Congressional Record — Extensions of Remarks, April 7, 2020, Page E354
Summary
Page E354 of the Extensions of Remarks section of the Congressional Record for April 7, 2020. A speaker lists regulatory ideas, including reducing or eliminating FDA rules on non-invasive medical devices such as smart devices, glucose kits and do-it-yourself COVID test kits, and codifying efforts to ease telehealth restrictions so seniors can see doctors in the lowest-risk setting. The text notes that Section 5001 uses a broad definition of local governments with populations above 500,000. A separate statement says the administration uses the must-pass bill to advance an anti-reproduction rights agenda, citing Planned Parenthood affiliates, which is that speaker's view.
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“Congressional Record — Extensions of Remarks, April 7, 2020, Page E354.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-04-07-crec-2020-04-07-pt1-pge354-2-178ffc0dfd/
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E354 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks April 7, 2020
Reduction or elimination of FDA regula- more than 500,000 people. The provision, al- Finally, the Trump administration uses this
tions on non-invasive medical devices: This lows for a significantly broad definition of local must-pass relief bill to advance their anti-re-
reform should already be implemented for governments and specifies that ‘‘[t]he term production rights agenda. The bill gives the
smart devices (such as Fitbits), glucose kits,
‘unit of local government’ [includes] . . . other Small Business Administration broad discre-
and other comparable items. It could be ex-
panded to include DIY COVID test kits. unit of general government below the State tion to exclude Planned Parenthood affiliates
Clarification and codification of Trump ad- level with a population that exceeds 500,000.’’ and other non-profits serving people with low
ministration efforts to ease telehealth re- Section 5001 explicitly allows any government incomes and deny them benefits under the
strictions: President Trump has already that represents more than 500,000 and in- new small business loan program. Addition-
begun to lift restrictions for Medicare pa- cludes regional councils of government which ally, the bill attaches a harmful Hyde Amend-
tients, but not for other populations. are chartered under state law. ment provision to a state stabilization fund for
Waiving out-of-state medical licensing re- In Ohio, Chapter 167 of the revised code state, local, and tribal governments providing
quirements: This reform is already hap-
pening slowly on a state-by-state level, but
provides broad authority for a regional council coronavirus relief. Reproductive health care is
could be more aggressively championed—or of government to act as a local unit of govern- essential health care, and Planned Parent-
mandated—at the federal level. ment, to plan, enter cooperative agreements hood health centers are a critical component
f related ‘‘to matters affecting health, safety, of the health care system. Attempting to limit
welfare, education, economic conditions, and access to reproductive health care services
THANK YOU TO WASHINGTON regional development.’’ See Ohio Revised during a pandemic will only worsen the public
STATE’S EDUCATORS Code, Sec. 167.03. health care crisis.
In drafting and approving H.R. 748, the f
HON. RICK LARSEN House and Senate intended section 5001 to
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS
OF WASHINGTON be administered liberally, and for Treasury and
the Courts to construe the statute broadly so TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
as to encompass all local government entities
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 with more than 500,000 citizens to act directly,
SPEECH OF
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speak- and not through the intermediary of a state HON. NEAL P. DUNN
er, I rise today to sincerely thank the teachers, government. In fact, the State of Ohio has OF FLORIDA
paraeducators, food service workers, bus driv- specifically devolved local authority to the re- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ers, custodial staff and others keeping the gional council of governments to act in the
Friday, March 27, 2020
education of kids on track in Washington state general welfare interests of their citizens as a
during the COVID–19 pandemic. unit of general government. Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, oftentimes, when
Schools are always adapting to suit the As Treasury promulgates regulations to im- both sides of the aisle acknowledge that a bill
needs of their students. When Washington plement this statute, the law intends for these is not perfect, it ultimately means it is actually
state closed schools to prevent the spread of regional councils of government to act as a quite good. With that said, I do want to high-
COVID–19, education professionals rapidly general unit of local government, and envi- light some specific concerns that I have with
adjusted to on line education, ensuring stu- sions them to be eligible to certify and receive provisions in this bill, both in their direct ef-
dents would not fall behind. the state stabilization dollars. fects, and also the future precedent that they
Distance learning has forced schools to f may set.
tackle serious student equity issues, including Historically there is little evidence that direct
access to technology and broadband, and MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS to consumers stimulus checks have a signifi-
making sure thousands of students who rely TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019 cant impact on the economy or that they lead
on school meals do not go hungry. These to the kind of spending necessary to counter-
SPEECH OF act an economic downturn. The Economic
educators need Congress to step up to help
address these issues. HON. BRAD SHERMAN Stimulus Act of 2008 (signed February 13,
Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the sac- OF CALIFORNIA 2008) provided $600 checks to individuals and
rifices teachers and school employees of all IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
cost $168 Billion. A study by the Bureau of
kinds across Washington state are making to Labor statistics later showed that, ultimately,
Friday, March 27, 2020 nearly 70 percent of recipients either used the
provide for their students amid this public
health crisis. And I call on Congress to provide Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, over 122,000 money to pay off existing debt, or simply put
necessary tools for school districts to ensure cases of coronavirus, otherwise referred to as it into savings. Those are not activities that
equitable online learning and sufficient re- COVID–19, have been confirmed in the United stimulate the economy, and unsurprisingly that
sources for students during this pandemic and States since the inception of the outbreak, in- effort failed to stop a four percent contraction
beyond. cluding more than 5,000 confirmed cases in in GDP, the loss of over eight million jobs, and
f my home state of California alone. More than the worst overall economic disaster since the
two thousand Americans have died as a result great depression. Overall, I believe that this
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS of the virus, and many more stand to do so if bill will help us to avoid the same fate, but that
TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019 we do not act quickly to mitigate its spread will be due to other more robust provisions
and address the myriad of medical challenges. that acknowledge the importance of our small
SPEECH OF While Congress has passed several meas- businesses and job creators in the private sec-
HON. MARCY KAPTUR ures to provide significant amounts of money tor.
OF OHIO for research activities at federal agencies, this The incentive and ability for anyone, regard-
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
is not enough. I am disappointed that H.R. less of their circumstances, to work hard and
748 does not adequately fund nor provide in- improve their life is a fundamental tenet of the
Friday, March 27, 2020 centives for, research and development into American dream. It is essential that we do not
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 748 con- treatments and vaccines that leverage the ex- allow this stimulus payment to serve as a pilot
tains a critical provision that will be used to pertise of the public and private sectors. Chief- program for a Universal Basic Income, as
assist state and local governments in their re- ly, the CARES Act fails to adequately support some have suggested. Furthermore, it is true
sponse to the crisis engulfing our nation. In- research on the National Institutes of Health that this bill will at times create a situation
deed, local governments are bearing the (NIH) campus and at clinical research institu- where some people could actually earn more
heavy burden of response with dwindling re- tions across the country to pursue all reason- money by filing for unemployment if fur-
sources while helping terrified Americans man- able avenues to develop treatments for the loughed than they would by staying in the
age as best they can. As the entities closest coronavirus, including diagnostic tests, thera- workforce. We must acknowledge the potential
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with REMARKS
to the ground, these local governments are on pies and vaccines. The NIH should have sig- for this to set a damaging precedent.
the front line of the fight, and we must ensure nificantly more than $945 million to carry out This bill provides robust funding for our na-
they have adequate funding. COVID–19 related research and should also tion’s hospitals and some needed flexibility in
This provision, Section 5001 of the CARES be directed to focus primarily on those pos- the telehealth space to ensure Americans,
Act, provides that Treasury will provide assist- sible treatments that are not subject to a pat- particularly seniors, are able to visit with their
ance directly, and not through the State inter- ent and thus are not the focus of U.S. phar- doctors in the lowest risk setting possible. I
mediary to units of local government with maceutical companies. was disappointed however in the lack of a
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