Congressional Record, Senate, May 21, 2020, Page S2574 — Executive Session and Cloture Motions
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated May 21, 2020, beginning at page S2574, covering Senate floor procedure. Mr. McConnell moves to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 652 and Calendar No. 644, and the clerk reads the nomination of Brian D. Miller, of Virginia, to be Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. Cloture motions are filed on nominations including James H. Anderson, of Virginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, and a vote is recorded with yeas 65 and nays 28. The page ends with a Senator's Memorial Day remarks about women who served in uniform and Western State water rights.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, May 21, 2020, Page S2574 — Executive Session and Cloture Motions.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-21-crec-2020-05-21-pt1-pgs2574-13-6503dee848/
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S2574 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 21, 2020
Lankford Peters Shelby The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The legislative clerk read as follows:
Leahy Portman Sinema
Lee Reed Sullivan
question is on agreeing to the motion. CLOTURE MOTION
Loeffler Risch Tester The motion was agreed to. We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
Manchin Roberts ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
McConnell Romney
Thune f
Tillis Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
McSally Rubio
Moran Sasse
Toomey EXECUTIVE SESSION move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
Whitehouse nation of James H. Anderson, of Virginia, to
Murphy Scott (FL)
Wicker be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
Paul Scott (SC)
Young
Perdue Shaheen EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Mitch McConnell, David Perdue, Jerry
Moran, Rob Portman, Michael B. Enzi,
NAYS—28 Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Deb Fischer, Kevin Cramer, John
Baldwin Gillibrand Schumer move to proceed to executive session to Thune, John Boozman, Shelley Moore
Bennet Harris Smith
Blumenthal Heinrich
consider Calendar No. 652. Capito, Marco Rubio, Todd Young,
Stabenow
Booker Hirono The PRESIDING OFFICER. The John Barrasso, James Lankford, Tim
Udall
Brown Kaine Van Hollen question is on agreeing to the motion. Scott, James E. Risch, Cindy Hyde-
Cantwell Klobuchar Warner The motion was agreed to. Smith.
Cardin Menendez Warren f
Casey Merkley The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Wyden
Coons Rosen clerk will report the nomination. LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Cortez Masto Schatz The legislative clerk read the nomi-
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
NOT VOTING—7 nation of Brian D. Miller, of Virginia,
move to proceed to legislative session.
Alexander Murkowski Sanders to be Special Inspector General for
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Burr Murray Pandemic Recovery (New Position).
Markey Rounds question is on agreeing to the motion.
CLOTURE MOTION
The motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I f
vote, the yeas are 65, the nays are 28. send a cloture motion to the desk.
The motion is agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- EXECUTIVE SESSION
The majority leader. ture motion having been presented
f under rule XXII, the Chair directs the
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
LEGISLATIVE SESSION clerk to read the motion.
The legislative clerk read as follows: Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to
move to proceed to legislative session. CLOTURE MOTION
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- consider Calendar No. 644.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
question is on agreeing to the motion. ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby question is on agreeing to the motion.
The motion was agreed to. The motion was agreed to.
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
f nation of Brian D. Miller, of Virginia, to be The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
EXECUTIVE SESSION Special Inspector General for Pandemic Re- clerk will report the nomination.
covery (New Position). The legislative clerk read the nomi-
Mitch McConnell, Cindy Hyde-Smith, nation of Drew B. Tipton, of Texas, to
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR John Boozman, Tim Scott, Marsha
Blackburn, Chuck Grassley, Steve
be United States District Judge for the
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Daines, Mike Crapo, Richard Burr, Southern District of Texas.
move to proceed to executive session to John Cornyn, David Perdue, Martha CLOTURE MOTION
consider Calendar No. 655. McSally, John Thune, James M. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Inhofe, Kevin Cramer, Ted Cruz, Cory send a cloture motion to the desk.
question is on agreeing to the motion. Gardner. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo-
The motion was agreed to. f ture motion having been presented
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The under rule XXII, the Chair directs the
clerk will report the nomination. LEGISLATIVE SESSION
clerk to read the motion.
The legislative clerk read the nomi- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I The legislative clerk read as follows:
nation of Victor G. Mercado, of Cali- move to proceed to legislative session. CLOTURE MOTION
fornia, to be an Assistant Secretary of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
Defense. question is on agreeing to the motion. ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
CLOTURE MOTION The motion was agreed to. Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I f move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
send a cloture motion to the desk. nation of Drew B. Tipton, of Texas, to be
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- EXECUTIVE SESSION United States District Judge for the South-
ture motion having been presented ern District of Texas.
under rule XXII, the Chair directs the Mitch McConnell, Deb Fischer, Steve
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Daines, Cory Gardner, Tim Scott, Ted
clerk to read the motion. The legisla-
Cruz, David Perdue, James E. Risch,
tive clerk read as follows: Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Roger F. Wicker, Pat Roberts, Lindsey
CLOTURE MOTION move to proceed to executive session to Graham, Mike Crapo, Michael B. Enzi,
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- consider Calendar No. 656. John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn,
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The John Thune, Richard C. Shelby.
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby question is on agreeing to the motion. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
nation of Victor G. Mercado, of California, to
The motion was agreed to. ask unanimous consent that the man-
be an Assistant Secretary of Defense. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The datory quorum calls for the cloture
Mitch McConnell, David Perdue, Jerry clerk will report the nomination. motions be waived.
Moran, Rob Portman, Michael B. Enzi, The legislative clerk read the nomi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Deb Fischer, Kevin Cramer, John nation of James H. Anderson, of Vir- objection, it is so ordered.
Thune, John Boozman, Shelley Moore ginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary The Senator from Missouri.
Capito, Marco Rubio, Todd Young, of Defense. CORONAVIRUS
John Barrasso, James Lankford, Tim
Scott, James E. Risch, Cindy Hyde-
CLOTURE MOTION Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, we have
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Smith. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I seen things in the pandemic crisis that
f send a cloture motion to the desk. nobody in living memory has dealt
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- with. In so many ways we are writing
LEGISLATIVE SESSION ture motion having been presented the book and trying to read the book
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I under rule XXII, the Chair directs the at the same time, trying to figure out
move to proceed to legislative session. clerk to read the motion. how we get to where we need to be.
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May 21, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2575
Clearly there has been an incredible Last month, the Substance Abuse Federal resources are critical, but
strain on the American economy and and Mental Health Services Adminis- most of the response and most of the
an incredible strain on the American tration reported nearly a 900-percent— important work will be done at the
healthcare system and everybody in- a 900-percent—increase in the number local level, so the Congress also unani-
volved with that. of calls to its Disaster Distress Hotline mously agreed, in the CARES Act, to
Public health experts told us we had over this time last year. Nine times as extend the excellence in mental health
to flatten the curve, and the economic many people are calling that distress and addictive treatment demonstration
cost of flattening the curve was pretty helpline, that Disaster Distress Hot- program through November 30.
great. On the other side of that equa- line, than were calling a year ago. We added two States. I talked to
tion, the impact on hospitals was sig- Practitioners in behavioral health CMS this morning about moving for-
nificant in that many of them have issues see the impact every day. They ward in adding those next 2 States to
been ready and waiting for whatever are certainly warning that this could the 19 States that originally applied.
they needed to do, and because we flat- produce its own second wave of impact This program was first authorized in
tened the curve, the worst-case sce- that lasts well beyond the time we 2014 in some legislation that Senator
narios didn’t occur, and in most cases have treatment for coronavirus be- STABENOW from Michigan and I had
they were prevented, and we had plenty cause people, even if they have had the sponsored at the time that created the
of hospital beds. Before it was over, we vaccine, even if they have stopped wor- whole concept of certified community
had ventilators and all those things we rying about the coronavirus, have behavioral health clinics that care for
will have later. found themselves in a place with their patients regardless of where they live
But the crisis, because of flattening mental health issues that they don’t or their ability to pay—24-hour, 7-day-
the curve, has certainly lasted longer want to be but might not be able to fig-
a-week access. It was necessary, if you
and will last longer than it would have ure out how to get out of.
were going to be part of that program,
otherwise. I am not saying that is a If we don’t respond quickly and we
don’t respond forcefully, we could cer- that you could get preventative
bad thing; I am just saying measures screenings, you would have care coordi-
like closing businesses and sending tainly lose more lives to this pan-
demic. One new study from the Well nation with your other healthcare pro-
people home from work, practicing so- viders.
cial distancing, putting people on the Being Trust estimates that 75,000 more
people will die from things like suicide By the way, if you have a behavioral
unemployment rolls have really cre- health issue, it clearly has impact on
ated serious problems for people who and substance abuse because of the
pandemic. We are already seeing evi- what other health issues you might
have cause to have challenges to their have. If you are dealing with that be-
mental well-being. dence that that may be a place where
we are moving. havioral health issue in the right way,
I think the impact is that nearly half
My hometown newspaper, the Spring- you are going to save a lot of money
the adults in the United States say
field News-Leader, reported this week and a lot of caregiver time in most
that the coronavirus has impacted
that Greene County, my home county, cases as you deal with your other
their mental health. This is on top of
the first place I was elected as a county issues if you are doing what you should
the statistic we traditionally believe
official, has already seen a 25-percent be doing. If you are feeling better
from the National Institutes of Health
uptick in suicide and overdose deaths about yourself, if you are taking your
and other places that one out of four or
in the last couple of months. medicine, eating better, sleeping bet-
one out of five adult Americans has a
May is Mental Health Awareness ter, showing up for appointments, your
diagnosable—and I wouldn’t hesitate to
Month. I think it is appropriate for us other health costs are going to go
add an almost always treatable behav-
to talk about the ways that down. So not only is this the right
ioral health problem—mental health
coronavirus has widened the gap in the thing to do, but it also, in my view,
problem. But coming through the medical system between access to will turn out to be a money-saving
coronavirus, again, one half of all physical health issues and access to thing to do, to invest money where it
adults say that their mental health has mental health issues. needs to be invested.
been impacted by that, whether that This is the month and the time we In eight States that have the cer-
was social distancing or everybody try- need to realize that you can’t separate tified centers under the Excellence in
ing to do everything that you normally those issues. We need to realize that Mental Health Act, those patients have
do at other places than home. Maybe it those issues are of equal concern and reported a 62-percent reduction in both
was economic uncertainty, which, need to be treated equally. hospitalization and emergency room
along with the isolation, can certainly As I mentioned before, the estimate visits. Probably that one statistic, on
create depression and anxiety. generally is somewhere in the neigh-
It is, in almost all cases, likely to be its own, may have offset whatever in-
borhood that one in four Americans vestment we have made in this mental
worse for people who had a prior men- has a diagnosable mental health issue,
tal health problem or a prior mental health program. People not going to
but the other estimate is that less than emergency rooms, obviously, means
health diagnosis, but those aren’t the half of them seek any help or the care
only people who have been affected. you are less likely to come in contact
they need. with people who have COVID–19 or
Addiction issues have become a big- As that number has grown now to
ger problem, again, than they were 6 some other virus.
one in two saying that they have con-
months ago. People who don’t have ac- cerns about their mental health or that We need to be sure we are using tele-
cess to their support system, people their mental health is not where it was health to connect you with your
who were moving with great focus on before this all started, we see a coming healthcare provider, whether that is a
the part of the Federal Government together of factors here that we have mental health provider or another pro-
and many State governments away to figure out how to deal with. We need vider. That is critically important.
from opioid addiction are in a situation to take steps on how to address it. We People who are struggling with men-
where they are isolated; they are de- need to realize that more needs to be tal health or addiction are particularly
pressed; they are concerned about job done. We need to continue to work to- challenged right now. We need to let
or family or health and beginning to ward the normalization of treating all them know they are not forgotten, and
think: What was that one thing that health the same. no matter how alone they feel, they are
really made me feel good? Well, maybe In the CARES Act, the Congress did not alone, and the Congress is paying
I can just do that one more time and provide $425 million for substance attention to this, but we need to pay
have that great feeling, and I wouldn’t abuse and mental health services. That attention to the people on the
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get addicted again. includes more than half of that—$250 frontlines who are assuring that the
It turns out that addiction doesn’t million—to certified community be- right things are done in the right way
work that way. So we see people with havioral health clinics; $50 million for at the right time.
unprecedented challenges as this al- suicide prevention; and $100 million for I yield the floor.
most perfect storm impacting mental emergency response grants to address The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
health hits us. substance and mental health disorders. ator from North Dakota.
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S2576 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 21, 2020
NOMINATION OF MAJOR GENERAL SCOTT lem that has plagued Western States will be home this weekend thinking
SPELLMON that operate under the prior appropria- about Eagle Point and Central Point—
Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, first of tion doctrine. On a bipartisan basis, is I want to make sure our country
all, I just want to associate myself Democrats and Republicans from West- never ever diminishes the significance
with the words of my colleague Sen- ern States have been frustrated by an of this day.
ator BLUNT. I couldn’t say it as elo- Army Corps that either ignores States Never should our country take away
quently. I certainly couldn’t improve and Tribes or needlessly inserts extra our determination to honor those who
upon it. I am just going to say I com- bureaucracy into decisions that are pay the ultimate price in service to
pletely agree. Thank you. really not theirs to make. Once again, America, and it shouldn’t cause us to
The real purpose for my coming to General Spellmon listened intently to forget that Memorial Day can be
the floor today is to demonstrate my the concern and provided thorough, hard—very, very hard on the parents
support for MG Scott Spellmon of the honest responses to be used as a guide- and spouses and children and friends
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. post for Corps policy moving forward. our fallen heroes left behind. I know
General Spellmon is up for a pro- Of equal importance, he acknowl- when I am recognized to speak in Cen-
motion to Lieutenant General and has edged the flaws within his own organi- tral Point and in Eagle Point, I look
been nominated to become the Chief of zation. In my time in Congress, hon- out in the crowd, and I always see fam-
Engineers and Commanding General to esty sometimes seems to be missing ily members with a Kleenex by their
replace General Semonite as he retires.
but not with General Spellmon. He has eye, trying to remember and at the
Since coming to the Senate, General
proven he is willing to listen and be re- same time deal with the inevitable
Semonite and I have become well ac-
quainted with each other. While we sponsive in a forthright manner, and I grief. This Memorial Day, I am going
haven’t always agreed, I do appreciate thank him for that. to be thinking of all of those who have
I am confident General Spellmon will come year after year to Central Point
his service, his very hard work, and his
continue to listen to Western States and Eagle Point in Southern Oregon to
accessibility, especially during this
and provide the necessary deference to do something very, very important: to
COVID–19 pandemic.
His retirement is well earned, and I them pursuant to congressional intent speak up for Oregon on the importance
thank him for his service and wish him and to our Nation’s Constitution. I and appreciation we have for those who
well. have appreciated getting to know the made the ultimate sacrifice.
As a member of the Armed Services general, and while my oversight and My view is, this year, on Memorial
Committee and the Environment and questions may not have always been Day, it is more important than ever to
Public Works Committee, I serve on the most enjoyable to him, he has reach out and connect with those folks
two of the Army Corps committees of proven to be up to the task of replacing who are remembering loved ones they
jurisdiction. As many of my colleagues General Semonite. I support his nomi- have lost in the line of duty—to give
can attest, it is a rare occasion that I nation and promotion, and I hope his them a call, ask how they are holding
compliment the Corps. It is an agency exemplary service will be replicated by up—because the last few months, in
that is the epitome in many cases of the rest of the bureaucracy he is going particular, have been tough on every-
cumbersome bureaucracy. to lead. body, and their sacrifice shouldn’t be
I am not unique in my frustration. I yield the floor. forgotten.
During our last EPW hearing with the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I know when I am home in Southeast
Corps, criticism was both bipartisan ator from Oregon. Portland this weekend, I am going to
and tangible. From Rhode Island to OBSERVING MEMORIAL DAY be thinking about whom I am going to
North Dakota to Oregon, each of us ex- Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, on Mon- be talking to, checking in with, and see
pressed frustration with a seemingly day, our country will celebrate Memo- how they are doing just for the reason
tone-deaf bureaucracy, which either rial Day. It is a very special day—one I mentioned. These have been tough
doesn’t do what it is supposed to do or that we, as Americans, set aside each times for everyone, and I think this is
does what it is not supposed to do. year to honor those members of the going to be a very difficult Memorial
That frustration brings me here military who have given their lives in Day for those Americans who are re-
today: Major General Spellmon’s pend- sacrifice to their country. membering loved ones they have lost in
ing nomination and promotion. Right now, this is typically the time the line of duty.
Throughout this process, I have worked when I am getting ready to travel It is also more important than ever
closely with General Spellmon on nu- home and go to Southern Oregon—to to remember for ourselves that as
merous issues important to North Da- Eagle Point and to Central Point, won- Americans, we owe so much to so
kota and other Western States. derful communities to spend Memorial many. The parades and the services
Early on, I spoke with him regarding Day with hundreds of veterans and may have to wait until Memorial Day
the Spring Creek embankment in Cen- members of their families. These are 2021, but our deep respect and gratitude
tral North Dakota. Due to the poor events that take place each year and for sacrifice does not.
maintenance of relief wells, the Corps are inspiring and affirming and basi- Just on a very personal note, apropos
was going to move forward with a cally a time when Oregonians, from of the respect and gratitude for sac-
water control plan that could poten- very young to often approaching al- rifice, I think about my late father and
tially devastate water supply and irri- most 100 years old, assemble and are my mother, both of whom fled the
gation needs in eastern parts of my part of a centuries-long lineage of pa- Nazis. Not all of our family got out. My
State. triots who have been willing to serve great Uncle Max was one of the last
As per usual, the Corps’ decision ma- and sacrifice for our great Nation. who was gassed in Auschwitz. My fa-
trix was overly complicated and did There are other communities that ther basically talked his way into our
not adequately reflect the needs and come together to remember lost Army because he was a fluent young
realities of rural America. When I friends and loved ones, but at home in man in German, and he convinced our
brought the issue to General Spellmon, Oregon, we have always said: Eagle military that he could be part of our
he promised to take a fresh look and Point and Central Point are the gold propaganda unit to drop the pamphlets
reassess the economic impacts of the standard in terms of services and pro- on the Nazis, making it clear that they
project. He then worked with me to grams to recognize our veterans, and could never defeat our great troops.
craft legislation supporting these ef- members of their family, who have My mother, on the other hand, was a
forts, which was added to the water in- made the ultimate sacrifice for our Na- WAC, and I look often at the picture
frastructure legislation we unani- tion. that is on my wall of my mother in her
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mously passed out of the EPW not too I think we all know that this Memo- WAC uniform. For them, during their
long ago. He listened to the problem rial Day is going to be different. There lives, Memorial Day was a really spe-
and is working with me to help solve will not be the same big gatherings, cial day because they were so thrilled
it. and there will not be as many parades. to be able to come to the freest and
I also challenged General Spellmon But one of the reasons I want to come most open Nation on Earth and to be
on Western State water rights—a prob- to the floor of the Senate today—and I able to serve in our military. They, in
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