Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., June 4, 2020)
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate, June 4, 2020, at S2704. Remarks by a senator on President Trump and the protests quote a statement by President Trump's former Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. Another senator's remarks refer to a bill with modifications to the PPP program that the House previously passed, and describe the economy as starting to reopen. Mr. Thune, under the heading Coronavirus, says that yesterday the Senate moved a bill across the floor that will be on its way to the President's desk, and that committees are conducting coronavirus oversight.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., June 4, 2020).”
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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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