Congressional Record, July 29, 2020, from Page S4563 — United States Senate
Summary
This is page S4563 of the Congressional Record, Senate, July 29, 2020, with interleaved columns. It prints the end of a roll-call vote with 22 nays and 2 not voting, announced as 76 yeas and 22 nays, followed by a cloture motion on the nomination of Derek Kan, of California, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Under the heading CORONAVIRUS, Ms. KLOBUCHAR of Minnesota speaks about the impact of the pandemic on rural America. She says that as of July 14, one-third of all rural counties were considered red zones, and that new cases in rural counties increased by 150 percent between June 13 and July 12. She calls for funding for rural area hospitals and for State and local governments.
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“Congressional Record, July 29, 2020, from Page S4563 — United States Senate.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-07-29-crec-2020-07-29-pt1-pgs4563-2-db5e97f6aa/
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July 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4563
if cloture is invoked, all postcloture Loeffler Risch Sinema homegrown American food. Just as we
Manchin Roberts Smith
time be considered expired and the McConnell Romney Sullivan
have learned with the medical equip-
Senate immediately vote on his con- McSally Rosen Thune ment supply chain, we can’t always get
firmation. I further ask that the clo- Moran Rounds Tillis the swabs that we need for so much of
ture vote on the McFerran nomination Murkowski Rubio Toomey our testing and the like.
Murphy Sasse Warner
occur at 4:45 p.m. today and that, if Paul Schatz I just want to make clear that people
Whitehouse
cloture is invoked, all postcloture time Perdue Scott (FL) sometimes see rural areas as though
Wicker
be considered expired and the Senate Peters Scott (SC)
Young they are out there, doing fine—all of
Portman Shaheen
immediately vote on her confirmation. Reed Shelby
these idyllic pictures. I don’t think
Finally, I ask that, if any of these they understand the struggle, the fact
NAYS—22 that rural poverty for kids is often
nominations are confirmed, that the
motions to reconsider be considered Baldwin Gillibrand Stabenow higher than it is in urban areas, and
Bennet Heinrich Tester
made and laid upon the table and the Blumenthal Hirono
this was before the pandemic. To me,
Udall
President be immediately notified of Booker Menendez Van Hollen the pandemic has just put a big magni-
the Senate’s action. Brown Merkley Warren fying glass on some of these disparities
Cantwell Murray Wyden that we knew already existed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Cardin Sanders
objection? Duckworth Schumer
There is a more senior population in
Without objection, it is so ordered. rural areas, so you have people trying
NOT VOTING—2 to keep themselves safe. They are iso-
CLOTURE MOTION
Cruz Markey lated in seniors’ homes or in areas of
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant
to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this smaller assisted living, where they are
Senate the pending cloture motion, vote, the yeas are 76, the nays are 22. very, very isolated, even more so than
The motion is agreed to. they might be, but where they have
which the clerk will state.
The Senator from Minnesota. their families nearby who can at least
The legislative clerk read as follows:
CORONAVIRUS visit them through a window. That is
CLOTURE MOTION
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I even harder. So, really, all of these
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- rise to address the impact that the challenges conspire to make this a
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby coronavirus pandemic is having on topic that we must discuss.
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- rural America. The operation of public hospitals,
nation of Derek Kan, of California, to be We know that it affects every area of long-term care facilities, and first re-
Deputy Director of the Office of Management this country. In the urban areas of our sponder services during a public health
and Budget. country, we have seen what this has crisis requires a significant mobiliza-
Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, Joni meant to the people who are in crowd- tion of resources, and this relief pack-
Ernst, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, ed housing and to the people who work age that I am pleased we are debating
John Boozman, Lamar Alexander, every day in our urban hospitals. We now—I would like to see more move-
Cindy Hyde-Smith, Marsha Blackburn,
have seen it in the suburban areas with ment, but at least the negotiations are
Richard Burr, Mike Crapo, Pat Rob-
erts, James E. Risch, Shelley Moore small businesses and with moms who ongoing—must include the funding for
Capito, Michael B. Enzi, Mitt Romney, are trying to figure out how to handle rural area hospitals as well as for State
John Barrasso. the summer with their kids, but the and local governments. Local govern-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- rural areas sometimes don’t get as ments in rural areas are facing both
imous consent, the mandatory quorum much attention. The Presiding Officer falling revenues and increased emer-
call has been waived. knows of this in his home State of gency expenses. They have smaller
The question is, Is it the sense of the Oklahoma. He understands this. margins under which they operate,
Senate that debate on the nomination There are a lot of rural areas in our which threatens their ability to pro-
of Derek Kan, of California, to be Dep- country that have suffered as well. vide essential public services and their
uty Director of the Office of Manage- They have suffered not only because of ability to continue paying teachers and
ment and Budget, shall be brought to a spikes in the virus, like we have seen first responders.
recently, but also because of the eco- The public health crisis is putting in-
close?
nomic implications—a farm economy credible pressure on our public health
The yeas and nays are mandatory
that was already in trouble because of system, and many rural hospitals and
under the rule.
the price of commodities, because of health systems already have limited
The clerk will call the roll.
world trade barriers, because of weath- ICU beds and resources. The dispropor-
The legislative clerk called the roll.
er events. You name it. It has affected tionately low number of healthcare
Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is
rural areas in a big, big way. providers across rural America has
necessarily absent: the Senator from
According to several recent reports, been brought into sharp focus by this
Texas (Mr. CRUZ).
as of July 14, one-third of all rural crisis. We have already heard stories of
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
counties are now considered red zones, the hospitals that were once delivering
Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. MAR-
places that in the last week of testing babies but that lost one OB/GYN doctor
KEY) is necessarily absent.
added 100 or more new cases per 100,000 and could no longer deliver babies.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
people. Between June 13 and July 12, Then the family has to go miles and
LANKFORD). Are there any other Sen-
the number of new cases in rural coun- miles and hours and hours just to have
ators in the Chamber desiring to vote
ties increased by 150 percent. That is the delivery of a baby in a safe situa-
or change their vote?
why we must take immediate action to tion. That is why we need to do much.
The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 76,
provide the critical support that the It is the funding.
nays 22, as follows:
rural areas need. There is a bill that Senator GRASS-
[Rollcall Vote No. 147 Ex.] They are areas that may not have LEY and I have that will actually allow
YEAS—76 easy access to hospitals or that may some of the smaller hospitals—this was
Alexander Cortez Masto Hassan have smaller hospitals. That is why the prepandemic—to exist in different cir-
Barrasso Cotton Hawley cumstances, like emergency room cir-
Blackburn Cramer Hoeven
issue of funding for State and local
Blunt Crapo Hyde-Smith governments, as long as we make sure cumstances, so they don’t entirely
Boozman Daines Inhofe the rural areas are able to share in this close down. It is why I have led the re-
Braun Durbin Johnson funding as well, is so important for the authorization of the Conrad 30 Waiver
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Burr Enzi Jones
Capito Ernst Kaine rural hospitals, for their equipment— Program, which has brought in over
Carper Feinstein Kennedy all of this. 15,000 immigrant doctors to fill the
Casey Fischer King This is beyond what we all know al- gaps. We also know there are issues of
Cassidy Gardner Klobuchar ready of the food supply chains and our personnel in these hospitals—nurses
Collins Graham Lankford
Coons Grassley Leahy nutrition programs. We certainly don’t and doctors. This is a program that al-
Cornyn Harris Lee want a situation in which one can’t get lows for immigrant students who have
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S4564 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 29, 2020
gotten degrees from American medical with patients, but also for them to be demand for food and fuel. At the begin-
schools to be able to serve out their able to see their families. ning of the pandemic, dairy producers
residencies in underserved areas in This means broadband. That is why I estimated that milk prices would drop
America, which sometimes means in introduced the Accessible, Affordable by $2.85 billion in 2020. Cattle ranchers
urban areas that don’t have enough Internet for All Act—comprehensive and hog producers saw the value of
personnel and which, lots of times, broadband legislation led by Represent- their livestock drop by 30 to 40 percent,
means in rural areas. That is why, in ative JIM CLYBURN of South Carolina. I and the futures price for corn and soy-
fact, the initial author of this bill was was honored that he asked me to carry bean fell 10 to 15 percent per bushel.
Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota. this bill in the Senate. It would invest These losses occurred as farmers
It is because of the problem North Da- $100 billion to build high-speed were still recovering from weather con-
kota had. broadband infrastructure in under- ditions that delayed or prevented har-
As I have traveled through the coun- served areas. Underserved areas, a lot vest last year. Many farmers were
try in the last year, I have continued of times, as he knows from his State of barely breaking even as it was, and
to hear about all of the problems we South Carolina, include a lot of rural they began this spring planting season
have in our VA hospitals and the like. areas and rural farmers. In his case, behind, and then they confronted the
They want to have these physicians there are so many African-American pandemic.
who have been trained in America and communities that are underserved by In March, we passed the CARES Act.
have degrees from America to stay and broadband, and it would make a big dif- It was not perfect. We all know that,
not have to go back to their home ference all over the country. but it provided $23.5 billion in disaster
countries when, in fact, they want to Senator CRAMER of North Dakota and assistance for farmers and livestock
stay in America. I introduced the Keeping Critical Con- producers impacted by the pandemic.
Helping rural hospitals also means nections Act, which, again, is another The Department of Agriculture began
ensuring they have vital protective way of focusing on low-income and on making payments in June, and, as of
equipment, like masks, gowns, and rural areas to help our small broadband yesterday, they had processed over $6.5
gloves; and medical supplies, like ven- providers who, in my experience, have billion in payments to more than
tilators. tended to really put their money where 473,000 producers.
That is why I have urged the admin- their mouth is and actually build out But there is still money that has
istration to deliver supplies from the in these areas so that people get high- been unspent. That is $14 billion. In ad-
Strategic National Stockpile and to speed broadband. dition to funding for the next package,
protect consumers’ access to medical Our bill now has 34 cosponsors—half it must reach producers of all sizes.
and hygiene products. Democrats, half Republicans—and I This has been particularly hard in my
It also means delivering additional keep working to ensure that students State, waiting for that help.
resources for testing and for contact in low-income families, regardless of The House has already taken action
tracing, like the $75 billion that the their ZIP Code, are connected. to provide additional direct assistance
House passed in the Heroes Act, and it I don’t want to hear another story for farmers and dairy and livestock
means expanding telehealth services, like I heard of the high school student producers. I met with Representative
which my bill with Senators Casey and who had to take her biology exam in COLLIN PETERSON, who heads up the
Capito—the ACCESS Act—would do. the liquor store parking lot in town be- House Ag Committee, this weekend,
I recently had the experience of my cause she didn’t have high-speed ac- when we were both here, marooned in
own dad, at age 92, with coronavirus. cess; or the doctor who can, yes, see Washington, and went through the
He ended up at age 92 surviving it, with the x rays at his rural hospital, but if work that he had done, and I am very
just having lost 10 pounds and a very he wants to do work from home, as so hopeful that we can do something simi-
poor appetite, but he came out of it as many of us are doing in the pandemic, lar in our bill here.
strong as he went into it. But I didn’t he has to go to the McDonald’s parking While farmers and livestock pro-
know that was going to happen, and I lot to be able to view these x rays. ducers need emergency relief, we also
will never forget that moment of our Iceland can do this. They have volca- must recognize that the pandemic has
family standing outside the window be- noes. They are covered at times in ash, placed a significant strain on workers
cause, of course, we couldn’t go in. We and they have been able to get high- and consumers. We cannot slow the
are standing out there en masse while speed internet to every person in their spread of the coronavirus when tests
he is in his room—or in a room that country. We should be able to do the can take as long as 12 days to provide
they had given him, because he got same. results.
coronavirus—and they put the tele- Farmers. I spent the morning on a A friend back in Minnesota, just a
phone on so that he can hear us on number of Zoom calls with our farmers week ago or so, got a test. He felt sick,
speaker phone, but he cannot figure in Minnesota—our soybean farmers and didn’t want to get his family infected,
out what is going on. He doesn’t really others—and I have to say that they are and spent 6 days in the basement not
understand, with his disease, why we in hard times right now. They are in being able to see his family, and it
are wearing the masks and we can’t hard times because, as I said, before took that long to find the result. And
even hold his hand. And you don’t this pandemic, we were having prob- then he found out he didn’t have it.
know if that is the last time you are lems. Our food supply chain has been Those stories are just as similar but, of
going to see your loved one at that mo- hit—from the farmers who grow our course, much more fortunate—but
ment. As it turned out, it had a happy food, fuel, and fiber, to the workers in similar to people who wait when they
ending for him, and he is doing fine, the processing plants, of which I have are sick, and they need to know if they
but not for everyone else that was in many in my State. are sick. And not everyone has a base-
his home. I was just in Worthington, MN, which ment to stay in. So the point of this is
That is why these services, where is the home of one of biggest food proc- that these delays in testing are very,
maybe he could see us on a big TV, in- essing plants that was hit hard by the very difficult on our economy.
stead of maybe on the little iPhone coronavirus. They have put in place That is why, in May, I joined Senator
when we do FaceTime, would make some better safety measures, and they DEBBIE STABENOW, the ranking member
such a difference, not just to people in are now operating. of the Agriculture Committee and my
his situation who are in a small as- There are the truckdrivers and barge Democratic colleague on the Senate
sisted living, with the need of services, operators, who deliver products to Agriculture Committee, in introducing
but if people are there because they stores and export terminals and the the Food Supply Protection Act. The
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wanted to have a living situation families who may be struggling to put bill would provide support for food
where they could hang out with their food on the table due to sudden unem- banks to upgrade their infrastructure
friends and play bridge and the like. ployment. to handle additional demands,
We are going to have to think of those When many businesses began shut- strengthen food partnerships to pre-
senior facilities and the access we can ting down in March, commodity fu- vent food waste, and protect workers
give not only to doctors to consult tures prices tumbled, given the lower through grants—and here we get to
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July 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4565
what I was talking about—for protec- port biofuel producers during the pan- of land in places like South Carolina
tive equipment, test kits, and cleaning demic. Our bill involves reimbursement and in places like Oklahoma and in
supplies. for their feed stock or commodity pur- places like Minnesota. But if we just
Also, last week, I joined Senator chases through the first quarter of this allow rampant consolidation in the ag
JERRY MORAN of Kansas in introducing year. industry and the tech industry—where
the Requiring Assistance to Meat Proc- It is also why I led a letter with 19 there is a hearing going on, as I speak
essors for Upgrading Plants Act, or the Senators urging the EPA to deny 52 pe- right now, over in the House that
RAMP-UP Act, that we are doing to- titions for waivers that would enable maybe a few more people are watch-
gether. more billion-dollar oil companies to re- ing—the point of it is this: We have to
The closure of meat packing plants ceive small refinery exemptions. also take on consolidation during this
highlighted the need to provide con- The approval of these retroactive ex- pandemic and look at our laws next
sumers with more choices and farmers emptions at this moment would only year. And I am not just going to wait
with more flexibility when marketing worsen the unprecedented economic for a bunch of judges to make decisions
their livestock. challenges facing the biofuel industry. when they have been going against the
Our bill would help small and me- Competition is good in America. That antitrust laws now at the Supreme
dium-size meat packers make improve- is why we have the renewable fuel Court level for years—one loss after an-
ments to their facilities so they can standard, because it is a nascent new other. It just so cries out for a change
meet the standards necessary for Fed- fuel, and it had to really get into that in our antitrust laws. We have adapted
eral inspections. This will allow them market in a big way against Big Oil, these laws over the years.
to make sales across State lines and in- which gets many more subsidies than I will end with one story involving
crease market opportunities. the biofuels do. And this is not a time that. I was at a small cafe a few years
These two important pieces of legis- to go backward and shut down every ago in Albert Lea, MN. A woman was
lation—the Stabenow bill I mentioned biofuel plant in America, and that is there with her farmer husband and her
and the one that Senator MORAN and I where this administration is headed, if brother-in-law.
just introduced—should be included in it keeps up these practices. She turned to me and she said: ‘‘I
the next relief package. There is much more we must do to
Another critical component to the just saw you on TV.’’
help our rural communities. I would I said: ‘‘Was it about Russia and the
rural economy is our Nation’s biofuel note that one of the emerging issues I
industry. In the first quarter of 2020, elections?’’
have heard about a lot in my State is The Presiding Officer and I were
biofuel processing plants purchased an these childcare deserts, and that is
estimated 1.3 billion bushels of corn doing a lot of work at the time nation-
that rural families are seeing unavail- ally on protecting our elections from
and supported over 350,000 jobs. able childcare. This is, again,
Many of them are based, of course, in foreign interference.
prepandemic. It was a big problem, I said: ‘‘Was that it?’’
rural communities. In fact, a lot of our where you would have so many people
farmers own the plants. In fact, a lot of She said: ‘‘No. That wasn’t it.’’ She
who wanted to work but were unable to said that it was on the local station. It
our local people depend on these plants get childcare to be able to do that
for one of the major businesses in their was about States. It was about how
work. things are getting too big, and it
small towns. That is not just in my State. It is all
Even before the pandemic, the misuse makes it hard for us.
over the country. That is why Senator
of small refinery exemptions under the We want to maintain our rural
SULLIVAN and I introduced the Child
renewable fuel standard by the EPA spaces. It is not just a romantic vision
Care Workforce and Facilities Act
had led biofuel plants to shut down. of the past. We want to maintain our
prepandemic, which would address the
I will never forget visiting a biodiesel rural areas for America. It is about
national shortage of affordable, quality
plant in Iowa that had been shut down, childcare in these rural areas to help having food that is ours, having it
and there was one worker left. His job them expand their childcare made in America so we are not depend-
was to maintain the plant, and he took workforces. ent on foreign foods. It is about having
me on a tour of the empty plant and Right now, the economy is slowly but our own energy supply, which can be
then pulled out a coat rack that con- surely starting to reopen, and we know varied and vast. It is about having our
tained the uniforms of the people—his that for families who have been at own technology and developing the
friends—who used to work there. And home and the parents are still working, next new idea and the next new iPhone.
embroidered on the uniforms were the this has become harder and harder for We are not going to be able to do that
names of the workers, with names like moms and dads to figure out what they if we shut out a big swath of our coun-
Bob, Joe, Salvador. A tear goes down are going to do about childcare. try. That is not going to work. We ac-
his cheek, and he said: I kept these uni- So this should be a time where we tually want to encourage development
forms. I keep them pressed on this coat step back and say: OK, how are we in rural America. That is what I think
rack because I hope they will come going to deal with this, not just with we need to do.
back and work here. the threat moving from the pandemic I yield the floor.
That was before the pandemic, and now, today, but the day after tomor- I suggest the absence of a quorum.
that is what we have seen because of row? And I mean that as a metaphor The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
some policies by this administration for next year. How are we going to clerk will call the roll.
that claim that they wanted to help make this work for rural areas? The senior assistant legislative clerk
the Midwest but instead granted whole- And I have gone through everything I proceeded to call the roll.
sale a bunch of exemptions, not just to think we need to do to get there: the Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask
the refineries. It is in there for a good healthcare, making sure that we have unanimous consent that the order for
reason—to help struggling refineries— healthcare available in rural areas; the the quorum call be rescinded.
but they, literally, granted those ex- broadband, making sure that some- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
emptions to Exxon, to Chevron, to doz- thing we can do is available; the objection, it is so ordered.
ens and dozens and dozens of compa- childcare deserts; and the ag economy. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, just 75
nies. And that is before the pandemic. I will say that there is a big argu- days ago today, the Democratic House
That is why Senator GRASSLEY and I ment for rural America right now, as passed the Heroes Act. The Heroes Act
have taken this on in a big way. These we have seen that people are able, with was a comprehensive and I think very
losses—this is, again, prepandemic— the right connections, to work from bold bill that addressed the very real
have resulted in over 100 biofuel proc- home, and we need new ideas and new needs that face this country as we
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essing plants nationwide idling produc- startups, and it is actually less expen- struggle to contain the coronavirus.
tion or closing altogether. It is com- sive to start new companies in the During the 75 days that passed, we
bined, prepandemic and during the pan- rural part of this country, where the Democrats pressed the Republican
demic. cost of living is lower. leadership to take up the Heroes Act in
That is why in May I introduced leg- We know that there are farmers that the Senate, and for 75 days, we have
islation with Senator GRASSLEY to sup- want to keep farming their small plot been told no. The point was simple:
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S4566 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 29, 2020
Bring it up, vote for it or against it, the money as a stick to force school bility. She has not been able to even
amend it if you want, but let’s have districts to open even if the locality hug her own mother since the pan-
some real action. and public health agencies say it is not demic started.
For 75 days we have watched the safe. It fails to provide much needed in- She writes:
virus spread. We saw the death toll rise vestment in broadband and internet ac- We can’t just have a single-state or single-
as President Trump stood by, denying cess for rural areas to allow for dis- country response to this pandemic. We must
the severity of the crisis, attacking the tance learning where it is needed. all work together to take action now to sup-
science, and assuring the American One teacher said to me: If you force port the most vulnerable members of our so-
public that the virus would just go us to open, what happens when a week ciety.
away on its own. For 75 days we after it opens, two children and two I couldn’t agree more. We need to
watched as critical deadlines bore down teachers have COVID–19? The school work together. We need to protect the
on us for programs that offered a life- closes down for a period of time. Let’s most vulnerable among us. We need to
line to the American people, including be realistic. prioritize the most urgent of needs, but
the expiration of Federal unemploy- There is no increase for SNAP bene- the Republican proposal doesn’t do
ment benefits and a moratorium on fits even though more people are going that.
evictions. hungry today in America. There is no Across our country, children are
This week, on Monday, after 73 days new funding for State and local govern- going hungry because their parents are
of waiting, Senate Republicans finally ments that are laying off teachers and out of work and the cost of food is on
unveiled their proposals to address the healthcare workers and first respond- the rise. The Republican proposal in-
coronavirus pandemic, and even some ers as revenues dry up. cludes nothing for SNAP and nothing
Republicans have said it is disjointed The Republican proposal inexplicably for child nutrition. But there are
and in disarray. One has to ask, what cuts Federal unemployment benefits to multibillion-dollar giveaways to the
has been done all this time? millions of workers. They insist this defense industry. Republicans say they
Instead of one bill, it is a collection incentivizes people to go back to work. want 5 years of immunity for large cor-
of eight different pieces of legislation, Where are they going to work? Where porations so they will not be sued if
introduced by eight different Members. are the jobs? People want to work, but they force their workers back to work
Instead of a cohesive package to ad- jobs are hard to come by. All this does if they get sick, but they have no
dress the needs of the American people is make more people destitute, put peo- money in there for the protection of
and to get the virus under control, ple more at risk of not being able to those workers. They protect the own-
their proposals prioritize corporations put food on the table or pay the rent. ers of the company who probably don’t
over people. They put business inter- To show why this proposal is a non- even come in the company. They pro-
ests ahead of society. starter, let me share a few stories from tect them but not the workers in the
It is unclear whether the White Vermonters who have written or called company.
House has blessed this package. It is or come into my office as I have been They take money to replace money
even less clear whether it has the sup- around Vermont this past weekend. that the White House basically took
port of the majority of Republicans in One man wrote to me because he is away to build a wall that Mexico was
this body. One thing that is clear: The concerned he will be evicted from his supposed to pay. Then, when I saw this
priorities are completely misplaced. home in the next few days. He has been in the proposal, here was $1.7 billion for
My friends on the other side of the out of work since March, only able to an FBI building that was going to be
aisle seem to think they can fix our survive because of the Federal unem- built either in Virginia or Maryland—
Nation’s problems by simply forcing a ployment benefits in the CARES Act, $1.7 billion to protect the aging build-
reopening of the economy, forcing peo- which in this bill have been callously ing and prop it up. Why? Because if it
ple back into the workplace, and forc- stripped away. His wife is taking class- were gone, somebody might build a
ing children back to school as if the es at the local community college in hotel there. There would be potential
virus isn’t still spreading like wildfire. the hopes of one day getting a better competition with Donald Trump’s
It is a terrible approach and would job. In just a few short days, they could hotel across the street. They are going
make us less safe. face eviction because they can’t afford to put $1.7 billion of taxpayers’ money
Everybody wants to get the economy to make their $750 rent payment. In- in there to protect his hotel from any
on track. We want schools to reopen, stead of inching ever closer to achiev- competition, but there is no money in
and we want to return to the work- ing the American dream, that dream is it to ensure people can safely vote in
place. But the only way to accomplish being snatched away through no fault our upcoming elections. What is going
that is to contain the virus, slow the of their own. Homelessness is now a on? This is ‘‘Alice in Wonderland.’’
spread. That is the only thing that will real possibility for them. In the absence of a President who
give people the confidence to emerge He writes: takes this virus seriously or is able to
from their homes and reengage in soci- I hope that you and your fellow Senators lead this country through the crisis,
ety and our economy. To do that, there can find a solution as soon as possible, be- the American public needs Congress to
are certain things we have to do. cause we are all affected by what happens in step up. The Republican proposal fails
We have to have quick and efficient the Capitol. to do this. It leaves people behind and
testing and contact tracing. We need a He is right. Whatever is done here af- our country and our economy even
vaccine, but we will have to have a way fects him and his family and all other more vulnerable.
to mass-produce that vaccine, once we families. What are the solutions being Let’s stop playing partisan games
have it, to the people. We need to sup- proposed? Unemployment benefits and offering solutions only one party
port unemployed Americans until we slashed, no rental assistance, and the can get behind. Let’s get something we
get through this crisis. We need to expiration of the eviction moratorium. can all get behind. Let’s start bipar-
keep people from being evicted and los- When is the last time anyone in this tisan, bicameral negotiations on a bill
ing their homes. We need to create safe room struggled to make rent? Who are that can be sent to the President by
working environments and safe learn- we to tell this man he does not deserve the end of next week. Let’s make prior-
ing environments for our children. continued help from his government in ities of those programs that help us
Where children must learn from home the middle of a pandemic? contain this virus and help us protect
with parents working from home, we Another voter contacted me over the the vulnerable families like those I
need to make investments in the infra- fate of her 98-year-old mother. Since have seen the past several days in
structure they need to be successful. March, her mother and the other resi- Vermont—a bill that puts us on the
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
The Republican bill fails on all these dents of her nursing home have been right track to reopening our economy.
points. It has insufficient funding for confined to their rooms, unable to join Frankly, the American people can’t
testing and contact tracing. It has in- each other for dinner and unable to wait any longer. The Vermonters who
sufficient funding for a mass-vaccine participate in activities. The nursing call and write into my office and stop
campaign once we have a vaccine. It home staff lack the necessary personal me in the street to talk with me, they
underfunds education programs. It uses protective equipment and testing capa- are pleading for help. They can’t wait
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July 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4567
any longer. And to do nothing—to do While the Paycheck Protection Pro- services such as elective surgery to
nothing is an abdication of our sworn gram helped the Crayons 2 Pencils keep them financially afloat, but be-
responsibility to serve our constitu- daycare center keep their employees cause of the pandemic and the response
ents. paid, as folks are getting back to work, to it, many hospitals have had to can-
But to advance this patchwork series these critical facilities are facing new cel these elective surgeries as protec-
of bills offered by the Republican ma- challenges—making up for losses from tive measures due to the pandemic.
jority is worse. It is a disservice to the decreased enrollment, trying to expand Additionally, the need for PPE and
thousands of Americans who have died to accommodate more kiddos due to other equipment has significantly in-
and the millions of Americans who school closures, or acquiring critical creased.
have contracted this virus and the hun- medical supplies or PPE to create a Lower revenue combined with higher
dreds of millions of Americans who are safe and clean environment for these expenses has made it incredibly dif-
looking to their government to do families. ficult for these rural hospitals to stay
something so they can have their coun- Just recently, I held a telephone afloat. We absolutely can’t leave these
try back. townhall, and I was joined by Iowa’s di- folks behind. We need our hospitals to
I yield the floor. rector of health and human services, keep their doors open so that quality
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ROM- Kelly Garcia. We heard the concerns of healthcare is accessible to all Iowans,
NEY). The Senator from Virginia. Iowa parents and talked about the so- whether they live in the big cities like
(The remarks of Mr. KAINE per- lutions we are working on at the State Des Moines and Polk County or small
taining to the introduction of S. 4349 and Federal levels when it comes to communities like Red Oak, where I
are printed in today’s RECORD under childcare access and affordability. live, in Montgomery County.
‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and Our working parents are anxious and As I have toured Iowa over the last
Joint Resolutions.’’) concerned about what lies ahead. Do several weeks, I have also visited with
Mr. KAINE. With that, I yield the many of our essential workers. Our
they have to quit their jobs to stay at
floor. nurses, grocery store clerks, truck-
home with the kids? How much will
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The childcare cost? What happens if drivers, childcare providers, and so
clerk will call the roll. childcare providers can’t open back up? many more have been working on the
The legislative clerk proceeded to This is the reality for so many. That frontlines of this pandemic, rising to
call the roll. is why I made it a top priority to pro- the challenge to care for and protect
Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I ask vide additional resources for our Iowans. That is why I am pushing hard
unanimous consent that the order for childcare programs and our families. to allow these essential workers to
the quorum call be rescinded. Included in the HEALS Act is my bill keep more of their hard-earned dollars
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without to create back-to-work childcare by suspending Federal income and pay-
objection, it is so ordered. grants, which would give providers the roll taxes. These folks deserve a reward
f resources they need to make it through for their tireless efforts.
this crisis. It would also help them ac- No amount of financial relief will
HEALS ACT cess PPE and other medical supplies so make this virus go away, but Congress
Ms. ERNST. Madam President, 4 they can adhere to the safety guide- has a role to play in helping families
years ago, Jill Larsen opened Crayons 2 lines and provide a clean and safe envi- get back on their feet, but it is also
Pencils Early Learning Center in Nor- ronment. every single one of us doing our part—
walk, IA. This state of the art But it doesn’t stop there. I am also wearing our masks, washing our hands,
childcare center offers full day, before working to assist our lower income and social distancing as much as pos-
and after school care, and preschool- families, those who rely on the child sible. Together, with the help of every
only programs for children from 6 care and development block grants and individual and all levels of govern-
weeks old to school age. They have those who simply need access to clean ment, we will get through this.
even expanded to include a learning diapers. I yield the floor.
center and recreation center. It truly is Just a couple of weeks ago, I was in The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
topnotch. But when COVID–19 hit, Davenport, IA, where I got to take part PERDUE). The Senator from Missouri.
Crayons 2 Pencils’ enrollment dropped in a diaper distribution with the Hiney Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I want to
from 150 children to 32. And it was only Heroes of the Quad Cities—yes, Hiney talk about the portion of the bill that
through the Paycheck Protection Pro- Heroes. As a result of this visit, the we have made available to our col-
gram that this childcare center was folks over at Huggies and the National leagues and the country this week
able to stay afloat and keep their Diaper Bank donated 25,000 diapers to after lots of input from our colleagues
workers paid. this important diaper bank. We know on the Labor, Health and Human Serv-
Jill Larsen’s story is not unique. that during this pandemic, the diaper ices, and Education part of the bill. It
Without the help of the Paycheck Pro- supply has run short. I have teamed up is about 25 percent of the bill, almost
tection Program, so many of our small with Democratic Senator CHRIS MUR- $250 billion. That money would be used
businesses and childcare programs PHY on this effort to include additional to get us back on track toward vac-
across the country would have gone assistance for our diaper banks. cines that work, toward treatments
under. Ninety-nine percent of Iowa’s COVID–19 has also created challenges that work, to provide additional re-
businesses are small businesses, and for our farmers. These hard-working sources for testing, for treatment, for
the Paycheck Protection Program has folks are facing new challenges while care, to get us back to school, to get us
been a critical lifeline for so many of working around the clock to make sure back to work, and to get us back to
them. Americans have adequate access to childcare. These are all things that are
I hear it time and again on my 99- food and fuel. I was visiting with some critical for our economy and families
county tour—most recently on a Main farmers at the Bloomfield Livestock to return in the way they want to.
Street tour in Albia with some out- Market in Davis County not long ago, For those things to work the way we
standing female small business owners. and they described these hardships would want them to work, our col-
Nearly 60,000 small businesses in Iowa firsthand. I hear the same from our league Senator ALEXANDER put it very
have received PPP loans, saving hun- ethanol and biodiesel producers. That succinctly: All things run through test-
dreds of thousands of jobs. But, folks, is why I helped ensure more aid for our ing. If you are going to go back to
there are more funds left in the pro- farmers and producers, including our school, if you are going to go back to
gram, and many of these folks need ad- ethanol producers and so many other work, if you are going to go back to
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
ditional help. That is why we should important commodities in Iowa. childcare, if you are going to be in a
allow our most distressed businesses to In our rural communities—like nursing home between now and the
receive a second PPP loan—so they can Montgomery County, where I live— time we have a vaccine, we need tests
continue to keep workers paid and COVID–19 has only amplified existing that are easy to take and quick to re-
their doors open. The HEALS Act financial pressures on our healthcare spond. A test that you can take and
would make that possible. centers. Most rural hospitals rely on have the answer in 10, 12, or 15 minutes
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