Congressional Record — Extensions of Remarks, E338 (March 31, 2020)

Summary

Page E338 of the Extensions of Remarks section of the Congressional Record for March 31, 2020, under the heading Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019, with speeches of March 27, 2020. Ben McAdams of Utah says the speaker is receiving treatment in a Utah hospital for COVID-19, could not vote on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and would have voted aye, and cites a Treasury Department Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. Ken Buck of Colorado says the crisis is a direct result of the Chinese government's cover up. Other remarks on the page say Congressman Massie requested a recorded vote and no one joined in support.

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“Congressional Record — Extensions of Remarks, E338 (March 31, 2020).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-03-31-crec-2020-03-31-pt1-pge338-2-23aaf747c6/, SHA-256 01203197991f3d9439da76a5e689aad78a99f9fa54fc1311dfdb3b4e9fa65410.

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E338 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 31, 2020
of governance, with the limited duties and were also given the opportunity to include in vide resources to stem the damage being
powers of the federal government spelled out the RECORD how they would have voted, caused in the present crisis.
clearly in our Constitution. Over the years the should a recorded vote have been ordered. I There is no question that this crisis is a di-
federal government has crept into the respon- would have voted yes. rect result of the Chinese government’s cover
sibilities of the states, but the 10th Amend- f up of the dangers posed by COVID–19. The
ment stipulates that if those duties are not list- Chinese government failed to heed the early
ed they are the responsibility of the states. We MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS warnings of medical professionals, going so
are partners and all have to play our respec- TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019 far as to persecute individuals like Dr. Li
tive part. I think the Congress, in passing Wenliang, who was among the first to raise
SPEECH OF concerns, forcing him to sign a confession that
three response bills in twenty-three days, has
done its part. HON. BEN McADAMS his concerns were false. China ordered de-
I am also a capitalist and believe that free OF UTAH
struction of early research samples of the
markets provide the highest quality goods and virus. The Chinese government also denied
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
services at the lowest cost. I also believe in World Health Organization (WHO) investiga-
risk and reward—the power of individuals or Friday, March 27, 2020 tors access inside the country’s borders and
groups raising capital and assuming risk with Mr. MCADAMS. Mr. Speaker, as I continue they withheld critical information. The Chinese
the hope of earning a return on that invest- to receive treatment in a Utah hospital for Communist Party falsely denied the evidence
ment. Notice I say ‘‘hope’’ because in a free COVID–19, I am not able to vote on H.R. 748, of human-to-human transmission. Contrary to
market a return is not guaranteed. During the the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Se- WHO guidelines, Chinese officials manipulated
financial collapse of 2008 I voted against the curity (CARES) Act. Had I been present and statistics by failing to report infected individ-
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). I did able to vote, I would have voted ‘aye’. This bill uals who tested positive for the virus if they
so because the market collapse was due to is certainly not perfect and raises significant exhibited mild to no symptoms. China’s au-
bad management and those responsible concerns about fiscal responsibility and appro- thoritarian government also allowed up to
should have borne the cost. I also believed al- priate use of taxpayer dollars. 5,000,000 people, including potentially tens of
lowing this to occur would speed up the recov- Nonetheless, we have a responsibility to thousands of infected individuals, to leave
ery. protect the health and economic well-being of Wuhan and travel across the globe, spreading
This market involvement is fundamentally our state and our country. This bill provides the virus. The reality is that China was more
different. For me and many conservatives this critical support for working families, our front- interested in saving face than stopping the
is a takings debate. The government—whether line health care providers, community workers, problem before it became a global pandemic.
federal, state or local—is forcing businesses to state and local governments, and Utah small China was more interested in waging an inter-
freeze economic activity. In essence, the gov- businesses and their employees. Coronavirus national public relations campaign than getting
ernment is depriving businesses of income remains a danger to our lives and our liveli- the necessary help from the world community.
they would otherwise be free to earn. What we The United States and countries across the
hoods. I am proud to have championed a key
have done in the third coronavirus bill is at- globe are now dealing with the fallout of Chi-
oversight provision—a Treasury Department
tempt to keep the employee and employer na’s deceit and misdeeds. We are wrestling
Special Inspector General for Pandemic Re-
afloat until economic activity can resume, and with how to address a public health crisis,
covery—to track and account for disbursement
to compensate those who have been ordered contain this deadly virus, and respond to un-
and spending of taxpayer dollars. I will work to
to forgo the fruits of their investment and precedented economic fallout. To address the
ensure we fix problems as they arise and
labor. current situation, Congress must act respon-
As a retiring Member I have the ability to focus on doing what is best for Utahns. sibly and thoughtfully but also with urgency.
I believe we will get through this by giving
step back and observe the big picture while We must work together to support doctors,
still having access to some inner rooms, or in communities, health care providers and local nurses and other health professionals. We
this case some inner (and many) conference governments the tools they need to respond need to also help suffering families, assist
calls. The crying and gnashing of teeth has quickly and efficiently to what’s happening on businesses and non-profits that have been or-
occurred on both sides. Whether it was Re- the ground with maximum flexibility and ac- dered to close, and to set the stage for yet an-
publicans attacking Speaker PELOSI for delay- countability. I believe in Utahns and I believe other American comeback.
ing the process with her attempt to jam in in Americans; everyday heroes will help us Nearly every American has been affected by
Green New Deal inspired provisions, or Demo- overcome and as a Representative, I must do this virus. All levels of government have asked
crats attacking Congressman MASSIE who my part to get urgently needed resources to our citizens to stay home. Government has
thought it was not too much to ask for a re- Utahns. asked businesses to shutter their doors, and
corded vote on an unpaid-for $2 trillion spend- f for America’s health care professionals to cou-
ing bill that would immediately increase the MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS rageously work longer hours, sometimes with-
national debt to $25 trillion. TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019 out the necessary supplies to protect them-
Members were thrown into a real quandary selves. Americans are tired, fearful, and
by the looming request for a recorded vote on SPEECH OF distancing themselves from friends and neigh-
this bill. Some were hunkered down in D.C. bors when what they truly desire is commu-
Most, like myself, were hunkered down in our HON. KEN BUCK nity. The American people have been told this
home districts. Many Members would make a OF COLORADO was necessary and that if they made these
long drive to D.C. while others would risk air IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sacrifices we could ‘‘bend the curve’’ and stop
travel. To some it was an impossible commute Friday, March 27, 2020 the spread of the virus.
with the limited time. I have the concern of an While President Trump and Republicans
elderly parent living with me. Emotions were Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, America is facing a have been trying to lead, and the American
running high for everyone. very serious public health crisis that also has people have been doing their part, Democrats
I think that what we observed is Congress the potential to affect the long-term health of have engaged in political games. The House
working at its best. A recorded vote was re- our economy. Democratic Whip told his colleagues that this
quested by Congressman MASSIE, which was The people on the front lines fighting the crisis was a ‘‘tremendous opportunity to re-
his right. Democrat Whip CLYBURN and Re- spread of COVID–19—our doctors, nurses, structure things to fit our vision.’’ In the Sen-
publican Whip SCALISE did their jobs and first responders, and other health profes- ate, all but one Democrat voted to hold up de-
counted to ensure that a quorum of 216 Mem- sionals—need help. Congress should be step- bate on this bill for several days, simply to ex-
bers were present. If my inside information is ping up to ensure America’s health care sys- tract as many political concessions as pos-
correct, 130 Democrats along with 120 Repub- tem has access to needed personal protective sible. In response to the tremendous and pa-

SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REMARKS
licans were present. But while the Rules of the equipment—like masks and face shields—and triotic sacrifices by the American people,
House dictate that any Member may ask for a testing supplies to identify those infected and Democrats have played politics. They saw a
recorded vote, his or her request must be sup- to help stop the spread of the virus. Busi- crisis that they did not want to let go to waste
ported at least one-fifth of a quorum. No one nesses and employees affected by this virus and chose to exploit the American peoples’
joined Congressman MASSIE in support of his also need help. Congress should be providing fear and misery for political gain. That is un-
request. short-term financial assistance such as loans conscionable.
Mr. Speaker, the bill will pass by voice vote and in the form of a tax holiday. I recognize Today, we finally reached the point where
and signed into law that same day. Members these needs and fully support action to pro- we could debate the merits of this bill in the

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March 31, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E339
House and fulfill our Constitutional responsi- ‘‘stand-down’’ order by Congress when it House leadership had members sitting at
bility. Every Member’s duty was to read the comes to this issue. Businesses that will be home. Speaker PELOSI should have convened
bill, evaluate its merits, and then vote his or affected by this are currently in crisis and Con- the House on Monday. This would have made
her conscience. I concluded that, if I were gress’ response is to put its thumb on the it possible for the House to engage in a full
given the chance, I would vote against this bill. scale in favor of labor, a Democrat constitu- debate, to deliberate, and even propose better
History and experience tell us that the provi- ency that funnels millions into Democrat cam- ideas. That did not happen. Instead, this bill,
sions in this bill will do long-lasting damage to paign coffers. which is the single largest supplemental
the economic well-being of millions of Amer- These provisions also lose sight of the fact spending bill in U.S. history, will pass without
ican families and small businesses, delaying a that many businesses that utilize these pro- a vote of the full House—with every member
future economic recovery and harming the grams will do so not because of their own mis- voting.
people most in need of help. management or malfeasance but because f
This bill repeats the mistakes of the past. It government told these businesses to shut their
contains the same kind of flawed provisions doors. Or, in some cases, because patriotic MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS
that the Democrat-controlled Congress en- business owners took out a loan to retool or TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
acted in 2008 to deal with the mortgage crisis. ramp up production to manufacture critical SPEECH OF
America cannot afford another slow growth medical supplies like ventilators, hospital
decade like we had under President Obama. masks and testing kits even when that is not HON. PRAMILA JAYAPAL
Yet that is exactly the kind of future this bill is their normal business. OF WASHINGTON
poised to give us. I want to put a stop to the It makes no sense to punish these compa- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
damage that COVID–19 is doing, including to nies with these kinds of restrictions but espe- Friday, March 27, 2020
our economy, but this bill will only prolong the cially after the loan has been repaid. If we tie Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup-
economic recovery. the hands of business for years to come, we port of H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
Many provisions of this bill recognize that should not expect a full and robust economic and Economic Security (CARES) Act. On
economic stability depends on employment recovery. These restrictions are unreasonable. Thursday, the United States gained the unfor-
stability. This bill, however, contains provisions They may discourage companies from taking tunate distinction of being the country with the
unrelated to fighting the disease, and worse, out loans. This, in turn, will put people out of largest number of known COVID–19 cases in
incentives that will lead to more, not fewer, work, harming American families and small the world. As people across the country strug-
layoffs. The people most likely to be affected businesses. gle to stem the COVID–19 pandemic, this bill
will be primarily middle-class families and Dating back to Greek times, physicians is an urgently needed $2 trillion disaster-relief
lower wage earners. swore the Hippocratic Corpus. It was an oath, package that delivers immediate support to in-
The bill incentivizes layoffs by providing for a code of medical ethics, in which a physician dividuals, families, and small businesses
‘‘unemployment insurance (UI) on steroids,’’ or pledged to ‘‘help the sick and abstain from all across the country, while also providing work-
regular unemployment benefits together with intentional wrong-doing and harm. . . .’’ That er-centered relief for some industries.
$600 per week above the traditional benefit obligation is sometimes summarized as, ‘‘First, My home state of Washington has been
level. One of the perverse incentives of this do no harm.’’ As Congress considers this leg- reeling from the spread of COVID–19, with
bill is that it would leave many employees fi- islation, we would do well to follow the Hippo- over 3,200 cases and 147 deaths as of last
nancially better off if they were laid-off than if cratic Oath ourselves. We should not pass a night. I am so proud that we have one of the
they continued working. On the one hand, law that includes extraneous spending or that finest public health systems in the country, but
Congress is incentivizing small businesses to would further impose economic harm on strug- it is under siege—as are our healthcare insti-
borrow billions of dollars from the Small Busi- gling American families and small businesses. tutions, our economy, and my constituents. I
ness Administration to keep people employed Finally, I want to make this point. It is often have been focusing my efforts wholly and
while simultaneously creating counterincen- said that ‘‘crisis reveals character.’’ The re- completely on ensuring that we in Congress
tives that will encourage unemployment. That sponse of the American people to this crisis do everything in our power to deliver a re-
makes no sense. says a lot about their character. Over and over sponse from the Federal government that
I support policies that will encourage job again, Americans have demonstrated that they matches the enormous scale of this crisis.
stability. Our economic recovery will be has- are strong, independent, entrepreneurial, resil- This bill is an important step in that direc-
tened if people have a job ready and waiting ient, patriotic, and compassionate and that tion, though we will certainly need to do even
for them once we get past the current health they are willing to sacrifice to get our nation more. The CARES Act puts $100 billion into
crisis; it will help people maintain their health through. I am encouraged by their spirit. ensuring hospitals and healthcare providers
insurance; it will give people hope; and a What the present crisis reveals about Con- can cover COVID–19-related costs and $200
ready workforce will help avoid supply chain gress, however, is tragic. The simple truth is million to prevent the spread of COVID–19 in
disruptions and shortages of critical supplies that Congress has failed to plan and budget nursing homes. Importantly, after years of dis-
needed to fight this virus. for an emergency such as an economic reces- investment in the Strategic National Stockpile,
This bill also contains provisions that will un- sion, a natural disaster, a national security the CARES Act adds $16 billion to the Stock-
necessarily extend the recovery of America’s threat, or a public health crisis. Every member pile to provide essential personal protective
capital markets. Currently, the markets are of Congress knows that, once every few equipment for our frontline workers and emer-
down about 30-percent from their all-time years, we will be called on to respond to a dis- gency responders.
highs from just a few weeks ago. In this next aster. Yet, Congress fails to plan properly. Our This bill also includes a critical priority for
economic recovery, we must focus on bringing budget does not include any reserves to deal me: the largest expansion of unemployment
stability to capital markets as we rebuild the with these emergencies. insurance in decades to ensure that most
job market. This bill, however, contains provi- Accordingly, when faced with a crisis, Con- workers get nearly 100 percent of their pre-
sions that will deny this needed stability. Sec- gress rushes to pass an emergency spending layoff wage without traditional restrictions. It
tion 4003 prohibits businesses that utilize the bill—like this one—that adds billions and bil- also creates a special Pandemic Unemploy-
lending and loan guarantee programs from en- lions or trillions more to the deficit. Today’s bill ment Assistance program to provide relief to
gaging in stock buybacks and issuing divi- spends nearly $6 trillion when we factor in the those who may be ineligible for regular unem-
dends—not only during the term of the loan anticipated response of the Federal Reserve. ployment benefits, like gig workers and people
but even after the loan has been repaid. Al- This spending is on top of the already pro- who are self-employed.
lowing stock redemptions and dividends could jected annual deficit of $1.083 trillion and a Because people are suffering right now, I
help calm volatility in the capital markets. Con- national debt of $23.6 trillion. Congress cannot believe we must include direct cash support to
gress should not discourage these kinds of ac- keep doing this. Congress needs to cut spend- individuals. I had advocated for double the

SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REMARKS
tions. We need to help bring stability back to ing, balance the budget, and establish an amount that is in the bill, for monthly instead
the stock market. emergency fund so that we can deal with of a one-time payment, and for everyone to be
Other provisions give a green light to union these crises responsibly. included. We were not able to get that. How-
organizers while preventing a business from I also want to note an additional way in ever, the CARES Act delivers $1,200 per adult
speaking out against union activities. Busi- which Congress has failed in its Constitutional and $500 per child in cash relief to the vast
nesses that access government loans in the responsibilities. The House of Representatives majority of everyday people to immediately
short term, including so that they can pay their is a co-equal to the Senate. While the Senate help put cash in people’s pockets to pay those
employees, are being given a long-term was working this past week, the Democratic mounting bills.

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