Unanimous Consent Request— S. 3608 (Cong. Rec., May 7, 2020)
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate pages S2314 and S2315, May 7, 2020. Remarks about Maryland's response to COVID-19 mention Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland Medical System and Maryland businesses. Under the heading Unanimous Consent Request, S. 3608, Mr. Kennedy describes a bill that would not appropriate any new money and addresses the $150 billion already appropriated to help State governments and local governments. Another senator expresses concern about removing limitations on uses of the Coronavirus Relief Fund in the CARES Act. The pages also include an Alaskan of the Week segment about Kyle Hopkins.
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“Unanimous Consent Request— S. 3608 (Cong. Rec., May 7, 2020).”
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S2314 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
Hopkins officials and staff creating the the University of Oxford on a potential lation to try to fight this virus and the
vital public health tool, which has al- vaccine that has already entered phase COVID–19 that it causes, and those
ready proven itself critical to fighting 1 clinical trials. bills were very hard for me to vote for,
this disease. Emergent BioSolutions in Rockville not because I don’t care about the
Lord Kelvin stated so long ago: is collaborating with Johnson & John- American people—I do, of course; we
When you can measure what you are son on its lead COVID–19 vaccine can- all do—but because of the fact that this
speaking about, and express it in numbers, didate. Emergent BioSolutions will be is such a staggering amount of money.
you know something about it; but when you providing contract development and I have spent my career in govern-
cannot measure it, when you cannot express manufacturing services in Maryland to ment—more at the State government
it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre support Johnson & Johnson’s recently level than the Federal Government
and unsatisfactory kind. level—I have spent my career in gov-
announced commitment to supply 1 bil-
In the early days of the pandemic in lion vaccines worldwide. ernment being cheap when it comes to
Maryland, our State officials, like offi- I would be remiss if I did not also taxpayer money, and it bothers me, as
cials in most States, were desperately thank Maryland’s frontline healthcare it should bother all of us, that we spent
searching for ways to increase testing workers who risk their lives every day money we don’t have.
capacity. Johns Hopkins developed its to care for those with COVID–19. These I have driven all over Washington,
own coronavirus test to help meet de- physicians, physician assistants, DC, and I can’t find the money tree.
mand. nurses, lab technicians, EMT per- These are taxpayer dollars. But I voted
The university has been especially sonnel, and many others go to work for the bills, including but not limited
helpful in Maryland’s effort to combat day after day facing the unimaginable to the CARES Act, because it was clear
the virus in nursing homes. Johns Hop- strain of caring for patients who are we had to do something. We had to ap-
kins has closely collaborated with fighting this deadly virus and com- propriate money to fight the virus. We
local nursing homes to train their em- forting their families. had to appropriate money to help peo-
ployees and test residents to protect These examples are by no means ex- ple and their businesses to recover eco-
our most vulnerable populations. haustive. There are countless other nomically from the impact of the
I commend Johns Hopkins’ inge- healthcare providers, law enforcement virus.
nuity, which has been critical to ef- agencies, nonprofits, small businesses, We don’t know what works in the
forts to identify those afflicted with higher education institutions, and indi- CARES Act and what doesn’t work, and
COVID–19 and to prevent the spread of vidual Marylanders pitching in to de- we won’t know for a while. I suspect we
the virus. will look back and say: Well, this
feat COVID–19.
The University of Maryland Medical Marylanders are stocking grocery measure was a pretty smart thing to
System has stepped up to lead efforts shelves, driving buses, delivering gro- do—and with hindsight, but this meas-
to address the devastating impact of ure fell a little bit short.
ceries to elderly neighbors, hosting vir-
COVID–19 in our State’s minority com- But already many of my colleagues,
tual events to keep families and young
munities, which is likely due to the un- and I say this with respect, have other
children entertained as they continue bills to spend even more money, pri-
derlying healthcare disparities. The to practice social distancing, and they
university has assembled a team of marily to help State and local govern-
are making homemade face coverings ment. It is like a Labor Day mattress
public health experts to execute the for those who need them. I have seen
proposed Maryland Health Equity sale around here, the number of bills
my neighbors come together to make flying around. Someone wants to spend
COVID–19 Consortium. The consortium lunch packs for families in need.
will be critical to the developing of another $250 billion. Somebody else
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther wants to spend $500 billion and give it
strategies that inform our State’s re- King, Jr., said, ‘‘Everybody can be
sponse efforts to protect our commu- to State and local government. Speak-
great because anybody can serve.’’ The er PELOSI wants to spend $1 trillion. I
nities of color, who are more suscep- COVID–19 pandemic is not testing our think all that is premature. I suggest
tible to COVID–19. character; it is revealing it. I am so
Despite the immense burden Mary- that we pause once again, we see what
proud to represent all the great Mary- works, we see what has worked, and see
land’s small businesses are facing, they landers who are serving on the what hasn’t worked.
have stepped up to help local hospitals, frontlines, and I will continue working Also, it would seem to me that any
nursing homes, and other frontline as hard as I can to ensure that we in fair-minded person would have to con-
workers. Congress are doing everything we can clude that we should open up. Once we
Sagamore Spirits Distillery in Balti- to support them as they lead the fight open up government and see the eco-
more is one such small business. Saga- against COVID–19. nomic impact, we will have additional
more has completely converted its op- I yield the floor. information. And make no mistake
eration to distill corn ethanol to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- about it—we are going to have to open
produce hand sanitizers. The distillery ator from Louisiana. up the economy again. I don’t see any
is sourcing its corn from Maryland f reason why we can’t both save lives
farmers. and save jobs.
Hardwire, an armor company on the UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—
S. 3608 But I want to make it clear that
Eastern Shore in Pocomoke City, now every single one of these 3 trillion dol-
produces sustainable face shields that Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, $3 tril- lars, as far as I am concerned, is a pre-
can last up to 6 months. By the end of lion. As best I can tell, that is how cious commodity because they come
this week, Hardwire will have shipped much money the Congress has appro- from taxpayers.
out 1 million face shields to healthcare priated—let me amend that. That is The discussion that many of my col-
workers, first responders, and others how much taxpayer money Congress leagues have been having about spend-
on the frontline in the fight against has appropriated to fight the ing additional money on top of the $3
COVID–19. The demand for Hardwire’s coronavirus and its aftermath—$3 tril- trillion specifically for State and local
face shield is so great that it has hired lion. That is 12 zeros. Three trillion government seems to forget that we
115 new employees, providing much dollars is 3,000 billion dollars. have already appropriated an enormous
needed economic relief to communities These numbers take my breath away. amount of money to State and local
on the Eastern Shore. We spent this money even though we government.
In addition, Maryland’s world-leading don’t have it. We don’t even have 5 per- In my State, for example—I will just
biomedical and pharmaceutical compa- cent of it. We borrowed every penny. take Louisiana—I think, as a result of
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nies are working tirelessly to find a Our national debt will now be approxi- the CARES Act, we are going to re-
vaccine for COVID–19. mating, maybe exceeding $25 trillion. ceive about $31⁄2 billion, and I am very
AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical and The last coronavirus bill that we grateful for every single penny. This
life sciences company with research passed, as you know, was the CARES Congress appropriated $287 million for
and development facilities in Gaithers- Act, but it was not the only bill. We public schools in Louisiana, $190 mil-
burg and Frederick, has partnered with have passed a number of pieces of legis- lion for universities, $623 million for
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May 7, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2315
hospitals. We have received extra Med- whatever it was they issued. I think have received Federal funding through
icaid payments. Additionally, they called it a directive. the CARES Act, specifically directed
Louisianans have received $1.803 billion There is just one problem: The stat- to aid in their efforts to keep families
for State and local government. You ute doesn’t say that, and the U.S. safe.
add it all up, and that is about $31⁄2 bil- Treasury does not have the authority— While I understand the spirit of my
lion that has already been appropriated nor should it—to change a bill passed colleague’s proposal, I am very con-
just to Louisiana. Some States got by the Congress. cerned that removing the important
more; some States got less. So I am grateful to Secretary limitations related to the appropriate
So the point I am trying to make is Mnuchin for trying to help here, but I uses of the Coronavirus Relief Fund in
that we need to recognize the fact that don’t believe what he is doing is legal, the CARES Act would siphon resources
we have already done a lot for State and it gives me great pause that State away from the coronavirus response ef-
government, and we have already done government and our cities might act forts that desperately need these re-
a lot for our cities. And I happily voted on a directive from the Treasury that sources.
for the bill. I had some reluctance for could change 2 weeks from now. I think Further, I am unfortunately hearing
reasons I have explained—just the the only way to address this issue is that some States and localities would
breathtaking amount of money. through a statute passed by Congress. simply like to use Federal dollars to
This doesn’t mean that our State and Here is what my bill would do. My backfill their decades of fiscal mis-
local governments are not going to bill would not appropriate any new management. Hard-working American
have to sacrifice. We have certainly money. Let me say that again. My bill taxpayers should not be on the hook to
asked the American people to sacrifice, would not appropriate any new money. bail out poorly run States or to fund
and we have certainly asked the Amer- My bill would say that, with respect to areas of State budget expenses that
ican business community to sacrifice, the $150 billion that this Congress— have nothing to do with coronavirus.
and I think State government and local unanimously, in the Senate—has al- We see States like California, Illi-
government are going to have to share ready appropriated to help State gov- nois, and New York with big budgets,
in that sacrifice. They are going to ernments and local governments, high taxes, and tons of debt. Contrast
have to scrub their budgets, and that is which is the $1.8 billion that I am refer- that with States like Florida, where we
just a fact. ring to that Louisiana received, they made the hard fiscal decisions to pay
As far as I am concerned, the Federal can use that money for operating ex- off debt and live within our means. Flo-
Government needs to do the same penses. ridians should not be punished and
thing. There is not a single Member of They can’t use it—my bill would spe- forced to backfill the budgets of these
this body who believes every single cifically prohibit it—to bail out mis- States.
I have a chart here that shows what
penny we spend in the Federal budget managed retirement systems. They
has happened as a result—I just picked
is absolutely necessary. can’t use it to bail out any retirement
I have a bill that I think may well out three States—of their fiscal mis-
systems, mismanaged or otherwise, but
make it unnecessary to appropriate management. From 1985 to 2018, you
they can use that money, with this
new money for our State and local gov- can see here that Florida gained sig-
small change to the CARES Act, to fill
ernments. I have a bill that I think nificant population while these poorly
the holes in their budget as a result of
managed States lost population. You
may well moot the entire issue. any revenue shortfalls.
We made one mistake—we probably can see that in Florida we watched our
In my State, for example, we are very
made others, but in my judgment, I budget and didn’t keep borrowing more
heavily reliant on the sales tax and on
know we made one in the CARES Act money. We lived within our means.
the personal income tax. I think this
when we put restrictions on the You can look at our debt—$27 billion.
measure may well moot the issue of
amount of money we gave to State and When you look at California, it is $155
having to appropriate brand new billion; New York, $148 billion, and Illi-
local government. Now, I understand money for States and local govern- nois, $67 billion.
why we did it, and at the time, I sup- ments. The Governors I talked to tell You see what people are doing. They
ported it. We do not want to bail out me: Kennedy, look, we really appre- are leaving these high-tax States. Look
States, for example, that have been ciate the money you sent State and at the personal income taxes and look
mismanaged. If a State decides to give local governments. There is just one at their attitude toward business.
generous retirement benefits at an problem. Our hands are tied. Our prob- These are the three worst States for
early retirement age to its State em- lem today is not enough money to fight business. The Tax Foundation shows
ployees, as far as I am concerned, that the virus. Our problem today is, How how poorly they do with their tax pol-
is that State’s business, but also, as far do we fill a hole as a result of the icy.
as I am concerned, the people of Lou- shortfalls in our sales tax? If you look at what has happened,
isiana shouldn’t have to pay for that— That is what my bill would do. people have left these States and
what, in my opinion, is mismanage- For that reason, I ask unanimous moved their income to Florida and
ment—and I think a number of my col- consent that the Committee on Appro- other lower tax States and more busi-
leagues in the Senate share that senti- priations be discharged from further ness-oriented States. I am completely
ment. consideration of S. 3608—that is my opposed to bailing out these States.
But in hindsight—I will take Lou- bill—and the Senate proceed to its im- Now, the difficulty in my colleague’s
isiana as an example. We received $1.8 mediate consideration. I further ask proposal is that it is very difficult how
billion. There is a requirement in the that the Kennedy substitute amend- you decide what is going to be used for
legislation that says that $1.8 billion ment at the desk be considered and one expense in a State budget or an-
can only be used to defray the expenses agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be other expense in a State budget. Let’s
of coronavirus expended by the State of considered read for a third time and not forget that this year’s Federal
Louisiana and by our cities. That is passed; and that the motions to recon- budget deficit will be the largest in the
what the statute says. It is the statute sider be considered made and laid upon history of our Nation—the largest in
passed by Congress that controls. the table. the history of our Nation—in excess of
I am not sure what the Treasury De- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there the cumulative deficits for the first 200
partment issued, but they issued some- objection? years of our country’s existence.
thing—they didn’t go through the Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President. As my colleague said, we will end the
APA—that says: Well, the States—Lou- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- year with an excess of $25 trillion
isiana, for example, has great flexi- ator from Florida. worth of Federal debt. More than ever,
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bility to spend that $1.8 billion that we Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I think my colleague will agree with
received in Louisiana that went to reserving the right to object, I clearly me that we have to be focused and very
State and local government. They can appreciate my colleague’s remarks. careful with our taxpayer dollars.
spend it on first responders and police- State, local, and Tribal governments I am very supportive of continuing to
men and school teachers. I appreciate across our great country are working get needed resources to the commu-
the Department of Treasury issuing tirelessly during this difficult time and nities and first responders in need.
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S2316 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 7, 2020
That is why, when the Senate passed Local 959, led by third-generation tem and, most importantly, to the un-
the CARES Act, we wisely placed limi- teamster Gary Dixon. I want to say fortunate culture that we have in our
tations on how this money could be thank you to them again. State that spawns this kind of abuse
spent. We need to maintain those We talk a lot about people who are and violence.
guardrails to ensure that the country telecommuting. That is great. It is im- Kyle was born in beautiful Sitka, AK.
can continue on a path to recovery. portant to get us through this pan- That is in Southeast Alaska. His father
For these reasons, Mr. President, I demic, but we also know there are a lot was a teacher who came from Cali-
object. of people who can’t do that. They are fornia to teach the children of logging
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- really our national heroes right now— camp workers at a time when the
tion is heard. essential workers on the frontlines, southeast part of our State had a very
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. keeping our economies and our supply vital timber industry. The family
SCOTT of Florida). The Senator from lines open, moving, robust. moved back to California after a few
Alaska. Now that I am back in DC and the years, but then back to Alaska again,
f Senate is open again—finally, open and then away and then back again.
again—and the business of the Senate Sitka, Kake, Skagway—two small
TRIBUTE TO KYLE HOPKINS
is continuing, so does our Alaskan of towns, one village—are all in Alaska’s
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, as we the Week series from the floor of the beautifully gorgeous southeast. For
all know, it has been an extraor- Senate. It is one of my favorite times Kyle, the towns provided the backdrop
dinarily challenging time for our great of the week, when I get to focus on a of a magical childhood—spruce trees
Nation, a time that has been painful special Alaskan or a group of Alaskans that seemed to rise to the clouds,
for so many of our fellow Americans. who made Alaska such a great and aquatic universes and tidal basins, fish
It has also been a time when people unique place. I think the Presiding Of- to catch, towering totem poles. High
across the country have given so much ficer likes it a lot, too. school was all about basketball for
to their communities, to their States, I had intended, as I mentioned, on him, as it is for so many Alaskan high
and to their neighbors. And, as you my Alaskan of the Week speech here schoolers and kids. Traveling for tour-
know, we are a great nation. We are a coming back, to focus on more of these naments in Alaska is a unique experi-
kind nation. We are a proud nation, frontline workers who are doing so ence, requiring trips on small bush
and we are a resilient Nation. much in our States and so much in our planes.
This pandemic has been testing the country to get us through this pan- Kyle remembered seeing the planes
character of our country, and I believe demic. However, some really inter- and the ferries: ‘‘I remember thinking I
that we are passing the test as Ameri- esting and, I think, exciting news, was lucky to see and do these things.’’
cans. I believe that because I see it ev- broke on Monday in our State, as big He knew that even as a young man. He
erywhere. I certainly see it in my news born of a tragic situation. And for went to the University of Alaska Fair-
State, the great State of Alaska. Peo- that reason, I thought we would have a banks for college, searching for a sub-
ple are passing out food, doing what different focus on our Alaskan of the ject that allowed him to read a lot. He
they can for the elderly, tending to Week. had an adviser that recommended a
those in need. We are seeing this all The Alaskan of the Week this week is journalism class. Well, the rest, you
across our Nation. an intrepid Alaska reporter, Kyle Hop- could say, is history.
We see millions of our fellow citi- kins, who led coverage in our local During college, he had a host of in-
zens—people whom we all have the paper, the Anchorage Daily News, that ternships across the State in jour-
privilege of representing here in the earned him the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for nalism, covering business, politics,
Senate—stepping up with purpose and public service. It is probably the most sports, and crime—all the usual beats—
resolve. We see a greater appreciation prestigious award in all American jour- and with some of our best journalism
for the dignity and the value of our nalism—the prize of prizes. and media establishments, like the
workers who are on the frontlines of Kyle Hopkins, an Alaska reporter, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, before
helping us get through this pandemic. won that on Monday. He won it for a moving to Anchorage to work for the
I was recently home in my State. The 17-story series called ‘‘Lawless,’’ about Anchorage Press, a weekly paper; then,
rule in Alaska is if you travel from the the public safety crisis of rural Alaska to KTUU, Channel 2, our big TV station
outside, when you get to Alaska, you and the horrendous issue of sexual as- in Alaska; and, then, to where he is
have a very strict 14-day quarantine. I sault and domestic violence in our now, the Anchorage Daily News.
was quarantined with my wife and State. Throughout all of his reporting, a few
three daughters, hunkered down in An- As we all know, we are confronting a things constantly struck him. One is
chorage. pandemic in our country. I live in a that we are a very big State, but also
Yet I was also able to still appreciate great State, but we have a lot of social how few people even in Alaska had ever
what was happening with so many of challenges, just like a lot of States. We been to a village in our State. They
our fellow citizens, especially frontline are confronting this pandemic right didn’t know the challenges and the
workers who are helping Alaska power now nationally. My State has been con- beauty of what we call rural Alaska,
through this crisis. So many of them fronting an epidemic of domestic vio- the soul of Alaska. More than 200 vil-
are working day in and day out to en- lence and sexual abuse that has been lages dot our State, most of which are
sure that our grocery stores are going on for years—decades, genera- not connected by any roads or infra-
stocked, that the goods are trans- tions. structure.
ported, that buildings are maintained, Kyle’s series combined dogged report- He was always struck and increas-
that our telecommunication systems ing and meticulous fact-checking with ingly disturbed by the challenge that I
are running, that our airplanes are fly- the utmost sensitivity that a subject mentioned at the outset of my re-
ing, that our hospitals are open, that like this requires, which is not an easy marks—these very high rates of sexual
our healthcare workers can give care, task at all. It was, according to the violence that we have in Alaska. De-
and that our extraordinary teachers Pulitzer committee, riveting public pending on how you measure it, it is at
are finding creative ways to teach our service reporting. It was so much more least three times the national aver-
kids. The list goes on and on. It is hap- than that. I will tell you that it was age—three times the national average.
pening in every State across the Na- very, very important to the State of Just like so many of us in Alaska, he
tion. Alaska. assumed that someday the adults, the
Last week, I decided to give an im- Let me tell you a little bit about our people in charge, would do something
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
promptu Alaskan of the Week speech in Alaskan of the Week, Kyle Hopkins, about it, until he realized at a certain
my backyard. It wasn’t here on the and what made him very qualified to point in his life that he was an adult
Senate floor the way we usually do it write this series and why it had such and he had two children, two girls,
and the way we are doing it today. I an impact. And I believe—maybe, I with his wife Rebecca Palsha, another
was highlighting these workers. Many should say I hope—it is beginning to intrepid reporter in Alaska, and he
of them are part of the Teamsters bring changes to our public safety sys- wanted to make Alaska a better place
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