Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, May 19, 2020 (E466)
Summary
Page E466 of the Extensions of Remarks section of the Congressional Record for May 19, 2020. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas honors the nurses of Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, Texas. Remarks on the HEROES Act describe national testing, contact tracing, an additional $85 million for Older Americans Act programs and an additional $100 million in disaster funding, and note deaths of more than 85,000 individuals in the country in the past few months. A further tribute recounts a nurse's schooling at Kent State University.
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“Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, May 19, 2020 (E466).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-19-crec-2020-05-19-pt1-pge466-2-97af299961/
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E466 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 19, 2020
I join all Arkansans in congratulating Mi- with a global health pandemic that is respon- We cannot overcome this virus until we
chael on this achievement and look forward to sible for the deaths of more than 85,000 indi- drastically increase our public health efforts.
seeing more of his work throughout Little Rock viduals in our country in just the past few The HEROES Act provides crucial funding to
in the years to come. months. We cannot wait another day, another conduct national testing, implement a contact
f week, or another month to take action. Our tracing and surveillance strategy, and allow all
communities need help now and they are Americans to seek treatment for COVID–19
HONORING THE NURSES OF PARK- looking to Congress to lead. I’m grateful for without worrying about the cost. The bill also
LAND HEALTH & HOSPITAL SYS- the leadership of the House of Representa- increases support for our frontline health care
TEM IN DALLAS, TEXAS tives, Speaker PELOSI, and our committee providers, invests in public health infrastruc-
chairs and staff for working with us to put to- ture, and expands access to health coverage
HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON gether an ambitious bill that will send needed whether employer-provided, publicly sup-
OF TEXAS help to individuals and families in the form of ported, or on the open market. The HEROES
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES an additional direct stimulus payment; to our Act also provides key resources to older
state and local governments, which are experi- adults and people with disabilities. The bill
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 encing extreme budget shortfalls; and to our provides an additional $85 million in funding
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, small businesses that are the backbone of our for Older Americans Act (OAA) programs that
I rise today to recognize and honor the nurses local economies and the heart of our commu- were reauthorized earlier this year by legisla-
of Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dal- nities. Although I am disappointed that the bill tion I was proud to lead. This means more re-
las, Texas, for their commitment to serving does not include several provisions including sources for supportive services, nutrition pro-
their patients and our community during this ongoing payments for individuals and families, grams, assistive technology, and elder rights
novel coronavirus pandemic. additional funding to support child care, and a protection activities.
Madam Speaker, the sacrifices that the strong investment in our workforce systems, The direct payments to individuals in the
nurses fighting COVID–19 have been im- among other things, I will support this step for- CARES Act was an important first step, but I
mense. At Parkland Memorial Hospital, over ward. know that too many people in Northwest Or-
300 medical staffers are caring for coronavirus We heard loud and clear from our state and egon and across the country need more sup-
patients in the Tactical Care Unit. One of local governments—they need more support port during this health and economic crisis. Al-
these nurses has moved into an RV and has to keep our communities safe. This bill in- though this bill does not provide at least
not seen her 7-month-old daughter in more cludes $915 billion in emergency funding to $2,000 per month for individuals through the
than five weeks. Another has only had contact state and local governments, funding that can duration of the pandemic, which I advocated
with her 2-year-old when she wore an N95 be used to help prevent teacher job loss and for, it does provide a second stimulus payment
mask and gloves for a birthday hug. A third, funding cuts to education and, importantly, the of $1200 to most individuals and, importantly,
who lives alone, has volunteered for every bill expands the use of funds to cover lost, de- it retroactively fixes a problem in CARES and
shift she can get to nurse the most critically ill layed, or decreased revenue from the public will now extend direct payments to individuals
COVID–19 victims. health emergency. The HEROES Act also in-
filing with Individual Taxpayer Identification
As the first registered nurse elected to Con- cludes $90 billion for the State Fiscal Sta-
Numbers.
gress, I am deeply aware of the sacrifices and bilization Fund that can be used to provide More than 396,000 Oregonians have filed
expertise that medical professionals bring to emergency support to students—including for unemployment insurance in the last two
their work, and I honor their selfless, dedi- Dreamers, who were previously excluded from months. I know how important this support is
receiving emergency grants—schools, and in- during the pandemic, and I’m working in Con-
cated service during this public health crisis.
stitutions of higher education. These funds are gress to strengthen and expedite access to
What our society is asking of them, the sup-
critical to supporting public colleges and uni- these benefits. The HEROES Act expands the
port staff, and all their families is immense,
versities, addressing student mental health
and we must endeavor to provide absolutely additional $600 in federal benefits added to
needs, and purchasing technology and mobile
every possible resource for their work. This every weekly unemployment compensation
hotspots to support distance learning. Under
means that the current nationwide struggles to check through January 2021, and it extends
this proposal, my home state of Oregon would
acquire personal protective equipment and eligibility for self-employed individuals, gig
receive approximately $980 million.
testing materials are unacceptable, and I am During this public health crisis, no one economy workers, and independent contrac-
committed to pushing for all our essential should have to choose between affording tors. This vital economic support must con-
medical professionals to be properly equipped basic needs or making payments on their stu- tinue until workers can safely get back on the
to provide the care our communities need and dent loans. The CARES Act suspended invol- job. Also it is truly unfortunate that, despite the
depend on at this time. untary collection like wage garnishment or re- merits of a more comprehensive approach, the
Madam Speaker, the contributions of the duction of Social Security payments for delin- HEROES Act does not include the Paycheck
medical professionals serving in the city of quent federally-owned student loans. The HE- Guarantee Act, legislation spearheaded by
Dallas, state of Texas, these United States, ROES Act follows my recommendation to ex- Congresswoman PRAMILA JAYAPAL. The Pay-
and across the globe are truly immeasurable. tend these protections to all borrowers, includ- check Guarantee Act would allow most individ-
Therefore, on behalf of the U.S. House of ing those who have privately held student uals to stay on payroll during this national
Representatives and Texas’ 30th Congres- loans. emergency and keep their benefits, and it
sional District, I ask that my colleagues join Building on my earlier efforts to make sure would also significantly reduce the number of
me in recognizing and honoring the sacrifices K12 students can access school meals during people filing for Unemployment Insurance. I
and commitment of these essential medical school closures, this legislation funds school will continue to advocate for creative ap-
staffers during this unprecedented novel meal and child and adult care food programs proaches like the Paycheck Guarantee Act
coronavirus pandemic.’’ with emergency relief that will help schools that maximize the benefits to workers and the
f continue to meet the needs of children and economy while also reducing bureaucracy.
their families. This bill will further help families We need to do more to protect workers from
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOV- access nutritious meals by increasing the hazardous conditions on the job, and I will
ERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SO- SNAP benefit level by 15 percent. keep fighting for workplace protections and
LUTIONS ACT I am grateful that this bill provides $7 billion personal protective equipment for all workers
for child care, but this is far from the invest- during the COVID–19 pandemic. I am an origi-
SPEECH OF
ment that is needed to support families, pro- nal cosponsor of the COVID–19 Every Worker
HON. SUZANNE BONAMICI viders, and the child care workforce at this Protection Act, and I’m pleased that it is in-
OF OREGON critical time. I will continue to fight for signifi- cluded in the HEROES Act with additional
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cant, additional funding in future relief pack- funding for the Occupational Safety and
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with REMARKS
ages. If child care is not available and afford- Health Administration. Protecting essential
Friday, May 15, 2020 able, families will not be able to return to work. workers during the pandemic is one of my top
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- Additionally, I will continue to fight for addi- priorities. I have also advocated for premium
port of H.R. 6800, the Health and Economic tional funding for the Community Services pay for essential workers to recognize their
Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HE- Block Grant program to support the vital anti- role in sustaining our communities and the
ROES) Act. Our nation is experiencing un- poverty work of the more than 1,000 Commu- sacrifices they are making during the pan-
precedented job loss as our communities deal nity Action agencies across this country. demic. The HEROES Act will provide frontline
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May 19, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E467
workers who are in contact with patients, the more resources. I am pleased that the HE- secure more direct assistance for fisheries and
public, or co-workers—including grocery store ROES Act includes $2.5 billion for adult edu- the domestic seafood supply chain. Northwest
workers, health care workers, and first re- cation, youth training, dislocated worker Oregon is known for its prestigious specialty
sponders—with an additional $13 per hour in grants, migrant and seasonal farmworker pro- crops, and our farmers have been struggling
premium pay on top of regular wages, up to grams, and public health worker recruitment to make ends meet during the pandemic. The
$10,000. and training as authorized in the Workforce In- HEROES Act will also support our specialty
As more communities start to lift stay-at- novation and Opportunity Act, but this funding crop farmers by providing $100 million for spe-
home orders, all workers need access to paid is insufficient to meet the scale of the crisis at cialty crop grants and $50 million for support
family, medical, and sick leave benefits. The hand. For comparison, the American Reinvest- for local farmers markets and other direct to
HEROES Act will help expand access to ment and Recovery Act provided more than consumer markets.
emergency paid sick leave and emergency $7.7 billion in workforce funding. To respond This bill addresses one of the key short-
paid family and medical leave by eliminating to the economic consequences of the comings of previous legislative efforts; the ex-
exemptions for health care workers, first re- coronavirus pandemic, we need at least $15.1 clusion of individuals from direct economic re-
sponders, workers at businesses with fewer billion in supplemental federal investments to lief because of their immigration status. The
than 50 employees, and workers at busi- help prevent further layoffs and provide dis- HEROES Act retroactively extends direct pay-
nesses with 500 or more employees. And I will located workers and employers with access to ments to mixed-status families and immigrants
keep working with my colleagues to secure employment services like training, career navi- who file taxes using ITINs, and it expands eli-
permanent paid sick leave and paid family and gation, and supportive services. I will keep gibility for other economic support. It removes
medical leave for all workers. working with my colleagues on the Education barriers to testing, treatment, vaccines, and
I started working at Legal Aid while I at- and Labor Committee to advance the Re- other health care based solely on immigration
tended community college, and learned there launching America’s Workforce Act because status and automatically extends work permits
that people do not struggle by choice. With the historic unemployment levels over the last for individuals with DACA or TPS. The bill of-
our national economy upended, consumers two months require an equally historic re- fers protections from ICE removal and employ-
face even greater financial hardships and sponse to support workers. ment authorization for individuals in critical in-
predatory actors continue to take advantage of No one should be forced to choose between dustries, including agricultural workers and
people facing this crisis. We should have im- paying their bills and paying for food, but as meatpackers. It also requires ICE to review its
plemented the strengthened consumer protec- Oregonians face the ongoing economic con- detention policies and find alternatives for indi-
tions in the HEROES Act at the beginning of sequences of COVID–19, this is becoming a viduals not subject to mandatory detention.
this crisis, and I have continued calls for their reality for too many working families. This bill Importantly, the HEROES Act strengthens
passage. I’m glad that the HEROES Act sus- includes $175 billion to assist renters and our democratic institutions with new resources
pends consumer debt collection during the homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage to conduct secure, reliable elections using
COVID–19 emergency and for 120 days after and utility payments, and other housing-re- vote-by-mail. Oregonians have used this trust-
the end of the national emergency to make lated costs. The Low Income Home Energy ed method of voting for more than twenty
sure consumers can fully recover. I worked Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is an important years, and it should be implemented nation-
with the Congressional Progressive Caucus to wraparound support that helps low-income wide as a simple and safe solution that will in-
make debt collection suspension a priority in families pay for heating and cooling bills. The crease access while allowing voters to main-
relief legislation. HEROES Act includes another $1.5 billion in tain physical distancing measures.
We know that Oregonians are struggling supplemental funding for LIHEAP, but many We must act quickly and decisively to curb
through no fault of their own, and they should more households will need and likely qualify the spread of COVID–19 and create condi-
not be further harmed financially. Negative for assistance in the coming weeks and tions that will allow us to begin our recovery,
credit reporting will be suspended under the months. Additionally, as individuals comply but we must also act boldly so our response
HEROES Act for the duration of this crisis and with stay-at-home orders across the country is sufficient to prevent a widespread resur-
any future national emergencies. This is an during the pandemic, they will likely be using gence of the virus. We must also not leave
essential step to safeguard consumers most more electricity and heat or air conditioning to behind any segment of our society as we work
affected by the current outbreak. I have also keep their homes habitable. As we work to to repair the immense and harmful economic
continued to call for medical debt collection craft the next response package, I will keep damage that we see across Oregon and the
and credit reporting suspensions—needed re- fighting for more funding for LIHEAP to pro- country. We are all safer and healthier when
forms to prevent a hospital visit from destroy- vide tangible assistance to families who are everyone in our communities is safer and
ing the credit of consumers. I am glad to see struggling to pay their bills. I also advocated healthier. I commend House leadership for
that medical debt related to coronavirus treat- for assistance similar to LIHEAP that would putting forward a proposal that responsibly ad-
ments will not result in adverse credit informa- help households economically affected by dresses the desperate need we are currently
tion; however, we must give consumers the COVID–19 with drinking water and wastewater facing while also acknowledging the potentially
flexibility to settle their medical debt before it services during this national emergency. The disastrous costs of doing too little. I urge all
shows up on a credit report and we must con- HEROES Act includes an additional $1.5 bil- my colleagues to support our nurses, first re-
tinue to fight so everyone can access afford- lion for this support. sponders, grocery workers, and all frontline
able health care. The success of our economic recovery will heroes by supporting this legislation.
The HEROES Act also clarifies the intent of depend on the success of our small busi- f
the CARES Act by preventing the garnish- nesses. The Paycheck Protection Program
REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF
ment, levy, or seizing of direct payment for pri- was a good first lifeline for many, but many
JENNIE L. LANDOLFI
vate debts. I have been a vocal advocate for business owners are concerned about artificial
stopping unfair garnishment and protecting timelines and a lack of flexibility in the pro-
payments like Social Security and other es- gram. I’m glad that the HEROES Act will ex-
HON. TIM RYAN
OF OHIO
sential earned benefits. tend the coverage period to the end of 2020
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Oregon has strong laws to prevent unfair and give businesses additional flexibility while
price hikes during crises like the current pan- still adhering to local stay-at-home orders that Tuesday, May 19, 2020
demic. I am continuing to work with Oregon may not allow them to fully open and resume Mr. RYAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum on ways to operating for some time to come. The bill honor the life of Jennie L. Landolfi, 65, of
expand Oregon’s protections to all Americans. would also expand PPP eligibility to additional Niles, Ohio, who passed away Friday, May 15,
It’s beneficial that the HEROES Act includes nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes, 2020, after a long and courageous battle with
provisions to stop unconscionably excessive as well as provide an additional $10 billion in Multiple Sclerosis.
prices on necessities like food, hygiene prod- economic injury disaster grants (EIDL) through Jennie was born April 19, 1955, in Niles, the
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with REMARKS
ucts, personal protective equipment, and the Small Business Administration. daughter of Gregory and Antonette ‘‘Toni’’
health services. Fisheries are an important part of our econ- Landolfi.
Workforce boards, labor unions, community omy in Northwest Oregon, and I know that our Jennie was a 1973 graduate of John F.
colleges, community-based organizations, coastal communities need more assistance to Kennedy High School, attended Kent State
small businesses, and other stakeholders are get through these challenging times. The HE- University, graduated from the Trumbull Me-
training health care, direct care, and front-line ROES Act provides an additional $100 million morial Hospital School of Nursing, and re-
workers, but they are in desperate need of in disaster funding, and I will keep working to ceived a master’s degree in adult health from
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