Crec Crec 2020 03 25 Crec 2020 03 25 Pt1 Pgs2059
Cited in: Rand Paul · Susan Collins
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March 25, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2059
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- unprecedented in living memory. Let’s staffs. The past few days have been
jority leader is recognized. stay connected and continue to col- filled with drama. The past few hours
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, laborate on the best ways to keep help- were no exception. I know a few of my
I ask unanimous consent that the clo- ing our States and our country through Republican friends still harbor reserva-
ture motion with respect to the motion this pandemic. Let’s continue to pray tions about voting for this legislation,
to proceed to H.R. 748 be withdrawn. for one another, for all of our families, but when there is a crisis of this mag-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there and for our country. nitude, the private sector cannot solve
objection? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mi- it. Individuals, even with bravery and
Without objection, it is so ordered. nority leader is recognized. valor, are not powerful enough to beat
The cloture motion was withdrawn. Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I it back. Government is the only force
f will speak for a little bit, briefly. large enough to staunch the bleeding
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS The legislation now before us is his- and begin the healing.
TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019 toric because it is meant to match a This is a time when the American
historic crisis. Our healthcare system people need their government. This is
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, what we were elected for. The oath we
is not prepared to care for the sick. Our
I ask unanimous consent that the Sen- swear to the Constitution means we
workers are without work. Our busi-
ate proceed to the immediate consider- must protect the general welfare of the
nesses cannot do business. Our fac-
ation of H.R. 748; further, that the only people. So let us marshal this govern-
tories lie idle. The gears of the Amer-
amendments in order be amendments ment into action.
ican economy have ground to a halt.
to be offered by Senator MCCONNELL, There are millions of Americans
Our country has faced immense chal-
No. 1578, and Senator SASSE, No. 1577, watching us right now at home on their
lenges before but rarely so many at the
or their designees; further, that the televisions, separated from friends and
same time.
Senate vote on the Sasse amendment Over the past few days, the Senate family, fearful for their children and
with a 60-affirmative-vote threshold for has stepped into the breach. We packed their livelihoods, unsure of when the
adoption; further, that following dis- weeks or perhaps months of legislative time will come when all of our lives
position of the Sasse amendment, the process into 5 days. Representatives may return to normal. Let us tell them
McConnell amendment, as amended, if from both sides of the aisle and both tonight that help is on the way; that
amended, be agreed to, the bill, as ends of Pennsylvania Avenue have they are not truly alone; that this
amended, be read a third time, and the forged the bipartisan agreement in country, that this Senate, that this
Senate vote on passage of the bill, as highly partisan times with very little government is here for them in a time
amended, with a 60-affirmative-vote time to spare. It has been a long, hard of dire need. This is a strange and evil
threshold for passage; finally, if passed, road with a remarkable number of disease. There is much we still don’t
that the motion to reconsider be con- twists and turns, but for the sake of know about it, and it is keeping us
sidered made and laid upon the table millions of Americans, it will be worth apart. When we pass this bill, instead
and that all rollcall votes in this series it. of hugging each other, we will wave
be 30 minutes in length. It will be worth it to save millions of from a distance.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there None of us can know when this
small businesses and tens of millions of
objection? plague will pass. The only thing we
Without objection, it is so ordered. jobs.
know for sure is that we must summon
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The It will be worth it to see that Ameri-
the same spirit that saw previous gen-
clerk will report the bill. cans who have lost their jobs through
erations through America’s darkest
The senior assistant legislative clerk no fault of their own will be able to pay
hours. Fellowship, sacrifice, fortitude,
read as follows: their rent and mortgages and put food
resilience—that is what it means to be
A bill (H.R. 748) to amend the Internal Rev- on the table because we passed the
an American. With that spirit, this Na-
enue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on greatest expansion of insurance to the
tion faced down war and depression and
high cost employer-sponsored health cov- unemployed in decades.
fear itself. I have no doubt that once
erage. It will be worth it to send gloves and
again America will ultimately prevail.
There being no objection, the Senate masks to our nurses and to our doctors. I yield the floor.
proceeded to consider the bill. It will be worth it to send ventilators The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma-
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, and beds to our hospitals and begin re- jority leader is recognized.
I ask unanimous consent that I proceed building the public health infrastruc- AMENDMENT NO. 1578
under my leader time. ture in America—a Marshall Plan in (Purpose: Providing emergency assistance
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without this new century for our medical sys- and health care response for individuals,
objection, it is so ordered. tem. families and businesses affected by the 2020
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, It will be worth it to save industries coronavirus pandemic.)
so here we are, colleagues. For the in- from the brink of collapse in order to Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President,
formation of all of our Senators, we save the jobs of hundreds of thousands I call up the substitute amendment No.
will first vote on the adoption of the of Americans in those industries. 1578 and ask that it be reported by
Sasse amendment at a 60-vote thresh- It will be worth it to put workers number.
old, and then our second and final vote first. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
will be on passage of the CARES Act, It was a long, hard road. Neither side objection, the clerk will report the
also at a 60-vote threshold. We are can be completely happy with the final amendment by number.
going to pass this bipartisan relief product, but it will be worth it. The senior assistant legislative clerk
package and send it over to the House I am damn proud of the work we did read as follows:
so they can put it on the President’s over the past few days because we put The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. MCCON-
desk. in the work. Because we tested the lim- NELL] proposes an amendment numbered
When the Senate adjourns this its of exhaustion, because we didn’t im- 1578.
evening, our next scheduled vote will mediately accept the bill drafted by (The amendment is printed in today’s
be the afternoon of Monday, April 20. only one party, the legislation before RECORD under ‘‘Text of Amendments.’’)
Of course, during this unprecedented us tonight is better—better for our The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
time for our country, the Senate is healthcare system and 65,000 Ameri- ator from Nebraska is recognized.
going to stay nimble. As always, we cans now afflicted with COVID–19, bet- AMENDMENT NO. 1577
will convene regular pro forma ses- ter for our workers, better for our Mr. SASSE. Madam President, I call
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
sions, and if circumstances require the small businesses, better for our Indian up amendment No. 1577 and ask unani-
Senate to return for a vote sooner than Tribes, better for our economy, and mous consent that it be reported by
April 20, we will provide at least 24 better for the American people. number.
hours’ notice. So I must thank my colleagues on The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Our Nation obviously is going both sides of the aisle—especially the objection, the amendment will be re-
through a kind of crisis that is totally chairs and ranking members and their ported by number.
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S2060 CORRECTION CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 25, 2020
The senior assistant legislative clerk McSally Roberts Shelby Schatz Smith Van Hollen
Moran Rounds Sullivan Schumer Stabenow Warner
read as follows: Murkowski Rubio Tillis Scott (FL) Sullivan Warren
The Senator from Nebraska [Mr. SASSE] Perdue Sasse Toomey Scott (SC) Tester Whitehouse
proposes an amendment numbered 1577 to Portman Scott (FL) Wicker Shaheen Tillis Wicker
amendment No. 1578. Risch Scott (SC) Young Shelby Toomey Wyden
Sinema Udall Young
The amendment is as follows NAYS—48
Baldwin Gillibrand Reed
NOT VOTING—4
(Purpose: To ensure that additional unem-
ployment benefits do not result in an indi- Bennet Harris Rosen Lee Romney
Blumenthal Hassan Sanders Paul Thune
vidual receiving unemployment compensa-
Booker Heinrich Schatz
tion that is more than the amount of Brown Hirono Schumer The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
wages the individual was earning prior to Cantwell Jones Shaheen BOOZMAN). On this vote the yeas are 96,
becoming unemployed.) Cardin Kaine Sinema the nays are 0. The 60 vote threshold
At the end of subtitle A of title II of divi- Carper King Smith
Casey Klobuchar Stabenow
having been achieved, the bill is
sion A, insert the following: passed.
Collins Leahy Tester
SEC. 2117. UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS MAY NOT Coons Markey Udall The bill (H.R. 748), as amended, was
EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF WAGES Cortez Masto Menendez Van Hollen
THE INDIVIDUAL WAS EARNING
passed.
Duckworth Merkley Warner
PRIOR TO BECOMING UNEMPLOYED. Durbin Murphy Warren
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
(a) PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSIST- Feinstein Murray Whitehouse ator from Alaska.
ANCE.—Notwithstanding section 2101, in no Gardner Peters Wyden f
case may the total amount of the weekly as- NOT VOTING—4
sistance applicable to an individual under MORNING BUSINESS
Lee Romney
paragraph (1) or (2) of section 2102 (including Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask
Paul Thune
the increase under section 2104) exceed the unanimous consent that the Senate be
amount of the individual’s average weekly The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under in a period of morning business.
wages for an appropriate period prior to the the previous order, the 60-vote thresh-
receipt of assistance under such section, as
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
old having not been achieved, the objection, it is so ordered.
determined by the Secretary of Labor. amendment is not agreed to.
(b) FEDERAL PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT f
The amendment (No. 1577) was re-
COMPENSATION.—Notwithstanding section
jected. CORONAVIRUS
2104, in no case may the sum of the weekly
amount described in subparagraphs (A) (reg- The amendment (No. 1578) was agreed Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, we
ular compensation) and (B) (Federal pan- to. just finished here, on the Senate floor,
demic unemployment compensation) of sec- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The some very, very important work for
tion 2104(b)(1) for an individual exceed the clerk will read the title of the bill for the people we represent and have the
amount of the individual’s average weekly the third time. privilege to serve. It is what we are
wages for which the amount described in The amendment was ordered to be
such subparagraph (A) is based. calling phase 3 of our very important
(c) PANDEMIC EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT
engrossed and the bill to be read a response to this unprecedented pan-
COMPENSATION.—Notwithstanding section third time. demic that is hitting our country, the
2107, in no case may an individual’s average The bill was read the third time. health of our country, and the eco-
weekly benefit amount described in 2107(b)(3) The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill nomic health of our Nation.
(including the increase under section 2104) having been read the third time, the So we acted. A number of us worked,
exceed the amount of the average weekly question is, Shall the bill pass? over the past week, around the clock to
wages for which the individuals’s average Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask for put this legislation together, and I
weekly benefit amount (determined without the yeas and nays.
regard to such increase) is based.
think it was a strong showing of bipar-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a tisan support.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sufficient second? I was on the floor a couple of days
question is on agreeing to the Sasse There appears to be a sufficient sec- ago saying that what we needed to do
amendment. ond. were four key things: Put cash directly
Mr. SASSE. I ask for the yeas and The clerk will call the roll. in the hands of hurting families in
nays. Mr. BARRASSO. The following Sen- Alaska and throughout the country;
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a ators are necessarily absent: the Sen- deliver rapid relief to small businesses
sufficient second? ator from Utah (Mr. LEE), the Senator that are being crushed by this pan-
There appears to be a sufficient sec- from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL), the Senator demic and having to lay off workers;
ond. from Utah (Mr. ROMNEY), and the Sen- stabilize key sectors of the economy to
The yeas and nays were ordered. ator from South Dakota (Mr. THUNE). avoid more layoffs that are now quick-
The senior assistant legislative clerk The result was announced—yeas 96, ly coming over the horizon and have
called the roll. nays 0, as follows: started happening; and send a surge of
Mr. BARRASSO. The following Sen- [Rollcall Vote No. 80 Leg.] new resources to medical professionals
ators are necessarily absent: the Sen- who are on the frontlines. We did that.
YEAS—96
ator from Utah (Mr. LEE), the Senator We did that relatively quickly. It could
Alexander Cruz Klobuchar
from Kentucky (Mr. PAUL), the Senator have been faster, but those were our
Baldwin Daines Lankford
from Utah (Mr. ROMNEY), and the Sen- Barrasso Duckworth Leahy goals, and that is what we achieved
ator from South Dakota (Mr. THUNE). Bennet Durbin Loeffler
here.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Blackburn Enzi Manchin
Blumenthal Ernst Markey But here is a fact. This was legisla-
PERDUE). Are there any other Senators Blunt Feinstein McConnell tion that was very important. It wasn’t
in the Chamber desiring to vote or Booker Fischer McSally perfect, and there is probably a lot of
change their vote? Boozman Gardner Menendez
mistakes here. We are going to need to
The result was announced—yeas 48, Braun Gillibrand Merkley
Brown Graham Moran correct them quickly. There are prob-
nays 48, as follows: Burr Grassley Murkowski ably Americans who weren’t covered in
[Rollcall Vote No. 79 Leg.] Cantwell Harris Murphy
Capito Hassan Murray
some way, shape, or form by this legis-
YEAS—48 Cardin Hawley Perdue lation, who need help, and we are going
Alexander Cotton Hawley Carper Heinrich Peters to need to cover them quickly. There
sradovich on DSKJLST7X2PROD with SENATE
Barrasso Cramer Hoeven Casey Hirono Portman are likely new challenges in this pan-
Blackburn Crapo Hyde-Smith Cassidy Hoeven Reed
Blunt Cruz Inhofe Collins Hyde-Smith Risch demic that seems to be changing every
Boozman Daines Johnson Coons Inhofe Roberts day—new challenges with regard to
Braun Enzi Kennedy Cornyn Johnson Rosen this crisis that we are going to need to
Burr Ernst Lankford Cortez Masto Jones Rounds
Capito Fischer Loeffler Cotton Kaine Rubio
address.
Cassidy Graham Manchin Cramer Kennedy Sanders The final thing is, when we look at
Cornyn Grassley McConnell Crapo King Sasse what we just did here, this was focused
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