Unanimous Consent Request (Cong. Rec., May 14, 2020)

Summary

Senate pages of the Congressional Record for May 14, 2020, beginning at page S2442, under the heading Unanimous Consent Request. Ms. Klobuchar urges the Senate to act on technical changes to the $400 million in election security funding passed in the CARES Act. She asks unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of a bill at the desk to modify the provisions on funding for election security grants. Mr. Johnson, the Senator from Wisconsin, objects. The record also includes remarks by Mr. Blunt on National Police Week.

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“Unanimous Consent Request (Cong. Rec., May 14, 2020).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-14-crec-2020-05-14-pt1-pgs2442-d4ac319ce1/, SHA-256 84f0996517d4a630b1a89637f1c95c65d3d75c10875f70fce5b70683f5ef301c.

Full text

S2442 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 14, 2020
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST Even the most cynical Americans be- gregate in one location. That is why
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I lieve that. They know people play poli- this is happening right now.
come to the floor today to urge the tics all the time, but they don’t think Nearly 2 months ago, I introduced
Senate to immediately take action to you should play it with their lives. legislation, the Natural Disaster and
address the issue of elections and spe- We know from what happened in Wis- Emergency Ballot Act, with Senator
cifically to address technical changes consin that people who show up to vote WYDEN, along with 35 of my colleagues.
to the $400 million in election security during this crisis are, in fact, risking The bill would simply ensure that
funding passed in the CARES Act and their health if precautions are not every voter could cast a ballot by mail,
to talk about the coronavirus threat to taken. A little over a month ago, both that those who need it could have ex-
our democracy itself. Democratic and Republican voters and panded access to early in-person vot-
Sixteen States have already post- Independent voters in Wisconsin stood ing, and that States could have the
poned their Presidential primaries or for hours in the cold and the rain, funding and resources that are nec-
transitioned their primaries to almost wearing garbage bags and homemade essary to safely administer elections.
entirely voting by mail. We have seen masks, in order to cast their votes. This week, the House introduced the
Republican and Democratic Governors There were just 5 polling locations COVID 4 bill, the fourth COVID relief
across the country, from States like open in Milwaukee instead of the usual package, the HEROES Act. It contains
West Virginia, Indiana—the Presiding 180 and 2 in Green Bay instead of the the election reforms found in my legis-
Officer’s State—New York, and Ken- usual 30, and two-thirds of Wisconsin’s lation as well as $3.6 billion to help
tucky, issue waivers allowing all voters African-American voters live in Mil- States protect our elections from
to cast their ballots by mail during the waukee. COVID–19. That is because mailing
pandemic. This includes States that There is no question that this vast mail-in ballots all over the country is
used to have requirements that you reduction in polling places, without going to cost some change. We know
have to give a reason to even get a there being the adequate time to tran- that. Yet what is the alternative? Is it
mail-in ballot to vote from home. Both sition to mail-in voting, ended up telling veterans who served on the bat-
Democratic and Republican Governors disenfranchising voters, particularly in tlefield in World War II, like the one I
have waived it—not in every State but the case of African-American voters. heard about yesterday, that they can’t
in a number of States. At the same time, we saw people trying vote or that they have to stand in line?
While it is important that individual to vote in whatever way they could. What is the alternative—telling seniors
States are taking action to protect They tried to mail in their ballots even they have to stand in line? No, that is
voters during this pandemic, it is the when it was at the last minute. not a good alternative. The alternative
responsibility of us, of Congress, to en- Now health officials say that more is to make sure we expand mail-in bal-
sure that States have the funds they than 67 people in Wisconsin may have lots.
need to make our elections more resil- become infected with the coronavirus I know negotiations will occur over
ient and to make sure voters don’t as a result of that election. This is un- the coming days regarding the next re-
have to risk their health to cast their acceptable. No one should have to lief package. I look forward to working
ballots. We must do this because, as we choose between exercising the right to with my Democratic and Republican
have seen over the last several weeks, vote and protecting the health of them- colleagues.
not all States are doing everything selves and their loved ones. What hap- I see the chairman of the Committee
they can to protect voters. That is sad, pened in Wisconsin will be forever on Rules and Administration is here,
but it is true. etched in the memory of our Nation. Senator BLUNT. I look forward to work-
What is coming before us in the fall We can’t allow this to happen again. ing with him just as we have recently
is a national election. Just yesterday, In the face of this, yesterday, the done on remote committee hearings,
we learned that the attorney general of Wisconsin Supreme Court actually which have actually, by all accounts,
Texas has asked the Texas Supreme struck down the Governor’s stay-at- gone pretty well in the Senate over the
Court to stop county election officials home order. last few weeks.
from letting voters who are afraid of We should actually be taking steps I am here today to push for a change
getting the coronavirus to vote by forward now instead of backward. Pub- that we know needs to be done, and
mail. He basically went to court and lic health experts have warned of the that is to make some changes to make
said that the counties that are giving possibility of another, more serious sure the first grouping of money we
out these ballots should stop. He tried, outbreak of this virus in the fall. Con- got—the $400 million of emergency
he tried, and he is continuing to try to gress must act now to give States the funding in the first bill—can get out to
stop them from simply sending out bal- funding they need. We know the States the States, because of some changes
lots to voters who are afraid to vote in are strapped—that every single State that were made to the original pro-
person. Some of them have preexisting in this country is strapped. posal that have made it hard for some
conditions. Some of them are veterans Even if we were to do nothing here, of our States to be able to get that
who served our country. Some of them we would know there are going to be money out. There is a matching re-
are seniors. States that are going to get quirement, and we see it already play-
Basically, in this one State—by the humongous requests for mail-in ballots ing out. Utah and Oklahoma have indi-
way, there are other things going on in that they have never gotten before. We cated they will only be able to access a
other States—the attorney general is know that in the State of Wisconsin, portion of the funding they have been
trying to stop them from actually vot- Senator JOHNSON’s State. It is tradi- provided because they can’t come up
ing from home. Under Texas law, you tionally a State in which about 6 per- with the full matching requirement.
have to have an excuse in order to vote cent of the people vote by mail. Next- Florida has not yet accessed the funds
by mail. door, in my home State of Minnesota, at all because it is working to see if its
This pandemic, as we know, has it is 25 percent. Yes, it is more, but we legislature can accommodate the
killed more than 85,000 Americans. know it is probably going to at least matched funding.
Local officials in Texas have told the double—and more—no matter what These are all things we have to work
voters that the coronavirus—they have party you are in. on for this forthcoming legislation, as
looked at the law and said that it is a This is why the Republican Gov- well as to look at what we did in the
valid excuse to request a mail-in bal- ernors are asking for money. They may first package. There are also issues
not agree with everything in my bill, with the reporting requirements in the

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lot. I guess it is. I would think it is.
But the Texas attorney general dis- but so many of them are asking for bill, but the last thing we want to do is
agrees and has asked the Texas Su- funding to be able to help them send to put an undue burden on the States.
preme Court to stop these local elec- out those ballots and send out the post- What I really want to focus on now,
tion officials from sending voters a age so as to keep their polling places at the end of my remarks, is the need
mail-in ballot. open, say, for 1 week, 2 weeks, or, we to pass the legislation in front of us—
That is a disgrace. We shouldn’t be think, 20 days in advance so that peo- and I know it will be negotiated—to
playing politics with people’s lives. ple could actually vote and not con- make sure that we fund and help our

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May 14, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2443
States fund our elections. Let’s dispel piece of legislation, and we need to get wants to vote, whatever party one is
the notion that voting at home is that money out to our election officials in—is able to safely vote.
somehow a partisan issue. One of the today. Let’s remember that, while people
States with the highest number of For these reasons, I ask unanimous were lining those streets to vote in
mail-in ballots is the State of Utah. It consent that the Senate proceed to the Wisconsin, the President of the United
is not exactly a bright-blue State. An- immediate consideration of a bill at States was able to request a mail-in
other State that has a very high num- the desk to modify the provisions on ballot from Palm Beach, FL, and vote
ber of people voting from home is the funding for election security grants. I in the comfort of 1600 Pennsylvania Av-
State of Colorado. This is a State that further ask that the bill be considered enue. That is an image—a split
tends to be a purple State. Then we read three times and passed and that screen—that I don’t think anyone
have blue States, like Oregon and the motion to reconsider be considered wants to see. I think what we want to
Washington. Then we have a State like made and laid upon the table. see is fairness for all Americans. You
Arizona that, again, has a high number The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there do that by getting them the funding
of people voting by mail. On the other objection? ahead of time, by making sure we have
end are States that don’t have as many The Senator from Wisconsin. rules in place that work for everyone,
people voting by mail, but we have a Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, in re- by acknowledging this has never been
mixture of States too. New York is at serving the right to object, there are nor should it be a partisan issue, and
like 5 percent right now. Then we have many things that the Senator from by telling all Americans that we have
a number of States, like Alabama, that Minnesota spoke to that I think most worked this out, that we are getting
don’t have a lot of people voting by of us would agree with. the funding to the States, that we are
mail. This COVID crisis has created all working with all of their States, and
We don’t think—at least I don’t kinds of issues that need to be thor- that we have put in some fair rules so
think—that every single person is oughly discussed and thoroughly de- that no American will be denied the
going to vote by mail in the election bated. I think there are a number of us right to vote.
this November. The key is to give them on this side of the aisle—I am just one I yield the floor.
options and to be able to work with our standing up—who object to this unani- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
States so that, if we do provide fund- mous consent request. The good news ator from Missouri.
ing—and I am so hopeful that we will for the Senator from Minnesota is, in f
be able to come to some kind of agree- talking with those colleagues, they
ment here—they can use that money to also agree there is a fair number of ele- NATIONAL POLICE WEEK
expand their votes by mail, because we ments in this bill with which they Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, this is
know their citizens are going to re- could probably find agreement. National Police Week. It is one of the
quest it, and also to make sure voting I rise to certainly extend my hand in weeks that I always look forward to.
on election day will be safe. There are cooperation with the Senator from For years now, it has been an oppor-
ways to do that by encouraging more Minnesota. Let’s work on these things tunity to spend time with people who
people, if they don’t want to vote by together, although this is not a bill protect us—who protect all of us. We
mail, to vote early so fewer people will that comes through my committee’s get a chance each day to say thank you
be there on the same day. jurisdiction. I can say, in my com- to the Capitol Police, who work here at
What do we see when we look at this? mittee, we work across the aisle. Staff the Capitol. As the chairman of the
A recent poll shows that in some of the does an awful lot of work, and we come Law Enforcement Caucus, I have lots
key States across the country, both to a conclusion. If it is not ready for a of opportunities in our State to see of-
Republican and Democratic voters—70 particular markup, we go back and get ficers in groups and one at a time, and
to 80 percent of them—want to be able the work done. We frequently pass a I always try to be thankful to them
to vote by mail. We have Governors in piece of legislation by voice vote and when I see them. Yet this is a time
States like New Hampshire—Repub- then bring it to the floor when it has every year when we get a chance to see
lican Governors—in Maryland, and in all been ironed out. There is no dis- people from all over the country come
Ohio who want to vote by mail. That is agreement, and there is no objection, to Washington, and it is a chance for us
the way they want to go. We have a and we pass those bills by unanimous to say thank you to them and thank
secretary of state who is a Republican consent. you to their families.
in the State of Washington who wants I think the problem here is that this This year in particular, Chief Jon
to vote by mail. Her entire State basi- bill has never had any kind of com- Belmar—the just recently retiring
cally votes by mail right now, and they mittee markup or any committee work chief at the St. Louis County Police
are good people who can talk about whatsoever. So I would just suggest Department and good friend who was
why this is working for them and how that the Senator from Minnesota work always there for advice, always
we can make it work but only if they with her committee and her committee brought a big contingent of officers to
have the funds. We are not going to be chair. I see the committee chair is here Police Week. So I am thinking about
able to give them the funds in, say, Oc- in the Chamber. Work on this. Try to him and of not seeing him at Police
tober and then be able to make sure find those areas of agreement. Then Week in Washington.
this has happened. maybe we could pass this and maybe I am also thinking about the new
In conclusion, 17 States still have potentially pass this by unanimous chief of the St. Louis County Police
Presidential primaries, and numerous consent. This piece of legislation is not Department, Chief Mary Barton. This
others have primaries for other Federal ready. It hasn’t gone through that is a county of over a million people, so
offices, and, of course, we have the gen- process. As a result, I object. it is a substantial job. It is a place to
eral election on November 3, which is The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- really affect how police work is done. I
less than 6 months away. We cannot let tion is heard. look forward to spending time with
more Americans experience what we The Senator from Minnesota. Chief Barton as she moves forward
have just seen happen in Wisconsin Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I with what she can do to build on what
with the garbage bags, with the home- appreciate my colleague’s words in has happened in the department over
made masks, with the people getting that he is willing to work with me on the years.
off work at the hospitals and standing this bill. Like so much else this year, Police
We know we need the immediate Week is different than it has been be-

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in line. Nobody should have to choose
between one’s health and one’s right to fixes to the first piece of legislation, fore. There are no sounds of hundreds
vote. but we also need to look forward to of motorcycles going down the streets
I am committed to securing addi- what we have in front of us. That is to of Washington as we celebrate the
tional funding in the upcoming relief make sure that we help our States to week. There are no groups of law en-
package, but we have fixes that we be able to conduct their elections in a forcement officers or police vehicles
must make to the original funding that safe way so that Democrats, Repub- from all over the country coming here.
we made in the first bill, in the first licans, and Independents—anyone who I am grateful for them. They protect

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