FEC Nomination Cloture Vote and S. Res. 583, May 19, 2020 — Congressional Record, Senate
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated May 19, 2020, beginning at page S2493. A Senator opposes the nomination of James E. Trainor III, of Texas, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, saying the Commission needs commissioners who believe in its mission. After a cloture motion, the Senate records Rollcall Vote No. 95 on the nomination with yeas 50 and nays 43. Under Coronavirus, Mr. Barrasso says Americans have come together to defeat the virus and ramp up testing, and Ms. Stabenow also speaks on the coronavirus. The page ends as the Senate takes up a resolution expressing condolences on the passing of Senator Thomas Allen Coburn.
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“FEC Nomination Cloture Vote and S. Res. 583, May 19, 2020 — Congressional Record, Senate.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-19-crec-2020-05-19-pt1-pgs2493-3-9832b61f17/
, SHA-256 1898e3d0162df0f1adeaeeea697371e4b37b68951609d2435feebb488c4fc02e.Full text
May 19, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2493
Since Republicans refuse to move focus on this pandemic, instead of the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there
forward in a bipartisan manner, the series of votes that we have seen this any other Senators in the Chamber de-
agency charged with enforcing our week, but if we are going to decide who siring to vote?
campaign finance laws will continue to should serve on the FEC during this The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 50,
remain ineffective. This undermines pandemic, it should be someone who nays 43, as follows:
our country’s political institutions, believes in the mission of the FEC. [Rollcall Vote No. 95 Ex.]
and it does not serve our country’s best We need to work together to hold YEAS—50
interests. hearings with bipartisan groups of elec- Barrasso Gardner Perdue
Many people refer to the Senate as tion officials, like we have been work- Blackburn Graham Portman
Blunt Grassley Risch
the world’s greatest deliberative body ing to do on the State level when it Boozman Hawley Roberts
because the Senate, as an institution, comes to how to vote in this pandemic. Braun Hoeven Romney
is designed for the careful consider- There has been a lot of good work Capito Hyde-Smith Rubio
ation and debate of legislation and going on with Republicans and Demo- Cassidy Inhofe Sasse
Collins Johnson Scott (FL)
nominations. When we erode the bipar- crats, Governors and Secretaries of Cornyn Kennedy
Scott (SC)
tisan norms that make us the greatest State. We need to do the same thing in Cotton Lankford
Shelby
deliberative body, we end up allowing this Chamber as we approach major Cramer Lee
Sullivan
Crapo Loeffler
unqualified nominees who hold ex- legislation and as we approach our Cruz McConnell Thune
treme views to be appointed to impor- working with the FEC. Daines McSally Tillis
tant positions in our government just I oppose the process by which this Enzi Moran Toomey
nominee has come to the floor, and I Ernst Murkowski Wicker
at a time when we should be doing the Young
Fischer Paul
opposite. believe the nominee’s extreme views
In addition to these process concerns, are disqualifying for this important of- NAYS—43
today we are also being asked to move fice. I strongly urge my colleagues to Baldwin Hassan Rosen
vote no on this nominee. Bennet Heinrich Schatz
forward with a nominee to the FEC Blumenthal Hirono Schumer
who doesn’t believe in basic campaign I yield the floor. Booker Jones Shaheen
finance law. The FEC was created to f Cantwell Kaine Sinema
enforce campaign finance law, so it is Cardin King Smith
CLOTURE MOTION Carper Klobuchar
critical that the agency be staffed by Stabenow
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant Casey Leahy Tester
Commissioners who believe in its mis- Coons Manchin
to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Udall
sion so it can police people from both Cortez Masto Menendez
Van Hollen
parties. Senate the pending cloture motion, Duckworth Merkley
Durbin Warner
which the clerk will state. Murphy
Mr. Trainor has consistently worked Feinstein Murray Warren
to dismantle the rules that keep cor- The senior assistant legislative clerk Wyden
Gillibrand Peters
ruption out of our political system. He read as follows: Harris Reed
has spent his career arguing that peo- CLOTURE MOTION
NOT VOTING—7
ple should not have to disclose polit- We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
Alexander Markey Whitehouse
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
ical spending and has worked to stack Brown Rounds
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby Burr Sanders
the deck against voters by gerry- move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
mandering districts in Texas to dilute nation of James E. Trainor III, of Texas, to The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this
minority voting power. be a Member of the Federal Election Com- vote the yeas are 50, the nays are 43.
Trainor’s views on disclosure are in- mission for a term expiring April 30, 2023. The motion is agreed to.
consistent with decades of Supreme Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, Joni f
Court precedent, including the views of Ernst, John Barrasso, Deb Fischer,
John Cornyn, Roger F. Wicker, Roy EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
late Justice Scalia. When fellow Re-
publicans in the Texas Legislature Blunt, John Thune, Rob Portman, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Shelley Moore Capito, Steve Daines, clerk will report the nomination.
worked to require politically active Lindsey Graham, Pat Roberts, Cindy
nonprofit organizations to disclose The senior assistant legislative clerk
Hyde-Smith, Richard Burr, Mike read the nomination of James E.
their donors, Trainor challenged them Crapo. Trainor III, of Texas, to be a Member of
and said that such a law ‘‘would have a The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- the Federal Election Commission for a
chilling effect on anybody’s ability to imous consent, the mandatory quorum term expiring April 30, 2023.
speak.’’ call has been waived. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Let’s just step back. Those were fel- The question is, Is it the sense of the ator from Wyoming.
low Republicans on the Texas Legisla- Senate that debate on the nomination CORONAVIRUS
ture simply trying to put some reforms of James E. Trainor III, of Texas, to be Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President,
in place so we knew where those dona- a Member of the Federal Election Com- Americans have come together in this
tions were coming from, and he spoke mission for a term expiring April 30, moment. We have come together to de-
out against that. 2023, shall be brought a close? feat the coronavirus. We have come to-
Moving forward with this nomination The yeas and nays are mandatory gether to ramp up testing, to ramp up
today may restore a quorum, but it under the rules. healthcare, and to reopen our commu-
does not serve the American people. The clerk will call the roll. nities and our country.
The American people deserve an FEC The senior assistant legislative clerk The coronavirus has brought out the
that works, an agency that enforces called the roll. best in so many ways in America and
the law and protects our political sys- Mr. THUNE. The following Senators in the American people. From our
tem from corruption. At a time when are necessarily absent: the Senator frontline healthcare workers taking
unprecedented amounts of dark money from Tennessee (Mr. ALEXANDER), the care of patients to scientists and re-
and foreign money are flowing into our Senator from North Carolina (Mr. searchers working on testing, on treat-
elections and influencing our courts, a BURR), and the Senator from South Da- ment, and on vaccines, to those in pub-
fully functioning FEC is critical to kota (Mr. ROUNDS). lic service keeping essential parts of
safeguarding our political system. Further, if present and voting, the the government running day in and day
When it comes to the agency in Senator from Tennessee (Mr. ALEX- out, to those working on supply chains
charge of enforcing our campaign fi- ANDER) would have voted ‘‘yea.’’ to deliver goods 24 hours a day, and to
nance laws, the absolute minimum Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the those who are staying at home to keep
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qualification should be that the person Senator from Ohio (Mr. BROWN), the themselves and keep others safe, Amer-
actually believes in the mission of the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. MAR- icans are in this together.
agency. Is that too much to ask? KEY), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. It is interesting because all we are
We need to focus on how we can help SANDERS), and the Senator from Rhode seeing from the other side of the polit-
the American people safely vote during Island (Mr. WHITEHOUSE), are nec- ical aisle is more of the same old poli-
this pandemic. I mean, we need to essarily absent. tics and name-calling. President
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S2494 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 19, 2020
Obama is taking cheap shots at Presi- Democrats are using the coronavirus Unfortunately, on the American side,
dent Trump; Speaker PELOSI just put so that their favorite groups get a give- in the weeks and months that came
out a $3 trillion bill that reads like the away. That is what it reads when you after January 20, the White House
Democratic Party platform; and Joe take a look at that $3 trillion bill that slow-walked declaring a national emer-
Biden is holed up and hiding in his NANCY PELOSI dragged across the floor gency. They failed to quickly imple-
basement. Is this the best the Demo- of the House last Friday night with ment widespread testing that was
crats can offer? Is this the best they Members of her party kicking and being done all around the world and in
can do? Biden, Obama, and PELOSI screaming about voting for it. That is every other country, and they dropped
should be embarrassed. This is not what we see. the ball on getting the essential med-
leadership. Some were kicking and screaming ical equipment and supplies doctors
Republican policies in the CARES because the $3 trillion bill that started and nurses still need to treat people
Act that we passed actually have had as a $1.5 trillion bill didn’t get big and keep them safe. Their reckless
significant results—real results—with enough, didn’t include enough of their delay made us the world leader—the
the Paycheck Protection Program far left socialist agenda. This is not a world leader—in the number of COVID–
making sure 50 million Americans are solution for the crisis facing America. 19 cases and deaths. When you think
still getting their paychecks, economic It is not a solution for the crisis that about it, we are a little over 4 percent
impact payments, which are reaching we are facing with coronavirus. It is of the world’s population; yet we have
130 million families. These are policies not a solution that we are facing with about 30 percent of the deaths because
that are going to build a bridge for the a crisis of a shut-down economy, shut of a lack of urgency and the inaction
country to get to the other side of the down by the government in an effort to from the very beginning to be able to
devastation done by the virus, and, protect ourselves from the disease. Oh, get our country’s arms around this
still, more money and resources from no. What we see here is a partisan po- deadly virus and what was happening.
the CARES Act are slated to go out to litical playbook. It is the Democrats’ Now 4 months have passed, and as I
States, to hospitals, and to small busi- agenda for the 2020 election. mentioned, more than 90,000 to 100,000
nesses all across America. The efforts to get the coronavirus be- Americans have passed away from
All together, between Congress and hind us and get our communities and COVID–19. Think about that. When we
the Federal Reserve, we have injected our country open must be targeted, look at over 90,000 lives, that is as if a
close to $9 trillion into the economy in must be temporary, and must be tai- whole city in Michigan just dis-
just a couple of months. All of this lored to the needs of our communities appeared from the map; yet the White
money is nowhere close to having even at this critical time in our Nation’s House and the Republican leader and
been spent. In fact, it is only because of history. Ultimately, it is time for our friends across the aisle continue to
the steps we have taken already—the America to open swiftly and smartly show a lack of urgency about this cri-
efforts of Governors across the coun- and safely. sis.
try, the work of this administration— I yield the floor. On March 14, the House of Represent-
that the House Democrats have found The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- atives passed the Families First
themselves in a position, as they were ator from Michigan. Coronavirus Response Act. It had a
last Friday, of wasting time and energy Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I whole range of things that were incred-
on a fantasy bill. first want to give a thank-you to ev- ibly important in it: COVID testing so
Republicans now have two jobs. The erybody who is working right now and that you could get free testing if you
first is to get the country back on all the folks who are required to be needed it, increased Medicaid funding
track, and the second is to not allow here with the Senate in session. I wish for States, extended unemployment
the Democrats to try to exploit the cri- we were focused on those things right help for more workers. It established 14
sis that is upon this country for their now that are directly related to mak- days of paid sick leave for people who
own political gains. ing sure everybody is going to be able lost their paychecks because they had
Democrats are pushing their agenda to continue to be safe and to focus on to stay home due to the virus, and the
as a cure-all for the virus. Let me be what we need to do to safely reopen the bill provided nutritional food for moms
clear. It is not. It is simply a solution economy rather than what we are vot- and babies and families. Yet the Senate
for their electoral problems. ing on this week. I want to thank all of leader felt no urgency to pass it right
Yesterday, the New York Times pub- you for being here. then. The House passed the bill on a
lished a front page article. Online it I also want to send condolences and Friday night, in the middle of the
was called ‘‘Seeking: Big Democratic thoughts to everyone who has lost a night. All we had to do was to stay
Ideas That Make Everything Better.’’ loved one in this crisis. We are ap- until Saturday and get it done, but
In the printed copy, they changed the proaching, this weekend, 100,000 Ameri- there was no sense of urgency for the
headline to say: ‘‘Biden Pursues Ideas cans. If that doesn’t give us a sense of nurses and the doctors and the unem-
to Match Scale of Crisis,’’ ‘‘Left Senses urgency right now to effectively ad- ployed workers and the small business
an Opening for a Bolder Agenda.’’ The dress this health pandemic and to get owners and the hungry families. They
article goes step by step on how the this right and to work together, I don’t had to wait. They had to wait until the
pandemic is being used by the Demo- know what does. next week, for the Senate leader to go
crats to make sweeping changes in I rise today with a real sense of ur- home for the weekend. The leader re-
their policy platforms in their effort to gency. I think it is important to under- turned to Washington, but his sense of
remake America, basically consistent stand how we got here so we know urgency still wasn’t there.
with their dangerous Democratic so- what we need to do going forward. So, while the White House didn’t act
cialist views. On January 20, the first case of and the Republican leader didn’t act, I
They are planning, according to this, COVID–19 was reported in the United will tell you who did act: The Gov-
to get rid of their so-called center-left States, the same day as the first case ernors acted. Democratic and Repub-
policies that they had additionally and in South Korea. Our White House lican Governors stood up, and they
initially envisioned. They are now didn’t act. They were, unfortunately, leaned in to protect their citizens. I am
courting what they call leftwing allies. more worried about the stock market so grateful for what our Governor and
They are adopting the ideas of single- than people in the supermarket. her great team have done in Michigan
payer healthcare—one size fits all In South Korea, they did act. Within and for all of our mayors and local
healthcare, with the government mak- 8 weeks, they were testing 40 times communities that leaned in, for their
ing decisions for you rather than you more people per 1 million of their citi- taking whatever resources were avail-
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or your doctor making decisions for zens than we were. By April 14, they able and putting them right out there
you. They are adopting ideas through had 10,000 cases, and we had over 600,000 to make sure people’s lives were being
labor unions, liberal think tanks, pro- cases because there was no sense of ur- saved—the No. 1 priority. They have
gressive institutions. They have taken gency to do what needed to be done to been stepping up and taking the action
over the Democratic Party, and they take this seriously. Now we know that needed to save lives over and over and
are all beholden to NANCY PELOSI. we are well beyond that. over again in this crisis.
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May 19, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2495
Frankly, that is what the White ernments continue paying vital work- conversations that we have in the U.S.
House said should happen. Remember ers who educate our children and keep Senate and the conversations that are
the words of President Trump’s when us safe and provide all of the essential going on at people’s kitchen tables,
he tweeted: services. We need to extend unemploy- that are going on between friends and
Governors must be able to step up and get ment benefits so that people who are neighbors at the supermarket. They
the job done. We will be with you all the out of work will be able to pay the rent think that what we worry about here is
way. and feed their children. We need to ap- guided by lobbyists and K Street and
Unfortunately, when he said ‘‘all the prove access to healthy foods for fami- political action committees and that it
way,’’ he actually meant to find your lies in need right now. We need to cre- really doesn’t have much to do with
own way, which puts us where we are ate a heroes fund to ensure that essen- what they care about.
right now, today, in trying to help tial workers who have taken the most I don’t know that their perception of
them get resources for critical State risk to keep our country running, to that gulf has been any bigger than it is
and local services. keep us safe, and to save lives during right now because the message that
The vacuum of Federal leadership this pandemic receive the additional Senator MCCONNELL and the Senate
has real-life consequences. I released a hazard pay, the compensation, that Republicans are sending is that there is
report today that shows the price they deserve. no urgency, that there is no need for
American families will pay if the White They need to know they are essential the Senate to act, that we have done
House and congressional Republicans and not expendable. Just saying thank everything that needs to be done for
refuse to support State and local serv- you is good, but it is not enough when the time being when it comes to the de-
ices. Our Democratic Policy and Com- you are worried about paying your own pression levels of unemployment in
munications group, which is supported this country, the lines that go on for
mortgage while you go to work to save
by all of the Democratic Senators, is blocks for families who can’t afford
somebody else’s life or put food on your
saying we have to act. There are real food to pick up groceries and the
own table for your family. Our country
consequences. Families and commu- schools that are scrambling to figure
can do better for them. That is what
nities will pay the price if we do not out how the heck they are going to re-
the House bill did. That is what the
act and step up and have their backs. open with the revenues for their mu-
Senate needs to do.
Through no fault of their own, our nicipalities and counties and States
We need to invest in our State and
States and local communities are fac- that are cratering through the floor.
local health departments so that we So it just tears people’s hair out
ing critical budget shortfalls—up to can continue to fight the virus and
$650 billion over 3 years—that far ex- right now to know that there is a piece
keep our communities safe. That of legislation that has been passed in
ceed what States lost after the great should really be a no-brainer right
recession. Without urgent Federal as- the House of Representatives that will
now, the fact that we need to support help millions of families who are in
sistance, these cuts will affect our safe- our health departments that are on the meltdown crisis right now as they have
ty, our children’s educations, and our frontlines of tracking what is hap- lost their jobs, as they, maybe, have
quality of life. Yet the Republican pening and get the critical information sick loved ones, and as they don’t know
leader said he has not yet ‘‘felt the ur- so the right decisions can be made to when life will get back to normal, but
gency of acting immediately.’’ Maybe keep us safe and the right decisions can the Senate is doing nothing.
States should go bankrupt, he said. be made so as to safely reopen our I understand my Senate Republican
I can tell the White House and the economy, which we all want and know friends wouldn’t have written the bill
Republican leader who feels the sense needs to happen. that passed in the House. It is under-
of urgency. He is the healthcare worker Actions have consequences. I am here standable in that there is a different
who has been laid off and doesn’t know to say that inaction also has con- party in control of the Senate than is
when he will get paid and what he is sequences. Inaction has consequences. in control of the House of Representa-
going to do to take care of his family. We are losing lives; we are losing time; tives. Of course, there is going to be a
He is feeling a sense of urgency. He is and every part of the economy is being difference in priorities. Yet the deci-
the student whose school might have affected. It is time to act. It is time for sion to not even take up the House
to be cut back, and they are the teach- this Senate to act, not on more judges bill—to not try to amend it, to not try
ers who are going to be laid off through over and over and over again, but on to draft a version of our own to fill
the severe budget cuts. They feel a the things that the American people these enormous gaps that families are
sense of urgency. The woman who can’t need to have happen, that the people of feeling right now—is maddening to the
continue treatment for opioid addic- Michigan need to have happen so they people whom I represent back home
tion because of cutbacks at her local can be healthy and survive the virus who feel that sense of urgency that is
community behavioral health center and also be able to survive economi- not shared by the folks who haven’t
feels a sense of urgency right now. It is cally for their families, for their busi- lost their salaries or their healthcare
the community that is cutting back on nesses, for their farms. benefits in the U.S. Senate.
its police and fire departments and the MITCH MCCONNELL may not feel a Earlier today, we tried to take a
9–1-1 call centers in order to save sense of urgency, but I do on behalf of small step forward to better protect
money because the President said that the people of Michigan. It is time for our constituents and try to bring this
he would be with them all the way but the Senate to act. pandemic to an end. Senator DURBIN
who now is saying ‘‘No way. You are on I yield the floor. offered a pretty simple resolution that
your own’’ that feels a sense of ur- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- would have just expressed the sense of
gency. She is the mom who is waiting ator from Connecticut. the Senate that we should join with na-
in line for hours in her car at the local Mr. MURPHY. Madam President, I tions around the world to try to de-
food bank to try to get some food for yield to the Senator from Oklahoma velop a vaccine for COVID. I don’t
her children for today, not next month. for a unanimous consent request. agree with the President. I don’t think
It is not ‘‘Hey, we have 2 or 3 months.’’ Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I ask that it is all hopeless until we find a
She wants them to eat today and to- unanimous consent, at the conclusion vaccine. I think that we can take steps
morrow and the next day. She feels a of the remarks by the Senator from in our communities through State
sense of urgency. Connecticut, that I be recognized to leaders to try to reopen our economy
Americans across the country are speak for whatever time I may con- even before we have a vaccine. Obvi-
feeling a sense of urgency, and it is ur- sume. ously, that is the goal for which we all
gent that we act to meet this moment The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without strive, and we are much better off if we
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so that they understand, in this hor- objection, it is so ordered. work with other countries to develop
rendous moment and through no fault Mr. MURPHY. Madam President, I that vaccine.
of their own—the health crisis and the concur in the remarks of my friend As we speak, there are very prom-
economic crisis and so on—that some- from Michigan. A lot of our constitu- ising discoveries that are being made
one really does have their backs. We ents have long thought that there has in other countries. Many of the coun-
need to help our State and local gov- just been an enormous gulf between the tries are allies of the United States.
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S2496 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 19, 2020
There is, in fact, an international ef- press those grievances would be President Trump’s answer:
fort underway to help pay for that vac- through our seat on the board of the No. China is working very hard. . . .
cine development. Probably the most WHO. But do you know what? It has They’re working really hard, and I think
prominent of those efforts is something been vacant for 3 years. The Trump ad- they are doing a very professional job.
called CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic ministration hasn’t put anybody on the On February 18:
Preparedness Innovations. Curiously, board. It nominated somebody, but Mr. President, are you still satisfied with
though, all of our friends—all of our al- then Senator MCCONNELL didn’t bring how President Xi is handling the
lies—and some of our adversaries are him up for a vote. Then his name had coronavirus?
members of that coalition, but the to be withdrawn, and it took another 10 Answer: I think President Xi is working
very hard.
United States is not. So, if this coali- months for the Senate to finally put Question: Some people don’t seem to trust
tion were to develop a vaccine and if it somebody on it in the middle of this the data coming from China. Are you wor-
were to get there before the United crisis. So we have been absent from the ried about that?
States, then we wouldn’t have a seat at WHO for 3 years. Trump: Look, I know this: President Xi
the table to be able to decide where Now the Trump administration is loves the people of China. He loves his coun-
that vaccine goes. It is a question as to leveling some pretty serious criticisms try, and he’s doing a very good job.
whether we would be able to get it to at that organization. Many of them are February 26, the question is:
the United States if we are not sitting crystallized in a letter that the Presi- How can you legitimately trust President
at that table. Why not hedge our bets? dent released to the world last night. Xi and the Chinese?
I hope the dollars that we have pro- What is extraordinary about this letter Well, I can tell you this: I speak to him; I
posed here in the U.S. Senate lead to is that it is almost as if the President had a talk with him recently. And he is
the discovery of a vaccine’s happening took a letter that detailed his adminis- working so hard on this problem. . . . And
here, but if it doesn’t, why would we they’re tough and very smart.
tration’s failings with respect to how it
not also want to be part of a coalition addressed the early moments of There is no one who was defending
like CEPI so that, if it were to discover coronavirus and just substituted in the China more vociferously in January
the vaccine first, we would get the ben- WHO for the Trump administration, be- and February than President Trump. It
efit of it or, at the very least, we would cause in this letter to the WHO, it came on the heels of his decision to
get a say in where it would go. That is reads: ‘‘The World Health Organization pull two-thirds of the CDC scientists
all the resolution said. Yet we couldn’t has repeatedly made claims about the out of that country, to shutter a pro-
get it passed. coronavirus that were either grossly gram that was tracking viruses around
This resolution was especially impor- inaccurate or misleading.’’ the world, including China, and now
tant because there is something ex- Here is President Trump on January the President has compounded that
traordinary happening right now. It is 22: error by pulling the United States out
not as if the Trump administration has Question: Are there worries about a pan-
of the WHO, an imperfect but abso-
decided that it is not going to go for- demic at this point? lutely necessary body that can be the
ward with membership in CEPI because No, not at all. . . . We have it totally under only natural source of convening for a
it is going to lead a different inter- control. It’s one person coming in from fight to stop coronavirus over the
national coalition. No. In fact, the China, and we have it under control. It’s course of this summer and this fall and
Trump administration is taking a going to be just fine. to prevent the next pandemic.
giant step back from the world and If you want to talk about the leading This is a moment when we should be
from international organizations just world figure making misstatements putting a foot forward into the world
at the moment when it is the most nec- about the seriousness of the and leading—and leading. There is no
essary for us to be cooperating with coronavirus, it is President Donald wall; there is no travel restriction that
the rest of the world in finding a vac- Trump, especially in January and Feb- can stop this virus. Why do we know
cine or in stamping out this virus. ruary, when we could have been getting that? Because the President crowed
Remember, how we stopped Ebola a head start. about his travel restriction on China,
from becoming a crisis in the United Further in this letter, it reads: and we found out that 400,000 people
States is by being present in Africa to ‘‘[T]he World Health Organization has got here from countries subject to the
make sure that it didn’t reach our been curiously insistent on praising ban before and after it was put into ef-
shores. The Obama administration un- China for its alleged ‘transparency.’ ’’ fect.
derstood that travel bans and walls Here is President Donald J. Trump He sends out pictures on a regular
couldn’t stop a virus from entering on January 24. This isn’t in answer to basis of a wall going up with Mexico.
one’s country, so you have to stamp it a question. This is just an unsolicited That didn’t stop this virus from get-
out everywhere in order to be protected remark about China on his Twitter ac- ting here. We need to be present on the
here. So, just at the moment we need count. world stage right now.
to be more engaged with the world, the He writes: Finally, if the President’s complaint
Trump administration is withdrawing China has been working very hard to con- is that China and the WHO are too
us from it. tain the Coronavirus. The United States close, then by withdrawing from the
Witness the President’s unprece- greatly appreciates their efforts and trans- WHO, we are effectively exacerbating
dented attacks on the WHO. Now, there parency. It will all work out well. In par- the problem that the President identi-
is a stipulation. The WHO is not unlike ticular, on behalf of the American People, I fies as one that needs to be solved.
any other major, multinational, inter- want to thank President Xi! Why? Because yesterday President Xi
national organization. It has flaws, and There was no more enthusiastic accepted an invitation to speak before
it has inefficiencies, but there is no cheerleader for China and its response the WHO—an invitation that President
way you can stand up an international to the coronavirus in January, Feb- Trump turned down—and he pledged to
coalition to manage the coronavirus or ruary, and March than our own Presi- lead the world’s response to the hu-
prevent the next pandemic without the dent. manitarian suffering caused by
World Health Organization. Color me If President Trump wants to level coronavirus.
skeptical that the President is sin- criticisms at the WHO for being too Now, color me skeptical about Chi-
cerely interested in reforming the soft on China, he has to look himself in na’s intentions, but the fact is, they
WHO. It seems as if it has been a fairly the mirror and understand that it were on that world stage putting $2 bil-
recent interest of the White House. One frankly would have been hard for the lion into that effort yesterday, and we
of the ways I can tell that is that we WHO to stand up and contradict its were nowhere to be found. The greatest
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
have a seat on the governing board of most important donor and patron, the beneficiary that comes from the United
the WHO. If we have legitimate griev- United States of America. States’ stepping back at this moment
ances over how the WHO is run—and I On February 7, the President was and walking away from the WHO is the
am amongst those who has a laundry given this question: Chinese Government. I believe that our
list of reforms I would like to see at Are you concerned that China is covering security will be defined by our ability
the WHO—then the proper way to ex- up the full extent of coronavirus? to contest efforts by China to grow its
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May 19, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2497
power around the world. We are gifting say, he has done a great job in address- 2014, and neither one of us could re-
them—gifting them—an advancement ing this. He is the one who, every sin- member what issue it was that we dis-
of their power and influence through gle day, is there with top medical peo- agreed on, but we knew there was one
our refusal to take part in WHO, our ple and afterward, at the end of the there.
refusal to lead the effort to reform it, day, having a news conference and get- Here is the truth. There was no one
and our refusal as called upon in this ting from the public what can we do like Dr. Tom Coburn. There was no one
resolution that was objected to earlier better that we haven’t been doing. He like him in Oklahoma. He was a simple
today offered by Senator DURBIN to be has handled it in a very, very effective country doctor from Muskogee. He was
part of the global effort to try to find way. But that is not why I am here on a family doctor. He delivered thou-
a vaccine. the floor. sands of babies in Northeastern Okla-
I yield the floor. TRIBUTE TO TOM COBURN homa. I told him when he was running
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. for the first time: You don’t have any
Madam President, I would like to
BLACKBURN). The Senator from Okla- problems. All you have to do is get all
read into the RECORD a speech I made
homa. the babies you delivered and have them
Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I was here on the Senate floor on December
11, 2014, about another Senator from bring their families along, and it will
sitting through the last two speakers
Oklahoma. I am here with something be an overwhelming victory.
and listening to them. You can tell
that is very sensitive to me that I want There was no one like him. He was a
that it is an election year. The Demo-
to share. true fiscal conservative who stayed
crats want to defeat President Trump,
I wish to make some unscripted comments, true to his purposes. He had skills that
and I think sometimes a tactic to use
but sincere and from the heart. I hope I am made him arguably the most thought-
is to get someone’s strongest point and
accurate when I say this, that I think in ful adviser in the Republican con-
try to turn it into his weakest point. In some respect I discovered Tom Coburn. I sus- ference.
this case, we have heard in just the last pect that Tom and I are the only two who I think this is somewhat char-
few minutes that the President is han- have ever had a major, high level national acteristic of doctors. It is part of their
dling the coronavirus completely political discussion in Adair, OK. I remember
wrong, that he is critical of and then hearing that there was a very conservative
culture. They advise people. People lis-
he was friendly to—I couldn’t quite fig- doctor from Muskogee. I remember calling ten to them. And that was Tom. Tom
ure out the relationship with China. I him up at that time and asking him to run was always an adviser to everyone. In
know the Democrats in this Chamber for the House of Representatives, which he every policy decision, Tom sought to
are generally perceived as the close did. He kept his commitments and did every- be a faithful steward of the taxpayers’
thing that he was supposed to do. I always money and a dedicated public servant
friends of China and President Xi and remember that day.
the rest of them. to Oklahoma.
As Senator Coburn knows, we have a place
Also, to talk about what Speaker He had an impressive record of serv-
my wife and I built on a big lake in Okla-
PELOSI has done in terms of the bill homa back in 1962. ice in the House of Representatives, as
that was passed in the House and the well as serving in the Senate with me,
A lot of people outside of Oklahoma
criticism that we are not taking up but nothing about that legacy would
don’t realize that Oklahoma has more
that bill, well, all that bill is—we are have mattered to Tom. Tom knew what
miles of freshwater shoreline than any
not supposed to be talking about any- mattered in life. What mattered in life
of the 50 States. It is a big lake State.
thing in all of this heavy spending ex- was his family—Carolyn and his three
She and I built our place way back a
cept doing something about daughters.
long time ago. Carolyn, I suspect you may probably
coronavirus. This is something that no When I drive up there, I go through Adair,
one had anything to do with. We didn’t even be watching right now, and I want
and I go through that little sheltered area
know it was going to happen. We had that is half torn down now. They tore down
you to know how many people in this
no preparation for it. I have never ex- the biggest bank in town. Every time I go by body—Tom is not here anymore, but
perienced it in my life. Yet I do re- there, I have to say I recall meeting for the how many people love you and Tom.
member so well when this body, this first time with a young doctor named Tom Tom knew what was important in life
Senate, was working on a coronavirus Coburn. and in Jesus. He is a brother in the
bill and we were to be voting on it on I regret to say that there are times in our Lord. He is my brother.
service together when we have not been in He will always be a Member of this
a Sunday at 6 o’clock in the evening, agreement on specific issues, and I think we
and the Speaker of the House, NANCY institution, but we need to make it of-
have a characteristic in common. I think we
PELOSI, came dancing in. It was the are both kind of bullheaded, which has cre- ficial.
first time I even knew she was in town ated some temporary hard feelings, but there So, Madam President, in honor of his
because the House wasn’t in session, is one thing that overshadows that. Jesus life and legacy, I would like to ask
and she stopped it. She used her influ- has a family, and His family has a lot of peo- unanimous consent that the Senate ap-
ence to try to stop it and successfully ple in it. Some are here in this room. Tom prove a resolution in honor of the life
did stop it. The vote was taking place Coburn and I are brothers. and legacy of Tom Coburn, a doctor
In the 20 years I have been here in the Sen- from Muskogee.
at 6 p.m. on a Sunday night, and noth- ate, I don’t believe I heard a speech that was
ing happened except a stall from then as touching and sincere as the speech I heard f
until 6 p.m. on Thursday night, when from my junior Senator a [short time] ago. HONORING THE LIFE AND
we finally did vote on it. In the mean- I really believe that in spite of all the ACHIEVEMENTS OF FORMER
time, how many days passed? How things that have happened—and there were
some differences, but they were minor—that
UNITED STATES SENATOR THOM-
many people died in the meantime?
Then, when they come up in the he never ceased to be my brother, and I want AS ALLEN COBURN
House and they come up with a bill to ask the Senator right now to forgive me Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, as in
that is supposedly their answer to the for the times I have perhaps said something legislative session, I ask unanimous
unintentionally that was not always right consent that the Senate proceed to the
coronavirus, it has nothing to do with
and was not always from the heart. But I
coronavirus. It has to do with the very want my junior Senator to know that I sin-
consideration of S. Res. 583, submitted
liberal Democratic agenda taking ad- cerely love him and am going to be hurting earlier today.
vantage of the fact that this crisis is with him with the troubles he has right now, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
on us in order to use this to try to get or might have in the future, and will sorely clerk will report the resolution by
things passed. I am talking about— miss him in this body. title.
now, I don’t have any notes down here I ask that the RECORD show that I sin- The bill clerk read as follows:
with me. I don’t know whether she is cerely love my brother, Senator Coburn.
A resolution (S. Res. 583) honoring the life
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
using gun control or what other efforts Madam President, that was a speech and achievements of former United States
they were using in that bill, but it is I made on December 11, 2014, and it Senator Thomas Allen Coburn and express-
one that has no place in the discussion sounded funny because, after the dis- ing condolences to the family of Thomas
when we are talking about coronavirus. agreement that we had, he and I were Allen Coburn on his passing.
The tragedy there, the people dying— talking just a short time ago, and that There being no objection, the Senate
and to credit this President, I have to was well after this speech I made in proceeded to consider the resolution.
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