Multiemployer Pension System (Cong. Rec., June 30, 2020)
Summary
Page S3993 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for June 30, 2020. A speaker on election security says the FIRE Act was blocked four times when sought by unanimous consent, and that the Intelligence Committee voted 14 to 1 to pass an authorization bill that included it. Another statement addresses the multiemployer pension system, saying more than 10 million workers and retirees are in these plans, that 150 multiemployer plans have failed or terminated, and that more than 1.5 million Americans would be affected. A further speaker says the government pays checks to dead people and refers to sharing Social Security information.
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“Multiemployer Pension System (Cong. Rec., June 30, 2020).”
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June 30, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3993
Russia or any other adversaries copy- port foreign interference, then we need Congress, one of my top priorities has
ing their playbook. to require it by law. been to fix the failing multiemployer
Unfortunately, the White House and I spent over a year inviting my col- pension system and to help secure re-
the leadership on the majority side of leagues across the aisle to work with tirement benefits of more than 10 mil-
the Senate seem to be the only ones us on this already—and I point out ‘‘al- lion workers and retirees in these mul-
not taking this threat seriously. ready’’—bipartisan legislation. I have tiemployer plans.
Since 2016, this body has failed to tried to answer every objection and This is especially important since 150
vote on a single piece of stand-alone work through the right channels to get multiemployer plans have failed or ter-
election security legislation. Four this legislation to the floor as part of minated, and many others are expected
times in the last year, I have come to the NDAA. What did we do? We went to run out of money in the coming 10
the floor in an attempt to pass my bi- back to the Intelligence Committee— years. In the decade after that, many
partisan election security legislation, again, the only committee engaged in a more plans are expected to fail. In all,
known as the FIRE Act, by unanimous serious effort to prevent foreign elec- more than 1.5 million Americans would
consent, and each time these efforts tion interference. We made sure this be affected by the failure of these mul-
were blocked by my Republican col- year’s intel authorization bill included tiemployer pension plans.
leagues. several provisions to strengthen our Now, the coronavirus has had its ef-
Of course, when they blocked it, they defenses ahead of the November elec- fect on these plans as well. We don’t
got what they were looking for. They tions. The committee voted 14 to 1 to yet have a firm read on how much the
earned applause from the President on pass an intel authorization bill that in- economic downturn has affected plans’
Twitter. In a different time with a dif- cluded the FIRE Act, the act that I funding or even the Pension Benefit
ferent President, this bill wouldn’t be just described, so that if a foreign gov- Guaranty Corporation’s insurance fund
controversial at all. It would simply ernment interferes or offers you assist- backing up those plans that have
say to all Presidential campaigns going ance or offers you dirt, you don’t say failed. We expect more details on those
forward that if a foreign power reaches issues later this summer.
thanks; you call the FBI. So you can
out to their campaign offering assist- Now, one thing that we do know for
imagine my surprise and frustration
ance or offering dirt on a political op- sure is that this problem is only going
when I learned of a backroom deal to to get worse and more costly to resolve
ponent, the appropriate response is not strip the FIRE Act out of the Intel-
to say, thank-you; the appropriate re- if we wait longer to solve it. That is
ligence Committee’s legislation be- why all this concentration at this
sponse is to call the FBI. cause of a supposed turf war with an-
What a sad statement about partisan point. Now we have a real opportunity
other committee. to get it fixed—and hopefully this year.
politics in our country when we can’t I am back again today because the Last November, Health, Education,
even agree on that. We can’t even agree security of our elections cannot wait. Labor, and Pensions Committee chair-
that there ought to be a duty to report Let’s not hide behind process or juris- man LAMAR ALEXANDER of Tennessee
an offer of foreign assistance in a Pres- dictional boundaries. The stakes are and I released a draft plan to reform
idential campaign. far too high to continue the partisan the multiemployer pension system,
I introduced this legislation months blockade of election security legisla- protect retirees, and at the same time
before the facts came to light about tion that we have seen over the last 3 secure the PBGC’s insurance fund. We
the President’s pressuring Ukraine into years. received many thoughtful and con-
announcing politically motivated in- If, behind closed doors, my Repub- structive comments, and we worked
vestigations into the Bidens. I am not lican colleagues want to strip this leg- over the past several months to address
here to rehash the impeachment trial, islation out of the NDAA, then I am those comments to make our reform
but I do want to note one thing. A going to offer it up as an amendment plan as effective and balanced as pos-
number of my Republican colleagues to force an up-or-down vote and put sible.
justified their vote by saying that, every Member of this body on the So what is standing in the way? The
while not impeachable, it was wrong record: Are you for election security or usual thing: You have got to have bi-
for the President to solicit foreign in- are you for allowing foreign entities to partisanship to get anything done in
terference in our elections. interfere and offer assistance with no the U.S. Senate. The short answer is
I take my colleagues across the aisle requirement to report? that the Democratic leadership doesn’t
at their word that they believe foreign More than ever, it is time to put seem to be very interested in working
interference has no place in our elec- country over party and defend our de- to find that bipartisan solution. They
tions, but at some point you have to mocracy from those who would do it seem to think the no-strings bailout
put your money where your mouth is. harm. I encourage my colleagues to which they tried to force into the
We know the President tried to trade support this amendment and send a CARES Act in March and which now
election favors with Ukraine. Accord- clear message: Foreign interference appears in the House’s HEROES Act is
ing to the new book from John Bolton, has no place in our elections. somehow a take-it-or-leave-it propo-
the President tried to trade political I yield the floor. sition. That doesn’t work very well,
favors with Xi Jinping during trade ne- particularly in the Senate, where it
gotiations. Maybe that happened; f
takes bipartisanship to get anything
maybe it didn’t. But I would be much RECESS done.
more inclined to give the President the I would also hope that they are not
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
benefit of the doubt if he hadn’t asked playing election-year politics. If they
the previous order, the Senate stands
China to investigate the Bidens on na- are, then they are playing those elec-
in recess until 2:15 p.m.
tional television, if he hadn’t asked tion-year politics with the retirement
Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:31 p.m.,
Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails security of millions of Americans. As
recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem-
during the 2016 campaign, or if he had every day goes on, the prospects of peo-
bled when called to order by the Pre-
shown even a shred of interest in de- ple retiring on what they thought they
siding Officer (Mrs. CAPITO).
fending our democracy from foreign in- were going to retire on—these multi-
terference over the last 4 years. f employer plans—is getting less and
We are under attack from adversaries less. Delaying a solution until next
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA-
who see this new area of cyber warfare year is only going to make it more
TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR
and disinformation as a golden oppor- costly, and it will still require bipar-
2021—Continued
tunity to undermine American democ- tisan support.
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racy. We cannot afford to have a sys- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- We can and we must do better if we
tem that allows Presidential can- ator from Iowa. want a healthy multiemployer system
didates to welcome this interference MULTIEMPLOYER PENSION SYSTEM for the long haul. We have a chance to
with open arms. If we can’t trust the Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, fix this problem long term. Otherwise,
President of the United States and his since I reclaimed chairmanship of the we will be right back here in 5 or 10
campaign to do the right thing and re- Finance Committee at the start of this years dealing with the same problem.
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S3994 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 30, 2020
To put this in perspective, let’s con- that are in pretty good shape wouldn’t The other side has the idea of ‘‘my
sider what it means to do nothing and get worse. way or the highway.’’ That approach is
to leave the current law unchanged, Key variables, like the discount rate not the pathway to a successful solu-
versus what Chairman ALEXANDER and that plans use to estimate future as- tion. That was clear when they tried
I propose in several key areas. sets and liability values, would be sub- that tactic during the negotiations of
First, for retiree benefits, doing ject to new standards to help ensure the CARES Act in March.
nothing means the PBGC insurance that plans are funded to provide the So how many times do I have to say
fund runs out of money in 2027. If the benefits they promised. But we have it? We all know it, all 100 Senators
fund goes broke, that means the PBGC taken to heart comments we have know it—nothing happens in Congress
will only be able to pay benefits equal heard from stakeholders that those without bipartisanship.
to the premium revenues that it re- changes need to be phased in over a I invited our colleagues on the other
ceives, which are minimal compared to sufficient period of time to allow plans side of the aisle—I have had more than
the potential claims. That means retir- to transition smoothly. one conversation with Speaker
ees could receive cuts in the range of 90 Our plan would institute other PELOSI—asking all to join me and Sen-
percent. changes to improve the early warning ator ALEXANDER in finding a bipartisan
Let me say that another way. If these system so multiemployer plans can solution. That invitation still stands,
plans go broke and these people are avoid flirting with the underfunding and we remain ready to talk. Let’s use
forced into the government-run insur- danger zone. It also provides needed the time that we have to negotiate a
ance backup plan, they are going to po- oversight for plans in trouble, and it balanced, sensible solution to this in-
tentially get 90-percent cuts in their would provide unions and employers creasingly critical problem so that we
retirement. That is the necessity for us the opportunity to set up composite are ready whenever that opportunity
to work hard now to get this job done. plans—a new type of hybrid retirement presents itself to enact that solution
Now, in contrast, the plan Senator plan that enjoys wide bipartisan sup- this year. The retirees in each of our
ALEXANDER and I are proposing would port. States, the businesses in each of our
preserve benefits and ensure solvency Something pretty important to note, States, and the unions in each of our
of the PBGC’s multiemployer system the fundamental tenet of the Grassley- States that support these pension plans
over the long run. It would save many Alexander reform plan is that all and our long-term Federal budget de-
failing plans by having the government stakeholders have a role in fixing the serve no less consideration than what I
pay a portion of benefits earlier than multiemployer pension system that have laid out.
under current law. That would help the has been on the current path to failure I yield the floor.
now for four decades. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
plan to stretch its assets much longer The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Employers and unions have a role in
and at the same time preserve benefits clerk will call the roll.
ensuring that adequate contributions
as promised under that plan. The senior assistant legislative clerk
are made to the plans to ensure suffi-
Second, for plans that aren’t able to proceeded to call the roll.
cient funds to pay the promised bene-
be saved, our proposal would increase Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask
fits.
the insurance guarantee amount from Plans have a role in ensuring that unanimous consent that the order for
the current $12,870 maximum for a re- the PBGC insurance fund backing up the quorum call be rescinded.
tiree with 30 years of service to over those benefits is adequately funded The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
$20,000. through reasonable premiums, with objection, it is so ordered.
Benefits will be preserved with the UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 2740
higher risk plans contributing more for
help of additional support from em- that insurance backup. Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, it
ployer and union stakeholders and a Employees and retirees have a role in may seem like a long time ago, but it
modest retiree insurance premium for contributing to the insurance coverage was only 3 months ago when Congress
retirees in plans that face financial that protects their benefits, just like came together, in a rare bipartisan
challenges. That premium would be no they do now for auto, home, and life in- fashion, and we passed the CARES Act.
more than 10 percent and eliminated surance. We did that to help address the unprec-
entirely for older and disabled retirees, Last, but not least, is the Federal edented needs of the country and the
as well as for plans that are well fund- Government. I don’t want to shock American people as we began to ad-
ed. That is far better than the 90-per- people, but if you study this, you will dress the global pandemic. It was the
cent cut that I already told you about know that the government had a role third emergency appropriations bill
if we just do nothing. in setting out the rules that have gov- Congress has passed this year to ad-
Doing nothing also means more and erned these plans and regulating the dress the impact of the coronavirus.
more plans will become underfunded or operation of these plans, so the govern- Yet despite its scope and size, we knew
maybe even worse, insolvent, resulting ment has a role in fixing the resulting then, and we all acknowledged then,
in major benefit cuts and then only situation we are in this very day. That that absent a miracle, it would not be
that very small benefit that is covered means taxpayer funds may be needed the last emergency appropriations bill
by the government’s guaranty pro- to help the PBGC provide the partition required.
gram, the insurance fund that we call relief for plans on the brink of failing, At that time, we all knew the num-
the PBGC. but those funds must come with impor- ber of COVID cases would continue to
The Grassley-Alexander plan would tant reforms to ensure that taxpayers grow at an alarming rate, as would the
provide relief to the failing plans, and, are not back here on the hook again in number of deaths. Each death has left
without an upfront benefit cut, it 5 or 10 years. in its wake friends, family, and loved
would restore the benefit cuts that This legislation I am talking about ones, all devastated by a loss that can
some plans chose to make under the looks way ahead, solving two problems: never be undone. In those 3 months, we
Multiemployer Pension Reform Act in the multiemployer pension plans indi- have also seen our economy grind to a
2014. It would also increase the PBGC vidually—dozens of them—and also the halt. More than 47 million men and
insurance guarantee amount by more insurance fund, the PBGC, that the women have filed for unemployment.
than 50 percent. government has for backup so it Families are struggling to pay their
Third, for other plans not on the doesn’t go broke by 2027. We take care bills. They are worried about putting
brink, doing nothing would mean that of two big problems all at once. As I food on the table, paying their rent,
the current minority of multiemployer just said, we don’t want to be back and caring for their children. Lines at
plans that are better funded would con- here in 5 or 10 years. food banks are at historic highs, in-
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tinue to shrink, with many more likely Unfortunately, no matter how sen- cluding in my home State of Vermont.
to move into the danger zone in the sible of a reform plan we come up with, For many, the situation is desperate.
coming years. Our plan would provide it has no chance of success unless our I wish we could say we were through
significant funding reforms—with em- Democratic colleagues are willing to the worst of it and things could now re-
phasis on reforms—to help prevent that sit down and discuss a comprehensive turn to normal. We know that we can-
from happening. In other words, those solution. not. Florida, Texas, Arizona, North
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June 30, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3995
Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma, just July, the Federal pandemic unemploy- States to prepare for the general elec-
to name a few, are seeing an alarming ment compensation program that Con- tion. Voters don’t have to choose be-
spike in cases. Health experts are ring- gress included in the CARES Act ex- tween exercising their constitutional
ing the alarm bell, including the Sec- pires. That is next month. Next month right of voting or getting very ill.
retary of Health and Human Services, starts tomorrow. This program pro- Now, we know States cannot cover
who had previously spent a lot of time vides an additional $600 per week in un- election costs on their own. They are
trying to defend this administration’s employment benefits to more than 28 cash-strapped already from responding
anemic response. million Americans. In many cases, the to the coronavirus pandemic. The Wall
We all know this virus is far from money is the difference between paying Street Journal has estimated that
vanquished. As numbers continue to the rent and getting evicted. The State and local governments have al-
rise across the Nation and new hot money keeps the electricity on and ready furloughed or eliminated 1.5 mil-
spots emerge, it is clear we are going food on the table. It feeds the children. lion jobs since the pandemic began.
to need another emergency appropria- At the same time, many State-initi- That might look like just a statistic to
tions bill to address this epidemic, and, ated eviction moratoriums expire next some, but these are teachers; these are
frankly, we need it now. month, which begins in just a few firefighters; and these are healthcare
At times like this, the country needs hours, as does the eviction moratorium workers. Congress, for the sake of this
real leadership and vision. We need to for people in federally assisted housing country, needs to enact another
get out in front of this crisis, not make included in the CARES Act. It is a one- tranche of funding for State and local
all kinds of response after the fact. We two punch with the end of Federal ben- governments. We have to help them
know our leadership is not coming efits and the end of eviction protec- deal with lost revenue or our economy
from the White House. The President tions, which will potentially displace a is not going to recover. It will never re-
has made very clear in his statements record number of Americans into cover.
that he believes opening the economy homelessness. As eviction proceedings As revenues fall and costs to address
and fighting the virus are competing mount and Americans find they have COVID increase, Native American
actions. He gives the American people no way to pay for alternative housing, Tribes have also been forced to fur-
a false choice. lough workers, curtail healthcare serv-
the homeless shelters will almost cer-
I believe that only if we effectively ices, and in some cases close down clin-
tainly swell. But the shelters them-
fight the virus are we then able to open ics entirely.
selves are already over capacity and There are numerous other examples
the economy, whether in my State or ill-equipped to handle an influx. We of urgent needs, too many to list. Due
any other State. Now, 6 weeks ago, the must act. to declining revenues and incoming
House of Representatives passed the What about our struggling small
fees, the United States Citizenship and
Heroes Act. It is a strong proposal. It businesses? The small businesses in my
Immigration Services—USCIS—may be
provides assistance to struggling fami- State of Vermont are the backbone of
forced to cut back drastically on serv-
lies. It supports State and local govern- our economy. What about them? As of
ices and furlough at least 13,000 em-
ments. It battles the virus by spon- today, the Small Business Administra-
ployees, including up to 1,700 in
soring a responsible testing program. It tion can no longer approve loans for Vermont, by August 2. That is 4 short
recognizes the sacrifices being made by the popular Paycheck Protection Pro- weeks from now. The notice to these
grocery store clerks, first responders, gram. employees went out this week, leaving
nurses, doctors, truckers, and more. It Parents are worried about their chil-
these dedicated employees and their
makes critical changes to programs dren. They struggle to find safe
families in limbo wondering if they
such as SNAP, which supports those childcare. They wonder, Are schools
will have a job in August and won-
among us who are struggling the most. going to open in the fall or not? And
dering why Congress will not act to
Let’s talk about what we have done. when they open, many schools will be prevent it.
The first week or the second week or using some form of online instruction. COVID has caused a 3-month delay in
the third week or the fourth week or Over 16 million children in this country field operations for the Census, and the
the fifth week or the sixth week since do not have internet service at home, Department of Commerce needs addi-
the House passed that bill, what has and 12 million children do not have a tional money to ensure we get an accu-
the Senate done? Nothing. Despite nu- home computer or laptop to use. This rate count. Our federal prisons, a
merous calls from myself and Demo- is the wealthiest nation in the world. hotspot for COVID, have already de-
cratic leadership in the Senate, weeks We need to close this gap by providing pleted the money we provided to them
have gone by and the White House and reliable internet and broadband service in CARES and need more if they are to
the Republican majority refuse to to the millions of households in this prevent further outbreaks. Even the
move forward on a bill, or even start country who do not have it. All kids Senate has depleted the funding Con-
negotiations. deserve a good education, not just gress provided in CARES to conduct
In fact, the majority leader has pub- those from families who can afford it. deep cleaning of the Capitol and Senate
licly stated that he and the White Coming from a rural State, this is and House buildings and to provide im-
House want to take ‘‘a pause’’ before something I am particularly concerned portant personal protective equipment
considering any further emergency leg- about. We can’t wait until the fall to for Senators and staff.
islation related to COVID–19. The figure this out; it will be too late. It is also imperative for America to
White House alternates between silence I know that every Senator here has step up and address the pandemic
on the issue and sending contradictory rural areas in his or her State, and in abroad. We are part of the world. The
messages of what it thinks needs to be a lot of those areas there is no internet COVID-related needs around the world
done. While we wait, cases continue to service. are spiking. We cannot defeat the virus
climb; the death toll mounts; and peo- We also know we need to protect our right here at home if we do not act now
ple continue to struggle. You cannot elections. Due to the pandemic, voters to assist other countries in the global
tell the people who have COVID to are using common sense, and they are fight against this pandemic as we have
pause and it will go away. choosing to vote by mail in record in the past. Senate Republicans and
You cannot tell the doctors and numbers, something we have already President Trump must demonstrate
nurses who are working around-the- done in Vermont, but many States leadership. You are not going to stop
clock and to the point of exhaustion to aren’t prepared to meet this demand. this health crisis by tweets; you are
just pause. That does not work. The They look at us. Every one of us will going to stop it by real action.
fact is, they are dealing with this every say, yes, of course we want to protect Now, in a few short days, the Senate
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
single day and night, 7 days a week. voters; of course, we want to protect is going to recess for 2 weeks. If we do
They would love to have a pause, but voters; of course, every vote counts; of nothing else before the Senate goes out
the reality is such that they cannot. course, it is the American way to vote; of session, we should do what all the
To those who say it is premature to of course, we want people to vote. Ha, experts agree is needed if we are going
act on another bill—well, let’s look at ha, and ha. Congress has provided only to defeat this virus: Create a com-
what we already know. At the end of a fraction of the funding needed by prehensive testing and contact tracing
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S3996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 30, 2020
program and provide the resources derstand that Senator ALEXANDER is and its consequences, and I think the
needed to implement it for all 50 of our going to come to the floor to object, so wiser course with the taxpayers’
States. This is how other countries I will withhold making that request. money is to wait until the $3 trillion
have succeeded in flattening the curve There are only 100 of us. We represent we have appropriated has been distrib-
and containing the spread. over 320 million Americans, across the uted to States, has been spent, and is
Yet, in a shocking abdication of lead- political spectrum. They are all races carefully reviewed. In the meantime,
ership, the President has thrown up his and all economic backgrounds. They we will work very closely with our
hands. He has walked away from this are all ages. But they have 100 people friends on the other side to determine
issue. He even said at a recent cam- who can speak for them and speak for what else needs to be done during the
paign rally that we should be doing less the conscience of this Nation. month of July. So I object.
testing, not more. That is not leader- I am proud to be a U.S. Senator, but The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
ship; that is politics. That is not keep- I am not proud when we don’t stand up tion is heard.
ing Americans safe. I want all Ameri- and act as the conscience of the Na- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
cans to be safe. I do not care whether tion. What is the use of being one of ator from Vermont.
they are Republicans, Democrats, or the 100 people who represent this great Mr. LEAHY. I yield the floor.
Independents. I want all Americans to country, who represent and know and The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs.
be safe. hold the history of this country, who BLACKBURN). The Senator from
His political Press Secretary tried to have helped shape the history of this Vermont.
S. 4049
say he was kidding, but he said he was country through treaties, through con-
not. The Federal Government recently stitutional amendments, and through Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, in
announced it shut down numerous fed- debates on everything? What does it do this unprecedented moment in Amer-
erally funded testing sites across the to be a Member of the 100 in this body ican history, I think there is a crying
country, including seven in Texas if we cannot reflect the conscience of out all across this country for us to
where cases are rising. It is aston- the Nation? rethink who we are as a nation and
ishing. Now, as Senator ALEXANDER is not what our national priorities are.
I have been in the Senate with Re- Whether it is fighting against sys-
yet here, I am going to suggest the ab-
publican and Democratic Presidents temic racism and police brutality,
sence of a quorum, but I want to ask
alike, from the time of President Ford. whether it is the need to combat cli-
unanimous consent that I be the person
All of these Presidents, in both parties, mate change and transform our energy
next recognized to call off that quorum
were willing to show leadership in seri- system away from fossil fuel, whether
call. it is the absurdity of being the only
ous matters, but if this President can- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
not or will not show leadership, then major country on Earth not to guar-
objection, it is so ordered.
antee healthcare to all people as a
the Congress must step in and do it. Mr. LEAHY. I suggest the absence of
I will tell you what I learned when I human right, or whether it is the gro-
a quorum.
came here. I never expected to become tesque level of income and wealth in-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
the dean of the Senate, but I think equality, where three people today own
clerk will call the roll.
about it often. I was told by both Re- more wealth than the bottom half of
The senior assistant legislative clerk
publican and Democratic leaders at our Nation, all across this country peo-
proceeded to call the roll.
that time that the Senate can and ple are crying out for change—real
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask
change.
should be the conscience of the Nation. unanimous consent that the order for When we talk about the need for real
I have seen Republicans and Democrats the quorum call be rescinded. change, it is beyond comprehension the
come together and exercise that con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without degree to which Congress continues to
science at times when we so need it. objection, it is so ordered. ignore our bloated $740 billion defense
Where is that now? Nobody owns a seat Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, as I budget. We talk about everything.
in the U.S. Senate, but we are given 6- noted before, I was withholding a unan- Democrats and Republicans disagree on
year terms in which we should be able imous consent request until the very almost everything, but when it comes
to think of doing the right thing and distinguished senior Senator was here. to this huge budget, which has gone up
not just worry about the next tweet or So I ask unanimous consent that the by over $100 billion since Trump has
the next newsbreak or what is said 5 Senate proceed to the immediate con- been President, there is, unfortunately,
minutes from now. We have 6-year sideration of Calendar No. 140, H.R. a broad consensus, and that is wrong.
terms so that we can sit back and do 2740; that the Leahy substitute amend- Year after year, Democrats and Re-
what is right. Let us be the conscience ment that would provide funding for publicans come together with minimal
of the Nation. I have always been proud COVID testing and tracing and is at debate to support an exploding Pen-
of this body when I have seen Repub- the desk be considered and agreed to; tagon budget, which is now higher than
licans and Democrats come together that the bill, as amended, be considered that of the next 11 nations combined
and do that. read a third time and passed; and that and represents some 53 percent of our
The Heroes Act passed 6 weeks ago in the motion to reconsider be considered discretionary spending. We are spend-
the House. It created the COVID–19 Na- made and laid upon the table with no ing more on the military than the next
tional Testing and Contact Tracing Ini- intervening action or debate. 11 nations combined. That is Russia,
tiative. It requires the Department of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there China, UK, France, and you name it.
Health and Human Services, in coordi- objection? That is more than all of them com-
nation with State and local govern- Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, bined, and we are spending on the mili-
ments, to develop a comprehensive reserving the right to object. tary budget over half of our discre-
testing, contact tracing, surveillance, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tionary spending.
and monitoring system. It provides $75 ator from Tennessee. Incredibly—and I know we don’t talk
billion to implement it. If we want to Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, about this too much—after adjusting
save lives, if we want to reopen the I am glad to see my distinguished for inflation, we are now spending more
country, and if we want to get our friend from Vermont of many years, on the military than we did during the
economy going again, we ought to at and what I would like to say to him is height of the Cold War, when we were
least pass this initiative. I want my that we, all together, appropriated a in opposition to the Soviet Union, a
family to be safe. I want my wife and record amount of $3 trillion—another major superpower, or during the wars
my children to be safe and their chil- $3 trillion in credit—most of which, in Vietnam and Korea. After adjusting
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
dren and their spouses to be safe. I much of which has not even been spent for inflation, we are spending more
want all Vermonters and everybody in yet, and some of which hasn’t been dis- today than we did during the time of
all 50 of our States to be safe, and we tributed to States yet. We are in the the Vietnam war.
need testing. midst of reviewing the spending of that This extraordinary level of military
I am soon going to ask unanimous money. I know our own committee has spending comes at a time when the De-
consent on a particular item, and I un- had five hearings this month on COVID partment of Defense is the only agency
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June 30, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3997
of our Federal Government that has This amendment is being cosponsored People sleep out on the streets, chil-
not been able to pass an independent by the Senators from Massachusetts— dren go hungry, schools are crumbling,
audit. It comes at a time when defense Senator MARKEY and Senator WARREN. people have no health insurance, but
contractors are making enormous prof- Importantly—and I hope my colleagues we have given the Department of De-
its while paying their CEOs exorbitant hear this—this amendment has the fense so much money that they are ac-
compensation packages and when the support of more than 60 organizations tually returning some of it back to the
so-called War on Terror will end up throughout this country, representing government.
costing us some $6 trillion. This is an millions of workers, environmentalists, In my view, the time is long overdue
agency that has not passed an inde- and religious leaders, including Public for us to take a hard look not only at
pendent audit. Citizen, Union of Concerned Scientists, the size of the Pentagon budget but at
I believe this is a moment in history Physicians for Social Responsibility, the enormous amount of waste, cost
when it would be a very good idea for Greenpeace, and the United Methodist overruns, fraud, and the financial mis-
the American people and my colleagues Church. management that has plagued the De-
here in the Senate to remember the At a time when more Americans have partment of Defense for decades.
very profound statement made by Re- died from the coronavirus than were Let us be clear. About half of the
publican President Dwight D. Eisen- killed in World War I, when over 30 Pentagon’s budget—and people, I
hower back in 1953. I think all of us re- million people have lost their jobs in think, don’t know this—goes directly
member that Eisenhower was a four- recent months, when tens of millions of into the hands of private contractors,
star general who led the Allied forces Americans are in danger of being evict- not the troops. Over the past two dec-
to victory in Europe. He knew a little ed from their homes, when education in ades, virtually every major defense
bit about the military. America, from childcare to graduate contractor in the United States has
Eisenhower said: school, is in desperate need of reform, paid millions and millions of dollars in
when over half a million Americans are fines and settlements for misconduct
Every gun that is made, every warship
launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the homeless, when close to 100 million and fraud, all while making huge prof-
final sense, a theft from those who hunger people are either uninsured or under- its on those government contracts.
and are not fed, those who are cold and are insured, now is the time to invest in This is at a time when we are not very
not clothed. This world in arms is not spend- our people, in jobs, in education, in vigorous in terms of our oversight.
ing money alone. It is spending the sweat of housing, and in healthcare—not in Despite that, since 1995, Boeing,
its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the more nuclear weapons, not in more Lockheed Martin, and United Tech-
hopes of its children. tanks, not in more guns. nologies have paid over $3 billion in
What Eisenhower said 67 years ago Under this amendment, distressed fines or related settlements for fraud
was true then. It is true now. If the cities and towns in every State in this or misconduct—$3 billion. That is what
horrific pandemic we are now experi- country would be able to use these they have been caught doing. That is
encing has taught us anything, it is funds to create jobs by building afford- what they have been found guilty of or
that ‘‘national security’’ means a lot able housing, building new schools, agreed to in a settlement. God knows
more than building bombs, missiles, jet childcare facilities, community health what else is going on that we still don’t
fighters, tanks, submarines, nuclear centers, public hospitals, libraries, sus- know about.
warheads, and other weapons of mass tainable energy projects, and clean Yet those same three companies re-
destruction. drinking water facilities. ceived around $1 trillion in defense
‘‘National security’’ also means These communities would also re- contracts over the past two decades
doing everything that we can to make ceive Federal funding to hire more pub-
alone.
sure that every man, woman, and child lic schoolteachers, provide nutritious Further, I find it interesting that the
in this country lives with dignity and meals to children and parents, and very same defense contractors that
security, and that includes many peo- offer free tuition at public colleges, have been found guilty or reached set-
ple and many communities around this universities, or trade schools. tlements for fraud are also paying their
country that have been abandoned by This is a pivotal moment in Amer-
CEOs excessive compensation pack-
our government decade after decade. ican history, and it is time to respond
ages.
Without a moment’s hesitation, we to those crises that we are facing by
Last year, the CEOs of Lockheed
spend billions and billions on the mili- transforming our national priorities.
Do we really want to spend more— Martin and Northrup Grumman both
tary, while we come to work and step made around $20 million in total com-
billions more—on endless wars in the
over people who are sleeping out on the pensation, while around 90 percent of
Middle East, or do we want to provide
streets and move away from commu- the companies’ revenue came from de-
decent jobs to millions of Americans
nities where children are getting to- who are now unemployed? Do we want fense contracts. In other words, these
tally inadequate educations and where to spend more money on nuclear weap- companies—and I am talking about
teachers are underpaid. ons, or do we want to invest in a Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grum-
I believe that the time is long over- childcare system that is dysfunctional, man—for all intents and purposes, are
due to begin the transformation of our in an education system where commu- governmental agencies. Over 90 percent
national priorities, and I cannot think nity after community lacks the funds of their revenue comes from the tax-
of a better way to do that than by cut- to provide decent, quality education payers. Yet the CEOs of those compa-
ting military spending. for their kids? Do we want to invest in nies made over 100 times more than the
I have, for this bill, filed three sepa- affordable housing when half a million Secretary of Defense. It is not too sur-
rate amendments, and I would like to Americans are homeless and 18 million prising, therefore, that we have a re-
discuss them briefly. families in America are spending half volving door where our military people
The first amendment would reduce of their incomes on housing? end up on the boards of directors of
the military budget by 10 percent and Those are the choices that we face, these major defense companies.
use the $74 billion in savings to invest and I think the American people are Moreover, as the GAO has told us,
in distressed communities around the clear that the time is now to invest in there are massive cost overruns in the
country that have been ravaged by ex- our people, not in more weapons sys- Defense Department’s acquisition
treme poverty, mass incarceration, tems. budget that we have to address. Ac-
deindustrialization, and decades of ne- When we analyze the Defense Depart- cording to GAO, the Pentagon’s $1.8
glect. We are proposing to transfer ment budget, it is very interesting to trillion acquisition portfolio currently
money from the military into dis- note that Congress has appropriated so suffers from more than $628 billion in
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
tressed communities all over this coun- much money for the Defense Depart- cost overruns, with much of the cost
try where people are suffering, where ment that the Pentagon literally does growth taking place after production.
people are hurting, where people are not know what to do with it. According In other words, they quote a price, and
unemployed, where people don’t have to the GAO, between 2013 and 2018, the then they come back after they get the
any healthcare, where infrastructure is Pentagon returned more than $80 bil- contract and say: Oh, we made a slight
crumbling, where people need help. lion in funding back to the Treasury. mistake; you are going to have pay
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S3998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 30, 2020
twice as much or 50 percent more, LEY and LEE, as well as Senator produce the personal protective equip-
whatever it might be, for the weapons WYDEN, and we hope it will be sup- ment—the masks, gowns, gloves—that
system you wanted. ported by a strong majority of the our doctors and nurses and medical
GAO tells us that ‘‘many DoD pro- Members of the body. personnel need. We have to do that, but
grams fall short of cost, schedule, and I believe in a strong military, but we we also have to produce the masks that
performance expectations, meaning cannot continue to give more money to the American people need.
DoD pays more than anticipated, can the Pentagon than it needs when mil- As everyone knows, over the past 3
buy less than expected, and, in some lions of children in our country are months, the coronavirus has infected
cases, delivers less capability to the food insecure—there are kids all over more than 2.5 million Americans and
warfighter.’’ this country, in every State in this caused nearly 130,000 deaths. More
A major reason why there is so much country, who are hungry—and when we Americans have died from the
waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pen- have 140 million people who cannot af- coronavirus than were killed fighting
tagon is the fact that the Department ford the basic necessities of life with- in the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghan-
of Defense remains the only Federal out going into debt. istan, and Iraq combined.
agency that hasn’t been able to pass an Further, let us be very clear, when Sadly, there is new evidence that this
independent audit. That is why I have we are talking about the need to pro- pandemic is far from over and may kill
filed an amendment with Senators tect the American people, we are talk- many tens of thousands more. In the
GRASSLEY, WYDEN, and LEE that would ing about the need to defeat our most past few days, new COVID–19 cases in
require the Defense Department to pass immediate adversary right now, an ad- the United States have increased dra-
a clean audit no later than fiscal year versary that has taken in recent matically—jumping to their highest
2025. months over 120,000 American lives, level in 2 months and returning to
When you have an agency that and that, of course, is the coronavirus. where they were at the peak of the out-
spends some $700 billion, I don’t think When we talk about defense, when we break.
it is too much to ask that we have an talk about protecting the American If we take bold action now, we could
independent audit of the Department of people, we must get our priorities right prevent tens of thousands of Americans
Defense. and do everything we can to protect from dying. That is exactly what we
Interestingly enough, many of us will the American people from the have to do. Unfortunately, the Trump
recall what then-Secretary of Defense coronavirus. I don’t think nuclear administration continues to endanger
Donald Rumsfeld—not one of my favor- weapons are going to do it. I don’t millions of Americans by ignoring the
ite public officials—told the American think tanks are going to do it. I don’t most basic recommendations of med-
people on the day before 9/11 about the think F–35s are going to do it. But we ical professionals and recklessly
serious financial mismanagement at need to do everything we can to pro- downplaying the most effective tool we
the DOD. Here is what Donald Rums- tect the lives and the health of the have to contain the pandemic; that is,
feld said. Needless to say, the following American people in terms of the simply wearing a mask.
day was 9/11. That was the terrorist at- coronavirus. This amendment is nothing more
tack against the United States, so What virtually every scientist who than listening to science and saving
what Rumsfeld said the day before that has studied this issue will tell us—and lives. Again, this morning, I partici-
never got a whole lot of attention. But they just told me that this morning as pated in a hearing with Dr. Fauci and
this is what a conservative Republican a member of the HELP Committee—is many others from the Trump adminis-
Secretary of Defense said: that the most effective way to prevent tration. They were very clear: Masks
Our financial systems are decades old. Ac- the transmission of this deadly virus work. Social distancing works. And we
cording to some estimates, we cannot track and to stop unnecessary deaths from should listen to the scientists.
$2.3 trillion in transactions. We cannot share COVID–19 is for everybody in this coun- We are, as I mentioned earlier, at a
information from floor to floor in this build- try to wear a mask. It is not rocket pivotal moment in American history.
ing— science, not very complicated, but if We as elected officials have to respond
That is the Pentagon. you wear a mask when you are in con- in a transformational way. We have to
because it’s stored on dozens of techno- tact with other people, the likelihood stand up for people. We have to rethink
logical systems that are inaccessible or in- that you will spread the virus or get the way we have done things in the
compatible. the virus is significantly reduced. past. The amendments I have offered
And yet, nearly 20 years after Donald That is why I have filed an amend- begin the process of changing Amer-
Rumsfeld’s statement, the Defense De- ment which requires the Trump admin- ican priorities. I hope all three of those
partment has still not passed a clean istration to use the Defense Production amendments will pass.
audit, despite the fact that the Pen- Act to manufacture the hundreds and With that, I yield the floor.
tagon controls assets in excess of $2.2 hundreds of millions of high-quality I suggest the absence of a quorum.
trillion or, roughly, 70 percent of what masks that this country needs and to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
the entire Federal Government owns. deliver them to every household in clerk will call the roll.
The Commission on Wartime Con- America. The legislative clerk proceeded to
tracting in Iraq and Afghanistan con- This is not a radical idea. It is an call the roll.
cluded in 2011 that $31 billion to $60 bil- idea that is being implemented all Mr. KENNEDY. Madam President, I
lion spent in Iraq and Afghanistan had across the world, in countries like ask unanimous consent that the order
been lost to fraud and waste. South Korea, France, Turkey, Austria, for the quorum call be rescinded.
Separately, in 2015, the Special In- and many other countries; that is, they The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
spector General for Afghanistan Recon- are distributing high-quality face objection?
struction reported that the Pentagon masks to all of their people for free or Without objection, it is so ordered.
could not account for $45 billion in at virtually no cost. That is what I be- The Senator from Kentucky.
funding for reconstruction projects. lieve we have to do. f
More recently, an audit conducted by There was a study that just came out
Ernst & Young for the Defense Logis- from the University of Washington STOPPING IMPROPER PAYMENTS
tics Agency found that it could not very recently, which suggested that if TO DECEASED PEOPLE ACT
properly account for some $800 million 95 percent of the American people wore Mr. PAUL. Madam President, I think
in construction projects. face masks when they interact with it is a terrible thing that the govern-
It is time to hold the Defense Depart- others, we could save some 30,000 lives ment pays checks to dead people. The
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
ment to the same level of account- and hundreds of billions of dollars. problem is that Social Security is not
ability as the rest of the government. I think this is a commonsense sharing that information with Treas-
That is not a radical idea. And support amendment. It is beyond my com- ury. I have a bill to do that and will
for this concept is bipartisan. That is prehension how in the wealthiest na- ask unanimous consent for it to be
why I am delighted that this amend- tion in the world, with the strongest joined with Senator CARPER’s bill and
ment is supported by Senators GRASS- economy, we have not been able to Senator KENNEDY’s bill.
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