Unanimous Consent Request (Cong. Rec., June 29, 2020)

Summary

Pages S3642 and S3643 of the Congressional Record, Senate, June 29, 2020, including the section headed Unanimous Consent Request. Mr. WYDEN says the COVID–19 pandemic has thrown the country into a crisis of joblessness and calls for legislation to save public sector jobs, naming firefighters, first responders and teachers, along with a proposal on Secure Rural Schools and Payments in Lieu of Taxes. Mr. SCHUMER thanks Mr. WYDEN before the unanimous consent request. The pages also record Mr. INHOFE calling up substitute amendment No. 2301 to S. 4049, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, and Mr. MCCONNELL calling up amendment No. 2080 to it.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Cite this document

“Unanimous Consent Request (Cong. Rec., June 29, 2020).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-06-29-crec-2020-06-29-pt1-pgs3642-7-214a5c4073/, SHA-256 8d02fb6e87d0489afa0e6ac371da333858151f8b1a965db373e30d4ede4fbfc3.

Full text

S3642 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 29, 2020
Menendez Rosen Stabenow SEC. 240. ELEMENT IN ANNUAL REPORTS ON adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 30;
Moran Rounds Sullivan CYBER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Murkowski Rubio Tester ACTIVITIES ON WORK WITH ACA-
further, that following the prayer and
Murray Sasse Thune DEMIC CONSORTIA ON HIGH PRI- pledge, the morning hour be deemed
Paul Schatz Tillis ORITY CYBERSECURITY RESEARCH expired, the Journal of proceedings be
Perdue Schumer Udall ACTIVITIES IN DEPARTMENT OF DE- approved to date, the time of the two
Peters Scott (FL) Van Hollen FENSE CAPABILITIES.
Portman Scott (SC) leaders be reserved for their use later
Warner Section 257(b)(2) of the National Defense
Reed Shaheen
Whitehouse Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub-
in the day, and morning business be
Risch Shelby
Wicker lic Law 116–92; 133 Sta. 1291) is amended by closed; further, following leader re-
Roberts Sinema
Romney Smith
Young adding at end the following new subpara- marks, the Senate resume consider-
graph: ation of Calendar No. 483, S. 4049; fi-
NAYS—4 ‘‘(J) Efforts to work with academic con- nally, that the Senate recess from 12:30
Harris Warren sortia on high priority cybersecurity re- until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly con-
Murphy Wyden search activities.’’. ference meetings.
NOT VOTING—7 Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, for the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Burr Markey Toomey information of all Senators, Senator objection, it is so ordered.
Cramer Merkley REED and I have reached an agreement f
Enzi Sanders on the first managers’ package, and we ORDER FOR ADJOURNMENT
The motion is agreed to. will be hotlining that list on both sides
this evening with the hopes of clearing Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, if
it and adopting those amendments to- there is no further business to come be-
f fore the Senate, I ask unanimous con-
morrow.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- sent that it stand adjourned under the
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- jority leader. previous order, following the remarks
TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 of our Democratic colleagues.
f The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
MORNING BUSINESS objection, it is so ordered.
clerk will report the bill by title. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL-
The senior assistant legislative clerk Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I LIVAN). The Senator from Oregon.
read as follows: ask unanimous consent that the Sen- f
A bill (S. 4049) to authorize appropriations ate be in a period of morning business,
for fiscal year 2021 for military activities of with Senators permitted to speak UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST
the Department of Defense, for military con- therein for up to 10 minutes each. Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, the
struction, and for defense activities of the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without COVID–19 pandemic has thrown our
Department of Energy, to prescribe military objection, it is so ordered. country into a nightmare level crisis of
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and
f joblessness. The Congress has not done
for other purposes.
enough to stop it and has not done
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- MEASURE READ THE FIRST enough to save the jobs of our people.
ator from Oklahoma. TIME—H.R. 7259 I have come to the floor this evening
AMENDMENT NO. 2301 Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I to call for the Senate to pass legisla-
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I call up understand there is a bill at the desk, tion that is all about saving the public
the substitute amendment No. 2301. and I ask for its first reading. sector jobs that form the backbone of
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. The our local communities, our fire-
clerk will report the amendment. clerk will read the title of the bill for fighters, our first responders, our
the first time. teachers, our families, and so many
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The legislative clerk read as follows: others. They need our help. They need
The Senator from Oklahoma [Mr. INHOFE] it now.
proposes an amendment numbered 2301. A bill (H.R. 7259) to allow acceleration cer-
tificates awarded under the Patents for Hu-
Senate Democrats have been warning
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask manity Program to be transferable. since March that when COVID–19 cases
unanimous consent that the reading of exploded and our economy went into
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
the amendment be waived. lockdown, our States, our cities, and
now ask for a second reading, and in
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without our towns are now facing budgetary
order to place the bill on the calendar
objection, it is so ordered. disasters unlike any they have gone
under the provisions of rule XIV, I ob-
(The amendment is printed in today’s through in recent memory. The short-
ject to my own request.
RECORD under ‘‘Text of Amendments.’’) falls that State and local governments
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
AMENDMENT NO. 2080 TO AMENDMENT NO. 2301
are facing due to the pandemic make
tion having been heard, the bill will re-
the great recession look like a modest
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ceive a second reading on the next leg-
little economic hiccup. Layoffs are now
call up amendment No. 2080. islative day.
happening at nightmarish levels.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The f In March, April, and May, there were
clerk will report. 1.5 million job losses. Among these key
The legislative clerk read as follows: APPOINTMENT
individuals were the firefighters, the
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. MCCON- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The first responders, our public employees,
NELL], for Mr. PORTMAN, proposes an amend- Chair, on behalf of the Vice President, folks who teach our kids, work in pub-
ment numbered 2080 to amendment No. 2301. pursuant to the provisions of S. Con. lic health, emergency response, and
Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask consent that Res. 38 (116th Congress), appoints the play a key role in maintaining our
the reading of the amendment be following Senators to the Joint Con- roads and highways. I am just going to
waived. gressional Committee on Inaugural take a few minutes to run through
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Ceremonies: the Honorable MITCH some specific examples of why Senate
objection, it is so ordered. MCCONNELL of Kentucky; the Honor- Democrats think this is so important.
The amendment (No. 2080) is as fol- able ROY BLUNT of Missouri; and the First, what kind of sense does it
lows: Honorable AMY KLOBUCHAR of Min- make to sit back and allow thousands
nesota. and thousands of first responders to
(Purpose: To require an element in annual
f lose their jobs in the middle of a pan-

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reports on cyber science and technology
activities on work with academic consortia demic? COVID–19 cases have spiked
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 30, now in places around this country. Our
on high priority cybersecurity research ac-
tivities in Department of Defense capabili- 2020 public health systems are getting hit
ties) Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I like they were hammered with a
At the end of subtitle C of title II, add the ask unanimous consent that when the wrecking ball. State and local govern-
following: Senate completes its business today, it ments are being forced to cut EMS

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June 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3643
workers at the exact moment they that failing to support State and local not in Oregon, not in Iowa, not in
need more first responders who know budgets will prolong suffering across Texas, not in Kentucky. Especially
how to keep the ailing of this country this country. It will slow down the re- when it is safe for kids to go back to
safe. covery, and it will guarantee the coun- school in person, I don’t want them
Second, let me mention education. try does not bounce back quickly in packed into classrooms with 40 or 50
Our country is in danger of losing a 2020. other students. I don’t want first re-
generation of teachers if Congress does Our proposal builds on legislation sponders to be laid off in the middle of
not act to save their jobs. The official that has already passed the other body. a pandemic.
jobs data showed that in April alone, It incorporates State and local por- I don’t want our Nation’s roads and
just 1 month, nearly half a million K– tions of the Heroes Act that rescues highways to crumble into even worse
12 employees lost their jobs—half a firefighters, first responders, infra- disrepair because the Congress failed to
million. Education experts have esti- structure jobs, and teachers. It also in- address the nationwide budget crisis.
mated that hundreds of thousands of cludes an important proposal for the The Senate has an obligation to act.
teachers could be permanently laid off rural West—Secure Rural Schools and I am now going to yield to the distin-
without action. Payments in Lieu of Taxes, what is call guished Democratic leader, and then I
Schoolchildren are already facing SRS and PILT. Even before COVID–19, will offer a unanimous consent request
major setbacks due to the fact that our rural communities started with to actually advance this critically im-
they can’t get the same level of face- weaker economies, fewer public health portant cause.
to-face instruction during the pan- resources, and worse access to Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I
demic. Far too many kids come from healthcare. They were bound to have a thank my good friend from Oregon for
working families and are falling behind harder time responding to and from the his excellent and eloquent words. I
because they don’t have the tech- pandemic. want to thank him for being such a
nology, and they don’t have the sup- Secure Rural Schools, which I au- leader on this issue and so many oth-
port at home. Too many kids are hun- thored with our former colleague, is all ers. I thank my colleague from New
gry. Too many kids are neglected. No- about bringing certainty and stability Hampshire, who will speak after me. I
body knows when they are going to be to communities and counties, often the think Senator MENENDEZ is expected
back in class full time. frontline healthcare providers in far- here, as well, to say a few words before
Helping those young people catch up out places. These are places where you the unanimous consent request that
when this pandemic ends is already have seen boom-and-bust traditional will be made by my colleague from Or-
going to be incredibly hard, and it will egon.
dependence on resource extraction, and
be even harder if the Nation loses hun- We are a long way off from beating
there have been cycles where it is al-
dreds of thousands of dedicated teach- COVID–19. Our communities need Fed-
most impossible, as the Presiding Offi- eral relief as soon as possible. The dis-
ers in the meantime, and that is just cer knows, to plan for what is ahead. ease continues to spread in an alarm-
K–12. Our proposal would create a perma-
The COVID–19 crash is a disaster for ing rate across much of the South and
nent endowment of funds to provide a
Americans who want to get an afford- West, and our country is facing prob-
predictable source of funding for rural
able college degree as well. Our public ably the greatest economic challenge
economic development, roads, and since the Great Depression.
colleges and universities are taking schools. Payment in lieu of taxes is all Yet, for over 2 months, the Repub-
enormous losses. In my home State of about providing that same kind of cer- lican Senate has chosen to delay,
Oregon, the losses added up to $130 mil- tainty to those who live in rural areas delay, delay. First, Leader MCCONNELL
lion this spring. States are facing big, dominated by Federal lands. They have said another COVID relief bill was
higher education budget cuts. School the same right as anybody else to reli- ‘‘likely’’ in June. Now, the earliest it
administrators are doing their best to able services: firefighters, safe roads, could happen is late July, and, even
plan for the future, but, still, they highways, and schools. Ten years of then, the Republican leader said he
don’t know when their campuses are permanent mandatory payment in lieu wants to ‘‘assess the conditions in the
going to go back to normal. You only of taxes will help those counties budget country’’ first before writing a bill ‘‘in
have to look back to the great reces- for the future. his office.’’
sion to see what is likely to happen I am going to close with one last ar- I will make two points. The condi-
next. More and more costs getting gument I have heard from the other tions in the country are terrible. You
pushed onto more and more students side and then yield to the distinguished don’t need to wait to assess them. We
and their working families. Two-thirds Democratic leader. The other side must act now. Second, if the leader
of the class of 2018 borrowed to pay for often says that our ideas are some sort thinks writing a bill in his office will
college, and those borrowers held an of blue State bailout. That is wrong, produce results, I ask him to look at
average of $30,000 in debt on gradua- wrong, wrong. COVID 2, 3, and 3.5, where, in each case,
tion. Someday soon, that may be some- Teachers are going to get pink slips he wrote a bill in his office without
thing like a bargain. in Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina, Democratic input. We insisted that we
Third, our country’s already crum- and Florida, and they aren’t going to be included by not going forward, and
bling infrastructure is going to get believe that saving their jobs is a blue we got a much better bill. We hope that
even worse if communities can’t afford State bailout. Of the 42 States and Ter- is what he will do from the outset—
to invest in roads and highways and ritories covered by Secure Rural work with us in a bipartisan way and
other essential infrastructure projects. Schools, less than a handful are blue work with the House, as well, to get
It is a self-defeating prospect. If the States. something done.
Congress doesn’t help communities The virus has absolutely no interest The time for waiting and the time for
tackle the projects now, they will cost in political parties. It might hit Demo- partisan posturing is over. We are on
even more down the road and when the cratic States first, but it is now sweep- the precipice of several deadlines that
maintenance backlog grows. Delaying ing many parts of the country, includ- require immediate action from Con-
these kinds of projects makes it even ing States that voted for Donald gress. There are several cliffs, but per-
harder for local economies to recover Trump. haps the most dangerous is the cliff for
because all those workers will be out of Despite being small and rural and, State and local governments, so many
a job, and a lot of businesses don’t generally, relatively remote, county of which are finalizing their budget be-
want to invest in places where there is governments that rely on Secure Rural fore the new fiscal year on July 1, in 2
a crumbling infrastructure. Schools and payment in lieu of taxes days.

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The proposal I offer tonight with the are responding to the same national State, local, and Tribal governments
Democratic leader will help to save public health crisis facing larger cities have already laid off more than 1.6 mil-
these jobs and stave off a whole lot of and urban areas. This economic crisis lion workers and are being forced to
preventable economic hardship. One of is hitting everybody. cut critical services. At least 25 States
the key lessons the Senate ought to re- I don’t want to see hundreds of thou- have lost a minimum of 20,000 jobs. Ap-
member from the great recession is sands of teachers laid off anywhere— ropos to the point my colleague from

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S3644 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 29, 2020
Oregon made, there are 25,000 State and structure projects, as at least 26 states have ment Association; International Municipal
local jobs in Florida. What are we say- announced construction delays for transpor- Lawyers Association, Inc.; Internet Associa-
ing to them? There are 29,000 in Ken- tation projects. The loss of such projects will tion; Intuit Inc.; Iowa League of Cities; Iowa
ripple through states’ construction industry, State Association of Counties; ITC Holdings
tucky. What are we saying to them? delaying recovery further. Inc.; Jersey Shore Partnership; Johnson &
There are 93,000 in Texas. What are we State and local governments also purchase Johnson; Kansas Association of Counties;
saying to them? goods and services which add to the nation’s Kentucky Association of Counties.
These are not abstract numbers. output, and in 2019, state and local govern- Land O’Lakes Inc.; Large Public Power
They are teachers and firefighters and ments’ purchases accounted for 11 percent of Council; League of Arizona Cities and Towns;
busdrivers and healthcare workers and GDP. When these activities slow down, there League of California Cities; League of Kan-
more. It includes so many public is an effect on the nation’s economy. Alarm- sas Municipalities; League of Minnesota Cit-
ingly, CBO’s June letter on its forecast of ies; League of Nebraska Municipalities;
health workers essential to contact League of Oregon Cities; League of Wis-
Gross Domestic Product for 2020 and 2021
tracing so we can lick this disease once found that ‘‘state and local governments’ consin Municipalities; Louisiana Municipal
and for all. Without Federal support, purchases of goods and services fell by $350 Association; Magna; Maine Municipal Asso-
those job losses will continue, and the billion, making up 9 percent of the total de- ciation; Maryland Association of Counties;
loss of vital services will continue as cline in GDP. Maryland Municipal League; Massachusetts
well. Nearly 15 million Americans are employed Coastal Coalition; Massachusetts Municipal
So far, the Senate Republican re- by state and local governments. Teachers, Association; Michigan Association of Coun-
first responders and emergency medical serv- ties; Michigan Municipal League; Mississippi
sponse to this potential crisis has been
ice workers are on the front lines of this cri- Association of Supervisors; Mississippi Mu-
a giant shrug of the shoulders. Leader sis doing the essential work of the country. nicipal League.
MCCONNELL had once said that he Government employment continues to suffer Motorola Solutions, Inc.; Municipal Asso-
would certainly be in favor of allowing substantial losses with over 1.6 million state ciation of South Carolina; NACBHDD and
the States to use the bankruptcy and local government jobs lost since March. NARMH; National Association for County
route. That is the Republican leader Leaders in Washington have expressed sup- Community and Economic Development; Na-
telling States, red and blue alike, why port for flexible fiscal aid to states and local- tional Association for Home Care & Hospice;
ities of all sizes. Yet months have gone by National Association of Black County Offi-
don’t you go bankrupt.
and our communities continue to suffer. cials (NABCO); National Association of Bond
That is not acceptable to Senate Americans have a history of standing to- Lawyers; National Association of County
Democrats. So tonight I am joining gether in times of crisis and must do so now. Collectors, Treasurers & Finance Officers
Senators WYDEN, MENENDEZ, HASSAN, Sincerely, (NACCTFO); National Association of Coun-
CARPER, GILLIBRAND, and MURPHY to Accelerate Indiana Municipalities; ACT, ties; National Association of County Engi-
ask the Senate’s consent to pass emer- Inc.; AECOM; Alabama League of Munici- neers; National Association of County
gency Federal funding so that State, palities; Alaska Municipal League; Human Services Administrators; National
local, and Tribal governments can keep Alkermes; American Association of Port Au- Association of Home Builders; National As-
thorities; American Beverage Association; sociation of Regional Councils; National As-
fighting the pandemic and keep their American Federation of State, County and sociation of State Auditors, Comptrollers
communities safe. Municipal Employees; American Federation and Treasurers; National Association of
Lest people think this is a blue issue of Teachers; American Gas Association; State Procurement Officials (NASPO); Na-
or a red issue, I ask unanimous consent American Hotel & Lodging Association; tional Association of State Treasurers; Na-
that the following letter be printed in American Network of Community Options tional Association of Towns and Townships;
the RECORD: and Resources (ANCOR); American Planning National Community Development Associa-
There being no objection, the mate- Association; American Public Human Serv- tion.
ices Association; American Public Power As- National Conference of State Legislatures;
rial was ordered to be printed in the
sociation; American Public Works Associa- National Governors Association; National
RECORD as follows: Emergency Management Association; Na-
tion (APWA); American Shore & Beach Pres-
NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION, ervation Association; American Society of tional League of Cities; National Marine
June 29, 2020. Civil Engineers; AmeriHealth. Manufacturers Association; National Organi-
Hon. MITCH MCCONNELL, Caritas; Anthem; Arizona Association of zation of Black County Officials, Inc
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Counties; Arkansas Municipal League; Ar- (NOBCO); National Workforce Association;
Hon. CHUCK SCHUMER, thritis Foundation; Association of County Nebraska Association of County Officials;
Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Commissioners of Georgia; Association of Netsmart; Nevada Association of Counties;
DEAR MAJORITY LEADER MCCONNELL AND Arkansas Counties; Association of County New Jersey Association of Counties; New
MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: We write today Commissions of Alabama; Association of Fi- Jersey State League of Municipalities; New
to advocate on behalf of states, territories, nancial Guaranty Insurers; Association of Mexico Counties; New York State Associa-
counties, cities and towns, all of which are Indiana Counties; Association of Minnesota tion of Counties; New York State Conference
experiencing historic budget shortfalls as Counties; Association of Oregon Counties; of Mayors and Municipal Officials; NIC;
they continue to respond to the pandemic. In Association of Washington Cities; Axxess; North Carolina League of Municipalities;
less than two days, the budget years for 45 BrightSpring; Health Services California; North Dakota Association of Counties; North
states and thousands of local governments Marine Affairs & Navigation Conference Dakota League of Cities; NWEA; Ohio Mu-
will begin. Unlike the federal government, (CMANC); California State Association of nicipal League.
these state and local governments must Counties; Center for Public Safety Manage- Oklahoma Municipal League; PACENation;
begin their fiscal years on time and with a ment. Partnership for Medicaid Home-Based Care;
balanced budget. If the Senate fails to act Central Gulf Coast Chapter of the Amer- Pennsylvania Municipal League; Police Jury
immediately to support state and local gov- ican Shore & Beach Preservation Associa- Association of Louisiana; Port of Walla
ernments, our nation’s recovery from the tion; CGI Communications, Inc.; Coast Build- Walla; ResCare Workforce Services; Rhode
pandemic-induced recession will suffer and ers Coalition; Colorado Municipal League; Island League of Cities and Towns; Service
millions of Americans will needlessly be CompTIA—Computing Technology Industry Employees International Union (SEIU); Sie-
harmed. Association; Connecticut Conference of Mu- mens; Sourcewell; South Dakota Municipal
Previous federal bills responding to nicipalities; County Commissioners Associa- League; Southern California Edison; Teach-
COVID–19 provided important support, many tion of Ohio; County Commissioners Associa- ers Insurance and Annuity Association of
through well-established grant programs, yet tion of Pennsylvania; County Commissioners America (TIAA); TechNet; Tennessee County
none allow for the replacement of billions of Association of West Virginia; County Execu- Services Association; Tennessee Municipal
lost revenue due to COVID–19. More robust tives of America; Credit Union National As- League; Texas Association of Counties;
and direct stimulus is needed for state and sociation (CUNA); Data Center Coalition; Texas Municipal League; The Coca-Cola
local governments to both rebuild the econ- Delaware League of Local Governments; Company; The Community Outcomes Fund
omy and maintain essential services in edu- Dexcom; Esri, Inc.; Florida Association of at Maycomb Capital.
cation, health care, emergency operations, Counties; Florida League of Cities; Florida The Council of State Governments; The
public safety and more. Shore & Beach Preservation Association; Design-Build Institute of America; The
As we move closer to the end of the budget Georgia Municipal Association. United States Conference of Mayors;

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year, furloughs and job cuts are on the table GIIA; GoRail; Government Finance Offi- three+one; Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care;
for many states and localities. These jobs cers Association; Great Lakes Dredge & U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association
losses not only affect the provision of gov- Dock; IBM; Illinois Municipal League; Illi- (USTMA); U.S. Water Alliance; United Coun-
ernment services, but also add to state un- nois State Association of Counties; Institute ties Council of Illinois; Utah League of Cities
employment. The damage will get far worse for Building Technology and Safety; Inter- and Towns; Vermont League of Cities and
without federal assistance, forcing drastic national Association of Emergency Man- Towns; Virginia Association of Counties;
cuts that will further delay and cancel infra- agers; International City/County Manage- Virginia Municipal League; Washington

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June 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3645
City/County Management Association Across our country, State and local I join Senator WYDEN and my col-
(WCMA); Washington State Association of governments have been at the forefront leagues in moving this UC request.
Counties; West Virginia Association of Coun- of responding to this crisis and pro- Thank you.
ties; West Virginia Municipal League; Wis- I yield the floor.
viding people and businesses with the
consin Counties Association; Wisconsin The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
County Highway Association; Wyoming As- support they need. State and local gov-
ernments also employ millions of es- ator from New Jersey.
sociation of Municipalities; Wyoming Coun-
sential public employees—including Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I
ty Commissioners Association.
teachers, first responders, and others— rise today to join my colleagues to
Mr. SCHUMER. This letter is from stress the urgency for Congress to pro-
the ‘‘Big 7’’ national associations. They who have been working around the
clock to help keep the American people vide robust, flexible assistance to State
represent the Governors, Democrat and and local governments on the
Republican; the mayors, Democrat and safe.
But in the face of these unprece- frontlines of the COVID–19 pandemic.
Republican; the State legislatures, Because this administration has
dented circumstances, States and local
Democrat and Republican; the county failed to devise and deploy a national
communities are facing new, mounting
leaders, Democrat and Republican; and response to a national emergency, the
costs and a catastrophic loss of rev-
the city managers. They all got to- burden of containing and defeating the
enue. Without additional Federal re-
gether in a bipartisan way, as this virus has largely fallen on our States,
sources, we will see even more job
Chamber should do, and wrote the Sen- our counties, and our municipalities.
losses and further economic harm. We
ate a letter pleading—pleading—for They are expending enormous re-
must do more to support the American
Federal support and warning of the sources to expand testing, shore up
people.
dire consequences of the delay. Just last week, Moody’s Analytics re- hospitals, process unemployment
Let me read a passage from their let- claims, and get our residents the help
leased a sobering report on what State
ter to Leader MCCONNELL and myself, and local governments are up against. they desperately need.
with a copy to all Republican and This report indicated that without sig- At the same time, revenues have fall-
Democratic Senators. There are many nificant Federal support for State and en off a cliff due to the economic fall-
organizations from red States signing local governments, 4 million additional out. Monies collected from sales, prop-
this letter. This is what they wrote: people could lose their jobs. erty taxes, building permits, court fees,
Previous federal bills responding to Throughout this crisis, we have parking meters, transit fares—you
COVID–19 provided important support . . . worked together to try to save Amer- name it—are all down.
yet none allow for the replacement of bil- I served at every level of government
lions of lost revenue due to the COVID–19.
ican jobs. Why, then, would we now sit
and do nothing for the people who in New Jersey—the school board,
More robust and direct stimulus is needed mayor, State legislature. I know ex-
for state and local governments to both re- make our communities run?
build the economy and maintain essential States and cities employ essential actly what they are going through. It
services in education, healthcare, emergency workers who have been on the isn’t about any irresponsibility on
operations, public safety and more . . . . frontlines of this crisis. We need these their part. It is the consequences of a
Months have gone by and our communities workers now more than ever. We national pandemic. We didn’t ask for
continue to suffer. Americans have a history should support the important work 14,000 of our citizens in New Jersey to
of standing together in a time of crisis and they are doing, not leave their jobs at die. We didn’t ask for nearly 180,000
must do so now. New Jerseyans to ultimately be in-
risk.
Let me repeat those words for every In addition to job cuts, without addi- fected. But that is our reality. And
Member of this Chamber to hear: tional support, State and local govern- that is not only our reality. There are
‘‘Americans have a history of standing ments may also need to cut programs other States similarly situated.
together in a time of crisis and must do and services that the American people Unlike the Federal Government, vir-
so now.’’ depend on. Forcing States to slash edu- tually all State and local governments
I urge my colleagues—and, particu- cation, infrastructure, and public are constitutionally obligated—con-
larly, my Republican colleagues—to health budgets, among others, would be stitutionally obligated—to pass a bal-
listen to those words. These are your deeply harmful at any time, but in the anced budget. Forty-five States have a
States, your cities, your mayors, your middle of a pandemic and the recession June 30 deadline. That is tomorrow.
counties, and your State governments it has helped create, the ripple effect of Others are fast approaching.
pleading with you for relief—not in a those cuts would be even more stag- This isn’t a blue State or red State
month, not later this year, but right gering. Already, States and cities are issue. This isn’t about pensions, as
now. cutting or delaying fixing sewer lines some have tried to suggest. This is a
I hope my Republican friends will lis- or roads and delaying putting out crit- red, white, and blue issue. It is an
ten to their voices—the voices of their ical contracts to bid, with a ripple ef- American issue. This virus doesn’t see
constituents and State leaders—and fect felt throughout the economy. political boundaries. This isn’t an issue
consent tonight to pass Federal sup- It doesn’t have to be this way. Senate of fiscal responsibility. No one—no
port for State, local, and Tribal gov- Democrats are focused on providing one—is immune. We see it across the
ernments. Blocking it will send a ter- significant economic relief for State Nation, huge spikes taking place in
rible signal to the American people and local governments across the coun- Florida, in Texas, in Arizona, and oth-
that this Senate—this Republican-led try. This would mitigate the job losses ers.
Senate—is unwilling to act with any and further economic damage that we Earlier today, the bipartisan Na-
urgency to pass the relief that our are seeing as a result of this crisis. tional Governors Association, the Na-
States desperately need. I urge my Republican colleagues to tional League of Cities, the National
I now yield to my colleague from work with us to deliver this necessary Association of Counties, the U.S. Con-
New Hampshire, who has been such a relief and ensure that States have the ference Mayors, the National Con-
strong leader, particularly pointing out flexibility to use this funding to back- ference of State Legislatures, the
how lost revenues hurt governments— fill lost revenue and preserve jobs. Council of State Governments, and the
big, small, rural, urban, suburban, you The recent spike in cases in many International City/County Manage-
name it. States reinforces that the public health ment Association sent a joint letter to
Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I thank threat remains extremely serious. Our Senate leadership. I have been a part of
the distinguished leader, and I thank economy will be feeling the effects of some of those organizations at dif-
my colleague from Oregon, Senator this pandemic for years to come. ferent times. I have never seen them
WYDEN, for joining in this motion and State and local governments need all come together on any given issue.

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
for making it. our strong support to help save lives They came together on this one.
I rise today to join them in calling and strengthen our economy, and they Over 170 businesses and organizations
for urgently needed funding for State need it right now. Blocking this relief signed on, all unified with a clear mes-
and local governments to support our will only make a dire economic situa- sage that, if we fail to provide our
communities as they continue to grap- tion even worse. That is the last thing States and communities with imme-
ple with the COVID–19 pandemic. the American people need. diate assistance, we will only hamper

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S3646 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 29, 2020
our Nation’s ability to fully recover, sponse and Transition Act, or the dying, we should pay a greater con-
and Americans will needlessly suffer. SMART Act, is the commonsense solu- sequence because we did the right
According to the Bureau of Labor tion we need to give our communities a thing in doing job No. 1: the safety and
Statistics, more than 1.4 million public fighting chance and to stop the econ- security of our citizens?
employees and counting have been laid omy from freefall. I don’t think so.
off or furloughed across the country— I want to thank Senators CASSIDY, I yield the floor.
over 90,000 in Texas; 65,000 in Ohio; HYDE-SMITH, COLLINS, MANCHIN, and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
nearly 30,000 in Kentucky; 25,000 both BOOKER for joining me in this bipar- ator from Oregon.
in Colorado and Florida. Every State tisan effort, and we are working every Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I thank
and community is bleeding. day to build more support. my colleagues. A number have already
We are talking about first respond- The SMART Act provides $500 billion given eloquent remarks, and we still
ers, teachers, nurses, sanitation work- in flexible Federal funds that will help have more to come. I know, per the
ers, and other employees on the our communities dramatically expand agreement, that it is time to propound
frontlines of the COVID fight. We need the testing capacity and contact trac- the unanimous consent request.
them on the job, not the unemploy- ing we need to contain the virus, which So, with the support of thousands of
ment line. It would be the height of is a necessary step to restoring con- firefighters, first responders, teachers,
irony that the result of the pandemic sumer confidence and restarting the county health providers, and thousands
or, more importantly, our govern- economy. more Americans of both political par-
ment’s unwillingness to respond to the It will help stave off massive layoffs, ties with an extraordinary work ethic,
challenge of State and municipalities tax hikes, and deep, painful cuts to es- I ask unanimous consent that the Sen-
is that those whom we needed the sential services. It will keep our EMTs, ate proceed to the immediate consider-
most, those whom we still need the firefighters, public health workers, ation of the State, Local, and Tribal
most, those whom we will need the teachers, and other essential employ- Fiscal Relief and Rural Stability Act,
most tomorrow are going to be laid off. ees on the job during this critical which is at the desk. I further ask that
The essential services our residents time—because it is not just about de- the bill be considered read three times
and businesses rely upon are being feating COVID–19. We still need to keep and passed and that the motion to re-
slashed left and right. For instance, our first responders on the job, our consider be considered made and laid
the National League of Cities reports children learning, the trash picked up, upon the table with no intervening ac-
that more than 700 U.S. cities have the roads maintained, and the buses tion or debate.
halted roadway repairs and delayed and trains running on time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
equipment purchases to plug local Unless we act soon, we will see more objection?
budget holes. We are seeing deep, pain- mass layoffs, devastating tax increases, The Senator from Florida.
ful cuts across the board. Moody’s pro- and a breakdown in public safety and Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President,
jected last week that State budget essential services. We cannot—in all reserving the right to object, this is
shortfalls will top $500 billion over the good conscience—sit back and watch clearly a challenging time for every
next 3 years. our States, counties, cities, and towns level of government. I think we will all
Now, I have heard some in this body fail. We cannot shift the Federal Gov- admit that this crisis was unprece-
argue that if we just reopen our econ- ernment’s responsibility and then leave dented, and Congress has already taken
omy, we would negate the need for them holding the bag. bold action to stem this virus and save
Congress to act. Well, that has been We can’t turn our backs on the our economy. But if we are not careful,
proven a fallacy. COVID–19 cases are American people. A national emer- Congress will create another equally
spiking across the country, especially gency requires a national response, and devastating crisis down the road—a cri-
in those States that were quick to re- it is this body’s sworn duty to act, to sis of our own making.
open. We are seeing daily records being send our States and local communities Our national debt and deficits, al-
set in places like Arizona, Florida, the resources they desperately need to ready at unsustainable levels, have
Georgia, and Texas, forcing some areas combat COVID–19 and to continue to skyrocketed as Congress has spent al-
to tighten their restrictions. serve the constituents we have all been most $3 trillion—$3 trillion—to address
Yet, in my home State of New Jer- elected to represent. this crisis. To put that in perspective,
sey, which was second only to New If the safety and security of the Congress has spent $9,000 for every
York in the number of COVID cases, we American people is job one, this is also American.
have not just flattened the curve; our safety and security. At some point we need to start
infection rates are dropping. As we me- I will close with this. I appreciate thinking about the impact this spend-
thodically and responsibly reopen, that there are different points of view, ing will have on the future of our chil-
there is no doubt that the emergency but I really get upset when I hear that dren and our grandchildren, how we are
protection measures we took in New States like mine or others somehow impacting our ability to fund our mili-
Jersey helped stop the spread of want to be bailed out. tary and our safety nets like Social Se-
COVID–19 and save lives, but that I will tell you what—New Jersey curity, Medicare, and Medicaid.
progress has come with tremendous would be happy to take the excess Again, I know everyone here wants
economic pain and personal sacrifice money it sends to the Federal Treasury to help our States. I want to help our
that no State and community will be rather than what it gets in return—bil- States, too, which is why I support
able to escape. lions of dollars—and say: We will han- maintaining the existing restrictions
So we can’t allow ourselves to be dle the problem on our own. tied to the Coronavirus Relief Fund
handcuffed to partisan ideology. This We would like to see some of our fel- that were included in the CARES Act
isn’t about left or right, conservative low States here, which receive more to make sure this spending is for
or progressive politics. I honestly be- money than they contribute to the coronavirus response.
lieve that most of our colleagues on Federal Treasury, return it. We are not Congress has already allocated bil-
the Republican side understand this. a moocher State; we are a donor State. lions in direct and indirect aid to
Most recognize that forcing States and So some of my colleagues here should States and localities. Total direct
communities to go bankrupt is not a look: They get $20 billion, $30 billion funding from the Federal Government
conservative principle, that the last more from the Federal Government already exceeds $1 trillion. Let me just
thing we need during an economic cri- than they pay into the Federal Treas- go through it.
sis is to send 3 to 4 million public ury. We in New Jersey pay more than We gave them $150 billion for COVID–

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
workers to the unemployment line we get. 19 expenses. To put that in perspective,
without the ability for them to respond Now that we are in the midst of a na- while I was Governor of Florida, we
on our collective behalf. tional emergency in which we have had four hurricanes. The Federal Gov-
We need bold bipartisan action to ad- thousands of our citizens dying, thou- ernment never funded 100 percent of
dress this national crisis. That is why sands more still infected, and we did my cost. We are funding 100 percent of
the State Municipal Assistance for Re- the right thing in order to stop the the COVID–19 cost.

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June 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3647
We have given our State and local comes from the taxpayers in those our children and grandchildren would
governments $500 billion in short-term States. Do you know how it comes not only be a political failure, it would
loans. We have given them $45 billion here? It comes here to pay for things be an abdication of our moral responsi-
in FEMA disaster funds, $30 billion in like Social Security and Medicare. bility.
education funds without any informa- Then these citizens get sick and tired It is time to make the hard choices,
tion on whether education costs have of the high taxes in places like New to put our Nation on a path to recov-
gone up, $34 billion for mass transit Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Cali- ery—recovery from this virus, from the
and community grants, $270 billion for fornia and move to lower tax States economic devastations brought with it,
CARES Act emergency appropriations, and then receive these benefits. and from the fiscal calamity that dec-
and $50 billion for Medicaid—and as we Then people come up here and say: ades of politicians have ignored. I hope
have all seen with the healthcare costs, Oh, our government funded govern- my colleagues will join me in the fight
Medicaid costs have gone down around ments in other States. No, they don’t. for our future.
the country. The citizens do it, and then they get I therefore respectfully object.
Even this doesn’t begin to count an- sick and tired of those high taxes and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
other $1.3 trillion in indirect assistance move. tion is heard.
to small businesses, individuals, and So we know New York, California, The Senator from Oregon.
increased unemployment benefits to and Illinois have no problem using Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, to make
families in all of our States. hard-earned taxpayer dollars to fund a very brief response—and I know my
We have given $175 billion to our their liberal priorities and to backfill colleagues have been very patient—I
healthcare community. We have given their budget shortfalls and solve their just want to make sure that everybody
$11 billion to our States to deal with longstanding fiscal problems. really put in context the remarks the
testing. It is not fair to the citizens of States Senator from Florida made. He is basi-
Now my colleagues want to spend an- like Florida where, over my 8 years as cally saying that if you don’t address
other $1 trillion before the other tril- Governor, we made the hard choices healthcare now, if you don’t address
lion dollars that was already allocated that put our State on a financially se- education now, if you don’t address
has even been spent. cure path. Because we made those roads now, that somehow there aren’t
I sent a letter this month to all U.S. choices, the Governor of Florida was going to be any consequences.
Governors to get more details on ex- able to sign a responsible State budget There are going to be very real con-
actly how they are allocating the Fed- today without having to beg the Fed- sequences. People are going to be sick-
eral coronavirus response funds that eral Government for a bailout. Guess er, for example. We are going to spend
they have already received. I have what. There are teacher pay raises in much more down the road. We have a
heard back only from four States. there and increased funding for K–12 weakened and smaller economy, and we
Do you think I have heard back from education. will have that for an unknown amount
New York? Of course not, and I don’t American families make responsible of time.
expect to. Why? Because politicians in budgetary decisions every day. Suc- My colleague mentioned his concern
these liberal States have refused to cessful companies make responsible about weakened national security. How
live within their means for decades, budget decisions every day. Well-mean- can a semi-permanently weakened
and they want Floridians to backfill ing States like Florida have done it for economy not affect national security?
their budgets and pay for the incom- years. It is time for New York, Illinois, Of course it is going to affect national
petency of Governors like Andrew and California to do the same. security, and it is going to affect na-
Cuomo. We have to get serious about how we tional security badly.
Andrew Cuomo got elected when I are spending taxpayer money and the Finally, I will make one additional
got elected—at the end of 2010, at the fact that this year’s Federal budget point, and I know my colleagues will
end of the financial crisis. I have deficit will be the largest in the history address this as well. My colleague from
watched him in my 8 years as Gov- of this country. While it may be tempt- Florida talks about deficits. I am the
ernor. Did he balance his budget? No, ing to throw money at the problem and ranking Democrat on the Finance
he doesn’t balance his budget. He keeps then believe that removing the restric- Committee, where we sat through my
borrowing more money year after year. tions on funding will satisfy States for colleagues’ tax bill—a bill that he
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial a bailout, I am afraid that my col- voted for, and he strongly supported it
board said: ‘‘The policy question is why leagues are mistaken. and said it is going to pay for itself;
taxpayers in Florida and other well- These funds are still needed for what is to worry about?
managed states should pay higher coronavirus response, and unfortu- Nobody does deficits better than that
taxes to rescue an Albany political nately many States have not been shy side of the aisle. Nobody does them bet-
class that refuses to restrain its tax- about their desire for hundreds of bil- ter and bigger and in a more irrespon-
and-spend governance.’’ lions of dollars in taxpayer bailouts for sible way.
New York has increased their spend- their liberal agendas. I am not going to I wanted to put that in context. I
ing since 2010 by $43 billion, which is let this happen. look forward to the remarks of my
$570,000 per new resident—$570,000 per By the way, when you hear about all friend from Connecticut and Nevada.
new resident. They already have a these letters that come that want more Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President,
State and local personal income tax money—I spent 8 years as Governor of I would like to respond to my colleague
rate of 12.7 percent. Florida. I don’t remember one time before he leaves.
I know why they want money: They that somebody came to me and said: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
can’t tax their citizens any more. They Why don’t you spend less money? Of ator from Florida.
have already done it. Because of all of course everybody is going to come up Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President,
their taxes, people keep moving to here and ask us for more money, more I wasn’t here when the tax bill was
States like Florida. They have lost $9.6 money, more money. It is somebody’s done. I cut taxes of over $10 billion. We
billion in adjusted gross income to money. cut taxes and fees. And what happened
other States just since 2018. I think about this in the context of is our economy grew. We added 1.7 bil-
So what these States have done is my seven grandchildren. We cannot lion jobs.
they don’t live within their means, and saddle them and children like them Let’s go back and look at this. We
now they want us to come be respon- across the country with mountains of talk about money. We have given $150
sible for their bad budgets, their pen- debt—debt that right now stands in ex- billion for the expenses. We have given

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
sion plans, and things like that. cess of $77,000 per American—$77,000 per loans. We have given FEMA disaster
One of my colleagues brought up this American. funds. We have given education funds.
concept that some States are donors. I Do you know what it was in 1976? It We have given mass transit funds. We
have been up here 18 months. I have was $3 per American. It is $77,000. To have given emergency appropriations
looked at the Federal budget. I haven’t take away the same opportunities I for a variety of different sections. We
seen a dime come from the States. It had to live the American dream from have given many healthcare dollars for

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S3648 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 29, 2020
Medicaid. On top of that, we allocated back. That is because we are wealthier today than it was in March. It has been
$175 billion to our healthcare system, States. 45 days since the House sent us legisla-
and we gave our States $11 billion for You know what, while we fight to try tion to keep people alive, and we have
testing. It is not like we have been up to get as much of that revenue back to done nothing.
here and not responding. We have re- our State as possible, we understand My colleagues, I want to leave you
sponded. that because citizens in our States with just one picture—really two pic-
By the way, the dollars have not all have done a little bit better, we should tures side by side for my State. Just
been spent. What we need to do is, let’s help pay for the healthcare of people in ask yourself after thinking about this,
see what these Governors come back Florida; we should help pay for the visualizing this, if this is really the
with. I have gotten a response from education of poor kids in Florida. world you want to choose to live in
four Governors so far. Let’s look at We grouse about the amount of taxes through your inaction.
what they said, and then we can make we pay, but we understand the deal in We have our share of billionaires in
a responsible decision on how we spend which, because we have done a little Connecticut. They are important to us.
our money going forward. bit better, we are going to help States They pay a decent amount of taxes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- that need a little bit more help. But on They contribute philanthropically. But
ator from Connecticut. an average year, the average Florida they have done very well over the
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, let me recipient gets $2,700 more in Federal course of the pandemic. A survey just
tell you how the bailout has worked. assistance than they give. That sounds came out that showed that over half of
When COVID hit this country and peo- like a bailout—on an annual basis, re- those who count themselves as billion-
ple were dying from a disease that we peating year after year. aires in Connecticut had dramatically
didn’t have a vaccine for, as emergency What we are asking here is for some increased their net worth since this
rooms all over the country were being help to save lives. We are not asking to pandemic began. In fact, of all the bil-
overwhelmed, the Federal Government give out surplus checks to our con- lionaires in Connecticut, they had in-
and the Trump administration did stituents; we are asking for help to creased their total wealth by about $2
nothing. They did nothing. They didn’t keep people alive all throughout this billion—$2 billion. That is driven in
stand up a national testing program. country. States and municipalities are part by a stock market that has priced
They didn’t stand up a national trace the ones that are conducting the re- in all of the Trump administration’s
and quarantine system. They didn’t let sponse because the Trump administra- support for corporations. It is because
the CDC do their job and issue national tion has refused to do it, and it is an of a stock market that has also priced
guidelines around how to close busi- expensive response. in the mass extinction of lots of small
nesses and schools. They didn’t lead If you want to keep people alive, then businesses that will accrue to the ben-
proposing legislation before Congress you have to help us pay for that ex- efit of those corporations.
to tackle the costs of this response. pense. You have to help us pay for that I want you to think about the richest
President Trump put in place a feck- expense. Our revenues are cratering as Americans over the course of the last
less travel restriction that still allowed the economy has been shut down. Our several months having seen their nest
tens of thousands of people to get here expenses are spiraling as we have been egg grow—grow. They can afford more.
from the countries that were infected, left holding the bag. When that hap- They can pass down more wealth to
and then the Federal Government gave pens, you can only do two things if you their children, even with 20 percent of
up. It did nothing. It left the entirety are a State that has to balance your Americans unemployed.
of the response to the States. budget, as Connecticut is, every year. Put that next to this visual. Jen
Here is how the bailout works. The We can either raise taxes—think about Sherman lives in my State and has a
States have bailed out the Federal that: raising taxes in the middle of an 14-year-old named Gavin. He is a spe-
Government by stepping up to the economy in meltdown—or we can lay cial education student with a host of
plate and being primary responders to people off. learning challenges. He hasn’t been in
this epidemic. Hospitals and local pub- Already across this country, 1.5 mil- school since March. He needs school be-
lic health systems have bailed out the lion State and local workers have been cause at school are his professionals—
Federal Government, which did noth- laid off, and there are more to come. his counselors, his therapists. School is
ing to stop this virus. That is how the Many of them will be in the public where his routine is.
bailout has worked. health field—the very people who we Jen says: My kid is falling apart in
All States are asking for is to help need to be able to identify where the front of my eyes. It is making me phys-
pay for the expense of confronting this virus exists, trace the contacts, and ically ill watching him be out of school
virus. If a bailout equals saving lives, quarantine people to keep others safe. for going on for 4 months. He is just de-
then I am for a bailout. Without help Those are the people who are going to teriorating on me. His mental health is
from the Federal Government, people be laid off. concerning. It is the unknown. He has
are going to die. States that have to It becomes this downward spiral in so many questions we can’t answer.
balance their Federal budgets are not which, as the Federal Government re- Jen is getting ready to send Gavin,
going to be able to erect the kind of fuses to help States pay for the virus who is already broken down, back to
anti-pandemic infrastructure that will response and the States can no longer school. As she is readying to send him
save lives. effectively stand up a response effort, back to school, school districts across
My colleague from Florida has left, the virus wins. That is one of the rea- the State of Connecticut are talking
but let’s also just be honest about the sons you are seeing the virus spread in about laying off the very professionals
accounting here. He had a chart up places like Florida or Texas—because who will help Gavin get back to that
about Florida bailing out New York. If we don’t have the infrastructure in routine.
you want to do a deal in which Con- place. The Trump administration re- Surveys suggest that if we don’t pass
necticut and New York and New Jersey fused to build it, and now we are refus- another emergency response package
get to keep all of the revenue that we ing to help States build it. for States, 10 percent of teachers could
send to the Federal Government, that It has been 45 days since the House be laid off. You know who is going to
we get a guarantee for every dollar we passed their legislation helping States come first. It is going to be those para-
send to Washington, we get a dollar to keep people alive. I was on this floor professionals. It will be those coun-
back, we are all in. as my Republican colleagues were lit- selors who build support services
I don’t think my friend from Florida erally jumping from their seats when around the most vulnerable kids.
would take that deal because every sin- Senate Democrats were insisting that As corporations and billionaires have

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
gle year, on average, a Connecticut cit- we take an extra day or two to pass the done better and better, kids like
izen gives $4,000 more to the Federal CARES Act, to get it right—jumping Gavin—low-income families across this
Government than that Connecticut cit- out of their seats with a sense of ur- country, the masses of the unem-
izen gets back. The average New York gency. ployed—are suffering and will not be
citizen gives on average $1,700 more to The virus is back on the march able to get back to normal unless we
the Federal Government than they get again. The economy is in worse shape beat this virus. We can’t beat it if we

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June 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3649
don’t help States and municipalities without a job. Let me put that in com- sider cutting $125 million from higher
with the work that needs to be done. parison. The highest national unem- education and $100 million from ele-
It has been some 45 days since we ployment rate America ever recorded mentary and secondary education. In
watched the House pass legislation during the Great Depression was 25.6 Nevada, like so many other places, this
that could save lives and allow us to percent. is all going on against the backdrop of
stand up a true national effort to beat On May 25, the House voted for the tremendous economic pain. We have
this virus once and for all. I would comprehensive Heroes Act to support 300,000 people in the Silver State claim-
plead to my colleagues to not go home State, local, and Tribal governments, ing unemployment insurance and thou-
for a 2-week vacation without passing to bolster health systems, to provide sands of those still waiting to receive
legislation to help us stand up a State further stimulus payments, to help their benefits.
and local response to COVID–19. frontline workers, and strengthen this This economic shock continues. Peo-
I yield the floor. Nation’s economy. At that time, we as ple are going to start losing their
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Senators could have rolled up our homes or be evicted from their apart-
ator from Nevada. sleeves right then and worked to find ments if we don’t do something to ad-
Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, common ground with the House so we dress it now. Nevada was already fac-
along with my colleague, I am as- could provide help and assistance to so ing tremendous affordable housing cri-
tounded that we have gone this long many people across this country. sis. We need urgent solutions to pre-
without any type of relief for our State Unfortunately, on May 26, our major- vent this wave of dislocations and
and local governments that are suf- ity leader told reporters that the Sen- homelessness.
fering right now. The last time this ate would probably—we would probably And equally urgent is the help needed
Chamber passed legislation to address pass more legislation. Now it is the end for our small businesses. I was just on
the coronavirus pandemic was April 21, of June, and we have no legislation a call earlier today with the executive
2020. That was over 2 months ago. from the Senate on the greatest crisis directors of the chambers throughout
I can tell you, I know, Mr. President facing this Nation since World War II, our State. I can guarantee you, I am
and all of my colleagues, you are hear- even though we are hearing constantly not alone. In your State and all of our
ing from your constituents in your from our constituents and from our States, our small businesses are scram-
States. I am hearing from my constitu- States. bling to find new business models and
ents. I have heard from thousands of Meanwhile, we are suffering. I can new sources of revenue. Many of these
Nevadans who find themselves lying tell you, Nevadans are suffering like businesses are the heart of our commu-
awake at night trying to figure out almost every other State in the coun- nities, and if they go under perma-
how to pay the rent, feed their kids, try. nently, cities and towns will suffer as
and take care of family members at Nevada has to balance its budget on well.
elevated risk from COVID–19. July 1, just a few days from now. Our frontline medical workers—the
People in the Silver State want to Forty-six States have similar budgets true heroes—continue to need support.
know what more the Federal Govern- they have to balance. Unlike the Fed- As cases climb in Nevada, they are
ment is doing to help them, and rightly working tirelessly to save lives and
eral Government, States can’t borrow
so, but they do not want to hear us on prevent complications, and they need
to make up for shortfalls. Every State
the floor of the Senate Chamber identi- our support.
in this country is collecting less in
Our frontline medical workers and
fying and arguing that liberal States taxes than it usually would, and every
our States also rely on Medicaid so
should not get some sort of relief right State in the country faces unprece- that other people who are also strug-
now. dented and unforeseen expenses be-
I just heard my colleague from Flor- gling financially can still get critical
cause of this pandemic. healthcare when they need it. In Ne-
ida identifying that liberal States In my State, the Governor has esti-
vada, nearly 45,000 people are newly re-
shouldn’t get funding. What is a liberal mated there will be a $1.3 billion budg- liant on this safety net coverage.
State? How do we define that? Does et shortfall. Las Vegas alone is facing a Without additional resources to
that mean it is a Democratic State or drop in revenue of over $100 million. cover the costs associated with their
a Republican State because I can tell The city of Reno expects a $30 million coverage, the State will be forced to
you—you have seen it and I have seen hole in its budget. These are real dol- cut payments to the doctors who serve
it—we have all seen letters from our lars that are going to come out of es- them, and this is in a State that al-
Governors across this country in a bi- sential services. State, local, and Trib- ready has one of the country’s lowest
partisan way—letters signed by Demo- al governments are absolutely on the rates of doctors per capita. Almost
cratic Governors and Republican Gov- frontlines of this health crisis. three out of four Nevada providers are
ernors asking for relief and support The Senate must join the House in worried about the financial viability of
from this Congress. It is not just the passing this vital legislation to give as- their practices in the face of the cur-
Governors; it is the mayors; it is the sistance to so many in need right now rent crisis.
county chairmen, the county commis- across this country. When we talk about funding State
sioners. We heard from my colleagues that and local governments, we cannot for-
I will tell you, there are some beau- States and localities have to pay get our Tribal governments. They don’t
tiful places in my State, and we are Ne- EMTs, police, firefighters, healthcare collect taxes. They are barred from
vadans. Whether you are a Republican providers—those essential people who doing so. Yet they rely on businesses to
or you are a Democrat, every single are on the frontlines dealing with this fund services. With Nevada’s economy
one of my mayors I have talked to, healthcare crisis. According to a study so hard hit, our Tribal communities
every single one of the county commis- by the National League of Cities, half need another source of funding, and
sioners and the county chairmen, along the cities in the country expect that they need support. This is while many
with my Governor—we come from budget shortfall will affect public safe- of the Tribes in my State are still in
beautiful, diverse backgrounds—they ty. lockdown, still trying to get access to
are looking for additional support. We State and local governments also sufficient COVID–19 testing and PPE
can’t put a pause on it now. We can’t fund schools and teachers. In the mid- and even key data. The CARES Act
wait. dle of this pandemic, they have to fig- funding wasn’t even released to Tribal
I don’t understand why we have been ure out ways to deliver online edu- governments across the country for 60
waiting since April. In April, State and cation to students who don’t have com- days, and the Senate majority leader
local governments laid off 1 million puters or internet and work to support still thinks things aren’t urgent? It is

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
workers across the country and froze parents trying to help their kids learn. just wrong.
or cut the salaries of thousands more. They are having to figure out how to The Senate must move urgently to
In April, in my home State of Nevada, feed kids in the next school year under strengthen the very institutions across
unemployment was skyrocketing to 28 inflexible nutrition program rules. this country that are delivering essen-
percent, the highest in the Nation. Meanwhile, with these added chal- tial service to Americans. It is just a
That is nearly one in three Nevadans lenges in Nevada, we are having to con- basic necessity.

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S3650 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 29, 2020
I understand that many of my col- board by all Americans and employing The other great lesson of that book is
leagues want to make sure we spend Americans. of the failure by local health depart-
Federal funds wisely, and I want that, Small businesses, as we know, no ments and by local leaders to command
too, but the way to achieve this is for matter who owns them, are the major the resources and devote them to fight-
all of us to start working now. Nevad- job creators today in the United ing the pandemic itself. This contrib-
ans need us to take action. The Amer- States. There are linkages here, as I uted to it. We need to learn the lessons
ican people need us to take action. I have been hearing. I go around the of history. They are sometimes so sim-
ask Leader MCCONNELL to take up and State talking to those business own- ple and powerful that we look the other
pass the Heroes Act or convene on the ers—not only the big contractors, the way.
floor of the Senate or in our commit- defense providers, like Sikorsky and Before we leave town, let us look
tees real bipartisan discussions so we Pratt & Whitney, but their supply squarely at the Heroes Act and do the
can pass the next economic stimulus chain. Those small- and medium-sized right thing—pass it and make sure that
package. businesses will be disastrously affected America moves forward to conquer this
I yield the floor. by a failure to keep faith, move for- public health emergency and economic
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ward, and pass the Heroes Act. crisis that has been made all the more
ator from Connecticut. Those frontline workers deserve the severe by the unfinished business of
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. I am honored to Heroes Fund—hazardous duty pay up to this country in dealing with racism
follow the Senator from Nevada who $25,000, retroactive to the beginning of and discrimination. We have that op-
knows so well the importance of public this national emergency. Again, recog- portunity. The July 4 holiday should
service and public servants. nizing public service, not only reward- not be a time off; it ought to be a time
One of the reasons why we are here is ing it but also retaining and recruiting on for us to do the right thing, and it
because many of those public servants more of them. is on us.
doing such great service for our com- State and local governments depend I yield the floor.
munities will be laid off or furloughed on those frontline workers whom we f
to the detriment of their communities talk so glowingly about. Now is our
and their States. As the Senator knows chance to put the money where our MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT
in Nevada, and I know in Connecticut, mouth is, and we have not only a moral Messages from the President of the
what is necessary for them to continue obligation, we have an economic duty United States were communicated to
their work is, in fact, the Heroes Act. and a patriotic duty as we go into July the Senate by Mrs. Neiman, one of his
We have been talking a lot about the 4. secretaries.
frontline workers, the heroes, like first Finally, let me just say—and I said it f
responders, police, firefighters, the last week—that the U.S. Senate is
doctors and nurses, the grocery check- about to leave town for 2 weeks, want- EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED
ers, the delivery people far and wide, ing America to believe that we have As in executive session the Presiding
high and low. They have been doing done our job. The fact is, we will have Officer laid before the Senate messages
great work. Many of them are going to failed to have done our job unless we from the President of the United
be directly affected if we fail to pass will have acted on the Heroes Act. States submitting sundry nominations
the Heroes Act. Many of them and Failing to act on the Heroes Act is an which were referred to the Committee
their work will be for naught if we fail abrogation of our duty. We cannot go on Foreign Relations.
to support the Heroes Act and enable back and talk about the spirit of the (The messages received today are
State and local government to con- Fourth of July and about the resilience printed at the end of the Senate
tinue to employ them and support and resoluteness of the Founders if we proceedings.)
them. cannot be sufficiently determined to do f
I have been traveling across the our job here. MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE
State of Connecticut over these last 21⁄2 That aid to State and local govern-
months. What I have found is unparal- ments is not a matter of convenience At 3:02 p.m., a message from the
leled hardship and heartbreak. or luxury; it is a necessity for us to fi- House of Representatives, delivered by
Yesterday, I visited a small business, nance the public health departments Mr. Novotny, one of its reading clerks,
a restaurant in Norwalk called No that conduct testing and contact trac- announced that the House has passed
Leftovers, offering Caribbean food. It ing as well as those economic develop- the following bills, in which it requests
has been in business for 3 years. Its ment departments and land use depart- the concurrence of the Senate:
owner has received no Paycheck Pro- ments, health, firefighting, policing, H.R. 51. An act to provide for the admis-
tection Program funding, and it is teaching. These are the core functions sion of the State of Washington, D.C. into
hanging by a thread. That story is re- the Union.
of our government, and there will be
H.R. 3094. An act to designate the National
peated again and again and again. layoffs—massive layoffs—across the Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange
One of the reasons he is so fearful country if we fail to do our job. Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for
about the future is that zoning in Nor- I have been reading a book called other purposes.
walk has been delayed because people ‘‘The Great Influenza’’ by John Barry. H.R. 7036. An act to amend the Antitrust
are not at work. What happens to Nor- One of the lessons of that pandemic is Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform
walk and its Zoning and Land Use De- that the failure to tell the truth is Act of 2004 to repeal the sunset provision.
partment if there is no money to pay itself a failure that can lead to dis- H.R. 7120. An act to hold law enforcement
for it? That story writ large is about accountable for misconduct in court, im-
aster. It can spawn fear and even ter-
prove transparency through data collection,
the future of America and the Amer- ror. It can lead to complacency and in- and reform police training and policies.
ican dream that No Leftovers and action. H.R. 7259. An act to allow acceleration cer-
small businesses like his exemplify, The failure to tell the truth is all too tificates awarded under the Patents for Hu-
and it is a Black-owned business. The common these days with regard to this manity Program to be transferable.
tragedy of the Black-owned businesses pandemic. The numbers tell, with The message also announced that the
going under is one of the unwritten much greater accuracy, the story of House has agreed to the following con-
stories of this pandemic. Forty-one this pandemic than what we have been current resolution, without amend-
percent have failed during this pan- hearing from the White House. Yet now ment:
demic—often through no fault of those we have an obligation to make sure the S. Con. Res. 38. Concurrent resolution to
business owners—because they face truth is told, and that means facing establish the Joint Congressional Committee

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
this economic crisis, and they face the the obligation to act. The way we can on Inaugural Ceremonies for the inaugura-
loss of service if State and local gov- act is on the Heroes Act. The way we tion of the President-elect and Vice Presi-
ernments, in effect, have to cut their can tell the truth is to squarely lay be- dent-elect of the United States on January
workforces and their services to those fore the American people what the 20, 2021.
businesses. This is not only Black- challenges are and what the costs will The message further announced that
owned but businesses owned across the be if we fail to act. the House of Representatives having

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