Congressional Record — Senate, May 12, 2020, Page S2380

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Page S2380 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for May 12, 2020, in interleaved columns, with cosponsor notices and statements. At the request of Mr. Daines, Mr. Cramer is added as a cosponsor of S. 2435, a bill on budget estimates, and Mr. Merkley's name is added to S. 3565, a bill on debt practices. Mrs. Blackburn is added to S. 3643, which authorizes certain veterans health employees to provide treatment by telemedicine. A statement recalls testimony from Philip Marshall, and another says failure to act is failing independent producers.

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“Congressional Record — Senate, May 12, 2020, Page S2380.” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-12-crec-2020-05-12-pt1-pgs2380-2-17532367c4/, SHA-256 f3a56a6e7c042dd9dc3a2a1c10d3c1f0dc5c0564c1f9503590ffb93d8db1c874.

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S2380 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 12, 2020
S. 2435 financial assistance to rural health (Mrs. BLACKBURN) was added as a co-
At the request of Mr. DAINES, the care facilities and providers impacted sponsor of S. 3643, a bill to amend title
name of the Senator from North Da- by the COVID–19 emergency. 38, United States Code, to authorize
kota (Mr. CRAMER) was added as a co- S. 3565 certain postgraduate health care em-
sponsor of S. 2435, a bill to amend the At the request of Mr. MERKLEY, his ployees and health professions trainees
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to name was added as a cosponsor of S. of the Department of Veterans Affairs
provide that any estimate prepared by 3565, a bill to amend the Fair Debt Col- to provide treatment via telemedicine,
the Congressional Budget Office or the lection Practices Act to provide addi- and for other purposes.
Joint Committee on Taxation shall in- tional protections for consumers and S.J. RES. 1
clude costs relating to servicing the small business owners from debt collec- At the request of Mrs. LOEFFLER, her
public debt, and for other purposes. tion during a major disaster or emer- name was added as a cosponsor of S.J.
S. 2539 gency. Res. 1, a joint resolution proposing an
S. 3569
At the request of Mr. RUBIO, the amendment to the Constitution of the
names of the Senator from Oregon (Mr. At the request of Ms. KLOBUCHAR, the United States relative to limiting the
WYDEN), the Senator from New York names of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. number of terms that a Member of Con-
(Mrs. GILLIBRAND) and the Senator DURBIN), the Senator from Arkansas gress may serve.
from Maryland (Mr. VAN HOLLEN) were (Mr. COTTON), the Senator from New
S. RES. 511
added as cosponsors of S. 2539, a bill to Hampshire (Mrs. SHAHEEN) and the
Senator from Arkansas (Mr. BOOZMAN) At the request of Mr. RUBIO, the
modify and reauthorize the Tibetan name of the Senator from Illinois (Mr.
Policy Act of 2002, and for other pur- were added as cosponsors of S. 3569, a
bill to help small business broadband DURBIN) was added as a cosponsor of S.
poses. Res. 511, a resolution supporting the
providers keep customers connected.
S. 2744 role of the United States in helping
S. 3606
At the request of Mr. ROUNDS, the At the request of Mrs. GILLIBRAND, save the lives of children and pro-
name of the Senator from Montana the name of the Senator from Min- tecting the health of people in devel-
(Mr. DAINES) was added as a cosponsor nesota (Ms. KLOBUCHAR) was added as a oping countries with vaccines and im-
of S. 2744, a bill to amend the Federal cosponsor of S. 3606, a bill to provide munization through GAVI, the Vaccine
Meat Inspection Act to modify require- for the establishment of a Health Force Alliance.
ments for a meat food product of cattle and a Resilience Force to respond to S. RES. 539
to bear a ‘‘Product of U.S.A.’’ label, public health emergencies and meet At the request of Mr. CARDIN, the
and for other purposes. public health needs. name of the Senator from Delaware
S. 2791 S. 3607 (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor
At the request of Mr. RUBIO, the At the request of Mr. GRASSLEY, the of S. Res. 539, a resolution supporting
name of the Senator from Arizona (Ms. names of the Senator from West Vir- the rights of the people of Iran to de-
MCSALLY) was added as a cosponsor of ginia (Mrs. CAPITO), the Senator from termine their future, condemning the
S. 2791, a bill to amend title 5, United New Hampshire (Ms. HASSAN), the Sen- Iranian regime for its crackdown on le-
States Code, to provide that sums in ator from North Dakota (Mr. CRAMER), gitimate protests, and for other pur-
the Thrift Savings Fund may not be in- the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. poses.
vested in securities that are listed on SHAHEEN), the Senator from Arizona f
certain foreign exchanges, and for (Ms. MCSALLY), the Senator from
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED
other purposes. Michigan (Mr. PETERS) and the Senator
BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
S. 3072 from Michigan (Ms. STABENOW) were
At the request of Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, added as cosponsors of S. 3607, a bill to By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself,
the name of the Senator from Wyoming extend public safety officer death bene- Mr. TESTER, Ms. ERNST, Mrs.
(Mr. ENZI) was added as a cosponsor of fits to public safety officers whose HYDE-SMITH, Mr. ROUNDS, Ms.
S. 3072, a bill to amend the Federal death is caused by COVID–19, and for SMITH, and Mr. DAINES):
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to pro- other purposes. S. 3693. A bill to amend the Agricul-
hibit the approval of new abortion S. 3624 tural Marketing Act of 1946 to foster
drugs, to prohibit investigational use At the request of Mr. COONS, the efficient markets and increase com-
exemptions for abortion drugs, and to name of the Senator from Wisconsin petition and transparency among pack-
impose additional regulatory require- (Ms. BALDWIN) was added as a cospon- ers that purchase livestock from pro-
ments with respect to previously ap- sor of S. 3624, a bill to amend the na- ducers; to the Committee on Agri-
proved abortion drugs, and for other tional service laws to prioritize na- culture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
purposes. tional service programs and projects Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, Iowa
that are directly related to the re- is home to 88,000 family farmers. These
S. 3179
sponse to and recovery from the farmers make up the economic founda-
At the request of Mrs. GILLIBRAND, tion of our rural communities, and
COVID–19 public health emergency,
the name of the Senator from Michigan farmers are the leaders who make up
and for other purposes.
(Ms. STABENOW) was added as a cospon- the councils and the school boards
S. 3626
sor of S. 3179, a bill to establish a grant across our State. So when we see
At the request of Mrs. LOEFFLER, her
program for family community organi- economists estimate a 20-percent drop
name was added as a cosponsor of S.
zations that provide support for indi- in livestock and grain producers’ rev-
3626, a bill to establish a review of
viduals struggling with substance use enue due to COVID–19, it isn’t just our
United States multilateral aid.
disorder and their families. farmers who are concerned; it is our
S. 3628
S. 3419
At the request of Ms. ERNST, the whole State.
At the request of Mr. INHOFE, the names of the Senator from Oregon (Mr. In the CARES Act, we provided
name of the Senator from Alabama MERKLEY), the Senator from Indiana USDA with $24.5 billion to address this
(Mr. JONES) was added as a cosponsor (Mr. BRAUN), the Senator from West loss in revenue; however, we know that
of S. 3419, a bill to amend the Packers Virginia (Mr. MANCHIN) and the Sen- even with this funding, the supply
and Stockyards Act, 1921, to provide ator from Georgia (Mrs. LOEFFLER) chain disruptions from COVID–19 will
for the establishment of a trust for the were added as cosponsors of S. 3628, a force some agriculture producers to

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benefit of all unpaid cash sellers of bill to prohibit the use of Federal funds miss payments, and ultimately some
livestock, and for other purposes. for purchasing dogs and cats from wet will be forced to sell their family
S. 3559 markets in China, and for other pur- farms.
At the request of Mr. BENNET, the poses. The consequences of COVID–19 shut-
name of the Senator from California S. 3643 downs have injected uncertainty that
(Ms. HARRIS) was added as a cosponsor At the request of Mrs. LOEFFLER, the we haven’t seen since the farmer crisis
of S. 3559, a bill to provide emergency name of the Senator from Tennessee of the 1980s.

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May 12, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2381
During my time in the Senate, I have Independent producers will always If there is one silver lining that could
always tried to be a vocal advocate for struggle with negotiating prices when come out of COVID–19, it may be that
the importance of a safe, affordable, there are only four large, multi- consumers will start to understand
and secure supply of food. But now our national corporations that control where their food comes from. Food does
country’s food supply chain is facing prices; however, in Iowa, it is a little not come from grocery stores; it comes
disruptions never envisioned before. As different. Our producers sell 50 percent from the tens of thousands of farmers
processing plants have shut down due of their cattle through negotiated cash and independent producers who bust
to employees being sick, the supply prices. This allows for market trans- their backs day and night to ensure
chain disruptions are being felt by parency so that producers know the families across the country have an
farmers and, of course, by consumers. market price of cattle, and the price adequate supply of food.
I ought to tie the two together be- more accurately reflects the cost the Farmers are 2 percent of the popu-
cause it is so important. The old saying producers incur when raising livestock. lation who provide for the other 98 per-
that we are only nine meals away from However, this isn’t the case across the cent, and they even provide for more
a riot—we haven’t had that in the entire United States, as more than 80 than 98 percent of Americans—a lot of
United States yet, and I hope we don’t percent of all cattle are sold through it is exported.
have it, but when you see short sup- formula contracts and/or the cattle fu- I urge my colleagues to support my
plies of toilet paper and people fighting tures market. These private contracts legislation being introduced today and
over toilet paper in the supermarket, it don’t allow for price transparency and do right by the producers who provide
wouldn’t surprise you that they would hide the true value of production from the food that we all eat.
fight more for food. the rest of the marketplace.
With as much as 40 percent of the It happens that this is not a new By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr.
slaughter capacity at our packing problem. In fact, 18 years ago, I intro- MENENDEZ, and Mr. GRASSLEY):
plants down for the past month, beef duced a bill with former Senator Fein- S. 3703. A bill to amend the Elder
prices have doubled for the consumer. gold from Wisconsin that would have Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act
That has caused meat shortages in fast helped producers gain leverage by man- to improve the prevention of elder
food chains, and grocery stores across dating that a percentage of a packer’s abuse and exploitation of individuals
the country have been forced to limit weekly slaughter come from a nego- with Alzheimer’s disease and related
meat purchases per consumer. tiated cash price. I introduced that bill dementias; to the Committee on the
If that is not bad enough, at the same every Congress until 2009, but, sadly, at Judiciary.
time, livestock producers with live- that time, not enough of my colleagues Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise
stock that is ready to sell have been saw the need for a transparent market- to introduce the Promoting Alz-
turned away by meat processors. Even place. heimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder
if producers are lucky enough to sell, That need is much more obvious Abuse Act. I am pleased to be joined by
the prices they are getting are well today because conversations across the my colleagues, Senators MENENDEZ and
below the cost of production, and they country have started to shift, and peo- GRASSLEY, in sponsoring this legisla-
are losing money on every animal they ple’s opinion about four big tion that seeks to help combat elder
sell. meatpackers controlling 80 percent of abuse perpetrated against those living
I have received a large volume of with Alzheimer’s disease and related
the market—it looks like more of a
calls and emails from Iowans and mem- dementias.
problem when farmers are losing a lot
ber organizations expressing concern An estimated 5.8 million Americans
of money when they sell their cattle
that the current discrepancy between aged 65 and older currently live with
and the price for the consumer goes up
high shelf prices and increased losses Alzheimer’s disease. This disease takes
at the supermarket. Lawmakers have
for cattle producers just doesn’t make a tremendous personal and economic
any sense. I share the concerns of these begun to realize that in order to have a
sustainable supply of meat in our coun- toll on individuals and their families,
farmers, and I take their claims of
try, we need to restore transparency in and the COVID–19 crisis has made
market manipulation very seriously.
President Trump is on top of this the marketplace and protect the mar- many of the challenges they face even
issue, and this past week, he echoed a ket from collapsing when there is a more difficult.
request that I made of the Attorney supply chain disruption. People living with Alzheimer’s and
General last month to examine the cur- Let me repeat something I said at related dementias make up a large pro-
rent structure of the beef meatpacking the beginning—nine meals away from a portion of all older Americans who re-
industry and investigate potential riot and people fighting about who is ceive adult day services and nursing
market and price manipulation. Hold- going to buy the last roll of toilet home care, making them among those
ing the four large meatpacking compa- paper in the supermarket. We can’t let most vulnerable to COVID–19. Many of
nies accountable is the least we can that same thing happen with food, so the public health and safety measures
ask of Federal officials, and I thank today I come to the floor to submit my put in place to control the spread of
President Trump for talking to Barr bill to foster efficient markets and in- COVID–19, including social distancing,
about that as well. crease competition and transparency also may contribute to social isolation,
The fact is, over 80 percent of the among packers that purchase livestock which is one of the greatest risk fac-
feedlot cattle in the United States are from our producers. The only change to tors for elder abuse. This crisis has also
slaughtered by the four largest that Feingold-Grassley bill is to in- given rise to a number of COVID–19-re-
meatpacking companies: Tyson Foods, crease the amount of mandated nego- lated scams seeking to financially ex-
JBS, Cargill, and No. 4, National Beef. tiated cash trade to 50 percent from the ploit Americans of all ages, including
Because these companies control a original 25 percent in that bill that seniors.
large percentage of slaughter and proc- Feingold and I cooperated on. This Individuals with Alzheimer’s are at
essing capacity in the United States, change is needed to increase price dis- greater risk for elder abuse. According
they have the unique ability to influ- covery for producers across the coun- to the National Center on Elder Abuse,
ence the price of live cattle. They use try. approximately one in ten Americans
tactics such as bottlenecking proc- I am proud to lead this effort with aged 60 and older have experienced
essing speeds, importing foreign meat, Senator TESTER of Montana and will elder abuse. For people with Alz-
utilizing private forward-formula con- work with my colleagues in the Senate heimer’s and related dementias, the
and particularly those on the Senate prevalence is much higher, with some

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tracts, and piling up meat in cold stor-
age to delay the need to purchase live Agriculture Committee to make sure estimates putting it at just over 50 per-
cattle from the family farmer. this bill becomes law. Without signifi- cent.
I am glad the President asked the De- cant action by Congress, our inde- This abuse can take a number of
partment of Justice to look into these pendent beef producers will not be able forms. In 2015, the Aging Committee
schemes to see if any of this behavior to stay in business. I believe the time heard from Philip Marshall, the grand-
is illegal—the same request I made to to act is now. Failure to act is failing son of philanthropist Brooke Astor,
Barr about a month ago. our independent producers. who testified that his father neglected

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