Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., July 2, 2020)
Summary
Page S4170 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for July 2, 2020. One speaker urges moving the NDAA toward completion, thanks Chairman Inhofe and Ranking Member Reed, and describes Kentucky military installations, including a new elementary school at Fort Knox and a V Corps headquarters mission bringing more than 600 additional soldiers. Another speaker criticizes the Republican majority for not considering major COVID relief legislation for over 3 months since the CARES Act, and addresses Leader McConnell on Senate rules changes. The page also records the reservation of leader time and the close of morning business.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., July 2, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-07-02-crec-2020-07-02-pt1-pgs4170-6-e077abfbf7/
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S4170 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 2, 2020
Just days after Democrats used the reach, but, as all my colleagues know, sources to carry out their missions. Its
filibuster power to block Senator the NDAA is also a profoundly local impact will not be felt just by our ad-
SCOTT’s police reform bill, even col- bill for communities in all 50 States. versaries overseas but by our service-
leagues who recently defended this im- My home State is proud to support members and communities right here
portant tradition have now bowed to three Army installations and the men at home.
the pressure to flirt with ending it. and women of the Kentucky Air and I would like to once again thank
On a similar note, you may remem- Army National Guard. Last fall, I Chairman INHOFE, Ranking Member
ber that a kind of naked intimidation hosted Defense Secretary Mark Esper REED, and our colleagues on the Armed
without modern precedent in modern in Kentucky to speak with the Fort Services Committee for their serious
memory took place a few months ago. Knox community. He called for a re- and thoughtful work.
The Democratic leader stood by the newed commitment to supporting our Let’s get this bill moving toward
steps of the Supreme Court and di- all-volunteer force, including military completion.
rectly threatened Justices if they ruled spouses and their families. f
the wrong way in the June Medical The NDAA advances that goal. It will
Services case. authorize a new elementary school at RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
This display aligned with a whole Fort Knox. This construction, paired The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
new tradition of Senate Democrats with progress toward a new middle the previous order, the leadership time
threatening judges. A year ago, several school at Fort Campbell, will continue is reserved.
wrote Justices saying the ‘‘Court is not making Kentucky’s installations a wel- f
well [and] perhaps the Court can heal coming home for military families.
itself before the public demands it be This project comes on the heels of CONCLUSION OF MORNING
‘restructured.’ ’’ Fort Knox’s selection for the new V BUSINESS
In other words, nice judicial inde- Corps headquarters. This mission The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning
pendence you have got there. It would brings more than 600 additional sol- business is closed.
be a shame if something happened to diers to Kentucky in support of U.S.
f
it. operations over in Europe. They will
Right on cue, a number of leftwing join Fort Knox’s already impressive EXECUTIVE SESSION
groups are agitating to revive the dis- list of significant commands, including
credited notion of court-packing. the Army’s Recruiting, Cadet, and
Now, following the Democratic lead- Human Resources Command. The V EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
er’s display, the Court ruled the way he Corps will find a premier installation The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
wanted on that very case. They handed made even better by this NDAA. the previous order, the Senate will pro-
it down on Monday of this week. Our Our bill also authorizes the construc- ceed to executive session to resume
colleague took to the floor cracking tion of a new headquarters for the Ken- consideration of the following nomina-
jokes, giddy—giddy—he had gotten his tucky National Guard. The facility will tion, which the clerk will report.
way, but just moments later the Demo- consolidate the Guard’s operation to a The senior assistant legislative clerk
cratic leader picked right up where he central location. read the nomination of Russell Vought,
left off, impugning and pressuring one Just recently, our citizen soldiers of Virginia, to be Director of the Office
Justice whose vote he disliked. and airmen have stepped up to combat of Management and Budget.
So you see, the improper pressure COVID–19. I am glad this legislation Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab-
and the accusations of illegitimacy will deliver for them. sence of a quorum.
will never end. No amount of rulings At the Blue Grass Army Depot, the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
the Democrats like would be enough NDAA will advance the disposal of leg- clerk will call the roll.
because the fundamental respect for an acy chemical weapons. Families in The senior assistant legislative clerk
independent judiciary is simply not Madison County have lived for genera- proceeded to call the roll.
there. tions with these deadly agents prac- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
This is about outcomes, not institu- tically in their backyards. For years, I unanimous consent that the order for
tions, and there is no limit to how far have fought alongside them to support the quorum call be rescinded.
left the goalposts will move. safe and responsible demilitarization. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Well, the subject is not going away, In just the first year of chemical de- objection, it is so ordered.
but for today I will leave it there. This struction activities, the depot has al-
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
weekend, July 4, Americans will cele- ready completed a campaign ahead of
brate our founding. We will celebrate schedule. An entire type of munition The Democratic leader is recognized.
the Framers and the traditions and the has been completely deleted from the CORONAVIRUS
institutions that they left us. U.S. stockpile. Our legislation will help Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, two
We cannot let radicals tear down us safely consign more of these weap- numbers sum up the state of America
their likenesses or their legacies. We ons to the ash heap of history. today: 52,788, the number of confirmed
must preserve the gifts and the institu- Now, I have also spoken this week COVID–19 cases yesterday; and 1.4 mil-
tions we celebrate so our grandchildren about the growing boldness of our Na- lion, the number of unemployment
and their grandchildren can celebrate tion’s adversaries and the evolving claims filed this week. In the next few
them as well. threats our servicemembers face. The months, these numbers will be far more
f men and women of Fort Campbell, in- important than the job numbers re-
cluding the 101st Airborne, are among leased this morning in determining the
NATIONAL DEFENSE those our Nation turns to first to han- long-term health of our economy and
AUTHORIZATION ACT dle serious challenges. Their recent de- the health of this country. The statis-
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on ployments to Europe, Afghanistan, and tics I mentioned would have been
an entirely different matter, the Sen- to support the COVID–19 response in harrowing during February, March,
ate continues to consider the National New York and New Jersey show their April, or May, during the initial surge
Defense Authorization Act. I under- importance to our country. and rapid spread of the disease. They
stand we are close to a bipartisan Pursuant to the national defense would have been distressing even then,
structure for amendments, and if our strategy, this NDAA will encourage but here in the beginning of July, 6
Democratic colleagues will let us, I new capabilities so elite fighting forces months into the crisis, long after other
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
hope we can move forward today. like the 101st are equipped for success countries have experienced a rapid de-
All week I have discussed how the under any circumstances. cline of COVID–19, it is shocking that
60th consecutive NDAA will help our The Senate is grateful for the coura- the United States is hitting ever
Nation protect its people, stand with geous service of our Armed Forces. The grimmer milestones.
our allies, and keep pace with our com- bipartisan legislation before us honors There is no doubt that much of the
petitors. This legislation has global their sacrifices and authorizes the re- responsibility for this debacle—the
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July 2, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4171
COVID debacle—falls on the shoulders lic service jobs in the tens of thou- ‘‘Go out to where the real people
of President Trump, who failed to pre- sands. The number of new cases is ac- are.’’
pare our Nation for the initial surge, celerating in nearly half our States. Over 700,000 people live and work in
failed to organize a national supply Still, the Republican majority, in the the District of Columbia, 46 percent of
chain of PPE, failed to develop a na- words of its majority leader, ‘‘has yet them are Black. They hold jobs just
tional strategy for testing and contact to feel the urgency of acting.’’ Still, like everyone else. They teach, deliver
tracing, and failed to even commu- the Republican leader says we must groceries, care for our sick, and work
nicate the depth of the challenge our ‘‘assess the conditions’’ in the country in our restaurants and churches. Many
country faces. And much of this still before providing relief to our citizens. of them work here in the Capitol, pro-
proves true today. Just how much more assessment do we viding essential services to some Sen-
The Washington Post reported this need when we remember those two ators who, obviously, don’t consider
morning that Arizona, which has expe- numbers—52,000 new cases and 1.4 mil- them ‘‘real people.’’
rienced a huge surge in cases, still lion people applying for unemploy-
My friends on the other side of the
doesn’t have the testing supplies they ment?
Every day this week, Senate Demo- aisle would have you believe that every
need because of a national supply chain
crats have come to the floor to plead member of this city is a lobbyist or de-
failure.
Even after 2.6 million infections and with our colleagues to take up legisla- fense contractor or a reporter. Not
120,000 American fatalities, the Presi- tion to help millions of American only is that comically false, but I don’t
dent said yesterday: workers and small businesses that are remember the part of the Constitution
struggling right now. Every day this where it says your rights as American
I think we’re going to be very good with
the coronavirus. I think at some point that’s week, Senate Republicans have blocked citizens only apply if Republican Sen-
going to sort of just disappear. our requests: rental assistance, ators approve of your line of work.
Can you imagine the bubble this man blocked; food assistance, blocked; mor- I have noticed that it has become
is in? He is only concerned about atorium on evictions, blocked; re- fashionable for elements of the polit-
scratching and stroking his own ego sources for schools, nursing homes, ical right to accuse Democrats of ig-
and not about what is going on in the State and local governments, Indian noring ‘‘real Americans.’’ It seems that
country, so he can just dismiss the se- Country, and elections—blocked, the political right has a clear idea of
riousness of this—the most serious blocked, blocked, and blocked. Just which Americans are real and which
health and economic crisis we have had how long will this Republican Senate Americans are not.
in decades. It is amazing. majority prevent the American people When Republican Senators are out-
That is what President Trump said from getting the aid they so des- right dismissing the personhood of
yesterday: ‘‘We’re going to be very perately need? thousands of American citizens—most
good with the coronavirus’’—on the Now Republicans are saying we have of whom are Black—it is time for the
same day the United States reported to do another bill before August. I am political right to look in the mirror.
the most new cases of coronavirus in a glad they are finally talking seriously DC residents fulfill all the obliga-
single day ever. The President is so about a fourth phase of coronavirus tions of citizenship. They pay Federal
eager to declare victory and pat him- legislation, though the need has been taxes. They can be summoned for jury
self on the back and then move on that obvious for months. But the Repub- duty. They have served in every war
he is ignoring reality completely. lican leader at the moment insists that since the Revolutionary War. But they
The June jobs report showed modest the next bill will be ‘‘written in his of- are denied real representation in Con-
growth, but we know conditions have fice.’’ Written in his office? That is the gress.
worsened since the survey was com- same one-party, ‘‘take it or leave it’’
pleted in the middle of the month. Ex- partisan approach that delayed the We can have a real conversation
perts believe 10 percent of the work- CARES Act and utterly failed on polic- about Statehood without denigrating
force has lost their job permanently, ing reform. or dehumanizing these citizens, but the
with Americans of color counting for a Leader MCCONNELL likes to remind far right is so afraid of losing political
disproportionate share. us that we need to make a law, not a power and so unwilling to appeal to
Again, in terms of the long-term point. To make a law, leader, you need anyone who doesn’t already agree with
health of the economy, the most con- both parties, you need both Chambers them that their strategy has become:
cerning and important number is the of Congress, and you need the signa- restrict voting rights and deny equal
number of new COVID cases. The num- ture of the President. Starting the next representation in Congress to hundreds
ber of COVID cases, health-related, is phase of COVID legislation in the ma- of thousands of Americans.
the No. 1 effect on the long-term health jority leader’s office is exactly what Self-governance and equal represen-
of the economy. President Trump you do if you wanted to make a point, tation aren’t Democratic issues or Re-
seems oblivious to the fact that almost not a law. publican issues. Voting rights
everyone who studied this issue knows. The House of Representatives already shouldn’t be a Democratic issue or a
The President’s own CDC Director says has a bill that it has passed. It needs to Republican issue. These are issues of
the number of cases may be 10 times be part of the equation here. In order fairness, of equality. It is not about
higher than reported. Imagine that. We to make a law, both parties in both right or left. It is about right and
could have 26 million people infected Chambers should have a seat at the wrong.
and likely many, many more to come, table. That is how we got the last SENATE RULES
but the President assumes that the phase of COVID–19 legislation done,
coronavirus—and the economy—will and it is the best way to get it done Mr. President, for a minute on rules
just take care of itself. this time. changes, I heard the Republican leader
If President Trump reacted to the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA STATEHOOD come forward and decry any attempt to
jobs report like he has reacted to Mr. President, we have serious dis- change the rules. He is not a good one
COVID and says, ‘‘We’re in the clear; agreements here in Congress. We trade to give advice. Leader MCCONNELL has
we don’t have to do anything,’’ then we in passionate words, but words some- shown that he will change the rules
will soon be in even worse trouble than times get a little too hot under the col- when it suits his purposes and defend
we are today. lar. There are times when we need to the rules when it suits his purposes. He
Here in the Senate, the Republican take a step back and really think is no icon standing in the way of any
majority has been out to lunch since about what we are saying. rules change. We all saw what hap-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
we passed the CARES Act way back in Yesterday, speaking in opposition to pened in the last few years.
March. It has been over 3 months since DC Statehood, the junior Senator from So please, Leader MCCONNELL, don’t
the Republican Senate has considered Montana said lawmakers should ‘‘go give us advice on rules changes when
major COVID relief legislation. Weekly out to where the real people are across you are so inconsistent about which
unemployment claims are measured in the country and ask them what they rules are OK to change and which rules
the millions. States are shedding pub- think.’’ are not.
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