Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., May 19, 2020)
Summary
Senate pages of the Congressional Record for May 19, 2020, beginning at page S2483. Mr. McConnell asks unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. Res. 582, designating Mike DiSilvestro as Director Emeritus of Senate Security of the United States Senate, and the resolution and its preamble are agreed to. Under the heading Coronavirus, Mr. Schumer, the Democratic leader, says the Senate Banking Committee will hear testimony from Secretary Mnuchin and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. He also delivers a tribute to Mike DiSilvestro as retirement approaches after 37 years of service to the U.S. Senate.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., May 19, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-19-crec-2020-05-19-pt1-pgs2483-3-8e0335b85a/
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May 19, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2483
Mike outside his secure facility and DIRECTOR EMERITUS OF SENATE offs can continue for months. The an-
heading our way, it does not mean a so- SECURITY OF THE UNITED guish that so many people feel. With-
cial call—it means bad news—and you STATES SENATE out further action, Powell said, we risk
had better believe this stoic sentinel Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, ‘‘prolonged recession and weak recov-
has had to say no a lot more than yes. I ask unanimous consent that the Sen- ery,’’ with unemployment reaching 20
Just doing the job half as reliably and ate proceed to the consideration of S. percent or even 25 percent. In Chair-
reassuringly as Mike is a herculean Res. 582, submitted earlier today. man Powell’s words, it may be that
task by itself, but then factor in the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Congress has to do more, and the rea-
fact that he is also one of the most per- clerk will report the resolution by son we have to do more is to avoid
sonally well-liked and respected col- title. longer damage to the economy. Those
leagues among the circle of folks with The senior assistant legislative clerk are Chairman Powell’s words, a non-
whom he has worked. read as follows: political appointee by President
Mike D.’s reputation extends far out- A resolution (S. Res. 582) designating Mi-
Trump.
side the Senate. I have it on good au- chael P. DiSilvestro as Director Emeritus of
Mr. Powell’s testimony this morning,
thority that, when Secretary of De- Senate Security of the United States Senate. hopefully, will jolt my Republican col-
fense Esper—who served as national se- leagues into action, finally. At the
There being no objection, the Senate
curity adviser to a former majority very least, his testimony should awak-
proceeded to consider the resolution.
leader—comes to Senate Security to en them from their slumber and compel
Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous
brief us Members, he doesn’t consider some understanding of the scope and
consent that the resolution be agreed
his visit complete until he has stopped urgency of the problem at hand. Maybe
to, the preamble be agreed to, and the
in Mike D.’s office to check on his old his speech will somehow galvanize our
motions to reconsider be considered
colleague. Republican colleagues into coming for-
made and laid upon the table with no
ward and talking about COVID, doing
Yet, ironically, outside a select cir- intervening action or debate.
oversight of COVID, and coming up
cle, most people in the Senate itself The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
with the kinds of plans that we saw in
probably could not pick Mike D. out of objection, it is so ordered.
COVID 4.0 in the House that are so well
a lineup. I guess, when everything you The resolution (S. Res. 582) was
needed. Maybe they will talk about
work on is strictly ‘‘need to know,’’ agreed to.
things like this. Are they for aiding
you wind up on a need-to-know basis The preamble was agreed to.
State and local governments? Are they
yourself. Even Mike’s own teammates (The resolution, with its preamble, is
for so many of the things in the bill—
describe his approach as somewhat printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub-
more help for hospitals, more help for
‘‘stealth-like.’’ mitted Resolutions.’’)
testing, more money for PPE, more
In short, even to his beloved Senate, Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab-
help for those who have lost their jobs,
Mike has remained somewhat mys- sence of a quorum.
or are they not? All we hear is silence
terious. It is definitely a good sign for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
from our Republican colleagues.
all of us that he has never become a clerk will call the roll. I sat on the House and Senate Bank-
household name, but some careful in- The senior assistant legislative clerk ing Committees for decades. I may hold
telligence work on our own has turned proceeded to call the roll. the record for attendance at hearings
up clues about Mike D.’s next assign- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I with Fed Chairs, so I can state that
ment. His well-earned retirement will ask unanimous consent that the order Chairs of the Federal Reserve, whether
bring more hikes, more long runs, a lot for the quorum call be rescinded. appointed by Democratic or Republican
more golf, and more time with the fam- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Presidents, do not frivolously suggest
ily he treasures. He may miss his col- objection, it is so ordered. that more congressional action is
leagues and the importance of his job, f taken—rarely, do they do that. They
but I don’t think tears will be shed for try to avoid it. That is another reason
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY
the end of those heroically long com- why Chairman Powell’s comments are
LEADER
mutes on I–95 which took place at all so important. If he feels the need to
hours, day and night, whenever duty The PRESIDING OFFICER. The push this Congress, and particularly
called. Democratic leader is recognized. this Republican Senate, to act, prob-
I can’t offer Mike any higher praise f lems must be deep and real, and most
than to repeat what he actually al- CORONAVIRUS Americans know it, but our Republican
ready knows. Senate colleagues don’t seem to.
The Senate has been safe and secure Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, We are looking at an economic situa-
for more than a generation because of the Senate Banking Committee this tion ‘‘without modern precedent’’ in
you. Decades of Senators have gotten morning will hear testimony from Sec- Powell’s words. We can either take ac-
the information we need because of retary Mnuchin and Federal Reserve tion to soften the blow to businesses,
you. Some people spend their whole ca- Chairman Powell about the economic families, workers, and average folks or,
reers wondering if they have made a distress caused by the COVID–19 pan- through inaction, prolong the recession
difference. You have not needed to ask demic. This testimony from the Sec- and hamstring our Nation’s recovery.
that for almost 40 years, and you will retary and the Chairman of the Fed is Up until now, it seems our Republican
never need to ask it again. one of the requirements that Senate colleagues are, unfortunately, choosing
Democrats secured in the CARES Act, the latter: no immediate need for ur-
Mike, we are going to miss you, but and we have been pushing for it to hap- gent action. Amazing. Amazing. This is
old habits die hard, and we simply pen for several weeks. The fact that it the greatest crisis America has faced in
aren’t willing to sever all ties. has taken so long is, once again, one decades and decades.
So, this morning, the Senate will of- more indication that our Republican Now my colleagues like to point out
ficially designate Mike as Senate Secu- Senate colleagues are not focused on the costs of the House Democratic bill
rity’s Director Emeritus. The Office’s the COVID crisis but on other diver- to provide another round of emergency
first-ever Director will become its sionary issues, as witnessed by Leader relief. Republican leadership has taken
first-ever Director Emeritus. MCCONNELL’s speech, which I will have time to assail parts of the Democratic
But don’t worry, Mike. Your new job something to say about in a few min- bill that account for 0.0003 percent of
description will just be a little bit utes. the bill. They are not expected to like
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
lighter. I hope the biggest mystery you It could not be more urgent that they every single piece, but they are ex-
have to tackle for a while will be are testifying. The COVID–19 pandemic pected by the American people to act,
whether to play 9 holes on Saturday or has thrown over 35 million people into and, mark my words, the American
fit in 18. The Senate and your country sudden unemployment, the highest people will force them to act.
thanks you for everything you have level since the Great Depression. Chair- There are so many costs to inaction,
done. man Powell has said that further lay- and none other than the Republican-
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S2484 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 19, 2020
appointed Chairman of the Federal Re- licans are using their committees to TRIBUTE TO MIKE DISILVESTRO
serve is saying that those costs are hold fishing expeditions dictated by the Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
likely greater than the costs of any re- President’s Twitter feed, which even would like to echo the kind words said
lief bill. When will our Republican Sen- his supporters don’t usually believe. by the majority leader about Mike
ate colleagues start to get the mes- If anyone doubts this is about poli-
DiSilvestro as he prepares to head into
sage? tics; that this is about Senate Repub-
retirement on Friday after 37 years of
Looking at the floor of the U.S. Sen- licans doing the bidding of President
Trump’s personal political agenda, just service to the U.S. Senate.
ate, you would never guess that we are Mike serves as director of the Office
in the middle of a national economic remember what House Minority Leader
MCCARTHY said before the last Presi- of Senate Security and is in charge of
crisis. For 3 weeks, Leader MCCONNELL the secure facility here in the Capitol
has not scheduled any legislative busi- dential election. Leader MCCARTHY
went on FOX News bragging that the where Senators can receive classified
ness related to the coronavirus. Senate briefings and review sensitive docu-
Republican leadership is not even dis- Republicans put together a Benghazi
select committee to bring Hillary Clin- ments. There are very few individuals
cussing their response to COVID–4 in who have given as much time and at-
the House. ton’s poll numbers down. Now Senate
Republicans are using the same play- tention to this institution as Mike
Instead, this week, the Republican
book to smear President Trump’s polit- with so little recognition or fanfare—
leader has scheduled five rightwing
ical opponents once again. It will not such is the nature of the job—but on
judges for the floor of the Senate. The
work. the cusp of his retirement, I hope he
Republican chairman of the Homeland
The American people know it is a cri- will allow us to pay him a few com-
Security Committee will hold a hear-
sis. They know the Republicans are pliments.
ing tomorrow designed to slander the
doing nothing right now. They know Mike’s counsel is wise. His word can
family of the President’s political op-
that this is political folderol to please be trusted implicitly. His focus is al-
ponent, delving into a Kremlin-con-
President Trump and will not solve ways on serving the institution, never
cocted conspiracy theory that has no
America’s problems. Rightfully, many on politics or party. His judgment and
truth and fell over like a dud in the im-
Americans are just furious at Senate guidance have always been excellent,
peachment hearing. Last night, the
Republicans using their majority to and he did not rely on subtlety. When
chairman of the Judiciary Committee
pursue the President’s political agenda you walk into the Senate’s secure facil-
announced that his committee will
in a time of national crisis. ity, you pass a World War II-era poster
soon consider subpoenas relating to an-
The President is tweeting insane con- reminding you that ‘‘loose lips sink
other conspiracy theory pushed by
spiracy theories, demanding that his ships.’’ His job has had many difficult
President Trump, this time to try and
water carriers on Capitol Hill make responsibilities, and Mike was never
rewrite the history of Russian inter-
them look legitimate. Instead of focus- more valuable or trusted than in dif-
ference in the 2016 election to match
ing on testing capacity and policies to ficult times.
the fantasy in President Trump’s head.
safely reopen our country to help so He tracked down absent Senators on
What does Leader MCCONNELL devote many individuals and businesses that 9/11. He comforted terrified staff wait-
more of his floor remarks to today? are in need, the President is telling the ing to be decontaminated after ricin
That wild conspiracy theory aimed at press that he has taken an unproven was discovered in Senator Frist’s mail-
somehow smearing the fine reputation treatment, hydroxychloroquine, for a room. During the anthrax incident, he
that President Obama has well de- disease he doesn’t have. That is reck- donned a biohazard suit and entered
served. It is amazing that was the bulk less. the contaminated Hart building to re-
of the speech. Please, citizens of America, don’t
Leader MCCONNELL, stop listening to trieve vital documents from Senator
take hydroxychloroquine as a preven- Daschle’s office. Even now, in the mid-
President Trump and his wild theories tion for COVID, and medical experts
and listen to the American people. We dle of a public health crisis, Mike has
have said it is not. Remember, it is faithfully reported to duty to make
need action. We need action now. Every risky. The FDA has said it has risks.
day, every week, and now almost every sure this institution is able to com-
This is a medicine that experts say, at plete its constitutional work.
month we wait. The recession gets best, may not be effective in treating
deeper and worse. More people are un- I know he is finding this attention on
or preventing COVID–19 and, at worst, the floor today uncomfortable. I don’t
employed. More people lose their jobs, causes serious heart problems in pa-
more small businesses are in jeopardy, know if he is still here. Yes, sorry for
tients with certain conditions. all the flattery, but it is well deserved.
and we are talking about some wild It is astonishingly reckless. I don’t
theory because President Trump de- He is accustomed to working entirely
know why the President did it. Maybe outside the limelight. He will never be
manded it, when everyone knows the he has family or friends who stand to
President’s penchant for truth is at a quoted in the paper, and I suspect he
benefit from the popularity of this will never write a tell-all book about
bare minimum, as exemplified by his drug. It wouldn’t be unlike the Presi-
hydroxychloroquine comments last his time in the Senate, but for those of
dent that someone called him who said
night. us here, Senators and staffers alike, we
it is a great drug, and he just talks
Wow. This is unbelievable. In the will long remember his sense of humor,
about it. He has no penchant for re-
midst of historic unemployment and his devotion to family, his work ethic,
search or science or even truth. It just
economic and health tragedy, Senate and his strong, principled leadership.
pops into his head, and he thinks it
Republicans are using their majority There are only a very few staffers
sounds good. He thinks it is a diversion
to simply block and tackle for the who are both known and respected by
from his failures—which are so many—
President’s reelection campaign. Sen- every single Senator. Mike is one of
for dealing with COVID. He just says it.
ate Republicans are using their major- the few. His absence will be felt by all
He doesn’t care if it hurts people. He
ity not to tackle the COVID crisis but just says it. But I do know this. If the of us.
to block and tackle for the President’s President was focused on testing or Mike, I wish you well. I hope you fi-
reelection campaign. In the midst of a production of PPE or fashioning a care- nally get to play all the golf you want,
public health crisis, Senate Repub- ful plan to reopen the country instead complete the Appalachian Trail, and
licans are diving headfirst into the of pushing quack medicines and invent- that you enjoy every day of your well-
muck to smear the family—the fam- ing new conspiracies, the country earned retirement. Congratulations.
ily—of the President’s political oppo- would be in far better shape than it is I yield the floor.
nent. today, and the country knows it.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
It is such a gross misuse of the power f
The majority of Americans don’t
of the majority. We were sent here to trust the President to handle this cri-
do the Nation’s business. At the mo- sis, and Senate Republicans just say RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
ment, that means helping our constitu- how high when he says jump, no matter The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
ents through a time of immense chal- how off base, false, or unrelated to the previous order, the leadership time
lenge and hardship, but Senate Repub- COVID his theories are. is reserved.
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