Moment of Silence (Cong. Rec., June 4, 2020)
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated June 4, 2020, at page S2703, under Moment of Silence. The page opens with the clerk reporting the nomination of Michael Pack, of Maryland, to lead the Broadcasting Board. Mr. Schumer says that in conjunction with the memorial service in Minnesota for George Floyd, he joined the Democratic caucus in Emancipation Hall for a moment of silence. He asks Mr. McConnell to put police reform and racial justice legislation on the floor this month, says the extension of PPP reform passed only after Democrats forced action, and criticizes Judiciary and Homeland Security hearings on 2016 election theories and the nomination of Justin Walker. Mr. Thune speaks on the coronavirus response and borrowing.
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“Moment of Silence (Cong. Rec., June 4, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-06-04-crec-2020-06-04-pt1-pgs2703-3-e53446c770/
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June 4, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2703
EXECUTIVE SESSION here and now to the American people The coin of the realm in the Senate
that we will put on the floor—that you is floor time. Leader MCCONNELL, every
will put on the floor police reform and Senate Republican, what are you going
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR racial justice legislation this month. to devote time to?
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Will our Republican colleagues ever Today, toward the end of one of the
pore. Under the previous order, the join us in this effort? I know these more tumultuous and painful weeks in
Senate will proceed to executive ses- issues aren’t easy, but we can’t begin recent memory, marked by emotional
sion to resume consideration of the fol- to make progress if the Republican protests about racial justice and police
lowing nomination, which the clerk leader and the Republican majority violence, Senate Republicans are hold-
will report. will not even let us try or address these ing sessions in the Judiciary and
The senior assistant legislative clerk issues in a legislative manner. Homeland Security Committees re-
read the nomination of Michael Pack, The Republican leader has said: lated to President Trump’s favorite
of Maryland, to be Chief Executive Of- The coin of the realm in the Senate is floor conspiracy theories about the 2016 elec-
ficer of the Broadcasting Board of Gov- time. What are you going to devote time to? tion.
ernors for the term of three years. Well, it has been 5 weeks since Lead- I am not making this up. That is
(New Position) er MCCONNELL called the Senate back what they are doing, American peo-
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, into session during the height of a pan- ple—not talking about COVID, not
I suggest the absence of a quorum. demic. The Republican majority has talking about racial justice but focus-
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- yet to put a single bill on the floor of ing on some Russian-originated theory
pore. The clerk will call the roll. the Senate related to COVID–19. that has been discredited by our intel-
The senior assistant legislative clerk We passed a much needed extension ligence agencies. That is what the Re-
proceeded to call the roll. of PPP reform last night, a very pop- publican Senate is doing. No wonder
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ular and bipartisan program, only after they are in trouble.
ask unanimous consent that the order Democrats forced action here on the The American people are looking for
for the quorum call be rescinded. floor. I don’t believe our Republican some kind of real help, some kind of
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- majority would have done anything. real discussion, and the Republicans
pore. Without objection, it is so or- We announced we would UC the bill, are talking about conspiracy theories.
dered. and we did, and it was blocked. Then, Then the Senate Judiciary Com-
RECOGNITION OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER
of course, faced with the public pres- mittee is about to approve another
sure of moving, Leader MCCONNELL rightwing judge, a McConnell protege,
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
came on the floor late last evening and Justin Walker—seriously. At least, if
pore. The Democratic leader is recog-
moved the bill. you look at the record and history of
nized.
Make no mistake about it, without Justin Walker, the chances of him
MOMENT OF SILENCE
the pressure that we Democrats placed being for strengthening voting rights
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, a on the Republican majority to make and antidiscrimination legislation is
short time ago, in conjunction with the these changes, it would certainly have very, very tiny. Yet they move forward
memorial service being held today in been further delayed and might never on him.
Minnesota for George Floyd, I joined have happened. By the end of the day, the two Repub-
the rest of the Democratic caucus in Now, Leader MCCONNELL has said lican-led committees will have ap-
Emancipation Hall to recognize a mo- that another emergency relief bill was proved up to 100 subpoenas—unprece-
ment of silence in honor of his memory likely before July 4, but then on Tues- dented in modern history. In the midst
as well as the memory of Breonna Tay- day, when listing his priorities for the of national crises, Senate Republicans
lor, Ahmaud Aubery, and the unimagi- June session, Leader MCCONNELL did are trying to use the Senate to do op-
nable number of Black Americans who not mention COVID legislation. position research for the President’s
have had their lives ended in police Republican Senators are starting to reelection campaign. Seriously?
custody. say that another relief bill might— The Republican majority will ap-
Standing before the statue of Fred- might—come in late July—shocking. prove up to 100 subpoenas to chase the
erick Douglass, a Black American who This past week—just today it was an- President’s wild conspiracy theories
fought his whole life for a measure of nounced—nearly 2 million more Ameri- but has not put one bill on jobs, one
racial equality, the moment of silence cans filed for unemployment, bringing bill on testing, one bill on employment
lasted 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the the total since the start of the pan- on the floor of the Senate since Leader
length of time that the White police of- demic to over 42 million. MCCONNELL called us back. They will
ficer in Minneapolis pressed his knee The monthly jobs report tomorrow is not even commit to a debate on law en-
on George Floyd’s neck. Standing there expected to report over 20 percent un- forcement reform.
in silence, you feel the horrifying employment, and we should wait? As You might think that an economic
length of George Floyd’s final 9 min- people are losing their jobs, as parents crisis, a public health emergency, on
utes. You cannot help but imagine his are not sure they can feed their kids or top of the searing reminder of racial in-
horror and fear, knowing that his trau- stay in their homes, as small busi- justice, might have put the conspiracy
ma and the trauma of his family and nesses, where people put their blood, caucus on pause, but no—no such luck.
his friends has been felt by so many sweat, and tears over the years and The American people should call
Black families and Black communities even decades to build them are col- their Republican Senators. They
across the country and across the cen- lapsing—and we should wait? Why? Be- should demand action. The Republican
turies. cause maybe some rightwing Senate is failing to meet this impor-
Of course, a moment of silence, a mo- ideologues or some of the very big lead- tant moment, and the Republican
ment of solidarity, is no substitute for ers of the Republican Party and bene- President isn’t doing any better.
real action. That is why Senate Demo- factors don’t like spending money on In a week marred by unacceptable vi-
crats are working with our House col- anything? olence and rioting in some places, the
leagues on policing reform legislation. I don’t know if that is the reason. I President advocates more violence,
That is why we are demanding that hope it isn’t. But we can’t wait. We more chaos, more disorder, including
the Republican majority leader com- can’t wait. appalling attacks on the constitutional
mit to addressing this issue on the The economic disaster, as with so rights of protesters on his front porch.
floor of the Senate. many issues in society, will dispropor- I am heartbroken by stories of peace-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
Leader MCCONNELL, why don’t you tionately affect Black Americans. So ful protesters being injured when the
admit that we have to do something far, 109,000 fellow Americans have died. protests turn ugly. I am heartbroken
here and not just say: Well, maybe we More are dying every day, every single by reports of police officers who are
will take a look at it, as you did on gun day, but Senate Republicans want to doing their job the right way, striving
control after the violent shootings and wait until late July to maybe—maybe to keep the peace, who have been
then did nothing? Make a commitment do another relief bill. gravely injured.
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S2704 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 4, 2020
Three of New York’s finest were in- What is President Trump doing to signature, previously passed by the
jured yesterday while assigned to pre- this democracy, to the rule of law, to House, that makes some modifications
vent looting. A New York State troop- the primacy of the Constitution? And to the PPP program—things that were
er in Buffalo was run over the other where are the Republican Senate sought by both sides, improvements, I
night. I wish New York State Trooper voices—Leader MCCONNELL and every- think, that enable that program to be
Ron Ensminger and the Buffalo police one else here—condemning what he used with greater flexibility, extending
officers injured in these disturbing in- did? the amount of time in which those dol-
cidents a speedy and full recovery and Again, democracy will be eroded if we lars that have been received can be
thank them for their service and com- don’t stand up for it, if we are afraid to used, and allowing some greater flexi-
mitment to public safety. speak out, afraid to tell President bility in how they are used.
Let me state, once again, unequivo- Trump he is overreaching and has done So I think that is evidence, again,
cally, that the cause of justice and bad, bad things when he does them. that this body, and both Democrats
change sought by protesters in and be- I am not the only one who feels this and Republicans working together, can
yond is undermined by lawlessness and way. We have had statement after get things done for the American peo-
violence. President Trump, however, statement from Americans of all polit- ple that address the very direct needs
seems to be incapable of acknowl- ical stripes. I read George Will, for in- and challenges they face right now as a
edging the fact that the overwhelming stance, the other day. He is a conserv- result of the coronavirus.
number of peace protesters are peace- ative, but he cares about America, and I credit the authors of that—Sen-
ful and are simply advocating change. he has got some principle. ators COLLINS and RUBIO on our side,
He seems incapable of turning the tem- Then, the most remarkable of all, along with their Democratic counter-
perature down to prevent more vio- issued by President Trump’s former parts—for working together to struc-
lence. Quite the opposite. The Presi- Secretary of Defense. I want to read ture a program that has not only
dent wants Americans to falsely be- some of what former Secretary Mattis helped many businesses stay in busi-
lieve that all the people who are pro- said: ness—millions of businesses stay in
testing for a good cause—equality and When I joined the military, some 50 years business—but has kept tens of millions
racial justice—are violent. Nothing ago, I swore an oath to support and defend of people in this country employed at a
could be further from the truth. The the Constitution. Never did I dream that time when we desperately need to keep
overwhelming majority are doing what troops taking that same oath would be or- those jobs.
our Founding Fathers did: protesting dered under any circumstance to violate the So, again, I think it is evidence of
to make this Nation a better nation. constitutional rights of their fellow citi-
zens—much less to provide a bizarre photo op
this body’s and our Senate majority’s
They should be praised, not vilified. focus on the coronavirus and things we
for the elected commander-in-chief, with
In a week marred by unacceptable vi- can do to help assist those who have
military leadership standing alongside. We
olence and rioting in some places, the know that we are better than the abuse of been most harmed economically by
President advocates chaos and dis- executive authority that we witnessed in La- that, as well as addressing the very
order, including appalling attacks on fayette Square. real health emergency that we need to
constitutional rights on his front Mattis continues: continue to focus on in terms of finding
porch. My goodness. My goodness. Donald Trump is the first president in my those therapeutics and vaccines that
Earlier this week, Americans lifetime who does not try to unite the Amer- will enable the American people to
watched Federal officers, under the di- ican people—does not even pretend to try. have confidence, once again, that they
rection of the President and the Attor- Instead he tries to divide us. We are wit- can go out.
ney General, use gas and rubber bullets nessing the consequences of three years of
THE ECONOMY
to disperse a crowd of peaceful pro- this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the
testers in the park. The Lincoln Memo- consequences of three years without mature Mr. President, what I want to speak
rial was blocked off by rows of camou- leadership. We can unite without him, draw- to today is the evidence that we are
flaged officers. ing on the strengths inherent in our civil so- seeing that the economy around the
There are reports right now that ciety. This will not be easy, as the past few country is starting to reopen. There is
days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow still a lot of work, obviously, that has
troops from Fort Drum and Fort Bragg
citizens; to past generations that bled to de- to be done to defeat the virus and help
are camped outside Washington, DC. I fend our promise; and to our children.
would ask the leaders of our military, our economy and the American people
That was President Trump’s former recover.
if these reports are true, what are they
Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. As I mentioned, we have spent the
doing there, and what are their orders?
The leader, a few minutes ago, men- Like all former members of the mili- past few weeks focused on monitoring
tioned Tiananmen Square. Of course, tary, I know that Secretary Mattis the implementation of the $2.4 trillion
no one believes that we are China or strives to avoid political statements. in aid that Congress has provided. Our
like China—of course not. We are a de- He has assiduously avoided them so committees are hard at work con-
mocracy, and we are proud of it. Most far. But it was a searing indictment of ducting coronavirus oversight and
of us love and praise the right for President Trump’s failures that impor- looking ahead to what else Congress
peaceful protests. But I would remind tuned Secretary Mattis to speak out so may need to do to combat the virus
the Republican leader, when any Presi- strongly about the President’s divisive- and to get our economy going again.
dent, particularly an overreaching one ness, immaturity, and abuse of power. We are looking at what more funding
like this, steps over the line, if good Make no mistake about it, General Congress may need to provide and what
people don’t raise their voices, that is Mattis’s comments were a shot across Congress can do that doesn’t involve a
the way to erode democracy, which the bow to our military leaders: Don’t lot of new spending.
China does not have. let the President push you into doing As I said, Congress has already pro-
Where is Leader MCCONNELL’s voice? things you know that are wrong, that vided $2.5 trillion to fight the
Instead of spinning these crazy theo- should not be done, and that could very coronavirus, and we will absolutely
ries, why doesn’t he just speak out well violate the Constitution. provide more if needed, but we need to
against what the President did Monday I yield the floor. remember that every dollar we have
night? Why did he block our resolution, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. provided is borrowed money that our
our simple resolution, which called for SCOTT of Florida). The Senator from children and grandchildren will have to
only three things: one, praise the pro- South Dakota. repay.
testers; two, condemn violence; and, CORONAVIRUS Our debt was already very large com-
three, condemn the President for what Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, respond- pared to the size of our economy, even
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
he did? ing to the coronavirus continues to be before—before this year’s coronavirus-
Our Nation’s Capital is being pa- one of our top priorities here in Con- related borrowing, and that is a very
trolled by Federal officers commanded gress, I think, as evidenced that yester- concerning reality. The truth is, we
by President Trump and Attorney Gen- day the Senate moved a bill across the can’t just keep borrowing and bor-
eral Barr, who refuse to identify who floor of the Senate that will be on its rowing ever greater sums without suf-
they are and where they come from. way now to the President’s desk for his fering real economic consequences.
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