Paycheck Protection Program (Cong. Rec., April 21, 2020)
Summary
Pages S2177 and S2178 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for April 21, 2020. McConnell says leaders in both Chambers and the administration reached a bipartisan agreement to supplement the CARES Act, with $320 billion more for the Paycheck Protection Program, $60 billion for additional economic injury disaster loans and $25 billion for State-led COVID-19 testing plans. McConnell asks unanimous consent to receive H.R. 6322 from the House and for up to 15 minutes of debate each for Senators Schumer, Paul, Cardin, Lee and Sullivan. Schumer says the legislation sets aside $30 billion for Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions.
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“Paycheck Protection Program (Cong. Rec., April 21, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-04-21-crec-2020-04-21-pt1-pgs2177-5-9b5eae21cc/
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Congressional Record
E PL
UR M
IB NU
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116 th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 No. 75
Senate
The Senate met at 4 p.m. and was PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM funding when necessary to key pro-
called to order by the Honorable DAN Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, ear- grams that are working well. It is un-
SULLIVAN, a Senator from the State of lier today, leaders in both Chambers fortunate that it took our Democratic
Alaska. and the administration reached a bi- colleagues 12 days to agree to a deal
f partisan agreement to supplement the that contains essentially nothing that
historic CARES Act. At the core of our Republicans ever opposed. In my view,
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE agreement is $320 billion more for the it is indefensible that Main Street
Paycheck Protection Program, which small businesses and their workers had
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The is already saving millions of small their assistance cut off for partisan le-
clerk will please read a communication business jobs and helping Americans verage. That was the word of choice for
to the Senate from the President pro get paychecks instead of pink slips. one leading House Democrat: ‘‘Lever-
tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). This is even more money than we had age.’’ The American people cannot be
The legislative clerk read the fol- first requested a while back. In the in- political leverage.
lowing letter: tervening time and at our request, this
U.S. SENATE, I am glad we are now poised to move
new money puts a special focus on ahead. Senate Republicans are pre-
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, community banks and credit unions.
Washington, DC, April 21, 2020. pared to pass the bill. It is my hope the
Separately, thanks to the hard work
To the Senate: entire Senate will be able to pass it as
Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3,
of Senator COLLINS and Senator RUBIO,
soon as possible, potentially as soon as
of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby the bill supplies $60 billion for addi-
tional economic injury disaster loans; just a few minutes from now.
appoint the Honorable DAN SULLIVAN, a Sen-
ator from the State of Alaska, to perform and because of Senator ROBERTS, Sen- Before I conclude, I want to share my
the duties of the Chair. ator DAINES, and our other colleagues gratitude for the people whose efforts
CHUCK GRASSLEY, from rural States, it will be clear that allow us to produce these vital pieces
President pro tempore. farmers and ranchers will be eligible as of legislation on a crash timeline in
Mr. SULLIVAN thereupon assumed well. these most unusual circumstances. A
the Chair as Acting President pro tem- Senate Republicans wanted more lot of talented people worked day and
pore. funding for Americans’ paychecks night to produce this bill: in the ad-
f nearly 2 weeks ago before the program ministration, Secretary Mnuchin and
even shut down, but in the days that his staff at the Treasury Department
RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY our Democratic colleagues delayed
LEADER and White House Chief of Staff Mark
these urgent funds, additional Federal Meadows; here in the Senate, our Mem-
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- help for hospitals, healthcare pro- bers on both sides, our committee and
pore. The majority leader is recog- viders, and testing became timely as leadership staff on both sides, and the
nized. well. Republicans have always sup- incredible team players in the Office of
Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous ported more medical funding as soon as the Legislative Counsel—these are non-
consent to be recognized, notwith- it was necessary, so I am proud this partisan staff who serve the institution
standing the order for a pro forma ses- package will provide roughly $75 bil- and our country. As usual, we literally
sion today. lion more to fund hospitals and would not have this legislative text
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- healthcare providers in this crisis. without their extraordinary help.
pore. Is there objection? Thanks to Chairman ALEXANDER and These are unprecedented times for the
Without objection, it is so ordered. Chairman BLUNT, there is an additional
entire Nation, and the Senate is no ex-
f $25 billion for State-led—State-led—
ception. So I want to thank everyone—
COVID–19 testing plans and for re-
UNANIMOUS CONSENT those who worked remotely from their
search, development, and other testing
AGREEMENT—H.R. 6322 kitchen tables, those of you here in the
support for key Federal agencies, such
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Chamber right now, the Capitol police
as the CDC, the NIH, and BARDA.
ask unanimous consent that it be in This is a significant package. It does officers who protect the place day and
order to receive H.R. 6322 from the just what I outlined the evening we night—I thank you all, and more im-
House. passed the CARES Act back in March. portantly, your country thanks you.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- The Senate is continuing to stand by Now, let’s just get this done. Let’s
pore. Without objection, it is so or- the American people, watching the move ahead and get it done for the
dered. CARES Act go into effect, and adding American people.
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
S2177
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S2178 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 21, 2020
UNANIMOUS CONSENT they were all running out of funding. you were left out. Two out of three
AGREEMENT His proposal did not attempt to fix the loans in New York were ignored. The
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I dire lack of lending to small businesses mom-and-pops, the small businesses,
ask unanimous consent there now be that are truly small, underbanked, un- the restaurants, and the barber shops,
up to 15 minutes of debate each for derserved, minority, or women-owned. the hardware stores, the butchers, and
Senators SCHUMER, PAUL, CARDIN, LEE, His proposal included nothing at all for small startups, both service and manu-
and SULLIVAN; further, that the time be our healthcare system, nothing to ad- facturing, they couldn’t get in. Now,
for debate only and upon the use or dress the national shortage in testing, they will be because of our work.
yielding back of their individual times, nothing to help State, local, or Tribal Our bill will help rural small busi-
I be immediately recognized with no governments who are breaking their nesses, minority small businesses,
intervening action. budgets to fight this disease. women-owned small businesses get the
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- All of us want to help our small busi- money they need. I believe every Mem-
pore. Is there objection? nesses—all of us—but this emergency ber of our Caucus heard from busi-
Without objection, it is so ordered. demands we take action on many nesses in their States who couldn’t ac-
fronts. So we have spent the last week cess Federal lending because they
f negotiating with the administration— didn’t have a prior relationship with a
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Chief of big bank.
LEADER Staff Meadows, as well as Speaker So what we have done is set aside
PELOSI and House Democrats with us, lending for smaller, community-based
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- lenders and dedicated half of that fund-
the Senate Democrats, to improve the
pore. The Democratic leader is recog- ing—$30 billion—to Community Devel-
legislation. We reached a final agree-
nized. opment Financial Institutions and Mi-
ment earlier today.
f Now, there are plenty of disagree- nority Depository Institutions. We in-
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM ments between our parties these days, sisted that this money be separate
but once again, we are coming together from the competition with the bigger
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, well, to pass this legislation by unanimous companies, so that moms-and-pops,
in the month since I last addressed this consent—not a single Senator objected. restaurants and nail salons, startups,
Chamber, life for nearly every Amer- I want to thank Secretary Mnuchin. and minority businesses can get some
ican has been upended. Stay-at-home I spent hours and hours with him at all access.
orders have swept across the country. hours of the day. I want to thank some- Unlike Leader MCCONNELL’s proposal,
The monthly toll of new unemploy- one I didn’t know very well, Chief of this bill also includes $100 billion in
ment claims are measured in the mil- Staff Meadows, who is very good at money to fight the coronavirus itself.
lions. Our health system has been making sure an agreement can come to We are not going to cure the economic
strained to the breaking point. Amer- fruition, even in the wee hours of the problem unless we cure the health
ican workers and businesses are suf- morning. Of course, I want to thank problem. We can give loans to small
fering financial hardship not seen since my dear friend and partner, Speaker businesses, but if there are no cus-
the Great Recession. Almost 800,000 of PELOSI. I want to thank Leaders tomers walking the streets to go into
our fellow citizens have tested positive MCCONNELL and MCCARTHY who, at the their stores, what good is that?
for COVID–19. And most end of the day, did not let partisan dis- So we insisted that $75 billion go to
heartbreakingly, America has lost agreement stand in the way of doing our hospitals. Our hospitals are going
more than 37,000 precious lives to this what is right for this country. underwater—certainly, the big ones in
coronavirus—many, many of them New Again, just like the CARES Act, the cities like mine that have an epicenter
Yorkers. hard work of bipartisan negotiation of corona, but smaller hospitals in
Over the past 2 months, the Senate paid off. The fact that Democrats said, rural areas. Talk to our rural rep-
has come together on three occasions You need to talk to us, not try to resentatives, and they are telling you
to pass legislation in response to this steamroll us, once again, made a huge their hospitals might go under. And
multifaceted crisis, to rescue our ailing and positive difference. This legislation medium-sized hospitals in New York
healthcare system, to cushion the blow is significantly better and broader than State—St. Joseph’s in Syracuse and St.
to American workers and businesses, the initial proposal offered by the Re- Peter’s in Albany—each laid off 700
and to prepare our country for a more publican leader. people this week. They are going to get
prosperous future on the other side of Republicans asked us to funnel more help because of what we did.
this pandemic. money into a program that wasn’t The experts are clear. To fight this
Our last legislative effort, the working the way it should. We nego- disease and reopen the economy safely,
CARES Act, was unprecedented in size tiated a bill that not only provided we need to dramatically—dramati-
and in scope—the largest stimulus in support but made it more effective, cally—expand testing capacity and fre-
American history. Remarkably, on more inclusive, and addressed other ur- quency. We don’t have enough tests;
such a large and complex bill, the Sen- gent national priorities as well. The that cry rings from one end of America
ate came together 96–0 to pass this cru- legislation before us contains 220 bil- to the other. It is urban, suburban,
cial emergency relief, getting ayes lion more dollars, including funding for rural, north, east, south, and west; we
from Senator SANDERS to Senator CRUZ small businesses through community don’t have enough tests.
and everyone in between. It shows financial institutions, new funding for Well, now, help is on the way because
that, even with the partisanship here, our hospitals and healthcare systems, Democrats stood and fought for it—$25
as tough and harsh as it can be, we can and a substantial downpayment on a billion, $11 billion to go to the States
come together unanimously in a time national testing regime so desperately to help them test and do the contact
of great crisis. needed and asked for by one and all. tracing they need, money to help cre-
Still, the depth of the crisis we now Let me repeat that: The legislation ate a manufacturing and supply chain
face meant that funding for certain now includes an additional $220 billion, that will have adequate tests and ade-
programs in this bill had already been $120 billion for small businesses, $100 quate supplies for those tests so we can
depleted, and a number of required billion for our healthcare system, di- finally get them going. We need them
fixes had to be made to make sure vided among healthcare providers and desperately.
these programs worked as intended. An a need for testing and contact tracing. One of the last provisions secured in
interim bill, COVID 3.5, is necessary. The new money includes $50 billion in these negotiations at midnight last
dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE
Now, my friend, the Republican lead- additional emergency small business night was a requirement that the ad-
er, tried to bypass negotiations on such loans and $10 billion in additional busi- ministration report on a national stra-
an interim measure. He tried to jam ness grants. That includes $60 billion in tegic testing plan on how it plans to in-
through a bill that would have in- new funding set aside for small lenders. crease domestic testing capacity, test-
creased funding for one small business If you don’t know a banker, if you are ing supplies, and the disparities in all
lending program but not others, when not a relatively large-sized company, communities. Thus far, unfortunately,
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