Congressional Record — Senate, July 27, 2020
Summary
Page S4493 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for July 27, 2020. Schumer, recognized as the Democratic leader, remembers John Lewis, saying a ceremony honoring Lewis took place at the Capitol and was the first time an African-American lawmaker had laid in state. Schumer criticizes the Republican proposal, saying protections against evictions expired last week when over 12 million persons lived in households that missed the rent payment last month, and that enhanced unemployment benefits for 20 to 30 million Americans out of work expire this week. Schumer also discusses hazard pay, funding for State, local and Tribal governments, and student debt, and mentions Cornyn's CHIPS for America Act.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, July 27, 2020.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-07-27-crec-2020-07-27-pt1-pgs4493-3-5858c16cea/
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July 27, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4493
The senior assistant legislative clerk proposal among themselves. Ten hearted. How cruel. Is it that those
proceeded to call the roll. weeks—ten weeks after Democrats wealthy, rightwing people who don’t
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I passed a comprehensive bill through want to pay any taxes say kids
ask unanimous consent that the order the House, Senate Republicans couldn’t shouldn’t eat? Because the private sec-
for the quorum call be rescinded. even agree on what to throw on the tor ain’t doing it. You need the govern-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without wall. ment.
objection, it is so ordered. Last week was a slow-motion train Hazard pay for essential workers,
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER wreck on the Republican side. It risking their lives for us—what about
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The couldn’t have come at a worse time, funding for State and local and Tribal
Democratic leader is recognized. and it will cause immense and, poten- governments? Their budgets are in the
tially, irrevocable damage to our coun- tank. We are approaching a new
REMEMBERING JOHN LEWIS
try. month. Many, many, many essential
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, a workers will be laid off—busdrivers and
Protections against evictions expired
short time ago, a ceremony honoring sanitation workers and firefighters.
last week, at a time when over 12 mil-
the life of the great Representative The Republican proposal will ignore
lion persons lived in households that
John Lewis was held in the Capitol Ro- not one or two or three but scores of
missed the rent payment last month.
tunda—the first time in our Nation’s major crises in America right now.
Enhanced unemployment benefits for
history that an African-American law- In addition, based on what the leader
20 to 30 million Americans out of work
maker had laid in state. has said, the Republican proposal will
expire this week, without a proper so-
Last week, I shared my reflections on not go nearly far enough, even in the
lution.
the life and legacy of John Lewis here pieces they try to do something with—
No matter what we do, States will
on the floor. In the story of America, the small number, the disparate num-
not be able to quickly restart any en-
John was one of those special heroes ber, the unaggregated number—since
hanced unemployment benefits because
whose moral clarity shown out like a each piece seems to be separate be-
Senate Republicans dithered for what
beacon for others to follow, a North cause they can’t seem to get agreement
seems like an eternity.
Star who inspired his fellow Americans among themselves.
We are on the precipice of several
to join him in the glorious work of per- When it comes to our schools, the Re-
cliffs—destructive cliffs—for one rea-
fecting our Union. publican proposal does not provide
son and one reason only: The White
Today, as we honor his extraordinary enough resources for them to reopen
House and Senate Republicans couldn’t
life here in the Capitol, many of us— safely.
get their act together and wasted pre-
his friends, his colleagues—are filled Major League Baseball, an organiza-
cious time.
with a deep sense of loss, but I want to These issues could have been solved tion with vastly more resources than
share a short message of hope. It seems months ago, but the lack of any ur- the average school district, has taken
easy to forget that John Lewis was just great pains to restart its season safely,
gency and understanding and empathy
a teenager when he started the work of and yet we learned today that 13 play-
for people who need help from Senate
‘‘redeeming the soul of America,’’ as he ers and staff on 1 team alone have con-
Republicans has led us to a very pre-
put it. He was 18 years old when he tracted the coronavirus.
carious moment. How can Republicans ask our schools
first met Dr. King, 21 when he was ar- Today, it seems, we may finally see
rested as a freedom fighter, 25 when he to protect the safety of our children
the Republican proposal on the next
was beaten bloody on a Sunday in without the necessary resources or
phase of COVID relief. Who knows if we guidance, when multibillion-dollar in-
Selma. will see legislative text or just an out-
The fight for civil rights has always dustries like baseball are having trou-
line. It also appears the Republican ble doing it? And are they just afraid of
been driven by the righteous indigna- proposal will not be an actual, coher-
tion of our young people, and our time President Trump, who wants the
ent bill but rather a series of small, schools to open without any help, for
is no different. Once again, young peo- piecemeal ideas. That is a metaphor for
ple across the country are rising in a whatever is in his own head, which
their first 100 days: lack of unity. They isn’t about the safety of America? The
mighty movement for justice and can’t even put one bill together—they
equality, supported by the vast major- plan is totally inadequate.
are so divided—so a few Senators put in It appears that Senate Republicans
ity of Americans. The memory and leg- this one, a few Senators put in that
acy of John Lewis’s life lives on in each have finally come around to the fact
one, a few Senators put in another one. that the Democratic position on ex-
and every one of them, and that fills Not only do we not know if the Presi-
me with hope. tending the moratorium on evictions
dent supports any of these proposals, or it may be just the moratorium on
CORONAVIRUS we don’t even know if Senate Repub- foreclosures—we will see what is in the
Madam President, on a very different licans fully support them. proposal. They have come around to
subject, over the past several months, Yesterday, the Republican chairman that, but they don’t support helping
Senate Democrats have been appalled of the Judiciary Committee said half of Americans actually afford the rent or
that our Republican colleagues have the Republican caucus will vote no on their next mortgage payment. That
refused to work with us in any signifi- any additional stimulus. makes no sense.
cant way to help defeat COVID–19 or The greatest crisis America has faced We can prevent landlords or banks
provide relief to Americans during in close to a century on health, 75 from kicking Americans out of their
these unprecedented times. years on the economy, and our Repub- homes for another 6 months, but what
We do not understand how, faced lican colleagues can’t even agree then? Those same Americans may be 6
with the greatest economic threat in 75 among themselves about what to do months behind on their rent or mort-
years and the greatest public health and have put out a few piecemeal gage. They will have no hope of making
threat in a century, the Senate Repub- pieces that don’t come close to doing up the difference.
lican majority was content to do al- the job. And what will the landlords do? Not
most nothing for 3 long months, as We have waited months—months for all landlords are big companies. Some
more people died, more were thrown the Republican COVID relief bill, and it of them, just like in my neighborhood,
out of work, more small businesses turns out we will not even get a bill, are landlords of a two- or three-family
went under. and Republicans probably will not sup- house. If no one can pay the rent, that
Last week, finally, our Republican port it. hurts them too. How are they going to
colleagues said they were coming out Worse still, based on reports and pay for heat or electricity?
Dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
with a plan, but even after all the Leader MCCONNELL’s speech just now, It is essential that we do what is in
delay, even after Leader MCCONNELL the Republican legislative response to the Democratic Heroes Act and provide
put the Senate on pause for 3 months, COVID–19 is totally inadequate. It will money to pay the rent or the mort-
Senate Republicans and the White not include food assistance for hungry gages for those thrown out of work,
House were so unprepared and so di- kids—kids, whose parents can’t feed through no fault of their own, with no
vided, they couldn’t even agree on a them. They say no relief. How hard- income.
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S4494 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 27, 2020
The Heroes Act provides $100 billion up with a plan, and it doesn’t work. It workable. It will delay benefits for
to help renters pay the rent; $75 billion is going to be impossible to implement. weeks, if not months, as we slide into
to help homeowners pay the mortgage. Republicans, at the last minute, a greater degree of recession.
The Heroes Act would prevent another while they waited and waited and wait- By the way, the idea that we need to
housing crisis in America. The Repub- ed—3 weeks ago Speaker PELOSI and I drastically reduce these benefits be-
lican proposal, assuming they even ad- wrote to Leader MCCONNELL and said: cause workers will stay home other-
dress housing issues, would only delay Sit down and talk to us now. We heard wise is greatly exaggerated. Most
a catastrophe a few months. nothing. Americans are not going to quit their
The greatest deficiency in the Repub- So they waited and waited and wait- jobs, forgo benefits and a steady salary
lican proposal may be their plan for ed until they are up to the cliff, and in order to receive temporary unem-
unemployment insurance. According to now they come up with an entirely new ployment benefits. That is what lead-
reports, the White House and Senate system, where States would have to ing economists have said. These bene-
want to extend the enhanced unem- calculate a different benefit for each fits are a lifeline to tens of millions
ployment benefits the Democrats se- individual worker. Well, the implemen- who want to work, are ready to work,
cured in the CARES Act but only pro- tations will be a nightmare. but can’t find work because there
vide a percentage of a worker’s former Let me read you—my office called aren’t jobs for them. The vast majority
wage. some State unemployment offices of these people don’t have a job to go
There are four reasons this is a ter- about this Republican proposal. to.
rible policy. A medium-size State on the west Let’s face it, folks. Our country is in
First, it would hurt the unemployed. the middle of multiple crises. Tens of
coast: It would take months. We don’t
If you lost your job through no fault of millions of Americans are jobless.
even have a way of calculating the
your own, Republicans want you to American families are struggling to
wages of individuals. We are not
take a 30-percent pay cut. Can you be- keep food on the table and a roof over
equipped to do anything but a flat
lieve that? You have lost your job; you their heads. Nearly 150,000 Americans
amount. Need a serious transition pe-
can’t get to work; the administration have died—a stunning and heart-
riod. Even changing the dollar amount
has bungled this crisis; and now they breaking loss of life—and, in response,
would take 2 to 4 weeks—2 to 4 weeks
want to take $1,600 out of your pocket Senate Republicans have presented us
where people have no money.
every single month, blaming the vic- with a half-hearted, half-baked legisla-
Another Southeastern State, medium
tim—blaming the victim. tive proposal.
Maybe, again, some of those Repub- size again: Very difficult. This State
said: We need public statements from In short, the Republican plan is too
lican, hard-right money people who
the Feds that people will not be able to little, too late. The Republican plan is
don’t want to pay taxes to help any-
get benefits for many weeks or months. weak tea when our problems need a
body, don’t want the Federal Govern-
Need to be realistic so our offices much stronger brew.
ment to help anybody. Let me tell you,
aren’t overwhelmed. Even if you do a I heard Leader MCCONNELL’s ‘‘Alice
my Republican friends, you can’t do
clean $600, you have to reapply in our in Wonderland’’ interpretation of what
this without the Federal Government
State. happened in the last 3 months. The
and the Federal Government’s re-
From a small State in the North- first bill, he says, was the way we
sources. The private sector can’t take
east—these are workers, people in the should go. Well, let’s remember what
care of this on their own. That is one
Governor’s offices or the unemploy- happened. Republicans put their own
reason.
Second, it would exacerbate poverty. ment offices: bill on the floor; Democrats said no.
A recent study showed the enhanced Even clean extensions of FPUC [that is Then, finally, you folks came to the
benefits have prevented 12 million pandemic uninsurance] will take weeks to table, negotiated with us, and the bill
Americans from slipping into poverty. implement. Can’t even speculate how long it is far more a Democratic bill than a
It has probably been the greatest anti- would take to do wage replacement. Will not Republican bill. You know that, and we
have to reapply for a clean $600, but it will know that.
poverty program that we have had in a
take weeks to do retroactive payments. On the other hand, the other alter-
very, very long time. Why on Earth
would we slash and burn benefits keep- From three States—a very big State native, which the leader referred to as
ing American families out of poverty? in the West, a big State in the Mid- the Justice in Policing Act, was totally
Third, it will devastate our economy. west, and a smaller State in the West: partisan.
One of the few things that has this It would take many months. This Sometimes I am amazed at the words
economy not getting worse is that peo- would cause chaos with our constitu- the Republican leader can use. He says
ple have money in their pockets to buy ents. that he wants to be nonpartisan, and
goods. Consumer spending is going up. From a Great Plains State: 2 months our bill is a socialist manifesto. Well,
Do you know why, my Republican minimum to implement. which one is it? Which one is it?
friends? In large part because of the From a big State in the Northeast, Here is what we should do. Repub-
generous benefit in the pandemic un- smaller State in the West: 8 weeks or licans should scrap their approach. We
employment insurance. Mark Zandi more to implement. don’t even know how many are for—
and other great economists have said From a small State in the West: and what pieces. They should use the
just that—just that. We have turned off the $600 FPUC effective Heroes Act—comprehensive, strong,
Consumer purchases are helping the benefit week ending July 25, per law. Any and bold for negotiations—and start
economy from getting worse. There is claims not decided prior to that date will talking with Democrats in a serious
money in the pockets of consumers to still have benefit of [the] FPUC if found eli- way about the real problems our coun-
help them pay the bills and shop in gible. Any claims filed yesterday forward try is facing.
would not. As for options, another flat Again, this is a serious, serious cri-
stores and more. What do our Repub-
amount is best. sis. It is the biggest health crisis in 100
lican friends want to do? Cut the bene-
fits to Americans who are spending the From a large State in the East: years, the biggest economic crisis in 75.
money as soon as they get it, taking Extension of $600, could be seamless. Lower The Republican mantra to let the pri-
one of the few policies stimulating the flat, will take time. Percentage of wages is vate sector do it is just not going to
impossible. work. You have to understand that the
economy off the table.
That is why an analysis from re- Chaos. Chaos. If you change the un- times are different. The crisis is real.
spected economic forecasters at employment benefit, it is going to take We need an active, bold series of gov-
Moody’s—hardly a political organiza- weeks if not months for most people to ernment programs—not just cutting
Dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
tion—say that reducing these benefits get it. The economy crashes. People and cutting and eliminating and elimi-
or letting them expire could cost over are hurt. They get kicked out of their nating—to solve our health problems
a million jobs—a million more jobs this homes, and they can’t feed their kids. and get the economy out of the morass.
year. What are you doing? We Democrats have been waiting to
And fourth and finally, the The Republican proposal on unem- negotiate with our Republican col-
ideologues here get together and come ployment benefits, simply put, is un- leagues for more than 2 months. I am
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July 27, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4495
bitterly disappointed and frustrated by What this country needs is more Without action from Congress, the liti-
their delay and now by the inadequacy workers. If we are going to get this gation epidemic will potentially sink
of their product. We need to imme- country turned around, it is not going the very businesses and enterprises
diately enter into bipartisan, bi- to come from money from unemploy- that we hoped we could sustain
cameral negotiations to develop a bill ment to individuals because govern- through this crisis.
that actually matches the scale of the ment doesn’t create wealth; it only Today, Leader MCCONNELL and I in-
crisis and the needs of the American consumes wealth. If you want to create troduced the Safe to Work Act, which
people. a bigger economic pie for everybody, will ensure that those operating in
Speaker PELOSI this morning called more workers are going to be necessary good faith and following all the rel-
on Leader MCCONNELL and Leader for a bigger economic pie. evant guidelines cannot be sued out of
MCCARTHY and representatives of the Going to our tax provisions in this existence.
President to join me and her in the same bill, our tax provisions aim to To be clear, this is not a blanket li-
Speaker’s office half an hour after the help Americans get back to work and ability shield. It will not prevent bad
Republican bill is released. Repub- help businesses safely open. We expand actors from facing the consequences of
licans in the House and Senate must access to the CARES Act employment their actions when they are intentional
join us. We are running out of time. tax credit for small and medium-sized or reckless. It will not ban coronavirus
The Senate Republicans just ran down businesses. We expand the work oppor- lawsuits, and it will not give anyone a
the clock and tossed an air ball. tunity tax credit for larger employers ‘‘get out of jail free’’ card.
I yield the floor. hiring people currently receiving un- What it will do, though, is put safe-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- employment compensation. We also guards in place that will prevent oppor-
ator from Iowa. provide a new credit for expenses, like tunistic lawsuits from harming the
Mr. GRASSLEY. About half an hour personal protective equipment and workers and institutions we are de-
ago, Leader MCCONNELL gave an out- cleaning needed to maintain a safe and pending on to see us through this cri-
line of the bill that will be before the healthy workplace for employees and sis.
Senate in regard to carrying on where for customers. The Republican plan First and foremost are protections
the CARES Act left off. Those of us provides for another round of $1,200 for our incredible healthcare heroes
who are chairmen of various commit- economic impact payments for most who made the tremendous physical and
tees or have input into this process American adults, but we also include in mental sacrifices over the last few
would like to go into some detail—but the additional $500 for each depend- months. This legislation sets a willful
not in-depth detail—of our parts of the ent—some people we didn’t intend to misconduct or gross negligence stand-
bill. I am chairman of the Senate Fi- leave out last time, but we did. So re- ard for coronavirus-related medical li-
nance Committee, and within our juris- gardless of age, some of these depend- ability suits to ensure that only meri-
diction, our proposals take on several ents will now be helped. torious cases are brought against our
issues facing Americans during the cri- For healthcare providers we relax the healthcare workers.
sis. terms of loans received from Medicare.
For unemployment insurance, we I would add that the costs of litiga-
We ensure that Medicare telehealth op- tion itself can be enough to put some-
boost the Federal Government’s reim- tions don’t expire before Congress can
bursement to local governments and body out of business, even though you,
determine what should be made perma- in the end, ‘‘win’’ the lawsuit. The cost
nonprofits to 75 percent, up from 50 nent. We extend for 5 years the CARES
percent in the first CARES Act. We do of defending a case that you ultimately
Act provision that pays clinics and win can be so big that it will put you
that to prevent further layoffs from health centers for telehealth to provide
local governments and nonprofit orga- out of business by itself.
a downpayment on meeting healthcare
nizations. In addition to protecting our
needs in rural America, and we help by
In the same legislation we maintain healthcare heroes, we need to ensure
freezing Medicare premiums at 2020
some of the current boosted benefits, that fear of lawsuits does not prevent
levels to head off a predicted spike
but we must also responsibly hone our schools, nonprofits, small busi-
next year that would otherwise happen
those programs to target help where it nesses, and a range of other organiza-
to senior citizens. We also assist nurs-
is really needed. tions and institutions that are vital to
ing home patients and workers.
Our bill transitions from a flat rate our communities from opening their
State and local governments have
to a replacement of 70 percent of lost doors. This will spell out in black and
also asked for Federal help. Our pro-
wages for people who have become un- white that these entities will be pro-
posal extends the timeframe in which
employed. This is a much more respon- tected from COVID–19 exposure claims
governments can utilize the $150 billion
sible approach that we didn’t have time as long as they have made a good-faith
in funding provided under the first
to work out in the first CARES Act. effort to comply with mandatory pub-
CARES Act by also providing more
Regardless, the boosted unemployment lic health guidelines.
flexibility and allowing some funds to
benefit is significantly more than be used to cover revenue shortfalls. By the way, a number of States have
Democratic Senate and Democratic This proposal sets out a responsible, already provided similar protections,
Presidents approved in the 2009 eco- holistic approach to address the prob- including the minority leader’s State
nomic crisis, which, by the way, was lems our country faces. I hope my of New York, and it is time we extend
only an additional $25 a month when Democratic colleagues are interested these liability limitations to the rest
we had the worst recession in this in compromise and solutions for the in the country. This is not a red State
country since the Great Depression of benefit of all of the American people. or blue State issue. We are all in this
the 1930s. I yield the floor. together, and that is why red State and
So I heard people cry just a few min- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- blue State legislators and Governors
utes ago about our not doing enough. It ator from Texas. have already acted in a similar fashion
doesn’t make sense to do what we knew Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, as to what I am describing here.
we were doing wrong, but we had to do we continue to work on supporting our In order for our country to recover,
it to get help out to the people who country’s recovery from the COVID–19 the workers and institutions we depend
were unemployed. For the last 4 crisis, one critical piece of the CARES on now need to know with confidence
months, we were paying out of the Fed- 2 legislation is liability reform. that if they are operating in good faith
eral Treasury $600 a week, in addition Across the country we are seeing and obeying health guidelines, they are
to what each State would pay for those lawsuits rolling in, targeting the very not going to become victims of a feed-
Dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
unemployed. In other words, we have healthcare workers who are on the ing frenzy. This legislation will provide
learned what we knew at the time— frontlines performing essential work that confidence, and I hope my col-
that when you pay people more not to for patients suffering from the COVID– leagues on both sides of the aisle will
work than they would get working, 19 virus. We are seeing lawsuits focus- join me in supporting these common-
what do you expect? People will not ing on nursing homes, universities, sense reforms.
work. nonprofit businesses—you name it. I yield the floor.
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S4496 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 27, 2020
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. the summer, his inn would be nearly riety of different reasons, and espe-
BOOZMAN). The Senator from South full every single night, but this July cially the sort of microbusinesses—the
Carolina. his business is down by 93 percent. smaller ones. Some of these funds will
Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Mr. The bill that Senator RUBIO and I are be set aside for employers that have 10
President, as we continue our efforts to introducing would allow the hardest employees or less, to make sure that
tackle the effects of COVID–19, both in hit small employers—those whose rev- the money doesn’t run out without
terms of healthcare and the economic enue has declined by 50 percent or even that group of small businesses getting
fallout, CARES 2 could be a critical more—to receive a second PPP forgiv- the assistance they need.
piece to the puzzle. able loan. And to ensure that we are In addition, we know that minority
Americans continue to mask up, so- targeting assistance to the employers and underserved small businesses have
cial distance, and do what we can do as that need help the most, we limit those been disproportionately impacted by
individuals to slow the spread of the second loans to small businesses with the lockdowns that we have seen. Many
virus. Here, in the Senate, we know 300 or fewer employees. of them, obviously, often lack signifi-
that we must find additional ways to Our bill would also expand forgivable cant cash reserves. They historically
keep our people as healthy as possible PPP expenses to include investments face challenges being able to get tradi-
while we reopen our economy as safely needed to protect both employees and tional means of capital. So, as part of
as we can. customers, such as masks, plexiglass this proposal, separate from PPP and
We also know that low wage and shields, and improved HVAC systems. in addition to it, we are proposing an
service industry workers have taken This could include, for example, the ex- additional type of loan that would be
the hardest economic hit from the pense of expanding outdoor seating, longer term, more targeted, and at low
virus. This stems, in part, from res- which is especially important to res- interest, designated for small busi-
taurants either being closed or oper- taurants that are still under dining re- nesses that are either seasonal employ-
ating at a limited capacity. In April, strictions. ers or located in low-income commu-
one out of four individuals to lose their We include a number of other impor-
nities and have 500 or fewer employees.
jobs lost their jobs in the restaurant tant provisions, such as allowing sea-
It provides them flexible long-term
industry. That is 5.5 million Americans sonal businesses more flexibility in cal-
working capital to help ensure that
who lost their jobs in the restaurant culating their loan amounts and sim-
these most vulnerable and underserved
business. plifying the loan forgiveness process
small businesses don’t go out of busi-
While those losses have certainly for smaller borrowers.
I hope that our proposal will help ad- ness because of the pandemic but al-
begun to recover, and even as our res- lows them to borrow up to two times
taurants adjust and innovate to find vance bipartisan negotiations to ex-
tend this vital program before August their annual revenues on a 20-year loan
new ways to serve customers, there is term at 1 percent interest.
no doubt they need some additional 8, when applications will no longer be
accepted. There are so many small em- Again, don’t confuse that with PPP.
help. That is why I worked on the pro- This is a separate target product to try
ployers and their employees who have
vision in this legislation that will pro- to help those who are in low-income
been kept afloat by the first PPP loan
vide a 100-percent deduction for busi- neighborhoods, as defined by their cen-
they received but need a second one to
ness meals—up from 50 percent. sus track. So, consider, for example, a
survive this persistent pandemic.
We know that through outdoor din- small business with $400,000. A 5-year
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
ing, carryout, delivery, and, in some ator from Florida. loan at 71⁄2 percent interest rate, that
places around the country, limited in- Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, to follow today would be equal to $8,000 monthly
door dining, we can keep folks safe. up on Senator COLLINS’ outline of the payments. But if they are able to refi-
This incentive will lead to more orders second round of PPP, I think it is im- nance that existing loan at 1 percent,
that will translate into more take- portant, first, to remind everybody the payments fall to $1,840. So it is an
home pay and more hours for wait staff how we got to this place. additional amount of assistance.
and kitchen staff and more revenues The goal, when we did it the first The bottom line is that we all recog-
for millions of small businesses. That time, was to not only allow small busi- nize the importance of small business.
is a great thing and an easy thing to nesses to survive what was then uncer- We should all recognize that this is not
accomplish with this simple provision. tain as to how long it would take but a bailout. These are viable businesses,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- also to keep their workers attached to and the only reason they are struggling
ator from Maine. employment. We know how devastating is because the government has stepped
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, the it is to a family and to an individual in—like it does, for example, in emi-
Paycheck Protection Program of for- when they get disconnected from em- nent domain—and said: For the public
givable loans has been a lifeline to mil- ployment, and, by and large, we believe good, it is important for us to infringe
lions of our small businesses and their the program has been incredibly suc- upon your right to make money and
employees. According to a recent cen- cessful. But it has room for improve- conduct business.
sus survey, more than 76 percent of ment, and we have learned from those I think when government does that
Maine’s small businesses reported re- things along the way with some of the in the public good, just like in eminent
ceiving a PPP loan. An estimated different changes that were made in domain, the government also has an
240,000 Maine jobs have been supported providing more flexibility and the like. obligation to step forward and help
by this critically important program, This new program comes at a timely these companies from going out of
which has brought more than $2.2 bil- moment because we are now beginning business. Otherwise, we will lose not
lion to our State. Nationwide, more to see that as the PPP funds are being just the backbone of our economy but
than 5 million small employers have exhausted, some companies are having the millions of jobs that come with it,
received PPP loans. to face, once again, the potential of and the impact would be catastrophic.
When Senators RUBIO, CARDIN, SHA- having to lay off some of their workers. I yield the floor.
HEEN, and I developed this program That is why it is time for a second The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
back in March, we had no idea how round of PPP assistance. ator from Utah.
long economic closures to mitigate the A lot of the provisions will be very (The remarks of Mr. ROMNEY per-
spread of COVID–19 would last. Many familiar. You have heard them al- taining to the introduction of S. 4323
small businesses have made consider- ready—the 21⁄2 percent payroll and so are printed in today’s RECORD under
able investments in personal protective forth—but some are new because we ‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and
equipment and facility modifications really wanted this to be more targeted. Joint Resolutions.’’)
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to operate safely during the pandemic That is why there is the 300-employee- Mr. ROMNEY. I yield the floor.
and yet are still only able to operate at or-less standard, and you have to have The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
a fraction of their previous capacity. 50 percent or more of revenue reduc- ator from Alabama.
In fact, I talked to an innkeeper in tion. Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I
Maine just this morning who told me We also understand that some com- introduced legislation that provides
that in normal times, at this point in munities have been harder hit, for a va- $306 billion in additional resources to
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July 27, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4497
fight the coronavirus and to mitigate You can defer your payment until Oc- There will be more funding, as Sen-
its impact on American families, tober 1. Well, that is just around the ator SHELBY mentioned, to help con-
schools, and businesses. I want to brief- corner. What we would propose is, you tain this sneaky, dangerous virus and
ly highlight some of the main provi- don’t have to pay it after October 1 if give Americans more opportunity for
sions. They have probably been talked you have no income. If you do have in- access to healthcare. There is more
about already this afternoon. come, your monthly payment will funding in this overall legislation for
First, $6 billion goes for States to never be more than 10 percent of your testing, for the National Institutes of
ramp up testing, with a particular em- income after deducting the necessities Health, community health centers, the
phasis on schools, employers, childcare of life, such as rent, mortgage, or food. distribution of vaccines, and to extend
facilities, and nursing homes. No. 2, if you are a parent, this bill the expansion of teleservice activities
Second, $26 billion goes for the devel- gives your child more choices of that has happened during the pan-
opment and distribution of vaccines, schools, provides scholarships so that demic.
therapeutics, and diagnostics. We have your child can return to the private This legislation reflects our Nation’s
made meaningful progress on each of school he or she attended before the priorities, which are safely back to
these fronts, but we haven’t gotten pandemic, and gives other students a school, safely back to childcare, and
there yet, as we all know. new opportunity to attend private safely back to work.
Third, there is $105 billion for the school. Senator TIM SCOTT introduced I yield the floor.
Education Stabilization Fund to help that legislation earlier. I am a cospon- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
schools adapt to the circumstances sor. ator from Oregon.
they face, which are extraordinary. No. 3, if you are a working mom or UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT
The CDC has emphasized the impor- dad, it helps you find childcare so you
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask
tance of getting kids back into school can go back to work. A lot of our
unanimous consent that following the
and has issued guidelines on how to do childcare centers operate on a very
remarks of my Republican colleagues,
so safely. That is why this legislation thin margin. They have reduced rev-
Senators BROWN, MURPHY, and I be per-
provides additional funding for K–12 enue because they don’t have as many
mitted to speak for up to 7 minutes
schools to get kids back into the class- clients these days. Senator BLUNT’s bill
and Senator SHELBY’s appropriations each and that the previously scheduled
room at least 50 percent of the time, votes occur following the remarks of
bill will provide money so that they
which would be a big start. We recog- those listed.
can stay open and provide safe environ-
nize they will incur additional expense The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
ments to two-thirds of the children in
if they reopen safely, and we have to objection?
the United States under age 6 who have
try to provide for that. Without objection, it is so ordered.
parents in the workforce.
The fourth point I want to highlight Finally, our bill—the part I am intro- The Senator from South Carolina.
briefly here is $20 billion in additional Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, it is
ducing—improves the Strategic Na-
assistance for our Nation’s farmers and my pleasure to introduce the Restoring
tional Stockpile so that we can main-
our ranchers. tain adequate supplies of masks, Critical Supply Chains and Intellectual
The fifth and final point: nearly $30 gloves, protective equipment, as well Property Act.
billion to bolster the U.S. defense in- China looms large in this debate
as onshore manufacturing capacity for
dustrial base, which is important to all about the coronavirus. That is where
tests, treatments, and vaccines that we
of us. We must never take our eyes off are building now. We want to make the virus originated. The lying and de-
the ball there. These resources will pre- sure that it doesn’t go away and we ceptive behavior of the Chinese Com-
vent furloughs of thousands of employ- have to rely on other countries in munist Party has brought this pan-
ees from across the country who help other parts of the world. demic to the world. It is the third pan-
Americans stay safe. This legislation is about children, demic to come out of China. I think it
I can go on and on, but time is mov- jobs, and healthcare. is now time for us to get serious about
ing on here this afternoon. We realize As far as schools go, there are 100,000 our dependency on China.
this is just the first step. We have to public schools and 35,000 private What does this legislation do? It has
work together. We have to work in a schools in our country. There are about four components.
bipartisan fashion here and put Amer- 5 million students in the private The protective equipment that our
ica first. schools and 50 million in the public nurses and doctors and all healthcare
We know the House has some high schools. Every one of those children is workers use to protect themselves on
numbers. We have good numbers, I be- a treasure. I have worked with Senator the frontlines—90 percent of it is made
lieve. I look forward to some bipartisan BLUNT to help the country’s 135,000 in China. We are going to try to bring
help on this and moving these bills schools and 6,000 colleges have the it back home. We have a ‘‘Buy Amer-
along. money they need to open with as many ican’’ requirement in this bill—a $7.5
I yield the floor. students physically present as is con- billion tax credit to reenergize Amer-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sistent with safety. ican production of PPE equipment.
ator from Tennessee. The Safely Back to Work and Back We are trying to get PPE under the
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I to School Act poses making $70 billion Berry amendment of the Defense bill.
thank Senator WYDEN for his courtesy available for schools; another $30 bil- We require our uniforms for our mili-
in allowing me to go next. I will be suc- lion for colleges. That means roughly tary to be made in America to the ex-
cinct. $1,200 per student for public and private tent possible. We are going to try to
The way to get back to work and schools across the country. One-third create PPE in the same category as a
back to school is to put politics aside of the money would be distributed national security item.
and work together, as we have been automatically to all 135,000 schools. There will be a $7.5 billion tax credit
doing, on the COVID–19 response and That is probably about $400 a student— to jump-start this industry. A lot of
see whether we can get a result for the a significant amount of money. Two- good jobs will come from this, and we
American people in the next couple of thirds of the money would go to will be less dependent on China when it
weeks. schools that are opening with students comes to protective equipment.
The part of the Safely Back to Work physically present to help pay for the I will discuss Senator PORTMAN’s leg-
and Back to School Act that I am in- extra costs of providing that instruc- islation, Safeguarding American Inno-
troducing today does four things. tion in a safe environment. If they are vation Act, which is included, Senator
First, if you are one of 43 million trying to open with students physically CORNYN’s CHIPS for America Act, and
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Americans with a student loan, it helps present, it makes logical sense to say Senator MURKOWSKI’s American Min-
you manage your debt. This is the way that if they have to have more buses, if eral Security Act very quickly.
it does it: If you have no income, you they have to hire more teachers, if Senator CORNYN’s CHIPS for America
have no monthly payment. If you re- they have to have more protective Act creates tax incentives to return
member, in March, we said to the 43 equipment, then those schools need and grow a domestic semiconductor in-
million Americans with student debt: more help paying for that. dustry. A Taiwanese firm made a big
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