Congressional Record — Senate, S2363 (May 12, 2020)
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate pages S2363 and S2364, May 12, 2020. Mrs. Fischer's remarks under Coronavirus describe Nebraska's response to COVID–19, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center, food banks, and Paycheck Protection Program loans to small businesses in Nebraska, with nearly 25,000 loans worth just under $3 billion by mid-April. The Senate resumes executive session on the nomination of Brian D. Montgomery, of Texas, to be Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Mr. Brown's remarks oppose the nomination. Rollcall Vote No. 86 on the question of advising and consenting to the nomination is announced as yeas 61, nays 32.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, S2363 (May 12, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-12-crec-2020-05-12-pt1-pgs2363-3-409c970548/
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May 12, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2363
from having to suffer and perhaps not tional Institutes of Health announced food unit, which they drive from neigh-
survive this second pandemic that will that the country’s first clinical trial borhood to neighborhood, and they
be caused by opportunistic litigation. for coronavirus therapy had begun at serve hot meals.
I yield the floor. UNMC. The Central Nebraska Community
I suggest the absence of a quorum. Our world-class medical center has Action Partnership has begun to box up
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. been active from the very beginning of food and leave it on people’s doorsteps.
LOEFFLER). The clerk will call the roll. this crisis. This has allowed them to reduce per-
The legislative clerk proceeded to The Nebraska National Guard—our son-to-person contact while helping
call the roll. citizen soldiers—has also played an im- those who are in need.
Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, I portant role in our response. They have The Food Bank of Lincoln, which
ask unanimous consent that the order been deployed as distributors at food serves Southeast Nebraska by acting as
for the quorum call be rescinded. banks, as healthcare workers assisting a distribution center for food pantries
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without with testing, and as drivers bringing in 16 counties, has seen a huge surge in
objection, it is so ordered. ventilators to where they are most demand. They have been able to keep
needed. up with this demand in large part
f One of the first State Department thanks to the innovation of a partner-
CONCLUSION OF MORNING evacuation flights out of China brought ship of Lincoln business, philanthropy,
BUSINESS 57 Americans to Nebraska, where they and government leaders, who together
were quarantined at Camp Ashland, a formed the Lincoln COVID–19 Response
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning Nebraska National Guard training site.
business is closed. Fund.
It is easy to forget that these first These are major problems, and there
f evacuations happened just back in Feb- is no easy fix. Even so, it is our job in
ruary. Since that time, we have relied Congress to respond to this national
EXECUTIVE SESSION on our amazing healthcare workers and crisis and do what we can to provide re-
first responders. These heroes have lief. That is why I was proud to support
been working around the clock to keep the CARES Act, the relief package this
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR all of us safe. They get up every day to body passed unanimously at the end of
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under fight this virus in hospitals and in clin-
March.
the previous order, the Senate will pro- ics across this country. I can’t imagine A big part of this legislation was the
ceed to executive session to resume how hard it must be for them to see the Paycheck Protection Program, which
consideration of the following nomina- effects of this new sickness day in and was designed to help America’s small
tion, which the clerk will report. day out. Yet I know we are in good businesses keep their employees on
The legislative clerk read the nomi- hands.
payroll by offering forgivable loans.
nation of Brian D. Montgomery, of We have also relied on our food he-
Upon the creation of this program to
Texas, to be Deputy Secretary of Hous- roes, many from my home State, where
provide relief, Nebraskans hit the
ing and Urban Development. one in four jobs is tied to production
ground running. By mid-April, the Pay-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- agriculture. If you raise cattle or grow
check Protection Program had pro-
ator from Nebraska. soybeans, you can’t stay inside and
vided nearly 25,000 loans worth just
CORONAVIRUS work from your couch. If you package
beef or pork, you can’t work from a under $3 billion to Nebraska’s small
Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, I businesses. This funding was enough to
rise today to speak about the unprece- laptop. Americans should be incredibly
grateful for our essential workers cover more than three-fourths of Ne-
dented crisis our Nation is facing. In a braska’s eligible payrolls—the highest
matter of just a few months, COVID–19 throughout the food supply chain.
They are working so that we can con- percentage in the Nation.
has completely changed our daily lives. I think it is important to note that
This virus has forced us to close tinue to put healthy, safe food on our
tables. none of this would have been possible
schools, shut down restaurants, cancel without Nebraska’s community banks
Nebraskans and all Americans are
major events, and temporarily shutter and our credit unions. While some na-
making daily sacrifices to slow the
businesses across our economy. tional banks hesitated, Nebraska’s
spread of this virus. We have dras-
The sacrifices have been necessary tically reduced our contact with oth- local institutions stepped up to provide
for the sake of public health, to help ers, knowing that short-term sacrifice these loans and make sure small busi-
‘‘flatten the curve’’ so our medical fa- will lead to long-term public health. nesses in their communities received
cilities don’t become overwhelmed, but But despite our best efforts, over 8,000 assistance.
they have also been disruptive, frus- Nebraskans have contracted the virus, To our community banks and credit
trating, and in some cases, scary. and 96 have died since COVID–19 ar- unions, Nebraskans applying for these
Despite the emotional and economic rived in the United States. These peo- loans are not just statistics halfway
toll this crisis has taken, we have seen ple were loved by their families and by around the country. The people hurting
countless acts of compassion, gen- their communities. I grieve for their are their friends, their families, and
erosity, and selflessness all across the loved ones. These tragic losses under- their neighbors. The people who need
country. Americans have stepped up to score the seriousness of this virus. their help live just down the street.
help each other to fight this new They demonstrate to all of us that we One of these banks is Union Bank &
threat. need to keep up the fight. Trust in Lincoln. This family-owned
I want to make sure the American The changes we have made in our na- bank is not in the top 200 banks by as-
people know that since the very begin- tional life, while necessary, have been sets nationally, but after the first 72
ning of this crisis, Nebraskans have difficult. They have come at the cost of hours of the Paycheck Protection Pro-
been on the frontlines. the economic security of many people gram, they ranked second in the Na-
When 13 Americans were evacuated in the heartland of this Nation. We are tion for the number of loans approved.
from a cruise ship in Japan in late Feb- seeing record numbers of unemploy- Like many other lending institutions,
ruary, they were taken to the National ment claims, and many people who Union Bank & Trust accomplished this
Quarantine Unit at the University of have never faced unemployment before while adjusting to working from home
Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. As now find themselves out of work. More for the first time. Their remarkable ef-
the Nation’s only Federal quarantine forts and those of another Nebraska in-
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Nebraskans are now dealing with food
unit, they were also trusted to care for insecurity due to unemployment and stitution, Pinnacle Bank, were covered
Americans recovering from Ebola in the effects of COVID–19. in a recent Washington Post story for
2014. I have been inspired by the work non- leading the way nationally with this
Beyond treating those exposed to or profits across my State are doing to program.
infected with coronavirus, UNMC is address this. It is good to see the Paycheck Pro-
also working to test new treatments The local chapter of the Salvation tection Program working well in my
for this virus. In late February, the Na- Army in Hastings has started a mobile State. I am pleased that Congress came
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S2364 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 12, 2020
together to further fund this program But I will vote against Mr. Montgom- Mrs. FISCHER. I yield the floor.
so that more small businesses can re- ery’s nomination today because, like The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
ceive assistance. The drive to support too many people in this administra- the previous order, all postcloture time
one another, help out, and deliver relief tion, over the last 2 years he has helped is expired.
to others is something we are seeing all advance policies that will have dev- The question is, Will the Senate ad-
across my State. astating effects for millions of fami- vise and consent to the Montgomery
Along with grief, we have seen resil- lies. In addition to his role as Federal nomination?
ience. Along with sadness, we have Housing Commissioner and Assistant Mrs. FISCHER. I ask for the yeas and
seen hope. Secretary for Housing, Mr. Mont-
I read a story about young children nays.
gomery began performing the duties of
in Omaha who wanted to visit their The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a
the Deputy Secretary at HUD nearly a
grandfather. They couldn’t go into his sufficient second?
year and a half ago. Since that time, he
nursing home, so they connected a was involved in the decision to advance There is a sufficient second.
microphone to a speaker inside so that a revised disparate impact rule that The clerk will call the roll
they could talk to him and sing to him. the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights The bill clerk called the roll.
I have seen schools that stopped wrote that it was very concerned would Mr. THUNE. The following Senators
holding in-person classes weeks ago ‘‘impose substantial new obstacles for are necessarily absent: the Senator
still serving their students. victims of discrimination’’ and ‘‘under- from Tennesse (Mr. ALEXANDER) and
On top of instituting remote learn- mine the protections of the Fair Hous- the Senator from Nebraska (Mr.
ing, many are also offering free meals. ing Act, thereby substantially under- SASSE).
In Gering, teachers organized an im-
mining necessary civil rights protec- Further, if present and voting, the
promptu drive-by parade through their
tion in an area about which the Com- Senator from Tennessee (Mr. ALEX-
students’ neighborhoods.
In Hastings, Longfellow Elementary mission and its state advisory commit- ANDER) would have voted ‘‘yea.’’
School has converted old newspaper tees continue to receive compelling Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
vending machines into learning mate- evidence of need for meaningful federal Senator from Vermont (Mr. LEAHY),
rial dispensers. Students walk up to corrective action.’’ the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr.
the dispenser for their grade level, and Mr. Montgomery also helped advance MARKEY), the Senator from Wash-
they take out their weekly learning HUD’s Housing Finance Reform Re- ington (Mrs. MURRAY), the Senator
packet, just as you would a newspaper. port, which would increase the cost of from Vermont (Mr. SANDERS), and the
In short, I have seen neighbors help- an FHA-backed loan for those who can Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. WHITE-
ing neighbors. I have seen Nebraskans least afford it, restructure FHA in a HOUSE) are necessarily absent.
helping Nebraskans. way that could undermine HUD fund- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
Much remains uncertain about our ing, and restrict consumers’ choice be- CRUZ). Are there any other Senators in
future. We don’t know how many more tween an FHA and Fannie Mae or the Chamber desiring to vote?
lives will be lost, how long we are Freddie Mac-backed loan. But when
The result was announced—yeas 61,
going to have to wait for a vaccine, or confronted with questions about these
nays 32, as follows:
how long it will take for Main Street issues that are critical to low- and
moderate-income families, Mr. Mont- [Rollcall Vote No. 86 Ex.]
to fully open for business once again. I
think we may have a long and tough gomery offered little explanation. YEAS—61
road ahead of us, but I take great pride Throughout Mr. Montgomery’s time Barrasso Graham Perdue
in the way Nebraska has responded to performing the duties of the Deputy Blackburn Grassley Portman
Secretary—the No. 2 person at HUD— Blunt Hawley Risch
these difficult circumstances. Boozman Hoeven Roberts
The inspiring stories of kindness and HUD’s budget requests have repeatedly Braun Hyde-Smith Romney
humanity in my State don’t come as a zeroed out critical housing and commu- Burr Inhofe Rounds
surprise to me. nity development accounts, like the Capito Johnson Rubio
Carper Jones
I have seen our people respond to community developmental block grant, Cassidy Kennedy
Scott (FL)
other disasters, including the wide- HOME investment partnerships, and Scott (SC)
Collins King
Shelby
spread flooding that we faced just last public housing capital funds, while pro- Coons Lankford
Sinema
year. I have seen Nebraskans respond posing to raise rents for the lowest in- Cornyn Lee
Cotton Loeffler Sullivan
the same way to COVID–19 as we did to come renters. When asked to justify Cramer Manchin Tester
that flood—by putting others first. It is these disastrous proposals, Mr. Mont- Crapo McConnell Thune
just who we are. gomery again offered no explanation. Cruz McSally Tillis
Nebraskans will continue to adapt, to Daines Menendez Toomey
Our Nation is facing an affordable Warner
Enzi Moran
help others, and to lead the way in ad- housing crisis and a crisis of equity Ernst Murkowski Wicker
dressing and responding to this crisis. across our housing system. Before Fischer Murphy Young
We will get through this, and we will COVID–19 hit, there was a nearly 30- Gardner Paul
come out stronger than ever before. point gap between the Black and White NAYS—32
NOMINATION OF BRIAN D. MONTGOMERY home ownership rates, and more than Baldwin Feinstein Rosen
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, today I one in four renters paid more than half Bennet Gillibrand Schatz
will vote to oppose the nomination of of their income for housing. With Blumenthal Harris Schumer
Mr. Brian Montgomery to serve as Dep- COVID–19’s economic devastation dis- Booker Hassan Shaheen
Brown Heinrich Smith
uty Secretary for the Department of proportionately burdening the lowest Cantwell Hirono Stabenow
Housing and Urban Development. My income households and communities of Cardin Kaine Udall
vote today is not because I believe Mr. color, these challenges will only grow. Casey Klobuchar Van Hollen
Montgomery is incapable of doing the We need leaders at HUD who will Cortez Masto Merkley
Warren
Duckworth Peters
job. Across multiple administrations, fight for our housing and community Durbin Reed
Wyden
Mr. Montgomery has shown himself to development programs and the families
be a dedicated public servant with an who depend on them. We need leaders NOT VOTING—7
impressive understanding of the pro- at HUD who will push for progress and Alexander Murray Whitehouse
Leahy Sanders
grams and policies he would oversee if equality in our Nation’s housing sys- Markey Sasse
confirmed. During prior administra- tem, regardless of race, disability, or
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tions, Mr. Montgomery demonstrated family status. We need leaders at HUD The nomination was confirmed.
his commitment to HUD’s mission and who will advance proposals that sup- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
helped respond to the early days of the port, not further burden, the lowest in- the previous order, the motion to re-
financial crisis. And over the past year, come families. Mr. Montgomery has consider is considered made and laid
Mr. Montgomery has done important not shown us a record of fighting for upon the table.
work strengthening HUD’s reverse those priorities, and that is why I can- The President will be immediately
mortgage program. not support his nomination today. notified of the Senate’s action.
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May 12, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2365
RECESS Daines Kennedy Romney hearing on the impact the pandemic
Duckworth King Rounds
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under Enzi Lankford Rubio
has had on the airline industry.
the previous order, the Senate stands Ernst Lee Scott (FL) When people think about what the
in recess until 2:15 p.m. Fischer Loeffler Scott (SC) Senate does, they tend to think about
Gardner Manchin Shelby voting on bills and debating on the
Thereupon, the Senate, at 1:01 p.m., Graham McConnell Sinema
recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem- Grassley McSally floor, but the truth is, committee work
Sullivan
bled when called to order by the Pre- Hassan Moran
Tester
is some of the most important work we
siding Officer (Mrs. CAPITO).
Hawley Murkowski
Thune do here in Washington. Committees are
Hoeven Paul
Hyde-Smith Perdue
Tillis where we review nominees’ qualifica-
f Inhofe Peters Toomey tions, hear from experts in various
Johnson Portman Warner fields, develop legislation, and conduct
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR—Continued Jones Risch Wicker
Young
essential oversight of government pro-
Kaine Roberts
grams. The work we do in coronavirus-
NAYS—31 related committee hearings will inform
CLOTURE MOTION Baldwin Feinstein Schatz any future coronavirus legislation we
Bennet Gillibrand Schumer might consider.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant Blumenthal Harris Shaheen
to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Booker Heinrich
This week, the Senate Banking Com-
Smith
Senate the pending cloture motion, Brown Hirono Stabenow mittee will be voting on the nomina-
which the clerk will state. Cantwell Klobuchar Udall tion of Brian D. Miller to be Inspector
Cardin Menendez Van Hollen General for Pandemic Recovery at the
The senior assistant legislative clerk Casey Merkley Warren
read as follows: Coons Murphy Treasury Department. If he is con-
Wyden
Cortez Masto Reed firmed by the full Senate, Mr. Miller
CLOTURE MOTION Durbin Rosen will be an essential part of ensuring
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
NOT VOTING—7 that the trillions we have provided for
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby Alexander Murray Whitehouse coronavirus relief are spent properly.
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- Leahy Sanders The Banking Committee will also be
Markey Sasse holding an oversight hearing with key
nation of Troy D. Edgar, of California, to be
Chief Financial Officer, Department of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The yeas Federal financial regulators to learn
Homeland Security. are 62, the nays are 31. about the steps they have taken to en-
Mitch McConnell, Jerry Moran, James The motion is agreed to. sure the safety and soundness of our fi-
Lankford, John Barrasso, James E. nancial sector during this challenging
Risch, Steve Daines, David Perdue, f
time.
Tom Cotton, Kevin Cramer, Cory Gard-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR The Senate Judiciary Committee will
ner, Shelley Moore Capito, Marsha
Blackburn, John Cornyn, Tim Scott, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The be examining the issue of liability dur-
Thom Tillis, Roger F. Wicker, Mike clerk will report the nomination. ing the COVID pandemic and dis-
Crapo. The senior assistant legislative clerk cussing ways to prevent frivolous law-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- read the nomination of Troy D. Edgar, suits from damaging our economy once
imous consent, the mandatory quorum of California, to be Chief Financial Of- we reopen.
call has been waived. ficer, Department of Homeland Secu- The Senate Commerce Committee, of
The question is, Is it the sense of the rity. which I am a member, will be holding
Senate that debate on the nomination The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- a hearing looking at efforts to main-
of Troy D. Edgar, of California, to be ator from South Dakota. tain and expand reliable high-speed
Chief Financial Officer, Department of broadband access during this time
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Homeland Security, shall be brought to when so many Americans are relying
Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask on their internet for work, school, and
a close? unanimous consent that notwith-
The yeas and nays are mandatory connections with friends and family.
standing the provisions of rule XXII, The Senate Health, Education,
under the rule. the postcloture time on the Edgar
The clerk will call the roll. Labor, and Pensions Committee will be
nomination expire at 4:30 p.m. today. I hearing directly from the leaders of our
The senior assistant legislative further ask that if confirmed, the mo-
called the roll. fight against the coronavirus—Drs.
tion to reconsider be considered made Fauci, Redfield, and Hahn, and Admiral
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators and laid upon the table and the Presi-
are necessarily absent: the Senator Giroir. Senators will be talking to
dent be immediately notified of the these experts about what we need to do
from Tennessee (Mr. ALEXANDER) and Senate’s action.
the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. to safely reopen our economy and our
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without schools.
SASSE). objection, it is so ordered. Another big part of our coronavirus
Further, if present and voting, the CORONAVIRUS response right now is monitoring the
Senator from Tennessee (Mr. ALEX- Mr. THUNE. Madam President, we implementation of the funds we have
ANDER) would have voted ‘‘yea.’’
are back for our second week in the already provided. We have delivered a
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senate after spending some time work- tremendous amount of money to re-
Senator from Vermont (Mr. LEAHY), ing remotely to help flatten the spond to the pandemic—equal to al-
the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. coronavirus curve. We are getting used most 50 percent of the entire Federal
MARKEY), the Senator from Wash- to the temporary new normal—social budget for 2020—and it is important
ington (Mrs. MURRAY), the Senator distancing during hearings, floor votes, that any future funding be carefully
from Vermont (Mr. SANDERS), and the and meetings; masks; a lot of con- targeted.
Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. WHITE- ference calls and Skype calls instead of We are facing extraordinary cir-
HOUSE) are necessarily absent.
in-person meetings; lots of hand wash- cumstances, and they call for an ex-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there ing and hand sanitizer; and as many traordinary, bold response from Wash-
any other Senators in the Chamber de- staff working remotely as possible. We ington, but it is important to remem-
siring to vote or change their vote? are committed to doing the essential ber that every dollar of the trillions we
The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 62, work of the American people, and they provided for the pandemic is borrowed
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nays 31, as follows: are depending on us to do it in the money, and our children and grand-
[Rollcall Vote No. 87 Ex.] safest way possible. children are going to be paying for that
YEAS—62 Responding to the coronavirus con- borrowing. That doesn’t mean we are
Barrasso Burr Cornyn tinues to be at the top of the agenda. not going to provide more money if
Blackburn Capito Cotton Last week, we held a number of necessary, but it does mean we need to
Blunt Carper Cramer
Boozman Cassidy Crapo coronavirus-related hearings, including make sure we are spending money
Braun Collins Cruz a hearing on coronavirus testing and a wisely and well and only appropriating
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