing jointly
When it comes to the 7(a) loans that have the luxury of time here, and I and $150,000—it phases out after that.
are going to be made to small busi- think we all know that. Certainly, the And then $500 for each child in this
nesses, Senator RUBIO and Senator American people know it. They can see country.
CARDIN have worked on this for a long it sort of just unfolding right in front That was something that was a pri-
time. I think they are very close to a of them. ority for both sides. Democrats wanted
bipartisan measure that we can agree We have small businesses that are to have that in this legislation, and
on. shutting down, which, of course, affects there were many Republicans who did
The phase 3 effort that Senator MARK the people who work there. We have as well. The President said it was
WARNER and others have focused on healthcare systems that have tremen- something that he supported. So that
really takes into account certain cor- dous needs, and obviously they are on was a bipartisan priority that ended up
porations with more than 500 employ- the frontlines of fighting the in this legislation and will bring imme-
ees who definitely need a helping hand. coronavirus. diate relief and get dollars back in the
When it comes to the largest corpora- We continue to try to make progress hands of American families to enable
tions, I hope you can understand the on a piece of legislation that really them to deal with their daily needs
reservations which some of us have. We should have been proceeded to today. and, as best they can, with the crisis
want to make certain that the money The vote we had earlier today was a that we have unfolding in front of us.
going to these corporations isn’t paid procedural vote. It was, basically, are Then you had, of course, a priority—
out in dividends or in stock buybacks we going to get on the bill. And what a huge priority—for the Democrats,
so that someone ends up getting rich at you saw was the Democrats object to which was the so-called UI on steroids,
the expense of a truly bipartisan effort even getting on the bill. the unemployment insurance program.
to help the workers at those corpora- Now, obviously, as the leader pointed I have to say that my colleague from
tions, which are our highest priority. out, once you are on the bill, you have Ohio, Senator PORTMAN, did a terrific
We can have restrictions so that these 30 hours, if you choose to use it, in job of laying out all the elements of
moneys are not abused and misused, which to continue to discuss and de- this legislation, but, as he mentioned,
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
and I hope we can do that as part of bate. And if there are things that they unemployment insurance was a big pri-
this agreement. are continuing to work on, certainly, ority for the Democrats.
Let me close by saying that I do be- they can have the opportunity to do Well, there is a big commitment to
lieve we could close this deal. I don’t that. plussing up, topping off, the unemploy-
know that it can be done tonight. I But the vote today, which you saw ment accounts that the States main-
pray it will be. If there are people of the Democrats oppose, was simply tain—$600 per week for 3 months into
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S1908 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
those unemployment accounts. So if flow, that need liquidity, and, obvi- really critical to caring for a critical
you are unemployed in this country ously, those are loans that would be group of people in this country, those
and you go down to the unemployment paid back. So I don’t know how you who have defended and fought for our
office in your State, what you would can argue something is a bailout when freedoms.
normally receive in terms of a benefit people are getting loans—businesses Eleven billion dollars for vaccines,
would be increased by $600 per week, are getting loans—that ultimately therapeutics, diagnostics, and other
per person, for 3 months. have to be paid back. But that is a pro- preparedness needs—in other words, all
That was a huge priority for the vision in the bill. those things that we hear talked about,
Democrats and one that Republicans, But if you don’t have that in there, a in addition to gloves and masks and
as well, believed was important. So we lot of those businesses that, through no ventilators, and those sorts of things,
have not only the checks going out im- fault of their own, have been shuttered but also the money going into vac-
mediately that will benefit families, or asked to shut down—and I can use cines. Ultimately, the way we are
but we also have now an unemploy- some good examples, notable examples. going to beat this is we have got to
ment insurance program delivered The airlines, basically, are not oper- have a vaccine. So there is $11 billion
through the States that will provide ating—10 percent, maybe 20 percent, in there for that.
assistance to those who have lost jobs. but more likely, from what I am hear- There is $4.5 billion for the Centers
Then, of course, we had another pri- ing, 10 percent of their normal loads. for Disease Control, which was also
ority that the Democrats mentioned, They are going to have huge hits to plussed up significantly in the last two
which was that they wanted to provide their balance sheets. And there are bills that we passed. The one most re-
assistance—much needed assistance— other companies like those across this cently, earlier this week, had signifi-
to small businesses. If you look at country right now that are feeling a cant additional resources in there for
what is in this bill for small businesses, tremendous amount of economic harm. the CDC.
there is basically a loan program oper- The reason that is important is be- There is $1.7 billion for the Strategic
ated under the Small Business Admin- cause those people, those companies, National Stockpile.
istration in which participating lend- those businesses employ thousands— Twelve billion dollars for America’s
ers, which could include commercial millions—of workers across this coun- military, which I think we all agree is
banks, community banks, and credit try, and if we want to keep people em- a priority for everyone here. National
unions, as mentioned earlier, where ployed in this country, we have to keep security is always an issue that we pay
small businesses could go to get those businesses functioning and oper- a lot of attention to, particularly in
loans—100 percent guaranteed—which, ating in a way that will enable them to the time of crisis.
if used to pay payroll, if used to keep continue to make payroll. So, yes, Ten billion dollars for block grants
their employees employed over this pe- there is a provision in there that helps to States, just directly block grants to
riod, would be forgiven at the end, to businesses sort of get liquidity—a loan, States.
the total tune of about $350 billion if you will; capital, if you will—that Twelve billion dollars for K–12 edu-
total as part of this package. That is will bridge to, hopefully, a better time. cation and another $6 billion for higher
what it adds up to. But those loans, eventually, obviously education.
That, again, is a benefit that would would be paid back. Five billion dollars for the FEMA
go out for the next 8 weeks to small The Democrats were very insistent Disaster Relief Fund.
businesses and, if used to keep their that there not be any corporate bail- Ten billion dollars for airports—and,
employees employed—in other words, outs, not any bailouts for big busi- obviously, airports are very much im-
to keep them connected to their jobs, nesses, and I don’t know how you could pacted by this complete drop-off when
in hopes that, when this thing passes, argue that what this includes is a bail- it comes to air traffic in this country.
those jobs will still be there. So that is out for big businesses. There is simply Twenty billion dollars for public
$350 billion there—$300 billion for a mechanism—a credit facility, as it is transportation emergency relief.
checks that would go out to families, referred to—that would enable busi- That adds up to $242 billion, on top of
as I said earlier, and $250 billion to plus nesses to have access to loans that all the things that I just mentioned,
up the unemployment insurance ac- they could use to keep their businesses going to things that we think are real-
counts that the States maintain. Those up and operating. ly strategic when it comes to defeating
are all benefits that will go out to So those are just a few of the fea- this virus and combating it and mak-
workers in this country—to employ- tures in the legislation that was just ing sure that those resources are avail-
ees—to keep people afloat, if you will, voted down—or even whether or not to able to those who are on the frontlines
until we get to a better time, hope- debate it or not was voted down—by and doing that.
fully, not too far ahead of us. the Democrats. So, all told, of that $242 billion, 75
So those were all priorities that both I want to mention one last thing here percent—or $186 billion—goes through
sides had, and that is just what Demo- that the Democrats also voted against, the States. The Democrats have said:
crats voted against when we had the even debated when they came out here We need more money for the States; we
vote earlier about whether even to get and all voted against this. There is a need more money for the States. Well,
on the bill, whether to debate the bill. significant amount of money going to this is a pretty significant amount, I
They voted no. They voted no en bloc. those entities that we know are on the would think: $186 billion out of the $242
You saw, shortly after that, a signifi- frontlines of fighting this virus. We billion that I just described runs
cant drop in the futures market. I have all said that the best way to get through the States.
think the markets, in addition to the the economy back on track, the best So there is a tremendous amount of
American people, are looking to us to way to see things restored to normal in support for those who are on the
provide confidence, to provide a shot in this country, is to defeat the virus. frontlines trying to fight and defeat
the arm, to suggest that we get what is Well, there are significant resources in this coronavirus.
at stake and how important it is that this legislation that are designed just So I just point all that out to say,
we respond not only swiftly but in a to do that: again, that it is a complete misnomer
bold and big way. Seventy-five billion dollars going to to say, as the Democratic leader did
So those are just a few of the things hospitals and another $20 or $25 billion earlier, that this was a partisan bill.
that were included in there that are that will go to hospitals through other This is a bipartisan bill. I participated
Democrat priorities and represent the programs, a mandatory part of the in one of those working groups, and I
work of a bipartisan task force. spending. This comes through the ap- sat across from my Democrat counter-
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
Now, the Democrats have argued propriations bill. So these are discre- part—or, at times, more than one—and
that perhaps there is too much in here tionary funds. So there is about $100 with staffs, and we came to the table
in the form of bailouts. Well, there is a billion in there for hospitals. with a set of priorities, and they came
provision in here, through the Federal Twenty billion dollars for veterans to the table with a set of priorities.
Reserve, that would allow loans to be healthcare. Of course, veterans hos- What this represents is not every-
made to companies that need cash pitals and healthcare facilities are thing they wanted, and it is probably
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1909
not everything we wanted but the kicked it up to the Democratic leader basis and said: No, these must be loans.
things that we could find that we could and the majority leader to be ham- Once the airlines get back on their feet
agree upon. So this was a very bipar- mered out, perhaps in consultation and once this coronavirus outbreak has
tisan process which incorporated the with the administration. subsided, they will be in good shape
ideas of both Republicans and Demo- But, far and away, most of this legis- again, and they will be able to pay it
crats. lation is bipartisan in nature, and it back—with market interest rates, just
It is truly unfortunate—frankly, sad, just pains me for, somehow, the accu- like any other business that has to
a sad day, I would argue, here in the sation to be made that this is nothing take out a loan. But we have to get
U.S. Senate—for our country that the but a partisan bill written by the Re- this money to them in a hurry.
Democrats opted just a moment ago to publican leader. So I object and had to come down
vote not even to get on this bill, not What is this about? The American here and say that perhaps they are con-
even to proceed to it, to give us the op- people need to understand this. This is fused, perhaps they haven’t read the
portunity to continue that discussion about getting money to average work- bill, as I have. But it makes available
and that debate. ers so they can pay their bills and so loans to the airline industry and to
They indicated that there are still they can stay employed. It involves en- other related industries that are crit-
discussions going on. I hope that is the hanced and lengthened unemployment ical to national security.
case because—I have said this before— insurance, and it is a provision given to If I might, let me read a sentence or
we don’t have the luxury of time. We us and designed and conceived by our two from the bill itself. This is bill lan-
need action. We need action now—not Democratic friends. We felt it was guage that I am quoting: ‘‘The Sec-
later, now. worth doing, and we put it in the bill. retary may enter into agreements to
The American people need to see re- Also, as the distinguished Senator make loans or loan guarantees to 1 or
lief. They need to see confidence in from South Dakota said, there is $350 more eligible businesses.’’
their elected leaders and a willingness billion for small businesses to keep The applicant must be a business for
to work in a bipartisan way on a solu- workers from ever being unemployed in which credit is not reasonably avail-
tion, perhaps many solutions—hope- the first place, to keep them on the able. They can go out and borrow
fully, included in this legislation—to job. This could happen as early as this money from banks. This doesn’t apply
the challenges that they are facing in coming week. They would be able to to them. But our airlines are going to
their everyday lives. use this money to pay the salaries, and need more money than that. This says
So I will say it is unfortunate we are those people would never have to go on that they must be paid back.
‘‘[T]he loan or loan guarantee is suf-
not going to be on this bill right now. unemployment insurance because they
ficiently secured.’’
I hope and pray—for the sake of our can still be on the job. Again, I am reading from bill lan-
country and for the people who are not That is what is in this bill. That is
guage.
only suffering from the coronavirus but what we need to get to a conclusion ‘‘[T]he duration of the loan or loan
those who have loved ones and those about and send over to the House of guarantee is as short as practicable.’’
who are exposed to it, those who are Representatives tomorrow morning. My friend from Illinois—I appreciate
caring for them, but also for every Of course it involves checks from the the tone that he and my friend from
worker, every small business in this government, massive checks—a mas- Ohio used in their exchange just a few
country—that the Democrats would re- sive amount of checks to middle-in- moments ago. I do think there is a real
consider and allow us to get on this come Americans to just give them a possibility that minds of good will can
legislation and move forward in a bi- little something in their accounts so come to an agreement tonight. The re-
partisan way on a bipartisan bill, they can pay the bills in response to alities on the ground in our country de-
which they helped fashion, which they this economic downturn that we have mand that and cry for it. But again, I
helped craft, and that is critical to the had. It involves loans to keep Ameri- must take issue with my friend from Il-
challenges that we are facing in the cans working. This is something that I, linois saying that there were no re-
days and weeks ahead so small busi- in particular, was working on with my strictions on the loans that we are giv-
nesses will have an opportunity to re- Republican colleagues and with Demo- ing to the airline industries that we
ceive a cash infusion. crats in this working group. are going to allow the Secretary of the
I yield the floor. The airline business in this country Treasury to give.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sen- is about to shut down. Passenger rates He mentioned specifically that we
ior Senator from Mississippi. are single digits. They can’t stay afloat need to prohibit stock buybacks. These
Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, the Sen- with this. It pains me to hear our solu- airline companies are going to get
ator from South Dakota has said it tion to this problem to keep airline these loans. We need to have a provi-
well, and I just want to come down workers working described by my sion in the law that prohibits stock
here today to echo that we have had so Democratic friends as a bailout. That buybacks.
many misstatements made by people is what would happen if we were just As a matter of fact, that is in the bill
on the other side of the aisle this after- going to hand over cash to the airlines that we wanted to take up and were un-
noon and this evening that I just think to keep them afloat, but that is not able to get the requisite number of
it cries out for explanations. what we are doing. votes for just an hour or so ago. In the
Senator THUNE is correct. This is a What we are doing is offering to pay bill, we prohibit loans from being used
bipartisan bill that we are asking for loans—quick loans—to the airlines by the company to buy back their
consideration on, that we are asking companies so they can continue to pay stock.
that a vote be taken so that we can their employees and keep them on the Here is bill language: ‘‘(E) except to
have the final 30 hours of debate and job and not put them on the unemploy- the extent required under a contrac-
get to it tomorrow. ment rolls. tual obligation in effect as of the date
America is crying out for this. The fi- These loans would be made at market of enactment of this Act, the agree-
nancial markets are watching this. Our rates. There would be no loan forgive- ment prohibits the eligible business
economy is teetering on the brink. We ness, and they must be paid back—not from repurchasing any outstanding eq-
need to get this done. a grant, not a bailout. It is offensive to uity interests while the loan or loan
I, too, was in one of the working me to hear some of my friends, who guarantee is outstanding.’’
groups, and we had equal numbers of perhaps have not read the bill and are So no corporate buybacks—we have
Democratic and Republican Senators not as thoroughly versed on its provi- answered one of the concerns the
in this working group, with their sions as we who actually wrote the bill Democratic whip mentioned in his re-
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
staffs, with their laptops. And much of are, describe this as a bailout for cor- marks. None of this money can go to
what is in the bill was hammered out porate America. Nothing could be fur- increase executive salaries. It must be
with the input of Democratic and Re- ther from the truth. repaid, and it must be repaid with in-
publican members of this working There were some people asking us to terest. Our bill has explicit prohibi-
group. There were a few issues, yes, make grants to the big airline compa- tions against any loan forgiveness for
that we couldn’t resolve, and so we nies. We rejected that on a bipartisan any of the loans in this entire section.
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S1910 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
This is hardly a bailout. We are offer- stand what we are doing. Understand have a $425 billion—billion—fund that
ing a lifeline. Again, this bipartisan that this is to get money to workers has total discretion of the Secretary of
language hammered out by Repub- who need to stay on the job. This is a the Treasury with no guardrails, no
licans and Democrats offers a lifeline bill to get unemployment benefits to guarantees for workers, no guarantees
to critical companies that would prob- workers who are already off the job and that, despite how much money we
ably not survive. We do it by providing an injection of cash into our economy spend and give to large corporate enti-
carefully crafted and restricted loans and a prop-up on a loan basis with in- ties, they will not guarantee the well-
to protect the taxpayers. terest to be repaid to keep the airlines being of workers, then something is
Without these loans being available and related business float. wrong.
in the very next few days, some of I hope we pass it. I know Americans I have been through September 11,
these companies will file bankruptcy. are hoping and praying for this to- and I have been through Superstorm
Many thousands of these employees night. Perhaps by the early light of Sandy in New Jersey and the North-
will lose their jobs. We are trying to morning, we will have good news on east, and I have never seen anything
pass this bill to keep that from hap- this. like this. I also remember the errors we
pening—128,000 workers in one com- I yield the floor. made after the great recession on the
pany; 92,000 workers in another com- I suggest the absence of a quorum. TARP and other related programs. In
pany; 79,000 workers in yet another. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The our desire to overwhelmingly respond—
I say to my friends: Let’s negotiate clerk will call the roll. we still have that desire today—there
these last few details and get this done, The senior assistant legislative clerk were great mistakes made.
but don’t misrepresent this as a big proceeded to call the roll. How many times are we going to get
giveaway to corporate America. This is Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask a shot at a trillion-dollar-plus pro-
designed to help average Americans unanimous consent that the order for gram? We need to not only have a sense
who are suffering and threatened with the quorum call be rescinded. of urgency, but we need to get it right
the loss of their jobs. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without in order to affect the well-being of the
The majority whip mentioned the ap- objection, it is so ordered. American people in their health, in
propriations portion of this. Again, Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I their economic well-being, and in the
this is money that is needed. Ameri- come to the floor because I have been future economic well-being of the Na-
cans need to know what is in the dis- listening for the better part of well tion. This rush, in a way that doesn’t
cretionary appropriated part of this over an hour as my colleagues talk get it right, is dangerous because I
bill. about the vote we had a little earlier don’t know how many trillion-plus
Let me just tell you, more than 75 and why it didn’t pass and why, from packages we are going to have.
percent of it—$186 billion of the total— their perspective, it should have. When I look at the language in this
will go to State and local governments Let me start off by saying that there present legislation, my God, it is
to help them get over the hump in this is a sense of urgency, but there is also shameful. It is shameful that, in the
terrible crisis. a sense of getting it right and getting midst of a pandemic, the ideological
I have been contacted by officials our priorities right. The wealth of the views are seeking to be incorporated in
from State and local governments, and Nation will improve only when the a way that has nothing to do with deal-
I told them that this bill has $186 bil- health of the Nation improves. This ing with COVID–19—nothing. The de-
lion to help them get through this cri- package, as presently designed, falls nial of certain health groups to be able
sis. I thought I was going to be able to far short of what is necessary to make to access funding at a critical time in
tell them that this would be enacted in the health of the Nation whole. We our country has nothing to do with
the next day or two. Unfortunately, I need a surge at the end of the day to COVID–19.
This bill has a $425 billion slush fund
was a little overly optimistic on that. ensure that, in fact, we can have the
with which, basically, the Secretary of
There is $186 billion for State and local frontlines—the hospitals, the medical
the Treasury can say: I like you; you
governments; $75 billion for hospitals— workers, nurses, all of those—be able
get this. I don’t like you; you get noth-
clearly they need it—$20 billion for the to achieve the most fundamental goal,
ing.
Veterans Administration; $11 billion which is to make the American people There is no transparency—no way for
for vaccines, therapeutic, diagnostics, safe from this virus. This, in the first the Congress to know. Six months after
and other preparedness needs. and foremost instance, is a fight you give a loan is when we might fi-
If there are larger needs, come and against COVID–19. It is first and fore- nally find out. That is unacceptable.
tell us that, and we will work with peo- most because if we do not get the We have to know, when we are making
ple. This is a generous bill—$4.5 billion health of the Nation right, we will not these investments, that they protect
for the Centers for Disease Control, $1.7 get the wealth of the Nation right, no workers and that we are not going to
billion for the Strategic National matter how much money we spend. have all this money, in part, be used
Stockpile, $12 billion to assist the mili- There is a lot of talk here about mar- for stock buybacks; that we are not
tary in addressing this coronavirus, $12 kets. I have heard for the better half of going to see corporate executives have
million for K–12 education, $6 billion the last hour-plus about markets. The big increases in their salaries and bene-
for higher education, $5 billion for markets are important; I don’t under- fits. That is not what the American
FEMA disaster relief funds. There is estimate that. Yet what is really im- people’s taxpayer money is for. That is
$10 billion in it for airports—my col- portant is the health of the American why there were votes against pro-
leagues have heard from airports—and people because when they are healthy, ceeding—because we have to get it
$20 billion for public transportation. we will prosper, but when they are not, right.
This is an injection of appropriated we will not prosper. When we meet the We have to get it right. How is it
money to keep this economy going challenge of the pandemic, we will that there are no provisions in the
until this virus subsides. It is an injec- prosper. When we don’t meet the chal- present bill for foreclosures or evic-
tion of loan money through some large lenge of the pandemic, we will not tions? People are going to face unprec-
businesses and an opportunity, also, for prosper. It is very simple. edented consequences, not because of
the Federal Reserve within their dis- First and foremost, this is about hav- their own making, not of moral hazard.
cretion, under a program that has been ing a robust figure for the hospitals They are fired; they are left without
established for decades and decades, to and health frontline workers. This any money. Are we going to evict them
loan money not only to big companies package, as it presently is devised, from their homes? Does that serve the
but medium-sized companies and small fails to do so. public health in the midst of a pan-
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
companies under a Federal Reserve Secondly, this is about making sure demic? No. There are no consequences
program, commonly known as section that not just big corporations get the for that.
13, subparagraph 3. moneys they need, but that average How is it that we have no parameters
I will say to my colleagues: Before we working families and individuals get for how the Treasury would structure
come down here and make inaccurate the robust assistance they need to get loans? How is it that we have no work-
statements, read the bill and under- through this period of time. When you er protections to ensure that the very
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1911
essence of why we want companies to They get a pittance in this bill. How elements together. Yes, no side has a
be able to sustain themselves—and we are they, as the frontline defense, better view of how we achieve this, but
do, small, medium, and big—we want going to continue to meet this chal- both sides have critical views that are
them to sustain themselves, but we lenge? They will go bankrupt. necessary. From our perspective, this
want them to sustain themselves for How is it that there is no SNAP in- is about beating COVID–19 first. It is a
what? To be able to keep workers em- crease for the most vulnerable in our surge for our hospitals and frontline
ployed and to be able to keep the econ- society? We have never seen a down- healthcare workers. It is a surge for
omy going, not to improve simply the turn in our economy in which we have workers and for protecting individuals
bottom line. not considered SNAP as a critical ele- and families. It is a surge for small
Why is it that we can’t have solid ment of being able to feed people. So businesses and the opportunity to
stock buyback language, which could that is why I voted no. That is why I make sure they survive so that, at the
be waived under the present legislation voted no. end of the day, people can go back to
by Treasury? Why is it that, when we I am all for helping businesses have work. That is what this is all about,
do talk in this limited way in the bill the capability of ultimately surviving. and it is why I felt compelled to come
that is existing, that we are debating, I want them to survive because I want to the floor.
that we voted not to proceed on, it says their workers to be able to survive as I suggest the absence of a quorum.
worker protections to the extent pos- well. Above all, I want the American
people to get healthy, and I can’t get The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
sible or practicable, I should say—to
them healthy unless we have a Mar- clerk will call the roll.
the extent practicable? That can mean
anything. That is not a protection. shall Plan for our hospitals and pro- The senior assistant legislative clerk
Why do we have no loan trans- viders at the frontlines. I can’t solve a proceeded to call the roll.
parency? We are talking about giving problem if I don’t have the States and Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, I ask
average Americans a morsel when we municipalities able to achieve what unanimous consent that the order for
are spending billions of dollars with no they critically need as the Federal the quorum call be rescinded.
transparency whatsoever, with no Government waits. We can’t have the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
guardrails, with no conditions. That is health of the Nation unless we have a objection, it is so ordered.
simply wrong. This is a bill without surge on testing protective equipment Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, I am
warrants that can ensure that the gov- for our first line of defense and then, here because I am absolutely shocked
ernment—the government meaning the ultimately, unless those who face the at what happened on this floor a little
U.S. taxpayer—will recover its money. greatest risk under this virus have a while ago, and I am going to try to
These are simply not ways that we shot at surviving life or death with convey to my colleagues a sense of the
can—why is there no student loan for- ventilators. This bill falls short in all urgency that, I think, this moment de-
giveness, not a delay but forgiveness? of those regards. mands and that they, apparently, don’t
Why is there no direct grant assistance None of us want to vote no to pro- understand because our Democratic
to small businesses? It is great to get a ceed, but we can’t proceed to some- colleagues all voted to prevent us from
loan if you are making money, but if thing that is a false hope to the Amer- considering this legislation. So let me
you are not making money, a loan ican people. We have to do what is start with the context within which we
doesn’t do anything for you because right. What is right is to protect the are operating because it is unbeliev-
you can’t pay it back because there is health of the American people—be able able. I wouldn’t think I would need to
no revenue coming in. to beat COVID–19—and be able to stand go through this.
The small businesses are really the up individuals, families, workers, and
backbone of the Nation. They are the companies that will honor their obliga- Just to be clear, we have been in-
backbone that ultimately employs tion to workers as part of the Federal vaded by a potentially lethal species—
Americans, and we say: We are going to response to them and that will help the a virus that is infecting Americans now
give you a loan. States and municipalities in their by the tens of thousands. It is growing
That is great, but I have no income frontline challenges. That is why we in numbers every day. It is killing
coming in. I am shut down. How is it could not vote to proceed. Americans, including in my State. We
that a loan is going to ultimately be That is why there exists a precious have infected people in every single
able to help me survive so that I can moment. Every other bill started off one of our States, and the numbers are
have Americans return back to a job? I with both Houses and the leadership of growing rapidly. In response to this
need some direct grant assistance. both Houses negotiating the bills. The threat, we have been taking progres-
Who is on the frontline? I learned on first two iterations had bipartisan sup- sively more serious measures because
September 11—when I was in the other port because they were done that way. of the degree of the danger that we
body in the House of Representatives— This one was done whereby the Repub- fear—the disaster, the illness, the
that it wasn’t the Federal Government lican majority in the Senate decided, death—if we don’t try to stop this
that responded on that fateful day. It We are going to decide what we want to virus. We have gone to an extreme that
was the States; it was the local munici- see. Then we will offer it to you, and I will just candidly acknowledge that I
palities. We lost 700 citizens in New maybe we will change some things or never could have imagined.
Jersey on September 11. We triaged not. What I am talking about is, among
people from downtown Manhattan into In the midst of a pandemic, that is other things, the fact that my State of
New Jersey hospitals. It wasn’t the not the way to, ultimately, work. We Pennsylvania and many other States
Federal Government that responded; it lost nearly a week. Instead of making across America are closed. I could
was the States and local municipali- the bipartisan efforts that we could never have imagined my even putting
ties. have made nearly a week ago, we are that sentence together. My State is
How is it that you cannot be forceful pressed and have created this drama closed. What does that even mean? I
in giving a significant amount of that, if it is not done right now, there will tell you what it means. It means it
money to States and local municipali- will be a consequence. That is unac- is not legal to operate a business in
ties that are at the frontline of COVID– ceptable. We have to get this right. We Pennsylvania. It is not legal to go to
19? The Federal Government isn’t are not going to get multiple shots at work in the morning. Tomorrow morn-
there. The States are burning up enor- trillion-dollar programs. We have to ing, at 8 o’clock, there will only be a
mous amounts of money from their get this right. Ultimately, we have to very small percentage of Pennsylva-
State treasuries to do what is right by have the effect of helping the American nians who will even be allowed to go to
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
their citizens, but we are not giving people survive the critical challenges work. We have shut down the State. I
them any money. There is virtually before them. am not talking about restaurants and
nothing in this bill for that. The Na- That is what is before the Senate bars and nightclubs. I am talking
tional Governors Association—Repub- now. I hope that the minds will prevail about all businesses except those
lican and Democratic Governors—say here to work toward a bipartisan deemed essential and a very small
they need at least $150 to $200 billion. agreement that will bring all of these handful of others. I am talking about
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S1912 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 22, 2020
factories, distribution centers, ware- section sections designed also to help but they are not absolutely essential,
houses—all kinds of producers, manu- these individuals, these families, these they are not happening.
facturers, and services. Across the men and women who just can’t even go Well, that is how the hospitals pay
board, it is closed. to work. the bills, those kinds of procedures.
What does that mean? It means an One of the things we did was we made They are not happening because they
awful lot of things, but the most im- the unemployment insurance program need to keep the beds available for a
portant thing it means is that the guy much more generous. We dramatically potential surge, if it should happen, in
who wakes up tomorrow morning and increased the payments that you are coronavirus victims.
can’t go to work, what is he supposed able to get if you are unemployed be- So we recognized that with a 20-per-
to do? How is he going to support his cause we realize there are going to be cent increase virtually across the
family? It is not that he doesn’t want huge numbers of people who are not le- board for Medicare.
to get a paycheck. It is not that he gally allowed to be employed, in a way. Big expansion in telehealth. Why is
doesn’t want to go to work—he is not So several hundred dollars a week or that important? So that you can get
allowed. He is going to have no income more above and beyond what is already the professional advice you need with-
pretty soon because—guess what—the there is in this bill that our Demo- out having to show up in an office and
company that he works for is not al- cratic colleagues voted against. Sev- potentially infect a whole lot of other
lowed to have any sales. It is closed by eral hundred dollars of additional pay- people. It is a no-brainer, right?
order of the government. It is not just ments every week to someone who is A lot of money for some of the mate-
in Pennsylvania. This is in, I think, unemployed. rials that we need to do the testing,
more than half of all of our States at But that is not all we did for individ- tests themselves, money to create the
this point—more than half of the coun- uals. We recognize it is going to take a swabs that are necessary to get the
try—and the number is growing every little while for those changes to work sample to run the test, free tests—it is
day. their way through the system. So we all in the bill, the bill that our Demo-
So this guy, like almost everybody said, What is the fastest thing we can cratic colleagues voted against.
across my State—men and women—is do to get money in the hands of these And that is not all. We have $75 bil-
beside himself. They are all terrified poor folks who are wondering how they lion for hospitals in other forms above
because they know that they still have are going to make the next car pay- and beyond the 20-percent increase in
to put food on the table; that they still ment. What we did is we said we are Medicare—$75 billion. I can tell you for
have to pay the rent or a mortgage; going to send a check in the mail, that sure, every hospital in Pennsylvania
that they still have to clothe their is what we are going to do, to low- and wants that, needs that. Actually, I
kids; that they still have all of the or- middle-income wage earners, a signifi- know that is the case for hospitals all
dinary expenses of living and are not cant check. How significant? Twelve across America, but our Democratic
allowed to earn a living because of the hundred dollars per adult. So a married colleagues voted against sending $75
extreme measures we are taking to try couple would get $2,400, plus $500 for billion to our hospitals at a moment
to avoid an absolute catastrophe with any children they have. A married cou- when they desperately need it.
this disease. ple with three kids living anywhere in Eleven billion dollars for vaccines
That is why so many of us in this America who are wage earners who and treatment. Look, this is the ulti-
body have worked so hard for several have middle or low income, they get mate solution, right? When we have an
weeks now—but very, very intensively $3,900—$3,900. That is the check that ability to treat this virus so that if you
in these last few days—to try to deal would be arriving in a couple of weeks. are infected you are not really harmed
with this fact that we have a poten- If the check doesn’t get there, let me because there is a medicine that will
tially lethal threat and an economy just make it clear why. It is because take care of it, that is ultimately a
that is disappearing. I mean, literally, our Democratic colleagues voted no. really important goal.
the bottom has fallen out—it is going They voted against sending that check. But we don’t have that yet. We don’t
away—and that is enormously dev- We thought that was important to get know what that is yet. We need to fund
astating to the people we represent. So, that in the hands of the people who the research and development of that
quite sensibly, we have said we need to need it. medicine that will turn this into a
focus on these individuals first—the But that is not all we did. We also minor nuisance rather than a threat
men and women, the families—who are, felt like we don’t really solve this prob- against our lives.
as I said, terrified and understandably. lem until we defeat the virus. We have And how about vaccines? One day we
So what did we do? a healthcare issue at the heart of this. will have a vaccine. I want that day
Last week, we passed a bill that went We recognize that. So we have all kinds really, really soon. So we have got $11
right at, first and foremost, the people of provisions in this bill, and many of billion in this bill to accelerate the de-
most directly affected by this. Paid the provisions were priorities of our velopment of therapies and vaccines.
medical leave at full salary for a cou- Democratic colleagues because this That would be the bill that our Demo-
ple weeks, paid leave thereafter, paid was a bipartisan process from the be- cratic colleagues voted no on earlier
family leave if you are looking after ginning, they know that, like the plan today.
someone who is affected by this, in- to boost unemployment insurance. Five billion dollars for the FEMA
cluding if it is your kids because they By the way, not just the payments Disaster Relief Fund because they have
can’t go to school because the schools were increased, but we expanded eligi- all kinds of expenses they are incurring
are also closed. bility. We allowed people to qualify for as they try to address this.
But that wasn’t all we did. We also unemployment insurance who, in the Ten billion dollars to keep our air-
bumped up the Federal share of our past, have not qualified—people like ports open because they are not getting
Medicaid Program—the program that self-employed folks who historically the revenue that they normally get in
pays for healthcare for low-income and have never qualified for unemploy- the form of the taxes on the ticket be-
poor people. We increased the share ment. Under this bill, the one our cause nobody is flying. There are no
that the Federal Government would Democratic colleagues voted against, flights; there are no passengers; so
pay for that. they would have qualified. there is no revenue. But we need to
We increased food stamps. We were But as I say, we also focused on keep those airports viable for the mo-
trying to find ways, and we did, and we healthcare, and some of the things—I ment we can begin our restoration, our
passed it. It was an overwhelming bi- mean, a 20-percent increase virtually recovery. So we have $10 billion there.
partisan vote. That is done. That was across the board for Medicare pay- We have $20 billion for public transit.
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
last week. ments to hospitals. Do you know why? I have been hearing from the folks who
But we recognized that that is not Hospitals are in trouble. operate the public transit across Penn-
enough under these circumstances be- One of the reasons hospitals are in sylvania. They have the same problem
cause things just keep getting worse. trouble is they had to decide to dis- everyone else has in one form or an-
So we took up the bill that we put on continue elective procedures. So those other. They are hemorrhaging cash be-
the Senate floor today. This had huge surgeries that you would like to have cause they are trying to pay their
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March 22, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1913
workers, but they don’t have the rev- So that is what we created. The mi- and Republicans. We put them in the
enue coming in. So we have $20 billion nority leader derisively called that a bill. And then, finally, if it is a fun-
to help out with the public transit, bailout to explain his vote against this. damentally solvent business, just an
which is absolutely essential in our big This is not a bailout. It is ridiculous extension of credit for a few months, a
cities, but it is vital all across our to characterize it that way. First of loan that they have to pay back so that
country—$20 billion. They voted all, they have to pay back every dime there is a reasonable chance they will
against that. that they borrow—every dime. It is ex- still be there.
So we focused on individuals and plicit in the bill, in the law, that there This is exactly what this moment
families, first and foremost. We focused can be no forgiveness. None of this can calls for. This is what we need to do for
on what can we be doing, everything be written off. The companies that bor- our country. I am hoping our Demo-
we can—many ideas from our col- row this money have to pay back every cratic colleagues will, frankly, come to
leagues on the other side—about how dime. their senses and conclude and under-
we can improve our ability to defeat And let me stress, this is not their stand that there is no time for games
this virus. fault. OK? You are operating a business here. This is getting worse by the day.
And yet there is another thing in this somewhere in Pennsylvania, and the We have to act now. So I hope before
bill. The other thing in the bill is to Governor says: By the way, close your the clock strikes midnight tonight, we
make sure there is a job to go back to doors at 8 o’clock Monday morning, will vote in favor of cloture on the mo-
for the men and women who wake up and you don’t reopen them until I say. tion to proceed, the procedural vote
tomorrow morning and don’t have a job Now, look, I am not trying to attack that allows us to pass this bill as soon
to go do. When this finally passes, I my Governor. I understand why he is as possible.
think it would be a good idea if the doing this, but the point is, it is not f
company that has been employing possible for a business to survive. And
these folks still exists. we are seeing this manifested, this sort RECESS
Now, how is that going to happen of easy, visual view on this that some Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, I ask
when they are not allowed to have any of my colleagues have mentioned—our unanimous consent that the Senate
revenue? They are closed. Well, we financial markets because they reflect stand in recess until 10 p.m. tonight.
have developed a plan in this bill to ad- what the world thinks about the future There being no objection, the Senate,
dress this. of our economy, and it is really, really at 9 p.m., recessed until 10 p.m. and re-
So it is really kind of two compo- grim. assembled when called to order by the
nents. For small businesses, there is a Some have suggested maybe we Presiding Officer (Mr. SASSE).
program that has the effect that, at shouldn’t focus on that. That is not the f
the end of the day, the Federal Govern- focus. That just gives us a reading of
ment is going to pay for payroll for just how bad things have gotten, and it MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS
small business. That is amazing when is really bad. And when my Democratic TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019—Motion
you think about that. Nobody has ever colleagues came down here and voted To Proceed—Continued
imagined this before. The Federal Gov- against all of these programs and all of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma-
ernment is going to pay the payroll for these efforts to rescue American work- jority leader.
small businesses as long as they keep ers and families, advance our fight Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President,
their employees on the payroll. against this disease, and keep employ- well, here we are, the eyes of the Na-
The mechanism is a loan, which they ers viable, I was just shocked. I just tion are on the Senate, but, tonight,
will use to make the payments, and can’t believe that they would do that; Senate Democrats blocked coronavirus
then they don’t have to pay back the that they would come down here—and I relief from moving forward.
loan as long as they did, in fact, keep can only conclude that they don’t un- Republican and Democratic Senators
their workers on the payroll. derstand the urgency of this moment. just spent days collaborating in a bi-
So we have offered, in this bill, to I think they have to understand the partisan way with these working
pay to keep people on the payroll of nature of the disease, the severity of groups that we set up. Democratic
small business, and our Democratic the disease, what that is doing. Maybe ideas were incorporated, major changes
friends voted no. No, they didn’t want there is a lack of appreciation for the were made at their request, but, today,
that. fact that at the same time our econ- the Speaker of the House, is back in
Now, for large businesses, we took a omy is being destroyed—if they con- town after taking a week off, and
different approach. We said we can’t tinue this obstruction, and they refuse poured cold water on the whole bipar-
actually pay for the entire payroll of to let us pass this because they tisan process.
the entire American workforce that is dismissively refer to keeping alive em- Incredibly, what we witnessed a few
like 150 million people, but here is ployers as a ‘‘bailout,’’ then a lot of hours ago is Senate Democrats voting
what we can do: A big company, if it is these companies will fail, and they will to filibuster the bipartisan package
solvent, if it is a viable business, but it not come back. that they helped craft over the last two
is in a cash crunch because—have I You don’t just flip a switch and have days. It wasn’t even a vote on final pas-
mentioned they are not allowed to a company that failed, that went bank- sage. It was simply a vote to limit fur-
have sales; they are not allowed to rupt, and think you are going to turn it ther debate, after which there would
have revenue; they have no customers, back on. It doesn’t work that way. It have been 30 more hours to continue to
in many cases, if they could. Think could take years or decades to rebuild negotiate if they wanted to drag this
about the airlines; there is nobody fly- an economy, and that means how many out endlessly. After that, of course, the
ing. Think of hotels; there is nobody millions of Americans lose out on so futures market tanked in anticipation
staying in hotels. But it is all across much opportunity, on so much of life. of an ugly tomorrow based upon an ab-
the entire economy. So what we did is That is what we can’t let happen. We sence of the bipartisan agreement we
we said: Look, if you have a viable have to stop this as quickly as we can, have been seeking.
business, we are going to have a pro- and that means, I am convinced, these They voted to block, specifically,
gram where we are going to lend you three elements: focusing on individuals surge resources for hospitals, a massive
some short-term money because this who are adversely affected, and now expansion in unemployment benefits,
should not last long. You are going to that is virtually everybody. We have historic relief for small businesses to
have to pay it all back, but we want to done that. Done that massively. Un- prevent mass layoffs, direct checks for
keep you alive—this employer—so that precedented scale in this bill. Focus on millions of Americans, and expanding
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
when this is behind us and when we no killing this virus, defeating this, devel- healthcare workers’ access to the
longer have statewide shutdowns and oping the therapies, the cures, the abil- masks that they need. Even if Demo-
when we are able to go back to work ity to treat, the hospital capacity—it crats reverse course tomorrow—tomor-
and go back to producing and living is in this bill. Look, there will be more row—the vote they cast today will al-
normally, it would be really nice if to be done, but for now, this is huge, most certainly cause more Americans
these employers still exist. and we got these ideas from Democrats to lose their jobs and more seniors’
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