U.S.A. RISE (Cong. Rec., May 20, 2020)
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated May 20, 2020, beginning at page S2523. A Senator urges Congress to provide State and local aid, citing the Governor's estimate of a $20 to $30 billion gap and warning of layoffs of firefighters, police officers and teachers. Mrs. Loeffler then describes the USA RISE plan, noting that 36.5 million Americans have filed initial jobless claims, and says she introduced the LIFE NOW Act on Paycheck Protection Program loans for larger nonprofits and the Working Families Childcare Access Act. The page ends with a cloture motion on the nomination of John F. Heil III to be United States District Judge in Oklahoma and a roll call with 16 nays.
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“U.S.A. RISE (Cong. Rec., May 20, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-20-crec-2020-05-20-pt1-pgs2523-99b933540d/
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May 20, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2523
Our firefighters are out there now, State should go bankrupt because we their jobs or homes, to keep our air-
putting their lives even more at a risk, in the Federal Government refuse to ports running, and to help our commu-
putting themselves on the line to help support them. No essential public nities respond and serve in this chal-
their communities. worker should lose their job because of lenging moment.
Police officers are answering calls this crisis and because Congress was The action Congress took has helped
without hesitation, despite the great not stepping up to lead through it. to meet immediate challenges, but it is
risk that puts on them and their fami- There is no time to waste. As was clear the pandemic has caused signifi-
lies when they go home. said by my colleague, we have folks in cant human suffering and staggering
So many of our other public servants my State who are putting together economic losses.
are working diligently to keep our their budgets right now. As we heard In the last 2 months, I have heard
communities running, to keep our from my colleague from Louisiana, from hundreds suffering the effects of
States strong to meet a crisis, and to they are already accounting for the this outbreak and the response: first
try to help folks stay healthy and stay need to make cuts. We have already responders, doctors, and nurses on the
safe. Without hesitation, across New seen hundreds of thousands of public frontline, small business owners and
Jersey—across all of our 50 States—we workers being laid off. The delay has farmers who have seen the viability of
are seeing more clearly the heroic ac- costs, and when you are talking about their businesses threatened, families
tions of people who are leading in a first responders, the delays can have who have suffered job losses, children
time of crisis. costs that are hard to imagine. who are out of school, and food banks
But as was said by my colleagues, I encourage my colleagues to see this that have seen an unprecedented surge
across the country, States are being as what it is. It is an accurately tai- in demand.
hit by significantly declining revenues lored response. It is a bipartisan bill. It Before this pandemic, Americans
and extraordinarily increasing costs. is what our Nation needs right now. I were enjoying a thriving economy,
We are already seeing early projec- encourage my colleagues in the Senate with the lowest unemployment rate in
tions, as discussed by my colleagues. to work to get this to the floor so that 50 years. Under the leadership of the
Even independent rating agencies like we can vote on it, pass it, and get it Trump administration, more families
Moody’s are talking about hundreds of through Congress to the President’s were on their way to living the Amer-
billions of dollars in deficits for our desk, so we can avoid the storm that ican dream. Then, in late March, the
State and local governments. we are in and, ultimately, overcome day after the Senate passed the CARES
My own Governor has estimated New the severity of its ravages. Act, we learned that a record 3.3 mil-
Jersey’s protracted gap caused by The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- lion workers had applied for initial un-
those declining revenues—those ex- ator from Georgia. employment benefits in a single week.
tremely rising costs—to be somewhere Mrs. LOEFFLER. Madam President, The total is now a staggering 36.5 mil-
between $20 and $30 billion. I ask unanimous consent to complete lion Americans who filed initial jobless
Due to these shortfalls, without im- my remarks before the 12:30 p.m. vote. claims. This is more than the combined
mediate action from Congress, State The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without populations of Georgia, Pennsylvania,
and local governments will be forced to objection, it is so ordered. and Ohio.
make deep cuts to public services, in- U.S.A. RISE In my State, more than one in three
cluding laying off folks who are not Mrs. LOEFFLER. Madam President, Georgians have lost their jobs. Watch-
just essential in word but who often 8 weeks ago today, the Senate passed ing this unfold, despite the relief of the
make the difference between life and the CARES Act, an unprecedented $2.2 CARES Act, I recognize that it is time
death, safety or crisis in our commu- trillion package of legislation aimed at to look beyond the immediate response
nities. These would be the workers who providing relief as our country took and to focus on our recovery. As a
would be laid off at a time when we steps to respond to the threat of member of the President’s Opening Up
need them the most. COVID–19. America Again Congressional Group, I
Not only do we need these vital pub- Previously, we passed legislation to am putting my nearly three decades of
lic servants on the job, protecting our expand free access to testing and paid experience in building companies and
communities, educating our kids, and leave, accelerate vaccines and treat- creating jobs and opportunities to
supporting our neighbors, but cuts like ments, and to support the Federal work for Georgians. With my experi-
these actually will aggravate and deep- agencies leading our pandemic re- ence and the conversations I have had
en the overall economic crisis facing sponse. with Georgians, I developed a U.S.A.
our country. Independent rating agen- The CARES Act was designed to sup- Restoring and Igniting the Strength of
cies and others say that cuts like these port the health of our citizens and the Our Economy plan—or U.S.A. Rise—to
will actually prolong our economic cri- economy. It included direct payments bring back our thriving economy. The
sis and the time needed for recovery. to American families, grants to hos- four pillars of the plan are Made in the
This is not the time for half measures. pitals, and the Paycheck Protection U.S.A., Grown in the U.S.A., Hiring in
This is the time to act at the scale that Program—forgivable loans to small the U.S.A., and Families in the U.S.A.
the crisis demands. businesses to keep their employees on I started to introduce legislative pro-
The Federal Government needs to be the payroll. The program was so suc- posals based on this four-pillar frame-
providing a robust, accurately tailored cessful that a month later, Congress work that incentivize companies to in-
response to this crisis by funding our approved the additional $310 billion for vest in America, to grow jobs, and to
State and local governments in a way PPP loans, $75 billion for hospitals, and help families.
that prioritizes those areas that have $25 billion for testing. I would like to highlight one of those
been hit the hardest. The SMART Act Georgia hospitals have received over pillars today, Families in the U.S.A.
does exactly that. It is a bipartisan $1.7 billion, including at least $328 mil- First, we mourn the loss of those to
bill. It is thoughtful. It is tailored nar- lion for our rural businesses under the COVID–19. The toll of this has dev-
rowly to fit this crisis. CARES Act. astated thousands of families. It is also
The SMART Act is a commonsense I worked to include provisions in the clear that with economic damage
approach that will make sure that the CARES Act to expand rural health and comes societal damage. Our country
help is going to where it is needed telehealth program. Our State has re- needed to take dramatic actions to
most—to our hardest hit communities ceived more than $800,000 from these flatten the curve, but those steps
and States—and to help ensure that programs. They are helping Georgians meant most Americans were confined
those workers whom we hail with our across our State stay connected with to their homes. This meant work from
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
words—firefighters, police officers, and their doctors from the safety of their home, school from home, but also, in
teachers—we support with our actions, own homes. too many instances, lost jobs, isola-
as well, for they are out there right In addition, our State and local gov- tion, depression, suicide, and domestic,
now supporting us. ernments have received $5.8 billion to substance, and child abuse.
No State should go bankrupt fighting help schools adjust to online learning, It is timely that May is Mental
this virus, because of this virus. No to provide assistance for those who lost Health Awareness Month. In a recent
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S2524 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 20, 2020
Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed, thousands of meals each week to help be United States District Judge for the
Eve Byrd and Jennifer Olsen of the out needy families. Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of
Cardinal Center wrote: ‘‘Isolation is That is why last week I introduced Oklahoma.
Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, Joni
one of the cruelest components of the legislation, the Limiting Infant Fatal-
Ernst, John Barrasso, Deb Fischer,
outbreak.’’ ity and Empowering Nonprofit Organi- John Cornyn, Roger F. Wicker, Roy
Last week, I spoke with the head of a zation Workforces Act, or LIFE NOW Blunt, John Thune, Rob Portman,
mental health treatment facility in Act. It allows larger nonprofits access Shelley Moore Capito, Steve Daines,
Georgia. They are seeing a significant to the Paycheck Protection Program Lindsey Graham, Pat Roberts, Cindy
spike in those reaching out for help. loans. These loans will help them keep Hyde-Smith, Richard Burr, Mike
The waitlist is growing, and the de- their doors open and continue to serve Crapo.
mand for help is rising rapidly. An their communities while ensuring that The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan-
emergency hotline run by the Sub- no taxpayer dollars go to abortion pro- imous consent, the mandatory quorum
stance Abuse and Mental Services Ad- viders. call has been waived.
ministration in HHS saw a 1,000-per- Yesterday, I introduced the Working The question is, Is it the sense of the
cent increase in calls in just 1 month. Families Childcare Access Act. This Senate that debate on the nomination
That was this April compared to last will give more working families more of John F. Heil III, of Oklahoma, to be
April. flexibility by allowing parents to con- United States District Judge for the
I have spoken with local law enforce- tribute more to their employer-spon- Northern, Eastern and Western Dis-
ment officials who have seen a serious sored dependent care cafeteria flexible tricts of Oklahoma, shall be brought to
spike in domestic abuse calls. The na- spending account, or FSA. If a family close?
tionwide Crisis Text Line has seen a 78- doesn’t use all their funds in 1 year, The yeas and nays are mandatory
percent increase in texts related to do- any leftover funds can be rolled over to under the rule.
mestic violence across our country. the following year. This will help fami- The clerk will call the roll.
The millions of Americans who have lies make plans for childcare as they
The senior assistant legislative clerk
lost their jobs or their businesses are begin to go back to work.
called the roll.
suffering. I am continuing to work on addi-
Tiffany, a mother of three from Col- tional legislation to provide families Mr. THUNE. The following Senators
lege Park, GA, was furloughed from her with targeted relief—for example, a bill are necessarily absent: the Senator
steady job stocking store shelves. She to codify the Trump administration from Tennessee (Mr. ALEXANDER), the
said: ‘‘It is very overwhelming when regulations to help Americans who re- Senator from North Carolina (Mr.
you have rent, when you have children cently lost their jobs and their health BURR), the Senator from Alaska (Ms.
to take care of.’’ When a parent loses insurance. The Trump administration MURKOWSKI), and the Senator from
their job, they lose much more. They expanded short-term, limited-duration South Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS).
lose their ability to put food on the health insurance plans after President Further, if present and voting, the
table, to pay rent, and the uncertainty Obama substantially restricted those Senator from Tennessee (Mr. ALEX-
grows for children. It is vital to help plans just 2 months before he left of- ANDER) would have voted ‘‘yea.’’
families weather this crisis. fice. These plans had previously been Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
We know that Americans who have a available for nearly 20 years. They are Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. MAR-
steady paycheck are more likely to an affordable option for Americans who KEY), the Senator from Vermont (Mr.
have stable, secure families, and chil- are in between jobs or who have been SANDERS), the Senator from Massachu-
dren from stable families are more laid off. setts (Ms. WARREN), and the Senator
likely to do well in school. That is why The dramatic economic numbers from Rhode Island (Mr. WHITEHOUSE)
I have designed the USA RISE Plan as alone do not convey the full cost of are necessarily absent.
an economic framework that takes the this pandemic—the futures impacted, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs.
human cost of the coronavirus into ac- the isolation, domestic abuse, sub- LOEFFLER). Are there any other Sen-
count. Helping families and job cre- stance abuse, and suicide. As our coun- ators in the Chamber desiring to vote?
ation today will allow parents to get try begins to look forward amid the The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 76,
back to work and reduce the fallout coronavirus pandemic, we must sup- nays 16, as follows:
from this pandemic from permanently port job growth and families to build [Rollcall Vote No. 98 Ex.]
impacting an entire generation. strong futures.
Importantly, this does not mean we YEAS—76
In the coming weeks, I will introduce
should expand the grip of the Federal additional bills as part of the USA Baldwin Fischer Peters
Barrasso Gardner Portman
Government. An American Enterprise RISE Plan aimed at incentivizing man- Bennet Graham Reed
Institute report on achieving the ufacturing in the United States, help- Blackburn Grassley Risch
American dream, released just a few ing our farmers and small business Blunt Hassan Roberts
Boozman Hawley
weeks ago, states: owners, and to ensure that America is Braun Heinrich
Romney
Rosen
The power of community has become all the best place in the world to do busi- Capito Hoeven Rubio
the more poignant as we retreated more to ness. Cardin Hyde-Smith
Sasse
isolated lives required by social distancing. While I continue to do all I can to Carper Inhofe
Scott (FL)
Oftentimes, local institutions and neighbor- Casey Johnson
fight COVID–19, I will also continue to Cassidy Jones Scott (SC)
hoods have a greater influence on economic do all I can to help Georgia families Shaheen
Collins Kaine
outcomes than what is occurring at the Fed- Coons Kennedy Shelby
eral level.
and employers recover and prosper. Sinema
Cornyn King
I yield the floor. Cortez Masto Lankford Smith
Being in Washington working on be-
f Cotton Leahy Sullivan
half of our State, I see that local im- Cramer Lee Tester
pact firsthand. Often, these organiza- CLOTURE MOTION Crapo Loeffler Thune
tions are at the heart of our commu- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ROM- Cruz Manchin Tillis
Daines McConnell Toomey
nities. It is where people turn for help, NEY). Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair Duckworth McSally Udall
for a sense of belonging. lays before the Senate the pending clo- Durbin Moran Warner
Churches and other nonprofits are ture motion, which the clerk will state. Enzi Murphy Wicker
doing amazing work during this very Ernst Paul Young
The senior assistant legislative clerk Feinstein Perdue
difficult time. They have been pro- read as follows:
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viding childcare, meals, and other sup- CLOTURE MOTION NAYS—16
port for family and children. For exam- Blumenthal Hirono Schumer
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
ple, YMCAs are the largest provider of ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Booker Klobuchar Stabenow
childcare in Georgia. Many have Brown Menendez Van Hollen
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby Cantwell Merkley Wyden
stepped up to provide childcare for es- move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- Gillibrand Murray
sential workers. They are providing nation of John F. Heil III, of Oklahoma, to Harris Schatz
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