Congressional Record, Senate, May 7, 2020 — Veto Message on S.J. Res. 68
Summary
Page S2299 of the Congressional Record for Thursday, May 7, 2020, Volume 166, No. 86, headed Veto Message on S.J. Res. The House was not in session, with its next meeting set for May 8, 2020 at 10 a.m., and the Senate met at 10 a.m. with a prayer from the Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black. Mr. Grassley describes his Iowa offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport and Des Moines and says staff are in the trenches helping Iowans through the pandemic. A cloture motion is presented, and a speaker applauds Johns Hopkins for its reliable information.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, May 7, 2020 — Veto Message on S.J. Res. 68.”
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Congressional Record
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116 th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020 No. 86
House of Representatives
The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, May 8, 2020, at 10 a.m.
Senate
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020
The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without As always, they are in the trenches
called to order by the President pro objection, it is so ordered. during this pandemic, working to help
tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). f Iowans get through this and get
f through it together.
CORONAVIRUS I yield the floor.
PRAYER Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, f
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- my Iowa offices are located in Cedar
Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
fered the following prayer:
Moines, Sioux City, and Waterloo. My The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
Let us pray.
State staff serves as my eyes and ears the previous order, the leadership time
Eternal Master, You are our strength
in communities from one side of the is reserved.
and song. We find sustenance in Your
State to the other. From the Mis- f
might and joy in Your creation. We
sissippi to the Missouri Rivers, my
praise You for the beauty of the Earth CONCLUSION OF MORNING
staff has their fingers on the pulse of
and the glories of the Heavens that BUSINESS
Iowans, and this pandemic is no excep-
bring blessings to our earthly pilgrim- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning
tion. They are working tirelessly to
age. business is closed.
troubleshoot problems Iowans are fac-
Today, guide our lawmakers with f
ing related to the public health emer-
Your glorious wisdom and the great-
gency and the economic fallout. No LEGISLATIVE SESSION
ness of Your majesty. Fulfill Your pur- matter the concern, the problem, or
poses for their lives as You order their circumstance that is affecting a farm,
steps. Show them such unfailing love a business, school, or local hospital, DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF
that they will walk before You in my staff is on the ground ready to help. UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES
wholehearted devotion. In the early weeks of the pandemic, FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST
Lord, place Your healing hands upon they helped troubleshoot issues for THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
our Nation and world, delivering us Iowans who were overseas to get them THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHOR-
from this global health crisis. back home to the United States. One IZED BY CONGRESS—VETO—Re-
We pray in Your powerful Name. example: In Peru, several young people sumed
Amen. were stranded and wanted to come The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
f home. They didn’t get them home very the previous order, the Senate will re-
fast, but they are home now. sume consideration of the veto message
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Since Congress passed the CARES
on S.J. Res. 68, which the clerk will re-
The President pro tempore led the Act, my staff has answered countless
port.
Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: questions from Iowans about the Pay- The senior assistant legislative clerk
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the check Protection Program, economic read as follows:
United States of America, and to the Repub- injury disaster loans, and economic im- Veto message, a joint resolution (S.J. Res.
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, pact payments. Whatever the question 68) to direct the removal of United States
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. or redtape may be, my staff goes the Armed Forces from hostilities against the Is-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. extra mile to serve Iowans. They do lamic Republic of Iran that have not been
HYDE-SMITH). The Senator from Iowa. whatever it takes to track down an an- authorized by Congress.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I swer and help make government work RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER
ask unanimous consent to speak in for the people as the government The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma-
morning business for 90 seconds. should work for the people. jority leader is recognized.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
S2299
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S2300 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
CORONAVIRUS thorities in the Foreign Intelligence about our relationship with the Chi-
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, Surveillance Act. The House-passed nese Communist Party.
the United States is battling the worst legislation we will take up is not a I expect the Senate will soon look to
pandemic in 100 years. Our Nation has blanket reauthorization of FISA; it is a pass Senator RUBIO’s Uyghur Human
poured unprecedented resources into careful update designed to provide Rights Policy Act, a bipartisan bill
defending Americans’ health and greater accountability for the way that will bring more attention to the
blunting the damage to our economy. these authorities are exercised. It will plight of this mistreated minority and
The Senate will continue to work on increase transparency in the FISA urge the President to use targeted
this front. We will find more ways to process and respond to the shameful sanctions against those responsible for
keep strengthening our healthcare re- abuses of 2016 while preserving the the repression.
sponse and pivot the Nation toward re- toolbox that professionals use to de- While we and our allies already saw
covery. That will include strong legal fend us. I hope the Senate will pass it the risks from letting critical supply
protections to defend healthcare work- next week, free of amendments that chains become too dependent on China,
ers, small businesses, and other insti- would jeopardize important tools to the Chinese Communist Party’s recent
tutions against the trial lawyer feeding keep America safe. behavior has certainly hammered this
frenzy as they work hard to keep serv- CHINA
home. I am confident that we here in
ing their neighbors. Madam President, there is the mat- Washington will be examining these
FISA ter of the People’s Republic of China. strategic vulnerabilities as well.
But, Madam President, amid the pan- We will be looking for the best ways
This coronavirus pandemic originated
demic, we cannot lose sight of the to strengthen our dynamic and innova-
in China. Whether the virus escaped
other threats we still face as well. The tive private sector, keep America on
from a lab or was transmitted at a so-
challenges that we faced before COVID– the cutting edge, and work closely with
called wet market, we do not yet know
19 began to spread from Wuhan, China, friends who share our values and inter-
for sure, but China’s Communist Party
ests to build a fairer, more resilient
are still with us today, alongside this leaders probably do know, and they
international market.
awful virus. There are terror cells, hos- owe it to all the nations suffering from Notice that China is not retrenching
tile foreign intelligence services, and this virus to be truthful and to be or drawing back within its borders—
adversaries all over the world who transparent. The world deserves the quite the opposite.
would love nothing more than for the facts—all of the facts. So if we want to preserve a world
United States to apply social Here is one fact we do know: The built on our democratic values and
distancing to our presence on the world virus spread was exacerbated by Chi- principles, if we want to protect Amer-
stage as well. na’s unconscionable efforts to cover it ican workers, American interests, and
Iran has not let popular unrest, a up. The Communist Party reprimanded American national security, all of
mismanaged economy, or COVID–19 and threatened to jail Dr. Li Wenliang, these things will take more global
slow their meddling, from Yemen to the heroic whistleblower who tried to leadership and more coordination with
the Mediterranean. Tehran and its warn the world about COVID–19 and our allies, not less.
proxies are undermining the sov- later died from it. Within hours of his Tomorrow, May 8, is the 75th anni-
ereignty of Iraq and Lebanon, aiding death, by the way, a wave of outrage versary of VE Day. If we ever needed a
and abetting Assad’s mass murder in over CCP’s treatment of Dr. Li spread reminder that American strength is a
Syria, sowing regional unrest, threat- on Chinese social media until the gov- force for good in the world, there it is.
ening Israel, and targeting American ernment censored that as well. Thanks to the tireless work of our col-
troops and our interests. At the peak of the outbreak, the Chi- league, Senator PAT ROBERTS, tomor-
A regime that chooses to spend its nese Communist Party was reportedly row was meant to be the dedication of
scant resources on exporting violence welding its own people inside their own the new Eisenhower Memorial. It has
or a so-called space program does not houses. And today, you better believe been postponed due to the virus. It al-
need relief from sanctions. We must the party commissars are training most seems fitting that 75 years after
maintain the measure of deterrence we their sights on the Chinese survivors, World War II, the celebration of Presi-
restored with the decisive strike on activists, and lawyers who dare to seek dent Eisenhower would be delayed by a
Soleimani. That starts today with up- the truth. global crisis that will take American
holding the President’s rightful veto of Outside the borders, China’s leaders strength and American leadership to
a misguided War Powers Resolution. seem to think they could either charm, resolve. He certainly knew something
Meanwhile, in apparent repudiation cajole, or threaten the world into sub- about that kind of situation.
of the Trump administration’s efforts mission. They supposedly donated med- Now, as then, the American people do
to help end the civil war in Afghani- ical supplies to foreign countries that not want to retreat from the world, and
stan, Taliban attacks against the coun- quickly proved faulty and unusable. they do not want to see us slide into
try’s government and its people have They threatened to boycott Australian second place. They want us to be smart
actually spiked. ISIS, al-Qaida, and beef. They even threatened to cut off and strong and safe, and they want the
Haqqani terrorists continue to operate pharmaceutical exports to the United United States of America to lead.
from Afghan territory. States so that we would be ‘‘plunged I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Over in Moscow, Putin’s regime con- into the mighty sea of coronavirus.’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
tinues to threaten American interests It is galling but not surprising. This clerk will call the roll.
along with international security— is the same authoritarian regime that The senior assistant legislative clerk
from bullying incursions in the free brutalized the Uighur people in mod- proceeded to call the roll.
states it used to rule, to influence-ped- ern-day gulags and that has spent Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
dling and mercenary adventurism in years cheating its way through inter- ask unanimous consent that the order
the power vacuums of Syria and Libya, national commerce and stealing indus- for the quorum call be rescinded.
to spreading disinformation and under- trial secrets. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
mining democracies all across the Now it is exploiting the global pan- objection, it is so ordered.
globe. demic it helped exacerbate to further RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
Russian intelligence is not alone in its crackdown on Hong Kong. A few The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
targeting America. China’s efforts to weeks ago, the government arrested Democratic leader is recognized.
steal government industry secrets are peaceful democracy activists, including CORONAVIRUS
unmatched. my old friend of almost three decades, Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President,
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
Countering these kinds of hostile ac- Martin Lee. I suppose they thought the tomorrow, the Bureau of Labor will
tivities is a key job of our intelligence rest of the world might be too dis- publish its monthly jobs report for
community, and so is stopping ter- tracted to notice. They were mistaken. April. Some experts are projecting that
rorist attacks against our homeland. Alongside our friends and partners it could show well over 20 million job
So next week, the Senate will turn around the world, the United States is losses in the past 4 weeks. The prelimi-
back to reauthorizing the critical au- going to be asking tough questions nary report today suggests that there
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2301
will be over 30 million newly unem- asked for a simple bill to pass that keep big businesses from folding, but
ployed Americans over the past 7 would require accountability in PPP, all of a sudden they are worried about
weeks. That is a tenth—1 out of 10 peo- and it was blocked by the majority. So it when we are talking about families
ple—losing their job. A tenth of our this is just amazing. keeping the roofs over their heads and
population. There has been large support in Con- putting food on the table. We need a
We are looking at what seems to be gress to stabilize the big financial mar- fourth congressional relief bill that
the worst economic crisis since the kets, support larger industries, and mirrors the size and ambition of our
Great Depression. Small businesses keep capital markets from crashing. previous relief efforts. Working people
have shuttered. Some larger businesses There will be $4 trillion available when and truly small businesses are taking
have filed for bankruptcy. Millions of the Fed and Treasury are through with the blunt effects of this crisis on the
workers, through no fault of their own, it. We must do the same, if not more, chin, and we cannot—cannot—and
are being laid off or furloughed or are for average people—workers, families. must not leave them behind.
losing their paychecks. They are wor- The contrast is glaring. The contrast is Now, there are plenty of things the
ried about keeping their homes, feed- glaring. Federal Government can do in the in-
ing their kids, accessing healthcare. Larger companies know they have a terim, even before another round of
Once this crisis is over, we can’t snap floor. The big markets know they have legislation in Congress. I want to men-
our fingers and have everything return a floor. An unemployed worker has no tion one idea this morning. There are
to normal. Twenty to 30 million newly floor until we do things for them like many more.
unemployed Americans will not imme- we did for pandemic unemployment in- Several big, publicly traded compa-
diately return to their old jobs. Hope- surance. nies that have received small business
fully, many can, but many jobs just There are many more people, average loans have started sheepishly returning
will not be there. Americans, who need the same kind of the money to the Treasury Depart-
The disease has washed over our Na- help or a greater degree of help, or a ment—rightly so. Many have much
tion like a flood. Once the waters have different kind of help, and many of greater access to other capital than
receded, there will be a great deal of these average folks are in worse shape. true small businesses, and they
damage left in its wake. We need a big, Democrats have strived to make as shouldn’t crowd out the lending of
bold answer to this. We need to mar- much of our congressional relief effort
those small businesses that truly need
shal a broader spirit of action. The flow to workers and average American
it. Secretary Mnuchin has told me that
American people need an active, en- families—as much as possible. It is still
roughly $10 billion in loans have been
gaged, and forceful government to lift not enough. State and local govern-
paid off or returned by these large com-
them up and carry them through these ments—that means teachers, fire-
panies. Ten billion dollars happens to
dark times. fighters, police officers, and busdrivers
be the same amount we have asked the
Speaker PELOSI and I are working on who might be laid off—still need help.
Treasury Department to set aside ex-
a big, bold plan that will deal with the Our essential workers deserve hazard
clusively for lending by community de-
magnitude of the problem. pay. Minority-owned and women-owned
So I am appalled today that Repub- velopment financial institutions and
businesses still need more access to
lican congressional leaders and Presi- lending. Renters and homeowners need minority deposit institutions.
dent Trump are saying that we should So this morning I would like to urge
relief. And millions of working people
delay more assistance to the American the Treasury Department to imme-
need enhanced nutrition benefits, as
people. diately set aside the money being re-
thousands and thousands of people are
A week ago, the Republican leader, turned by big, publicly traded compa-
overwhelming our local food banks.
Senator MCCONNELL, said that we need But now that assistance to big indus- nies in the PPP for loans to businesses
‘‘to push the pause button.’’ tries has gone out the door, Republican that are truly small—the very small
Tell that to someone who is losing leaders are saying: Let’s wait and see. businesses with under 10 employees and
his job. Tell that to someone who has The unemployed worker doesn’t want other underserved, rural, minority-
worked so hard to create a small busi- to wait and see. The small business owned and women-owned businesses.
ness over decades and sees it falling that might go under doesn’t want to Too many big companies rushed in to
apart. Tell that to the family who has wait and see. The mom or dad who secure small business lending in the
a member that is sick with COVID or needs to feed their hungry children early days of the PPP program, while
something else and can’t get adequate does not want to wait and see, like our smaller businesses were shut out. The
healthcare. Republican leaders seem to. Now is not administration should have been far
To say that we should wait and see the time to wait and see. Now is the more careful about who got the lending
what is happening, as Leader MCCON- time to move forward. and put out much stronger guidance to
NELL has said, that maybe we don’t Our history is replete with examples the banks in the early days, something
need to do anything more is ignoring of what happens when the Federal Gov- I believe they are trying to correct
what is going on around us. ernment doesn’t rise to the occasion in now.
Over 30 million are unemployed, and a time of national emergency. In the We can begin to right those dispari-
certain Republican leaders are saying: early days of the Great Depression, ties if Treasury would simply redi-
Let’s hit the pause button on future President Herbert Hoover was reluc- rect—redirect—the returned loans to
government support. tant to use national resources to com- truly small and underserved businesses
The Republican leader of this Cham- bat a national crisis. His failure to act using community-based lenders. I hope
ber called us back into session, despite contributed to the length and severity Secretary Mnuchin will agree to this.
the obvious health risks, not to con- of the depression. Another issue that cannot wait for
sider new relief or respond to the If our Republican colleagues, if Presi- another bill, of course, is testing. Test-
COVID pandemic but to process nomi- dent Trump, respond with the same ti- ing is the key to finally defeating this
nations. He has been coming to the midity as President Hoover did, I fear disease, and it is the key to safely re-
floor, drawing redlines in the sand, the Nation could suffer the same con- opening the country.
pledging not to support another emer- sequences as it did in the past, and President Trump promised on March
gency relief bill unless it extends legal many economists agree. If we do noth- 6—his words: ‘‘Anybody that wants a
immunity to big corporations. ing more, like some of our Republican test can get a test.’’ That was Presi-
Today, he gave a very long speech on colleagues seem to feel we should, a dent Trump 2 months ago. It is still
national security. Now, that is very good number of economists believe we not even close to being true. President
important, but the No. 1 immediate will have our second Great Depres- Trump seems to think that by saying
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
crisis facing us is COVID, and this sion—Herbert Hoover redux on the Re- something, it happens. By saying it is
speech was sort of a metaphor for what publican side when President Trump, a hoax, he thinks it was a hoax. By
Senate Republicans are doing this Leader MCCONNELL, and Leader saying it is going to go away, he thinks
week on COVID—virtually nothing. MCCARTHY say: Let’s wait and see. it would go away. This COVID virus
Senator CARDIN and I and Senator Republicans weren’t worried about does not listen to President Trump’s
SHAHEEN went to the floor and simply the deficit when we spent billions to cheery and false words, unfortunately.
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S2302 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
President Trump, when it comes to What are we going to do to protect unless we have something better to re-
testing, what is the plan? Where are Americans and their families? place it with.
the tests? Senator MCCONNELL brought us back They didn’t then. They don’t now.
Countries like South Korea and Ger- for a hearing for one of his favorite Attorney General Barr warned the
many, New Zealand and Australia were judges—a Federal judge in Kentucky, a Trump White House not to go forward
able to flatten the curve much more young man who was an intern in his of- with this lawsuit pending in the Su-
quickly than we have by rigorously fice and whom he is now trying to pro- preme Court. He understood that it was
testing their populations, contact trac- mote to the second highest court in the unwise not only from a policy view-
ing, and isolating confirmed cases. land. point, but it was unwise politically.
But as the coronavirus spread ini- In the ordinary course of Senate Imagine, if you will, in the weeks and
tially, unfortunately, the United business, this would not be unusual. It months ahead, should this Court, this
States lagged far behind these other might have drawn some attention be- Roberts Court, decide to abolish the
countries. Some experts believe we cause of the qualifications of this indi- Affordable Care Act in the midst of
need to have at least 2 million tests a vidual, but attention has been given to this public health crisis—I can’t think
day. Today we are testing less than it as people compare it to the real of anything more catastrophic when it
300,000. issues that we should be facing. comes to these 20 million families and
For the administration to pressure When you think about the issues be- their health insurance protection and
States and businesses to reopen with- fore us, one of them is very imminent. the 100 million-plus who count on this
out a plan for a dramatic increase in Across the street from the U.S. Senate protection against discrimination for
testing is like sending them out of the is the Supreme Court building. Pending preexisting conditions.
door with a blindfold on. It is dan- before the Supreme Court at this mo- That is the reality we face, but it is
gerous. ment is a lawsuit brought by President not the only reality. A decision was
Congress has required the adminis- Trump and Republican attorneys gen- made this week that is almost impos-
tration to produce a national strategy eral from across the United States to sible to understand. There was a tele-
on testing by May 24. Instead of wast- abolish the Affordable Care Act—to phone conference call involving leaders
ing energy praising his own perform- abolish an Affordable Care Act that from all around the world. These lead-
ance and lashing out at supposed en- provides health insurance for 20 million ers came together to discuss something
emies, the President should roll up his Americans and also provides protec- that we are all praying for—the dis-
sleeves and get to work on testing. The tions in the health insurance policies covery of a vaccine that will protect us
patience of the American people is for another 135 million Americans—a from this coronavirus. They wanted
wearing very, very thin. law which basically says if you have a money pledged, some $8 billion. Nor-
I yield the floor. preexisting condition, you can’t be de- way pledged $1 billion. The European
I suggest the absence of a quorum. nied insurance coverage. Union pledged $1 billion. When they
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. At this moment in our history, at went around the table, there was a
BLACKBURN). The clerk will call the this moment as we face this health cri- chair that was empty. The United
roll. sis, it is unimaginable that the Repub- States of America wasn’t at the con-
The senior assistant legislative clerk lican position is to eliminate health in- ference. The President made a con-
proceeded to call the roll. surance protection for 20 million Amer- scious decision that we would not en-
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask icans and to lessen the protections in gage in this conversation about the dis-
unanimous consent that the order for health insurance policies for 135 mil- covery of a lifesaving vaccine. Why?
the quorum call be rescinded. lion more. So far, 1.2 million Ameri- What was he possibly thinking?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without cans have been diagnosed as infected This notion of America first, which
objection, it is so ordered. with the COVID–19 virus. Sadly, some we hear over and over again, has some
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, we 70,000 Americans have died. What is value, of course, but when it comes to
live in a dangerous world, and this going to happen in the days and a global pandemic, when it comes to a
morning we were reminded as the Re- months and years ahead if the Repub- global challenge, when it comes to the
publican leader came to the floor and licans have their way and if preexisting fact that over 90 countries around the
spoke about foreign policy. Later on conditions return to health insurance? world are searching for that vaccine,
today, we will address the issue of a Will there be a day when you or your when it comes to the fact that most of
veto override on the War Powers Act, a spouse or your parent or your children us don’t really care where it is found as
measure which I cosponsored. will be asked if you were ever diag- long as it is found and the sooner the
It may surprise some people that we nosed positive for COVID–19? Will this better and that we have access to it for
are in the area of foreign policy on our be a disqualification in the future if we Americans as well as everyone else—
Senate agenda this week, because in don’t have the protection when it that is the bottom line. It isn’t about
this dangerous world that we live in, comes to preexisting conditions? That America being first and only when it
we all know that the first thing we is not out of the realm of possibility. comes to the vaccine. Even the Senate
look for is the danger at the doorstep. How can the Republicans be thinking Republican leader said this morning
Our danger, of course, is a national that this is the right moment in his- that we can’t retreat from the world.
emergency, as President Trump has tory to abolish the Affordable Care Act It is so appropriate to have this glob-
characterized it, a public health cri- and the health insurance that 20 mil- al vaccine conference. Two Americans
sis—the COVID–19 coronavirus threat lion Americans count on and 135 mil- were involved in this conference—in
to the United States and all of our fam- lion Americans who have their own this virtual conference call—Bill and
ilies. health insurance plans take advantage Melinda Gates. We know his back-
Many of us who came back to Wash- of? It is exactly the wrong moment. ground, his great success at Microsoft,
ington this week were wary because we There was an effort to abolish this and his commitment, with his wife,
had been warned to stay in our homes Affordable Care Act—they like to call ever since to global health issues. They
as long as possible, to stay out of cir- it ObamaCare—on the floor of the Sen- were at the table speaking for the
culation, and not to gather in work- ate in the last 2 years. I still remember United States, and I want to personally
places unless absolutely necessary. All the moment when Senator John thank them for being there, but we
of us thought if we were going to re- McCain, the late Senator from Arizona, should have been there as well. The
turn, we hoped the priority would be came to the floor in the early morning President of the United States should
this looming crisis in America, this hours and gave the motion for a ‘‘no’’ have been on that conference call. He
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
public health crisis. But, sadly, as we vote, and that was the end of the story. should have said: The United States is
bring this week’s legislative activity to The Republican abolition effort ended going to help find this vaccine wher-
a close, little, if anything, has been with that vote. You would think they ever it is found in the world. We are
said or done on the Senate floor or in learned their lesson. going to be at the table when we talk
committee to address the issue at the Senator McCain and other Repub- about producing it in quantities that
moment. licans said: We cannot eliminate this will make a difference for people living
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2303
everywhere in the world, including the firefighters, healthcare workers, and history, that is the fight we want to
United States, and we are going to be teachers. Is that what we want to do in pick? It is time for us to come to-
here as well when we apportion those this moment? gether, not to make something like
vaccine doses so we make certain that A few weeks ago, when he was asked, that a redline against continued bipar-
Americans have their fair share and Senator MCCONNELL said we should tisan cooperation.
that we can protect our own country. consider bankruptcy—bankruptcy for I stand here today in the hopes that
Do you want to reopen the economy, State and local governments that can’t we will come back to session—if we do
Mr. President? Do you want to liberate pay their bills. What a disaster that next week—to truly address the
America from the CDC suggestion that would be. You want to see America COVID–19 crisis. We have wasted a
we shelter in place? Do you want to lib- cartwheeled into a recession leading to week here when it comes to that crisis.
erate us truly? Then join in this con- a depression? Bankruptcies from one We could be doing so much more.
ference and this conversation among end of America to the other by State I hope the Senate Republican leader,
leaders across the world to find this and local governments would do just who sets the agenda for the Senate,
vaccine. that, and the damage it would do to will go home to Kentucky, and as he
I hope we can find it in the United first responders who would be laid off goes home to Kentucky and talks to
States. We have a lot of talented people as a result of it, the police and the fire- the families there—and I will in Illi-
searching, but if another country finds fighters and the teachers, is incalcu- nois—we will both come back with the
it, let’s applaud that. If it is an effec- lable. We can’t let that happen to realization that the No. 1 priority in
tive and safe vaccine that protects us, America. this dangerous world is the danger at
let’s applaud whatever country finds A bankrupt America is an America our doorstep. Let’s get this under con-
it—including the United States, of headed for a depression, and when Sen- trol and protect the families and indi-
course, but if it is found in another ator MCCONNELL suggested that, I viduals across America so that we can
country, we are not going to be part of thought to myself, he hasn’t thought resume the path to greatness this
the conversation as long as this Presi- this through. He cannot be saying that country has been on since the begin-
dent folds his arms, juts out his chin, to the teachers of Kentucky and the ning.
and says: I am sorry, the WHO—the police and the firefighters and the med- I yield the floor.
World Health Organization—is at the ical professionals who count so much The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
table, and we want no part of them, so on our support. ator from South Dakota.
we are staying away. At this point, there are things we can Mr. THUNE. Madam President, a
Pride cometh before the fall, Mr. do and must do. My checklist would in- number of our Democratic colleagues
President. You can’t expect the Amer- clude hazard pay for those I mentioned, have come to the floor and spoken here
ican people to fall with you because of including the healthcare workers, and and elsewhere about the importance of
your own source of pride. We should most importantly, a dramatic increase providing assistance to State and local
deal with the reality of what we face in in testing. We have about one-third of governments and that if that doesn’t
this world. the test kits we need to put America happen, there are going to be police of-
Let me say a word about the State back to work. ficers and first responders and people
and local governments because as we We look at situations like the ones who have essential jobs that we rely on
consider the next round of legislation facing us in meat-processing facilities. every single day and for whom we are
to help this economy, we certainly It has created a real hardship on con- so grateful who wouldn’t be able to get
want to make certain that unemploy- sumers across America. But don’t for- paid.
ment insurance will be available for get the producers of livestock in South I would just point out that already,
the millions of Americans—over 30 mil- Dakota and Illinois and Tennessee. as part of the coronavirus relief meas-
lion Americans who are unemployed. They are producing pork and beef to be ures that Congress has passed, there
The current round of unemployment headed to the processing plants, and was $150 billion sent to State and local
insurance is set to expire around July the plants are closed down. It is a governments, much of which has yet to
31. We want to make certain that small downturn in demand for sure but also be spent and, frankly, much of which
businesses that are receiving forgivable working conditions, which need to be we don’t know what the actual need is
loans so they can be poised and ready addressed directly so there is safety in out there until we have a better sense
to reopen and go into business, put peo- the workplace for all American work- of what the revenue loss is to a lot of
ple back to work—that is supposed to ers. our State and local governments.
end around the end of June. I pray that When the Senate Republican leader Clearly, they are sounding the alarm,
this whole controversy and this crisis comes to the floor and talks about how and they are justifiably worried about
will be behind us by then, but we know we don’t want anybody held respon- what happens if the downturn in the
better. We know it will take some time sible or liable for their conduct or mis- economy continues and what that
to get the economy back in gear. Let’s conduct during the course of this, I might mean to their revenues. They
make sure that we renew our commit- think he is not thinking through clear- are looking to Washington, DC, for as-
ment to the people in this country, the ly what he is talking about. In this sit- sistance.
families in this country, the unem- uation, you certainly wouldn’t want to I think that, as I said earlier, in the
ployed in this country, and the small deny to nurses, who were seeking pro- CARES package, there was $150 billion
business owners as well. tection with protective equipment— that went out to State and local gov-
But don’t forget the others who are masks, gloves, and gowns—you ernments. There have been concerns
counting on us. Don’t forget our first wouldn’t want to deny them a day in about how those funds can be used. It
responders. How often have we stood up court, if necessary. You wouldn’t want was stipulated that they had to be used
and responded and praised police, fire- to say to workers who were in dan- for COVID-related expenses, and many
fighters, paramedics, medical profes- gerous situations in the workplace that State and local leaders were concerned
sionals, and nurses who stepped up in they can’t collect workers’ compensa- that that did not give them the flexi-
the midst of this crisis and showed ex- tion even if they are injured or sick. bility that they needed to meet other
traordinary courage, some giving their But when I hear the Republican leader types of needs.
lives in the process? Well, part of their talk about COVID–19 lawsuits—both Well, the Treasury Department has
future depends on us in the next bill. the lawsuits I just described relate to in the past few days come out with an
Are we going to stand up to make sure COVID–19, and both call for simple fair- interpretation that would allow those
that State and local governments, ness when it comes to protecting work- dollars—the $150 billion already appro-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
which have been hard hit by this crisis ers and families over large corpora- priated—to be used to pay firefighters,
as well when it comes to their own rev- tions. to pay police, to pay first responders,
enue, will get a helping hand? God for- The Senate leader has come to the to help with unemployment insurance
bid we reach a point where, because of floor so many times and said that the accounts at the State level, to help
the shortcomings in the State and real enemy here are the lawyers of with healthcare costs—the people who
local revenue, we have to lay off police, America. Really? At this moment in lose healthcare at the State level—and
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S2304 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
a range of other things. It dramatically the Democrats have been complaining lief legislation, support for farmers and
broadened the eligibility of uses for the about. And Point 4, it seems to me, at ranchers was one of my top priorities.
dollars that have already been allo- least, that we ought to have a discus- I fought to get agricultural relief
cated to State and local governments. sion about whether what we have done money included in the Coronavirus
So I think it is important for us to already is working before we decide to Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
make sure—as we look at any addi- add to it and see if we are getting a Act, or the CARES Act, which was
tional assistance that we might pro- good return on the tax dollars that signed into law in late March. The final
vide, to determine how well the dollars have already been put out there. bill included $14 billion to replenish the
that are already out there have been I don’t think there is any resistance Commodity Credit Corporation to
used and to, in fact, see what the ac- here to giving States more flexibility allow the Department of Agriculture to
tual needs are before we add to that. with those dollars. I don’t think there provide income and price support for
We had a number of pronouncements is any resistance to doing anything and farmers and ranchers, plus an addi-
around here. The Speaker of the House, everything we have to to make sure we tional $9.5 billion in emergency support
Speaker PELOSI, has come out and said: get through this crisis. I think our for agricultural producers affected by
We need $1 trillion in additional assist- Members certainly agree with that and the pandemic.
ance for State and local governments. are prepared to make the necessary Days after the bill passed, I led a bi-
It is hard for me to see how you can votes and to do what is necessary to partisan group of Senators and rep-
make a statement like that not know- get us through it. resentatives in a letter to Agriculture
ing what the original $150 billion has Remember also that there is no Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging him to
been used for or whether it has been amount of money in Washington, DC, use a portion of the funds to provide
used at all in some cases. that can substitute for a dynamic, vi- support for hard-hit cattle producers. I
The fact that we have $150 billion in brant, active economy where jobs are am pleased that in mid-April the U.S.
the pipeline, the eligibility and uses of being created and investments are Department of Agriculture announced
which have been dramatically broad- being made. That is how you ulti- that it would issue $16 billion worth of
ened by the Treasury Department to mately start to get things back on payments to ag producers affected by
enable States to use it for the very track in this country. the virus. Those payments are expected
things that many of the Democrats are So, as we get ahead of the health to reach farmers and ranchers in late
coming down here saying: You know, if emergency—and, of course, obviously May or early June. I have been moni-
we don’t help State and local govern- this week we celebrate nurses week. I toring the progress of this relief, and I
ments, we won’t pay essential work- am so grateful for the many contribu- will continue urging the USDA to issue
ers—that just flat out isn’t true. Those tions they are making not only during these payments as soon as possible.
dollars can be used for that purpose. the pandemic but year-round and the Agriculture producers can also take
It makes sense for us, as policy- people who are on the frontlines of this advantage of the Paycheck Protection
makers and custodians and stewards of emergency. To ensure that we are Program included in the CARES Act.
the people’s tax dollars, to ensure that doing everything we can to support This program provides forgivable loans
the tax dollars we have already put out them, to beat this health emergency— to small businesses, including self-em-
there are having the desired effect and when we do, as the economy starts to ployed producers, to help them cover
to figure out what is working and what open up, that is when we will see the payroll costs during this difficult time.
is not working and to figure out, frank- jobs come back, that is when we will Seventy-five percent of the loans must
ly, what the actual need is before we see the growth come back, and that is be used for workers’ salaries and bene-
send more money out—and, by the way, when we will see the standard of living fits, including the salaries of self-em-
more money that is all borrowed. and the quality of life in this country ployed workers, while the remaining
Every dollar of the $2.8 trillion that we that people have lost in the last few amount can be used for other quali-
have already distributed—and all for months start to return. That is the fying expenses, like mortgage interest,
good reasons. Everybody here was sup- best way to get things back on track rent, and utilities. The loan can be for-
portive and agreed we needed to do it. here. given completely, as long as borrowers
We needed a dramatic, bold response to I want to just make some comments follow the requirement that at least 75
an extraordinary circumstance, so that this morning about another area of our percent of the loan be used to cover
was done. But every one of those dol- economy and note that it has been an workers’ salaries and benefits and the
lars was borrowed. Any dollar we put incredibly tough couple of months for remainder be spent on other qualifying
out going forward will be borrowed, American businesses and American expenses.
which means that at some point some- workers. As of this week, farmers and ranchers
body has to pay for it, and it is going Virtually every sector of our econ- can now take advantage of the Small
to be our children and our grand- omy is suffering as a result of the Business Administration’s Economic
children. coronavirus, and the ag industry is no Injury Disaster Loan Program, thanks
There is an argument being made exception. Farmers and ranchers have to legislation Congress passed 2 weeks
that, well, interest rates are low; this taken a huge hit. The coronavirus has ago.
is a good time to borrow. Well, you caused significant market volatility, I am continuing to monitor the cat-
want to borrow when interest rates are sending many commodity futures tle market. Livestock producers have
low if you have to borrow, but if we prices plummeting. Meanwhile, re- taken a dramatic hit on the prices they
continue to borrow, there is a point at duced capacity at U.S. meatpacking are getting for their cattle. At the
which interest rates, just by virtue of plants as a result of the virus has di- same time, however, the price of pack-
the laws of supply and demand, will minished the demand for livestock, de- aged meat has risen, and meat packers
start to go up, and when they do, you pressing prices. This has aggravated an are seeing record profit margins. This
will see a dramatic increase in the already difficult situation for farmers raises real concerns about potential in-
amount of dollars we have to use here and ranchers. stances of price manipulation and
just to pay the interest on the debt, Unlike the majority of the economy, other unfair practices within the beef
which, if interest rates ever normalize, which was thriving before the pan- industry, especially considering that
will be north of about $1 trillion a year demic, the agricultural economy has four meat packing companies control
and represent literally about 28 percent been struggling now for a while. Low more than 80 percent of the beef sup-
of all Federal spending. prices, extended trade disputes, and plied in the United States.
So, point 1, every dollar we spend is natural disasters have made a tough In March, I called Secretary Perdue
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
a borrowed dollar. Point 2, I think it is few years for farmers and ranchers to urge the Department of Agriculture
important for us to see what the needs even before the coronavirus hit. Now to take action to ensure the integrity
are to be able to put money out there. they are suffering even more. of the cattle market during the
Point 3, there is already $150 billion in Agriculture is the lifeblood of my coronavirus pandemic. I followed up
the pipeline to State and local govern- State of South Dakota. So when Con- with a letter requesting that the Agri-
ments to help with many of the things gress was considering coronavirus re- culture Department’s packers and
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2305
stockyard division look into the vola- This means that not only is ethanol the Constitution, reminding him that
tility in the cattle market, and Sec- part of our energy security and a foun- he does not have the power to take us
retary Perdue has agreed to inves- dation of our ag economy, but it also to war in Iran. It instructed him that
tigate. plays an important role in our food any hostilities with Iran need to come
I also sent a letter to Attorney Gen- supply. in accordance with the Constitution.
eral William Barr requesting an inves- The coronavirus is already straining But the President of the United
tigation into potential price manipula- our meat processing industry. We States has responded to our clear dec-
tion or other anti-competitive activi- should not allow a CO2 shortage to laration of the essence of the Constitu-
ties in the beef market. deepen the problem. tion by tossing it aside, by vetoing
Our pork industry is also struggling As Congress addresses the numerous that resolution. And so here we are de-
due to the coronavirus pandemic. The challenges facing farmers and energy bating whether to override that veto.
temporary closure of the Smithfield producers, we must make sure that The Founding Fathers were adamant
plant in Sioux Falls created significant ethanol relief is a part of that discus- about not having anything resembling
challenges for the 550 independent pork sion. Whether it is through direct sup- a King in the new country they were
producers from South Dakota and sur- port or by advancing long-stalled corn building. The President was given the
rounding States and for our Nation’s fiber applications at the Environ- power to lead the Nation’s Armed
food supply system. mental Protection Agency, we need to Forces as Commander in Chief, but ar-
In the wake of the Smithfield plant make sure that this American energy ticle I, section 8 of the Constitution
closure announcement, I wrote a letter success story survives these chal- stated: ‘‘The Congress shall have
to Secretary Perdue requesting finan- lenging times. Power. . . . To declare war.’’
cial assistance for pork producers, and As we move forward, I will continue If there is any real doubt about the
I have been closely monitoring the sit- talking to farmers and ranchers about Founders’ intent, well, let’s return to
uation. their needs and what we can do to help the comments that they made at the
I am pleased that the Smithfield them get through these difficult times. time.
plant is in compliance with Centers for Supporting our Nation’s farmers and James Madison, father of the Con-
Disease Control and Prevention and ranchers will always be—always be— stitution, said this:
Occupational Safety and Health Ad- one of my top priorities here in Con- The constitution supposes, what the His-
tory of all Governments demonstrates, that
ministration guidance and will gradu- gress. the Executive is the branch of power most
ally resume operation starting today. The coronavirus crisis has reminded interested in war, and most prone to it. It
No discussion of the challenges fac- us all just how much we depend on our has accordingly with studied care vested the
ing farmers right now would be com- agricultural producers, and I am grate- question of war to the legislature.
plete without discussing biofuels. Eth- ful every day for the work they do to He continued: ‘‘The power to declare
anol and biodiesel producers buy up a feed our Nation. war, including the power of judging the
significant amount of American corn I will continue to do everything I can causes of war, is fully and exclusively
and soy, which adds value to each to strengthen our agricultural econ- vested in the legislature . . . the execu-
bushel. As demand for fuel has de- omy and to help our Nation’s farmers tive has no right, in any case, to decide
creased as a result of the coronavirus and ranchers thrive. the question, whether there is or not
pandemic, ethanol and biodiesel oper- I yield the floor. cause for declaring war.’’
ations have come offline and are no The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. How about George Washington, com-
longer buying up their normal amounts SCOTT of Florida). The Senator from mander of our forces in the Revolution,
of corn and soybean oil. This has sig- Oregon. first President of the United States, fa-
nificantly diminished a crucial market S.J. RES. 68 ther of our Nation? He said this: ‘‘The
for our farmers. Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I rise constitution vests the power of declar-
There has rightfully been a lot of to address the debate we are having ing war in Congress; therefore no offen-
focus on the oil and gas companies that today over whether to override the sive expedition of importance can be
are facing record loss and demand be- President’s veto of the Kaine resolu- undertaken until after they shall have
cause of the coronavirus and because of tion that reminds the President of the deliberated upon the subject and au-
an equally difficult oversupply problem United States about the fundamentals thorized such a measure,’’ referring to
driven by the Saudi-Russian price war. of the Constitution, about article I, Congress.
Hard-working Americans at these com- section 8 of the Constitution, which How about George Mason of Virginia?
panies who have helped usher in our gives the enumerated powers of Con- George Mason remarked that he was
modern energy renaissance are now in gress and says that Congress, and Con- ‘‘against giving the power of war to the
limbo, and Congress needs to make gress alone, has the power to declare executive’’ because the President ‘‘is
sure we preserve our energy dominance war. not safely to be trusted with it.’’
and security. But it is important to No decision is tougher or more im- There is more. How about Thomas
recognize that the ethanol industry, portant than the decision to go to war. Jefferson, one of the most brilliant
which provides over 10 percent of the That is why the Founding Fathers minds our country has ever produced?
Nation’s gasoline content—the cleanest never intended for a single person to be He said this: ‘‘We have already given in
10 percent, I might add—is a part of able to make that decision. They ex- example one effectual check to the dog
that. plicitly, after intense debate and con- of war by transferring the power of let-
Biofuels, too, have been a key part of sideration, gave that power solely to ting him’’—the dog of war—‘‘loose from
America’s energy renaissance and have Congress, the people’s branch of our the Executive to the Legislative body.’’
also been hit hard by the sudden drop government. They didn’t want any- And Jefferson didn’t just believe that
in demand, which has been a dev- one—any one individual, even the these were important words in the Con-
astating blow for workers in the indus- President of the United States—to be stitution. When he was President and
try and for the farmers who supply able to drag our Nation to war for per- when he was being pressured over a dis-
them. Half—half—of the Nation’s ca- sonal or political reasons or for pute with Spain over the boundaries of
pacity has been idle. More than 70 misjudgments, inadequately vetted Louisiana and Florida, he wrote to
plants have closed, and just as many with the wisdom of the leaders of the Congress stating: ‘‘Considering that
have idled, directly harming their local country. Congress alone is constitutionally in-
economies and, again, drying up that Since President Trump came into of- vested with the power of changing our
essential market for our farmers. fice, we have come within a hair’s condition from peace to war, I have
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
This has brought a new problem. breadth of war with Iran on more than thought it my duty to await their au-
Many Americans may not know it, but one occasion because of his words and thority for using force in any degree.’’
a substantial quantity of food-grade his actions. It is why back in February How about Alexander Hamilton,
carbon dioxide, the CO2 used in carbon- and March, the Senate and the House whom many Americans have been hear-
ated beverages or to quickly chill meat debated this resolution, reinstructing ing so much about with the play ‘‘Ham-
products, is an ethanol by-product. the President on the fundamentals of ilton’’ having been such a hit over the
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S2306 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
last few years? What did Hamilton say in Chief to involve the United States yond to respond to an imminent at-
about this? He said: ‘‘in hostilities is clearly indicated by tack, under article II of the Constitu-
‘‘The Congress shall have the power to de- the circumstances, are exercised only tion. In other words, the President of
clare war’’; the plain meaning of which is, pursuant to a (1) declaration of war, (2) the United States is saying that his
that it is the peculiar and exclusive duty of specific statutory authorization, or (3) powers are unlimited, as he asserted in
Congress . . . to change that state into a a national emergency created by at- so many other arenas—that his powers
state of war.’’ tack upon the United States, its terri- are unlimited to go to war.
Abraham Lincoln was not a Founding tories or possessions, or its Armed No, Mr. President, they are not, and
Father, but he understood absolutely Forces.’’ a bipartisan majority of this Senate
what the Founders were talking about, That is the law of the United States has said that. A bipartisan majority of
and he said this: of America backing up the Constitu- the House has said that. And even if
The provision of the Constitution giving tion of the United States of America, your veto stands and we cannot over-
the war-making power to Congress was dic- founded on the wisdom of the Found- ride it today, it is the Constitution of
tated . . . by the following reasons. Kings ers, as you heard one after another, all the United States that says that. And
had always been involving and impoverishing conveying that same message. that should be the final point that
their people in wars, pretending generally, if But what was the President’s re- today, when we vote, let’s vote with
not always, that the good of the people was
the object. This, our Convention understood
sponse? the Constitution of the United States.
to be the most oppressive of all Kingly op-
The President’s response in his veto Let’s vote with the Founders, who so
pressions, and they resolved to frame the message said that the resolution is in- explicitly gave that power to this
Constitution [so] that no one man should sulting. Is it insulting to fight for our Chamber and the Chamber down the
hold the power of bringing this oppression Constitution to be followed? hall. Let’s vote to say that the wisdom
upon us. No, Mr. President, it is the responsi- that has stood for more than 200 years
But we are in a day and age where we bility of every Member here to fight for should be the wisdom that prevails
have the President who does not re- the Constitution to be followed, and today when we vote to override the
spect the words of the Constitution, the most important issue we ever con- veto of the President of the United
does not respect the vision of our sider on the floor of the Senate is the States.
Founders, does not understand the wis- issue of whether or not we are going to I yield the floor.
dom that the issue of war and the asso- war. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
ciated huge toll in blood and huge toll It is not insulting. It is essential—es- ator from Texas.
in treasure is absolutely too important sential—to remind this President that VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT
a decision to be vested in a single per- the wisdom of the Constitution stands Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, the
son, that it must be a product—a deci- today as it has for more than 200 years. coronavirus has challenged our coun-
sion to go to war must be the product— The President also cited authorities try—indeed, the entire planet—like few
of a considered debate of the U.S. Sen- he has under the 2002 authorization for crises before, certainly in my lifetime.
ate and the U.S. House of Representa- the use of military force. Well, let’s see I was part of the post World War II gen-
tives. That is why we proceeded to pass what that authorization actually said. eration. No doubt, world war presented
the resolution here in February and in It said this: the preeminent crisis within memory.
March down the hall, because the The President is authorized to use the It was, I think, 1917 and 1918 when the
Armed Forces of the United States as he de- Great Influenza hit the planet and tens
President has been beating the drums
termines to be necessary and appropriate in
of war since he came to office. He of millions of people died in that.
order to—
started up by tearing up the Iran nu- (1) defend the national security of the When this virus began spreading, it
clear agreement, after the United United States against the continuing threat became clear it would place a severe
States had led the world in creating an posed by Iraq; and strain on our hospitals and healthcare
effective strategy to end the nuclear (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Se- providers. As businesses closed their
programs of Iran. He followed it with curity Council resolutions regarding Iraq. doors and employees lost their jobs, it
an economic war against Iran that has Now, I know people get confused was obvious it would take a toll on the
inflicted great suffering on the people about Iraq and Iran, but, Mr. Presi- incredible economy we had in this
of that Nation, and, then, so many dent—and I am speaking to the Presi- country. It is like it fell off a cliff.
other escalatory provocations and re- dent of the United States—please, get The combination of new stresses
sponses, that without the considered out a map and understand that Iraq is brought on by this virus have led to a
response of Congress to remind him not Iran, that this does not give you range of lesser-known but no less se-
that he does not have the power to go authority to go to war against Iran. vere consequences. Earlier this week, I
to war, could take us into another Mid- The President also cites article II of spoke about the impact the
dle East war. the Constitution, and he goes on at coronavirus is having on our country’s
We here in the Senate must not allow some length in his veto message saying mental health. As our lives have been
that to happen. We saw the con- what limited powers this gives him. flipped upside down, many Americans
sequences of the last Middle East war Well, Mr. President—and, again, I am are facing financial struggles, isola-
and the toll of the blood of our sons speaking to the President of the United tion, and anxiety.
and daughters and of our national States—that is not what is written in For those who have children at home,
treasure. We saw that toll, and we the Constitution. That is not what is the challenges are compounded even
must not allow a war to occur because embodied in the War Powers Resolu- further. A recent poll by the Kaiser
of a President who disregards the Con- tion. That is not what our law and Family Foundation disclosed that
stitution of the United States. international law provide as a basis for nearly half of Americans polled re-
The resolution that the Senate and going to war—that the President has ported that the coronavirus was having
House passed, the Kaine resolution, sole power—and it is absolutely con- a negative impact on their mental
says: trary to the complete history and health. That is up from one-third in
Congress hereby directs the President to founding of the United States of Amer- March, and it is not surprising.
terminate the use of United States Armed ica, giving the power of war to this When we talk about the resources
Forces for hostilities against the Islamic Re- body and the House that is down the that we need to overcome this crisis,
public of Iran or any part of its government hall. the relationship between the
or military, unless explicitly authorized by a In fact, international law and U.S. coronavirus and America’s mental
declaration of war or specific authorization law refer to issues like force being used health cannot be ignored. Beyond the
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
for the use of military force against Iran. as necessary and proportionate, and for silent impact these stresses are having
That, by the way, is exactly con- the President to be able to act when on individuals, they can quickly lead
sistent with the War Powers Resolu- there is an imminent threat. And the to violence in relationships. We have
tion, which is the law of the United President takes a shot at this in his learned that, in a time of crisis, the
States of America that notes that the Trump veto message, referring to the frequency and severity of domestic vio-
power of the President as Commander fact that he has powers that go far be- lence incidents are likely to increase.
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2307
Texas experienced the heartbreaking waived this match requirement. This The current crisis has highlighted the
reality of that trend in post Hurricane gives organizations the ability to use serious need for additional support. I
Harvey, and we are seeing it again now. the funding that they have for other am proud of the fact that, despite some
Last month, I participated in a vir- purposes to fulfill their greatest needs. of the normal dust-ups and squabbles
tual roundtable with representatives Right now, one of the most urgent and disagreements here, we have large-
from the Texas Council on Family Vio- needs is access to safe housing. If you ly been able to act as one with passing
lence, the Texas Association Against think about it, if you are stuck in an legislation unanimously here in the
Sexual Assault, and more than a dozen apartment with somebody who has Senate—the CARES Act—and to pass
other organizations across my State abused you in the past, perhaps the other legislation to provide aid to
that support survivors of domestic vio- danger is greater because there is no small businesses by unanimous con-
lence. We discussed these stresses and money coming in the front door and sent.
how they are impacting victims and maybe increased alcohol abuse. It is I would hope the spirit that moved us
the barriers that are being created that easy to see how the biggest need would to act in unison before in response to
make it harder for these organizations be a safe place to go. Victims can’t this coronavirus would cause us to do
and people of good will to provide sup- move on from their abusers without a the same when it comes to reauthor-
port. safe alternative to turn to, so it is im- izing the Violence Against Women Act.
One of these representatives was the portant that we make access to shel- There is a time for politics. There is a
CEO of the Houston Area Women’s Cen- ters and housing as easy as possible. time for policy debates and differences,
ter, Emily Whitehurst. Houston is the Even before the coronavirus out- but when it comes to reauthorizing the
hardest hit area in our State, with break, I introduced a bipartisan bill Violence Against Women Act, this is
about 7,000 cases in Harris County called the HEALS Act to help improve not that time.
alone. Emily said that, in the early victims’ access to housing and the I can only hope that all of our col-
stages of the virus spreading, they services they need. It prioritizes fund- leagues will respond to the better an-
weren’t sure whether they would see an ing for transitional housing and in- gels of our nature, particularly this
increase in calls, given that stay-at- creases the ability to stay in that time of crisis when there are so many
home orders meant people would be housing for victims to get back on people in danger of domestic violence
isolated with their abusers, but they their feet. It also directs the Depart- that we could pass the Violence
soon found out the answer. ment of Housing and Urban Develop- Against Women Act reauthorization as
In early April, the Houston Area ment to further plan on how best to soon as possible. I think there is more
Women’s Center saw a 40-percent in- support victims of domestic violence. we can do and should be doing to sup-
crease in the daily calls to their hot- As the Senate considers additional port victims of domestic violence. I
line. Compared to the same time last legislation in response to the know our colleagues across the aisle
year, there was nearly a 50-percent in- coronavirus, we cannot lose sight of feel the same way. This should be a
crease in requests for shelter. Many of these lesser-known consequences of the nonpartisan endeavor.
these organizations are already oper- pandemic. We need to continue to sup- In our efforts to strengthen our Na-
ating on a tight budget and working to port and prioritize resources for sur- tion’s response to the coronavirus and
make sure every dollar goes as far as vivors, and one of the most critical support those harmed in its wake, as
we are doing that, we cannot allow vic-
possible. ways we can do that is by taking ac-
As the need goes up, the advocates tims of domestic violence and sexual
tion on another piece of legislation
and organizations who support sur- assault to be left behind.
called the Violence Against Women I yield the floor.
vivors are trying to do more and more Act. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
with less and less. I was able to discuss For more than 25 years, VAWA, as it The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
the provisions of the CARES Act that is known, has been at the forefront of clerk will call the roll.
we passed on March 25, I believe it was, our ability to support victims of do- The legislative clerk proceeded to
and that was signed into law shortly mestic violence and sexual assault, and call the roll.
thereafter with the provisions we made until recently, it remained high above Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I ask
to try to offer some assistance. For ex- the political fray. The first three times unanimous consent that the order for
ample, it provided $45 million for pro- the program came up for reauthoriza- the quorum call be rescinded.
grams funded by the Family Violence tion, there were certainly some dis- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Prevention and Services Act. These agreements. That is normal, but we objection, it is so ordered.
support a range of services, such as were able to finally pull together and VE DAY
emergency housing for domestic vio- reach a compromise. Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, 75
lence survivors and their children. At a Unfortunately, that did not prove to years ago, the scene across America
time when victims are isolated with be the case this time. When the time and Europe was quite different than
their abuser and cut off from support came to once again reauthorize the Vi- what we see today—thousands of peo-
that they may otherwise have, these olence Against Women Act last year, ple waving flags, dancing, hugging,
services are essential. our friends across the aisle attempted kissing in the streets, all covered in
Our legislation also sent more fund- to use this must-pass piece of legisla- confetti.
ing to the National Domestic Hotline, tion to score some political points. In the early morning hours of May 7,
which is based in Austin, TX, so it can Amid the gamesmanship, VAWA ex- 1945, in the small town of Reims,
continue to provide support and re- pired. France, the Supreme Allied Com-
sources to victims as the need expands. As someone who has been long inter- mander, Dwight David Eisenhower,
As good as this funding was, it was ested in victims’ rights, I am an ardent signed Nazi Germany’s surrender and
nothing but a start, and our efforts supporter of our efforts to reauthorize sent a cable to Washington and to Lon-
cannot end there. the Violence Against Women Act, and I don stating that the mission of the Al-
One of the big needs that I discussed have constantly fought not only to lied forces was fulfilled, thus ending
on my virtual meeting with various or- continue but to strengthen this pro- the Nazi pandemic of tyranny and
ganizations was the need for flexibility gram. That is why I am proud to have genocide. The surrender took effect on
for funding. Organizations are required cosponsored the reauthorization bill in- May 8, and for the first time since 1941,
to match Federal funds they receive troduced by our friend and colleague, the U.S. Capitol was bathed again in
with State or privately raised dollars, Senator ERNST from Iowa, which would light.
but during this time of increased need, provide greater funding and stability Most military historians now agree
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
that administrative barrier turned into for this program at a time when both that it was Eisenhower’s unique skill
a major roadblock. are desperately needed. and persuasion that enabled the Allied
In order to provide immediate relief The Violence Against Women Act has effort to be successful. As Winston
so these groups can continue their life- guided our Nation’s effort to confront Churchill said, ‘‘There is only one
saving work, last month, Governor domestic violence and sexual assault thing worse than fighting with allies
Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, for more than a quarter of a century. and that is fighting without them.’’
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S2308 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
Simply put, Ike led the effort to pre- Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I threats and dangers, and we must stand
serve Western democracy and freedom, ask unanimous consent that the order in support of our allies and partners, it
and later, as President in 1953, America for the quorum call be rescinded. is our responsibility to ensure that he
experienced 8 years of peace and pros- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without is taking the right actions to protect
perity. objection, it is so ordered. Americans and our interests.
Tomorrow, on the 75th anniversary of S.J. RES. 68 The President does not have the au-
the victory of Europe—what we call Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I thority to undertake any kind of mili-
Victory in Europe Day, VE Day—the rise to override the President’s veto of tary action he likes, nor does he have
Eisenhower Memorial Commission was S.J. Res. 68, which requires the re- the prerogative to sell weapons to any
set to dedicate the long-awaited Presi- moval of U.S. troops from hostilities country he likes absent congressional
dential memorial to Dwight David Ei- against Iran that Congress may not consultation and approval. Unfortu-
senhower right on the Mall in our Na- have authorized. nately, as has become a pattern with
tion’s Capital, just two blocks away. It seems like ages ago that we were this administration, the legal rational
Eisenhower once said: ‘‘Plans may truly on the brink of a potentially dev- it has offered for these attacks
end up as worthless, but planning is ev- astating, costly, and unnecessary war stretches the bounds of credulity.
erything.’’ How right he was. The Com- against Iran, but it was actually just a Following a number of briefings from
mission has set aside our plans for the few months ago. the administration, I found no compel-
dedication and is now planning a wor- Make no mistake—even as Iranians ling evidence as to what was the immi-
thy ceremony in the fall. There is have suffered the worst outbreak of nent threat or the clear and present
precedent for this delay. Just as Amer- COVID–19 in the Middle East, we have danger to Americans. In fact, following
ica is pulling together to fight to de- witnessed Iran continue its support for the death of Soleimani, we saw even
feat the COVID–19 virus, the Eisen- terrorism, harassment of American more attacks on American assets and
hower administration was working naval vessels, and general malfeasance interests.
with the public and the private sector throughout the region. Indeed, it now Just a few weeks ago, Iran was
until a vaccine was developed by Dr. seems that Iran may be principally re- harassing our ships in the Arabian
Jonas Salk and disseminated all sponsible for driving the spread of Gulf, and Iran also claims to have
throughout our country. Shortly there- COVID–19 throughout the region. I launched a military satellite into
after, an oral and more effective vac- don’t think there is any question about orbit. It does not sound like the admin-
cine was developed by Dr. Albert Sabin. Iran’s malign activity. istration’s actions have meaningfully
Today, polio is virtually eradicated. More to the point of the legislation ‘‘restored deterrence’’ of any kind
Today we face the same challenge. at hand, I shed no tears for Qassem against Iranian malign activity.
The Eisenhower Memorial, which Soleimani, who left a legacy of ter- Additionally, let me reiterate that
pays tribute to Ike’s leadership as both rorism, bloodshed, and American the idea that somehow the administra-
the Supreme Allied Commander and deaths. However, this body has a con- tion has the authority under the 2002
the 34th President of the United stitutional responsibility and preroga- AUMF to attack Soleimani simply be-
States, is located on the National Mall tive to declare war, to make the deci- cause he was in Iraq is completely ludi-
and will not only honor an extraor- sion about whether to send our sons crous. As someone who voted against
dinary man but will also be a symbol and daughters into battlefields. We the war in Iraq when I was in the House
for all generations of the promise of have the responsibility to ensure that of Representatives during the debate
America and what our values make the Executive is effectively deploying over whether to authorize military ac-
possible within our Nation and all over every diplomatic tool it can before tion, I can assure you that it was not
the world. rushing recklessly into battle, particu- its intention of that 2002 authorization
I can personally attest to the impact larly one without clearly defined out- for the use of military force, and it
Eisenhower had on my life. My dad, comes or clarity of purpose. We must does not comport with the history, the
Wes Roberts, was the Citizens for Ike exercise our check over the Executive, use, or the plain reading of the text.
chairman during the 1952 campaign and particularly when it comes to the life Colleagues, I urge you to stand up for
instrumental in the first ballot victory and death of Americans. our congressional prerogatives, our
over Senator Robert A. Taft from Ohio. Yet this administration continues to congressional responsibilities, and our
He later—my dad—became national test the strength of our system of constitutional responsibilities, and to
chairman of the Republican Party. So checks and balances. We saw it with make clear to the President that we
at 16 years old, I was a wide-eyed ser- this strike against Soleimani. Then it are a coequal branch of government
geant at arms during the Chicago Con- played out several times last year re- that will hold the Executive account-
vention and later attended Ike’s inau- garding congressional prerogatives on able.
gural ceremonies in Washington, com- arms sales. I want to thank Senator KAINE for
plete with white tie and tails. I met This is not the first time the Presi- his dedication to this issue and to de-
him both times. dent has faced a vote to override his fending our constitutional rights.
When Ike came into a room, even if veto. Last year, the House and the Sen- I yield the floor.
you had your back to him, you knew he ate made overwhelmingly clear that we The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
was there. He had a ruddy complexion had concerns about sales of certain ator from Tennessee.
and a great and wonderful smile. Ev- weapons to Saudi Arabia following its CORONAVIRUS
eryone he met liked Ike. As my lapel disastrous campaign in Yemen and the Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President,
button indicates, we still like Ike. murder of Jamal Khashoggi. I want to report on an important hear-
I have now come full circle, serving As the administration seeks to sell ing the Senate HELP Committee just
as the chairman of the Eisenhower Me- more weapons overseas, the Congress completed. Senator MURRAY and I or-
morial Commission. I know there will will continue to assert our prerogative ganized it. We heard from Francis Col-
be dancing in the streets again, and we when it comes to foreign policy and lins, the distinguished scientist who is
will be able to live our lives freely and war-making. So, as I did earlier this head of the National Institutes of
safely, as Ike and the ‘‘greatest genera- year, I stand in strong support of S.J. Health, about his new program, funded
tion’’ fought to secure. We will dedi- Res 68. This body must assert its con- by Congress, to spend $1.5 billion, or
cate the memorial to Kansas’s favorite stitutional and congressional preroga- $2.5 billion if you include the money we
son and one of our greatest Presidents. tive. gave to BARDA, to develop a new tech-
After all, Ike never gave up, and nei- Of course, the President has the right nology that will produce tens of mil-
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ther will we. to take action to defend against immi- lions of rapid diagnostic tests for
I suggest the absence of a quorum. nent threats to the homeland and to COVID–19.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Americans abroad. No one disputes Mr. President, my opening statement
FISCHER). The clerk will call the roll. that—no one. While the President has at that hearing can be found online at
The bill clerk proceeded to call the the right to take action to protect https://www.alexander.senate.gov/pub-
roll. Americans from truly imminent lic/index.cfm?p= SpeechesFloor
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2309
Statements&id=1AF0B54F-A9EC–4007– sick. We don’t know exactly how many who is head of the Food and Drug Ad-
9146–E8D386531C4F. that is. I would guess—and I am no sci- ministration, which has to approve the
I would like to refer to a speech made entist, but just from the scientists I safety and effectiveness of all these
by the former majority leader of the talk to, I am guessing that in Ten- ideas; and Admiral Giroir, who is co-
Senate, Bill Frist, in 2005, which re- nessee it is 3, 5, 7 percent of us who ordinating testing.
minds us that we have been working on might have this virus, and maybe half Dr. Collins also said that we are
these programs for a long time and of us or some of us have symptoms, and making great strides in treatments and
which can be found online at https:// the rest of us don’t. But what we need in vaccines. Congress has appropriated
asecondopinionpodcast.com/frist-pre- to do is identify who those people are $3 trillion—I see my friend from Okla-
dicts-global-pandemic/. On April 13, and quarantine them for 2 weeks or homa here, so I will come to a conclu-
‘‘The American Mind’’ published Sen- help them in the hospital, and then the sion so he can have his time—Congress
ator Frist’s essay, ‘‘A Storm for Which rest of us can go back to school and has appropriated $3 trillion, but the
We Were Unprepared,’’ which can be back to work. We can’t do that without most important money we have appro-
found online at https:// tens of millions of more tests, even priated goes for tests, treatments, and
americanmind.org/essays/a-storm-for- though we are testing more people vaccines.
which-we-were-unprepared/. than any other country in the world. Dr. Collins is leading the accelerated
Senator Frist’s speech, which was That is what we are talking about, effort with nearly 1,000 proposals now
made at a time when we were dealing and we are so fortunate to have Dr. that were set up in record time—sort of
with 9/11 and before Ebola but SARS Francis Collins, who headed the Human a mini-Manhattan Project—to take the
and other viruses, he predicted exactly Genome Project, to lead that effort. He brainpower of this country and see if
what is happening—we are going to has been at the National Institutes of we can find a new way to create these
have a virus this year, and we will have Health for 27 years. He led it during rapid tests and then work with BARDA
another one, and then we will have an- President Obama’s time and during and manufacturers to produce tens of
other one. President Trump’s time. He has invited millions of them so we can go back to
Since that time, over the last 20 the best ideas from around the country school in August and millions more so
years, we have had three Presidents—a and gotten more than 1,000 proposals. that we can get ready for the flu sea-
Bush, an Obama, and a Trump—several We call it a shark tank because there is son.
Congresses who passed seven big laws. a reality television show where entre- There are also promising treatments,
We have created a stockpile, we have preneurs fight to see who can win. medicines that will be ready by the
created an Assistant Secretary for Pre- Well, all we need is one or two or three summertime. As Senator KENNEDY
paredness, and we have spent the last 5 winners of the sharks swimming from Louisiana observed in one of our
years with record investments in the around in this tank, and then meetings, what bothers most people
National Institutes of Health. BARDA—our other agency that is in- about this disease is that they might
We were in a situation where, on
volved—can go to work with manufac- die from it. There is no medicine to
March 1, the New York Times reported
turers and begin to produce tens of mil- treat it. Well, now there is one ap-
that ‘‘most experts agree,’’ the Times
lions of these tests. How quickly? We proved by the FDA, and there should be
reported on its front page, that the
don’t know, and we shouldn’t predict more by the summer.
United States is better prepared than
things we don’t know, but our goal is Finally, the administration has set
almost any country to deal with this
to produce millions more tests by Au- as a very aggressive goal the only
epidemic. Yet we were not as well pre-
gust, when 100,000 public schools want thing that will really put us back to
pared as we would like to have been.
So we had a hearing today, one, to to open and 5,000 colleges want to open, anything approaching normal, which is
focus on this shark tank, as Senator first, by accelerating all the known a vaccine. Their goal is that we would
BLUNT and I like to call it, where Dr. technologies, and second, by finding produce 100 million doses by September
Collins is inviting the best ideas from some mighty white shark in this shark and 300 million by the end of the year,
around the country for new tech- tank that produces a new technology. which is much more rapid than we have
nologies. There is a lot of talk about antigen ever done before. I have no idea wheth-
That is not to say we haven’t been tests. There is one proposal that would er it is possible, but I like the idea of
testing. The United States, according have you take just a simple nose the goal.
to Johns Hopkins and President swab—not the kind of thing that goes So the shark tank for the tests, the
Trump, has tested 7 million Ameri- all the way back into your throat but acceleration of treatments for the sum-
cans—more than any country; more per a simple nose swab, maybe even saliva. mer, the warp speed vaccination—all in
capita, for example, than South Korea, You take a picture of it with your cell a country that has everybody working
which we often admire for the way it phone, and if it is positive, it tells you hard on the problem. Yes, there was a
has dealt with COVID–19. So we are and it sends that to your doctor. It is bump in the CDC tests to start with,
testing a lot of people. that simple. It is as simple as a preg- but today we have tested 7 million peo-
But if we want to go back to work nancy test. That would be a screening ple—more than any other country. And
and we want to go back to school, we test, and you might need to take a sec- I think it is important for the Amer-
are going to need to have quick, reli- ond test to confirm it because some of ican people to know that on tests,
able tests for everybody in the nursing these screening tests aren’t 100 per- treatments, and vaccines, we are all
home, everybody in the meatpacking cent. working as hard as we can.
plant, everybody maybe on the college We had a very good hearing. We I yield the floor.
campus, everybody in a graded school. heard from Dr. Collins. We have ex- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
We are going to have such widespread actly the right person. We have good ator from Oklahoma.
testing that people will be willing to cooperation with BARDA, the agency REMEMBERING THOMAS COBURN
come out of their homes and go back to that has done so much good work, and Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I rise
work. That is one reason we need the I am looking forward to the results. to pause and remember March 28, 2020.
testing. I would say to my colleagues, we It is a day that Oklahomans and the
The second reason we need the test- have another hearing scheduled. We are Nation lost a patriot and a friend to
ing is because it helps contain the dis- doing our job of oversight. On next many.
ease. We know how to stop the spread Tuesday, Senator MURRAY and I have I stand here at this desk that I have
of the disease. If every single one of us scheduled a hearing on safely back to used for the past 5 years, but before it
just stayed in our room, it wouldn’t school and back to work. That will fea- was my desk, it was the desk of Dr.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
spread. We have come pretty close to ture Dr. Fauci, who has become some- Tom Coburn.
doing that for the last 5 weeks and thing of a television personality over A few days after we gaveled out in
nearly destroyed our economy in the the last 3 or 4 weeks, but he has ap- March, Dr. Coburn took his first breath
process, but we had to do it. peared before our committee many in Heaven, where he was finally cancer-
The other way to do it is have enough times; Dr. Redfield, who is head of the free, finally pain-free, and living in the
tests to identify the people who are Centers for Disease Control; Dr. Hahn, presence of Jesus, where there is no
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S2310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
government waste and no inefficiency, Congress—the person who studies and run by a lawyer named Eric Conn, a
where there is no conflict, and liberty the committee chairman. Study more Kentucky lawyer who filed thousands
is absolutely eternal. We will miss his than anyone else, know the issue, and of bogus disability applications.
sage advice, his blunt perspective, and you can get it done. He was a master of Senate rules—his
his steadfast wisdom. His tenacity on every issue was leg- clay pigeon amendment is legendary in
Dr. Coburn served in this Chamber endary. POLITICO once summarized it Senate procedure. He was one of the
for 10 years, from 2005 to 2015, but he well, saying: ‘‘A typical bill moving unlikeliest Members to vote for TARP
also served in the House of Representa- through the Senate has a number of in- in 2008. It was probably one of the hard-
tives for 6 years, from 1995 to 2001. The stitutional hurdles to clear: sub- est votes that he took, but when he
one title he carried in both of those committee, committee, leadership and looked at the facts in front of him, he
Chambers was ‘‘Doctor,’’ and that was Coburn. It’s that last one that you saw that it was the right thing to do.
his preferred term. won’t find in a textbook.’’ That was ultimately what it boiled
Thomas Allen Coburn was born in His staff were wholly devoted to the down to—he was willing to do the right
Casper, WY, on March 14, 1948. Dr. cause, not necessarily because of him thing, no matter what the cost. He op-
Coburn graduated from Central High but because of the mission. One of his posed what needed opposition, but he
School in 1966. In 1968, he married former staffers wrote this after Dr. would prefer to argue in private to re-
Carolyn Denton—by the way, the 1967 Coburn passed: solve an issue rather than in public, al-
Miss Oklahoma. They had three daugh- We blocked a lot of bills. We offered a lot though he was clearly not afraid to
ters and nine grandchildren. of amendments. We lost a lot of votes. We
argue in public.
highlighted a lot of wasteful spending. We
At Oklahoma State University, Dr. After years of serving families as
irked a lot of people. And over time, we
Coburn was an honor student and presi- started changing how business was done. their physician—a task he continued
dent of the student business council. Bills that added new spending couldn’t pass on weekends even when he was in the
He graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s without offsets. Program duplication became House of Representatives—the Senate
degree in accounting. part of the lexicon. The practice of ear- Ethics Committee ruled that Dr.
After the family business he worked marking went away. People started paying Coburn was violating conflict of inter-
at was sold, he attended medical school attention to government waste. est rules by holding an outside job and
at the University of Oklahoma and re- Doctor Coburn’s annual ‘‘Wastebook’’ prohibited him from practicing medi-
ceived his medical degree with honors became one of the more high-profile re- cine as a Senator. Dr. Coburn then just
in 1983. He interned at St. Anthony’s ports coming out of Washington each stopped taking payment and did his
Hospital in Oklahoma City. In 1986, he year. Over the years, Dr. Coburn and work as a physician pro bono, and the
founded the Muskogee Family Medi- his team highlighted trillions in ques- Ethics Committee also rejected that
cine practice, which is still in oper- tionable spending on low-priority items plan and prohibited him from working
ation today. that taxpayers were unwittingly pay- pro bono, even as a physician.
His victory over melanoma as a ing for. Any spending that proved to be Ironically, I am now the chairman of
young man inspired him to become a classic Federal wastefulness, duplica- Ethics for the Senate. The last time I
physician. He stated he wanted to give tive, fraudulent, or purely ineffective, visited with Dr. Coburn at his house in
back because he had been given to. Un- likely made the list each year. The February, in the middle of our long,
fortunately, that battle with mela- ‘‘Wastebook’’ became an annual ral- great conversation, he said to me:
noma when he was a young man was lying cry for taxpayers frustrated by Since you are the chairman of Ethics,
not his last battle with cancer. Washington’s spending habits. Phrases why don’t you get that rule changed
As a physician, his dedication to his that are common in American political and allow doctors to still practice med-
patients was inexhaustible. Over his conversations today, like ‘‘the bridge icine while they are in the Senate?
career, he delivered 4,000 babies and to nowhere,’’ ‘‘shrimp on a treadmill,’’ That is wrong. That needs to be fixed.
would often see 30 patients a day in his ‘‘term limits,’’ and ‘‘earmarks,’’ were Even in the end, he was still working
office. all battles that he fought to win. to right what was wrong.
After his election to the House of In 2010, in a fight over the debt limit Many people know that when Dr.
Representatives in 1994, he would fly increase, Dr. Coburn created an annual Coburn left the Senate, he spent his
home from Washington, DC, so that he report from the Government Account- time trying to fix Congress—still work-
could continue to see his patients on ability Office on government duplica- ing on term limits and a balanced
weekends—a schedule he maintained tion. It seemed like just another gov- budget amendment.
for the entire 6 years he spent in the ernment report, but that report—that If you have not seen it, you should
House. He was a doctor all the time. report that he passed in 2010—has saved read some of the things his former staff
It was not uncommon for him to be taxpayers $262 billion dollars so far. wrote about Dr. Coburn after he passed
in a conversation with someone, and Dr. Coburn and his team were in the away a few weeks ago. Any Senator in
right in the middle of the conversation, fights worth fighting, but they were this Chamber could only wish that our
he would ask them how they were feel- battling on the playing field of ideas staff looked up to us as much as his
ing because he had picked up some- and policy proposals, not against peo- staff looked up to him.
thing in their demeanor that he ple. In a town that wants to label ev- I thought the best way to honor Dr.
thought was a little bit wrong. erything left versus right, liberal Coburn today, though, was to remind
Dr. Coburn was a deacon and a Sun- versus conservative, Dr. Coburn and his this body of what Dr. Coburn said as he
day school teacher. team didn’t have any criteria to meet walked out of this body—his farewell
In all the story that I have told you, for those who joined them in the fight; speech. Among the many things he
if you are looking for some element of they were willing to pull together any said, he challenged the Senate and Sen-
politics in the background, you won’t ally. You didn’t have to agree on every- ators by saying this:
find it until 1994. His decision to run thing, but as long as you agreed on a The Senate was designed uniquely to force
for Congress in 1994 was a long shot. He couple things in front of you, that is compromise, not to force gridlock—to force
narrowly won, becoming the first Re- what mattered. The friendships that compromise. One Senator had the power to
publican to represent Oklahoma’s Sec- were forged in the fight were genuine, stop everything for the first 100 years but it
ond Congressional District in 73 years. true, and certainly unique. didn’t because compromise was the goal.
He went to Congress as a man on a He was the chief sponsor of President Our Founders understood there were
mission. He was determined to help Obama’s USASpending.gov to increase many differences between the States in
solve the Nation’s problems. His focus transparency in government spending. size, in geography, economy, and opin-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
was not Oklahoma; it was the Nation. He was a champion for HIV/AIDS pa- ions. They united the States as one
I remember asking him privately be- tients and medical research to save country based upon the premise that
fore I started serving in the House of lives. He was a tenacious fighter the many are more powerful than the
Representatives how he made a dif- against Social Security disability one. As Senators, we have to follow
ference. His answer was that there are fraud, eventually exposing a $1 billion this example.
two people who make a difference in Social Security scam in West Virginia Then, he said this:
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2311
I’ve not always done that—I admit that that we had in February about S.J. debates about that, obviously—but also
freely to you. I should have. Res. 68 was about the importance of citing the Iraq war resolution of 2002. I
As Senators, we must follow the ex- Congress in one of the most important have not heard anyone assert that as a
ample and stand for our principles, but responsibilities we have, whether or justification for killing an Iranian
working to find those areas of agree- not the Nation would go to war. leader. That resolution, which is now
ment where compromise can be found We specified in that resolution that essentially dead letter, was designed to
to unite and move our country forward. except to defend the Nation against at- topple the government of Saddam Hus-
Not all the powers of the Senators are tack or imminent attack, the United sein, and to use that as a resolution to
exercised on the Senate floor. Each States would not be engaged in war attack members of the Iranian Govern-
Member of the Senate has a unique role with the government of Iran absent a ment is a stretch.
to participate and practice oversight congressional vote. It passed this body Finally, the President says:
and to hold the government account- by a healthy bipartisan margin and We live in a hostile world of evolving
able. That is part of our duties, except also passed the House by a bipartisan threats, and the Constitution recognizes that
margin. The President has vetoed S.J. the President must be able to anticipate our
most often that is the part of our du-
adversary’s next moves and take swift and
ties that is most ignored. Res. 68, and the next vote at 1:30 will be decisive action and response.
True debates about national prior- on whether to override the veto. I
He concludes:
ities would come about if we did effec- know what the votes will be because we
Congress should not have passed this reso-
tive oversight. It is the Senate, once have already voted on this once. lution.
hailed as the world’s greatest delibera- I want to just focus for a minute on
the President’s veto statement, which I You cannot tell the article I branch
tive body, where these differences
think is instructive. When he vetoed how to do its job. We can’t tell the ar-
should be argued. Our differences
S.J. Res. 68, this was his primary rea- ticle II branch how to do its job. But
should be resolved through civil dis-
son—the first thing he said: for the President to say it is insulting
course so they are not settled in the
for Congress to take up matters of war
streets. Just as the Constitution pro- This was a very insulting resolution intro-
duced by Democrats as part of a strategy to and peace and that we should not have
vides for majority rule in our democ- passed the resolution, to me, dem-
racy, while protecting the rights of in- win an election on November 3 by dividing
the Republican Party. The few Republicans onstrates a fundamental misunder-
dividuals, the Senate must return to standing of the importance of the arti-
who voted for it played right into their
principles to bring trust to the elec- hands. cle I branch.
torate, and it can. We are not an article 21⁄2 branch, and
What I find so notable about that
The theme of his whole farewell we are not required to play ‘‘Mother
statement is that the President could
speech centered around this one state- May I’’ with the President. We have
not see Congress expressing an opinion
ment: our own independent responsibilities
about war through any lens other than
We do not have one problem we cannot that we swear to uphold.
himself and his reelection on November
solve. There is nothing too big for us. They S.J. Res. 68, in my view, was a great
are all solvable. 3. As everyone in this Chamber knows,
the bill was not a partisan bill. It was example of coming together in a bipar-
On this National Day of Prayer, I be- introduced with an even number of bi- tisan way to uphold those responsibil-
lieve it is entirely appropriate that we partisan Senators. It was not part of a ities. I urge my colleagues to vote to
pray for Dr. Coburn’s family, friends, strategy to hurt President Trump. I override President Trump’s veto of the
and former staff, who will miss his have advocated these same positions, resolution.
friendship and his counsel, and so will as have other Members of this body, Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, we are
our Nation. under Presidents who were both Demo- here today to ensure the Senate fulfills
I pray that Carolyn, their daughters, crat and Republican. The Republican its constitutional duties in having the
and their families cherish the memo- Senators and Democratic Senators who sole power to send U.S. troops to war.
ries of a husband, dad, and grandfather. Article 1, section 8 of the U.S. Con-
voted for it and those who voted
Our State and our Nation will be for- stitution is explicit in saying the
against it had particular views about
ever grateful for your sacrifice. I pray power to declare war is an explicit
the allocation of constitutional war
that the task Dr. Coburn began would power of the Congress.
powers, but in no way was this par- Congress overwhelming reaffirmed
be completed for the sake of our liberty tisan, and in no way was it part of a
and of our future, and I pray that this this Constitutional provision when it
strategy dealing with the November 3 passed the War Powers law in 1973 over
body will take up the challenge he left election.
on this floor: to solve the hard prob- the veto of President Nixon after the
For President Trump to look at a
lems we face as a nation together. American people were lied to by both
matter of war and peace and the Con-
I yield the floor. political parties about that war.
stitutional obligations of Congress Under the law, the President has the
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- through the lens of the November elec-
ator from Virginia. authority to approve military attacks
tion, frankly, shocked me. as a response to an imminent threat or
ADDITIONAL COSPONSOR The President, later in the state-
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I ask with the expressed authorization of
ment, said: Congress.
unanimous consent to add my col- The United States is not engaged in the Neither of these was the case with
league, Senator BROWN from Ohio, as a use of force against Iran.
President Trump’s decision to kill Ira-
cosponsor to S.J. Res. 68. Let’s be clear. The U.S. military en- nian General Suleimani in January, a
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without gaged in military action that wiped out decision that led to a horrific missile
objection, it is so ordered. Iran’s top military commander. If any attack on U.S. forces in Iraq and only
S.J. RES. 68 other Nation did that to our Secretary further added to ongoing tensions with
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I rise to of Defense or Chairman of the Joint Iran.
speak about President Trump’s veto of Chiefs of Staff, would we call that a use The majority leader has argued that
S.J. Res. 68, a veto that he commu- of force against the United States? Of the War Powers law is somehow only
nicated to the Senate by a statement course we would. As for the strike relevant to thousands of troops being
yesterday afternoon. We debated this against General Soleimani, you might deployed to a Vietnam type situation,
at length in February. So there is no say it was a great thing. The President not a military action the President ar-
need to spend too much time on the advocated for it. No one is sad that gues is simply a deterrence.
substance. General Soleimani does not exist. But Well, that is a dangerous rationale
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
I was proud of the resolution, cospon- rather than justifying it as a necessity, argument and exactly what this law
soring it in a bipartisan way, to assert the President says it was not a use of had in mind, the reckless or creeping
the importance of the Senate. I very force against Iran. escalation to war without the author-
much appreciated hearing my col- The President goes on to say that the ization of Congress.
league from Oklahoma talk about the strike was justified by law, citing arti- In fact, the recent briefing by the ad-
importance of the Senate. The debate cle II of the Constitution—we had some ministration on Iran was filled with
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S2312 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
echoes of the Gulf of Tonkin, vague as- tack had been ordered by the Iranian That is why we are here. And that is
sertions used to justify stunning mili- Government. why the Framers of the Constitution
tary escalation in Vietnam. But the President’s advisers, who vested the authority to go to war with
It raised serious concerns about what have supported a maximum pressure the legislative branch and not the exec-
we are being told about the justifica- campaign that has risked military con- utive branch. They placed the author-
tions for the attack and showed little flict with Iran, did not wait for clear- ity to go to war squarely with the peo-
evidence of an imminent threat and cut evidence of Iran’s involvement to ple’s representatives.
this from an administration whose try to push us closer to war. Senior ad- At this point in time, all national re-
President has made more than 18,000 visers to the President, including Sec- sources must be directed toward the
misleading or false statements already. retary of State Pompeo, strongly ar- public health and economic crisis fac-
Certainly nothing in the briefings of- gued that the U.S. should launch a di- ing our Nation. Now is the time to send
fered the Senate convinced me that the rect attack upon Iran in retaliation. a message to this President and those
administration even thinks it needs Pentagon and military leaders in his administration who seem to be
congressional authorization for taking pushed back against Secretary always itching to escalate the conflict,
escalatory actions. Pompeo’s call for military action in- that initiating war against Iran is not
That is why I joined Senator KAINE side Iran, warning that a large-scale re- this President’s or any President’s
in invoking the War Powers Act. This sponse within Iran’s borders could draw choice to make.
Senate should not allow the county to us into a wider war with that country. Mr. KAINE. I yield the floor.
led into another Middle East war with- Thankfully, these cooler heads pre- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
out its consent. vailed, and the President ended up or- ator from Oklahoma.
And the Constitution is clear on this; dering night airstrikes against the mi- Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, this is
Article I section 8 states that the litia’s outposts inside Iraq to limit the one of the rare places where you can be
power to declare war is an explicit possible death toll. in an institution with someone you
power of the Congress—as it should be, But, not satisfied with that response, dearly love and yet disagree with so
one should never send our sons and Pentagon officials have ordered the strongly. That is the relationship that
daughters into war without the consent military to draw up a plan to destroy we have. I have a lot of respect for my
the responsible militia group inside friend from Virginia, but I think this
of the people.
I have made this same argument re- Iran. has been twisted around in a way to
However, the top U.S. commander in
gardless of who was in the White make the President look bad. In his
Iraq, LTG Robert P. White, has reacted
House, Republican or Democrat. heart, he knew what he was doing at
strongly to that directive, warning
I urge my colleagues to join us in re- the time.
that any such campaign could be
affirming this body’s constitutional You know, we have to keep in mind—
bloody and counterproductive and risk
role in matters of war by overriding and I would even suggest—that this is
war with Iran. He warned any such es-
the President’s veto. probably the boldest defense policy de-
calation would require thousands more
Mr. UDALL. Mr. President, in Feb- cision of his Presidency to date. He au-
American troops be sent to Iraq.
ruary, a bipartisan majority of the So, since March, at least twice, high thorized an airstrike against the leader
Senate voted to affirm our constitu- level Pentagon and military officials of Iran’s Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani,
tional authority to declare war and to have warned that Trump administra- in accordance with, I still believe, his
prohibit the President from starting a tion officials’ plans risk war with Iran. privilege and responsibilities under ar-
war with Iran. In March, the House of And, most recently, President Trump ticle II of the Constitution.
Representatives also cast a bipartisan tweeted out an order to rewrite the Now, let’s remember who Soleimani
vote to affirm that Congress, and Con- rules of engagement at sea to attack was. It has been awhile now and a lot
gress alone, has the authority to de- harassing Iranian ships. While we con- has happened since then, but he was a
clare war. demn such harassing conduct, this is terrorist. He was responsible for the
The President has vetoed that Iran conduct the U.S. and other nations training and funding of militias across
War Powers resolution, rebuking the have determined is not worth a wide- the Middle East, the very militias that
will of Congress, the will of the Amer- spread war. had targeted American personnel, fa-
ican people, and the directive of the With the advisers that the President cilities, and partners for decades. He
U.S. Constitution. surrounds himself with, like Secretary was a monster—nothing less.
It is now up to Congress to reassert Pompeo and Special Advisor Brian Some people out there want to be-
our authority, to override this veto, Hook, the chilling fact is we are never lieve that his action was a rush to war.
and to make good on the words of arti- far from war with Iran. The threat is Nothing could be further from the
cle 2, section 8 of the Constitution that ever-present, even as coronavirus rav- truth. Instead, looking at the facts,
gives Congress the sole power to ‘‘de- ages our country and spreads within they pushed ahead with the War Pow-
clare War’’—because the last thing we the military and even when all re- ers Resolution, and instead of making
need right now, at this time of grave sources of the Federal Government war less likely, it made it more likely.
crisis for our Nation, is a crisis of our should be singularly focused on fight- Let me tell you how.
own making in the Middle East—a pro- ing this pandemic, keeping Americans The resolution was shortsighted and
tracted, unconstitutional conflict with safe, and keeping our economy going. dangerous in February, but the 4
Iran. So since we are still at risk of war months since then have only confirmed
Some would like to think that there with Iran in the middle of this public that it was not necessary. We are clear-
is no chance that this President would health and economic crisis, it is more ly not at war. Not only that, but an
begin a war with Iran in the middle of imperative than ever that we override airstrike is not war. Defending Amer-
a global pandemic, a war that would the President’s veto and pass the Iran ican lives is not war. The President has
kill Americans and Iranians alike. War Powers resolution once and for all. made it clear that he doesn’t desire
Think again. At this point in time, it would expo- war. We all know that. Nobody here
On March 11, a barrage of rockets hit nentially worsen the current disaster if wants war.
an airbase north of Baghdad housing we were to bungle our way into another At the same time, nobody should
U.S. troops, and killing two. That day Middle Eastern war with Iran. want a policy that would leave Ameri-
marked the birthday of Iran’s General The American people don’t want war cans vulnerable to the whims of Iran’s
Suleimani, who was killed in January with Iran. They didn’t want it before terrorist-supporting regime. If we do
in an unprovoked attack ordered by this terrible virus hit, and they cer- that, if we tie the President’s hands so
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
the President. tainly don’t want it now while we are that he cannot defend American lives,
The attack was launched by a Shiite in the throes of this pandemic. we leave ourselves more vulnerable
military group, whose leader also had But Secretary Pompeo and his and, therefore, make war infinitely
been killed during the January attack hawkish allies in the administration more likely, and accordingly, we must
on Suleimani. However, the Pentagon cannot be counted on to represent the all vote to sustain the President’s veto.
did not have solid evidence that the at- will of the American people. I yield the floor.
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2313
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The EXECUTIVE SESSION move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
question is, Shall the joint resolution nation of Troy D. Edgar, of California, to be
pass, the objections of the President of Chief Financial Officer, Department of
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Homeland Security.
the United States to the contrary not-
Mitch McConnell, Jerry Moran, James
withstanding? Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Lankford, John Barrasso, James E.
The yeas and nays are required under move to proceed to executive session to Risch, Steve Daines, David Perdue,
the Constitution. consider Calendar No. 547. Tom Cotton, Kevin Cramer, Cory Gard-
The clerk will call the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ner, Shelley Moore Capito, Marsha
question is on agreeing to the motion. Blackburn, John Cornyn, Tim Scott,
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Thom Tillis, Roger F. Wicker, Mike
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators The motion was agreed to. Crapo.
are necessarily absent: the Senator The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
clerk will report the nomination. Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous
from North Carolina (Mr. BURR) and consent that the mandatory quorum
the Senator from Kansas (Mr. MORAN). The legislative clerk read the nomi-
nation of Brian D. Montgomery, of calls be waived.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN), the Texas, to be Deputy Secretary of Hous-
objection, it is so ordered.
Senator from Washington (Mrs. MUR- ing and Urban Development.
f
RAY), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. CLOTURE MOTION
SANDERS), the Senator from Hawaii Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I MORNING BUSINESS
(Mr. SCHATZ), and the Senator from send a cloture motion to the desk. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
Michigan (Ms. STABENOW) are nec- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- ask unanimous consent that the Sen-
essarily absent. ture motion having been presented ate be in a period of morning business,
The result was announced—yeas 49, under rule XXII, the Chair directs the with Senators permitted to speak
nays 44, as follows: clerk to read the motion. therein for up to 10 minutes each.
[Rollcall Vote No. 84 Leg.] The legislative clerk read as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
CLOTURE MOTION objection, it is so ordered.
YEAS—49 The Senator from Maryland.
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
Alexander Harris Peters
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the f
Baldwin Hassan Reed
Bennet Heinrich Rosen Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby CORONAVIRUS
Blumenthal Hirono Schumer move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
Booker Jones Shaheen nation of Brian D. Montgomery, of Texas, to Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise
Cantwell Kaine Sinema be Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban today to highlight the heroes of my
Cardin King Smith Development. home State of Maryland who are work-
Carper Klobuchar Tester Mitch McConnell, Jerry Moran, James ing on the frontlines to fight COVID–
Casey Leahy
Udall Lankford, John Barrasso, James E.
Cassidy Lee
Van Hollen
19.
Collins Manchin Risch, Steve Daines, David Perdue, On January 21, the Centers for Dis-
Coons Warner Shelley Moore Capito, Tom Cotton,
Markey
Warren ease Control and Prevention announced
Cortez Masto Menendez Cory Gardner, Marsha Blackburn, John
Duckworth Merkley Whitehouse
Cornyn, Kevin Cramer, Tim Scott, the first confirmed case of COVID–19 in
Durbin Murkowski Wyden the United States. Since then, the
Young
Thom Tillis, Roger F. Wicker, Mike
Feinstein Murphy number of confirmed COVID–19 cases in
Crapo.
Gillibrand Paul
f
the United States has ballooned to over
NAYS—44 1.2 million cases and over 72,000 Ameri-
Barrasso Gardner Risch LEGISLATIVE SESSION cans have died.
Blackburn Graham Roberts
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I The CDC has designated the Balti-
Blunt Grassley Romney more-Washington corridor as a
Boozman Hawley Rounds move to proceed to legislative session.
Braun Hoeven The PRESIDING OFFICER. The hotspot, as cases continue to rise in
Rubio
Capito Hyde-Smith Sasse question is on agreeing to the motion. the region. As of May 6, there have
Cornyn Inhofe Scott (FL) been 28,163 confirmed cases of COVID–
Cotton Johnson The motion was agreed to.
Cramer Kennedy
Scott (SC) 19 and 1,290 confirmed deaths in the
Shelby f State of Maryland. These are trying,
Crapo Lankford
Sullivan
Cruz Loeffler
Thune EXECUTIVE SESSION unprecedented times for all commu-
Daines McConnell nities in America, and Maryland is no
Enzi McSally Tillis
Ernst Perdue Toomey different in this regard.
Fischer Portman Wicker EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Fred Rogers once said that in times
of crisis, times like these, we should
NOT VOTING—7 Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
‘‘look for the helpers.’’ I would like to
Brown Murray Stabenow move to proceed to executive session to
take this time to recognize some of the
Burr Sanders consider Calendar No. 339.
Moran Schatz heroes who are helping communities in
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Maryland.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this question is on agreeing to the motion. I am very proud of our State’s hos-
vote, the yeas are 49, the nays are 44. The motion was agreed to. pitals, distilleries, manufacturers, and
Two-thirds of the Senators being The PRESIDING OFFICER. The biomedical and pharmaceutical compa-
duly chosen and sworn, a quorum being clerk will report the nomination. nies that have come together to per-
present and not having voted in the af- The legislative clerk read the nomi- form their own testing, manufactured
firmative, the joint resolution on re- nation of Troy D. Edgar, of California, personal protective equipment and
consideration fails to pass over the to be Chief Financial Officer, Depart- hand sanitizers, and are at the fore-
veto of the President of the United ment of Homeland Security. front of developing a vaccine.
States. CLOTURE MOTION Maryland is home to some of the
The majority leader. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I world’s premier academic medical sys-
send a cloture motion to the desk. tems, including the University of
f The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- Maryland Medical System and Johns
ture motion having been presented Hopkins University, which have been
LEGISLATIVE SESSION under rule XXII, the Chair directs the critical in preparing our State for the
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
clerk to read the motion. pandemic.
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I The legislative clerk read as follows: I am particularly proud of Johns
move to proceed to legislative session. CLOTURE MOTION Hopkins’ coronavirus tracking system,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- which public health officials worldwide
question is on agreeing to the motion. ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the have come to rely on for up-to-date, ac-
The motion was agreed to. Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby curate information. I applaud Johns
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