Congressional Record, Senate, July 29, 2020 — HEALS Act
Summary
Page S4567 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for July 29, 2020. A speaker from Iowa describes a telephone townhall with Iowa's director of health and human services, Kelly Garcia, on childcare access and affordability, and says the Paycheck Protection Program helped the Crayons 2 Pencils daycare center keep employees paid. The remarks also discuss rural hospitals that canceled elective surgeries and face higher expenses for PPE. Kaine's remarks on introducing a bill are printed under Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions, and a roll call vote list follows.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Congressional Record, Senate, July 29, 2020 — HEALS Act.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-07-29-crec-2020-07-29-pt1-pgs4567-ef886be745/
, SHA-256 66113507a30daf30dde8e2aff47be2e26167e2ed215f9dd81acd08b08b09dacc.Full text
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
VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:12 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G29JY6.025 S29JYPT1
S4568 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 29, 2020
will make all the difference, and we designed a decade ago to be able to re- So fully engaged in spending money
continue to push for that in this bill. spond to a pandemic and never has and being ready to meet a crisis, but
In fact, there is about $9 billion in a been effectively used in that way, in because you stopped income that you
fund that maybe should have been des- my view. This time, we are using it and would normally have, we are trying to
ignated a little more specifically, but intend to continue to use it to form do what we can—not to exceed the in-
it hasn’t been spent. It was designed to those partnerships with the private come they would have normally had
be a testing fund. We should combine sector early on to begin to produce a but to replace some of that income.
that with another $16 billion and make vaccine, even when we don’t know ab- There is also money for rural clinics
testing available for those priorities— solutely for sure that it is going to be that would step up and do that.
for nursing homes or in that State-Fed- FDA-approved. But we do know that if Senator CAPITO and Senator COLLINS
eral partnership. it is FDA-approved, we want it as soon were particularly vigorous in making
In this bill, we say that a priority for as it can possibly be available. If it is sure we had the money needed for peo-
the Federal Government in that part- not FDA-approved, it never gets used, ple who have mental health challenges,
nership is tests that work in nursing but if it is FDA-approved, the dif- many of whom have gotten worse dur-
homes, tests that work in childcare ference between a vaccine that is avail- ing this isolation period and this job-
centers, tests that work in elementary able January 15 and a vaccine that is
loss period, or if you or somebody in
and secondary education, and tests available May 15—it is worth the loss if
your family is sick.
that work in colleges and universities, it doesn’t work out. Let’s say you went
forward with five of these vaccines, and The opioid deaths, the substance
that allow people to get back into abuse deaths have gone back up for the
those situations, including a residen- three of them worked. Then you have
vaccines—maybe 300 million doses on first time in about 3 years. That is to-
tial campus, to know that when you tally logical when you think about it.
are there, you have a way to not only January 15, and you have to destroy a
couple of hundred million doses be- Had this headed in another direction,
test people quickly but get an answer you would have a support system work-
quickly. cause that didn’t get through the full
safety requirement. That makes all the ing that keeps you from returning to
Frankly, President Trump is right that habit, that dependency. Then you
when he says that the way current difference in the world. Lives are
saved, and the economy is restored. are suddenly by yourself. Maybe you
testing has been working really doesn’t are not only by yourself, but you are
do much but measure how many people And we are moving forward with that.
We are putting another $26 billion be- by yourself and you lost your job.
had the disease. It doesn’t even say Maybe you are by yourself, and your
how many people necessarily have the hind that.
We also have language in our bill mother is sick with COVID, and you
disease but how many people had the can’t see your mom or dad or somebody
that requires an effort that was an-
disease. If you have a test and you in your family, and you are thinking: I
nounced yesterday, which is for a
don’t get an answer for 5 or 6 or 7 days, wonder—surely I can do that thing that
group of scientific ethicists to start
what good did it really do you to take talking about what the priorities made me feel so good just one time and
the test? It certainly didn’t do you should be for that vaccine when we not be addicted. We know it doesn’t
much good in terms of not infecting have it. Who should get it first? What work that way.
others because you didn’t know that should our priorities be? How do we Our Nation continues to face chal-
you had it—particularly if you are in distribute this in a way that seems fair lenges, and with those challenges, we
that high percentage of people who and equitable? How do we distribute have asked the National Institutes of
don’t have symptoms but are still able this in a way that somebody who can’t Health to look one more time and more
to spread the disease. get in a car and drive 100 miles to a closely at people’s underlying condi-
That is why a test that gives you an doctor and pay for the shot has the tions that might put them more at risk
answer in 15 minutes makes all the dif- same chance to get the vaccine as for COVID–19, see what has happened
ference in the world. If you are on a somebody who could do all of those with minorities, with pregnant women,
college campus and take that test and things? Our bill requires that. with children, and begin to drill down
in 15 minutes you have the answer, and All of our discussions on this bill, and figure out what we can do.
if the answer is that you have this, plus our public discussions in a hearing
your next place to go is somewhere by As I have said before, bipartisan pri-
we had a month ago, have said we want orities should include school. Frankly,
yourself. the administration to have a plan as to
I think almost every campus return- they also need to include childcare. If
how to distribute the vaccine before we you are going to get America back to
ing to residential campus living is set- have the vaccine. Everybody thinks we
ting aside some of their dorm space— work, you are going to have to have a
might have a vaccine available by the
on some campuses, all their dorm space childcare system that works, and that
end of this year or early next year.
is single-student dorm rooms—but for is not going to happen on its own.
There is no reason to wait for that to
every campus I talked to, some rooms About half of our childcare facilities
happen to have a plan. I would like to
are set aside just so the student has a have been closed since the 1st of
see a plan on October 1. I told the Chief
place to go. March. The other half that has been
of Staff of the President that again
If you show up at the nursing home open has struggled to stay open. Many
yesterday.
as a worker and in 15 minutes you find This bill provides money to be sure have benefited from the PPP program,
out you have COVID, the last place you that people who go to places like com- but at the same time, when they stay
need to be is that nursing home. But if munity health centers are going to open or when others reopen with social
you don’t know for 5 or 7 days whether have a community health center that distancing and the reluctance of people
you have COVID, it doesn’t help out can respond to what they need. There to send their kids back to a place
very much. is $7.6 billion for community health where there are lots of other kids,
I think what the President has said centers. there is probably no more than 50-per-
on testing makes a lot of sense. But it There is another $25 billion for pro- cent occupancy. You are not going to
doesn’t mean the tests aren’t good; it viders that lost income—which is al- make up for that by doubling the
means better tests. We have put a lot most every provider—during the last amount that families pay for childcare.
of money and effort behind those tests. several months as our hospitals and You need to make up for that with the
Sometime in the next few days, I think our doctors and our surgical centers kinds of grants and assistance that are
the National Institutes of Health will and other places were told: Here is in this bill. It is about getting students
be announcing tests that are moving what we want you to do. We want you back to school, getting people back to
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
forward that will do just what I sug- to stop your income. We want you to work, and getting childcare facilities
gested. stop all the elective things you can working.
We put another $26 billion toward a possibly stop. At the same time, we Senator ERNST, who was just on the
vaccine. Our colleague Senator DAINES want you to be ready for the greatest floor, and Senator LOEFFLER have both
has been very helpful in looking at this healthcare crisis your facility will ever been big advocates of what we need to
organization called BARDA, which was meet. do to make childcare a priority.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:12 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G29JY6.029 S29JYPT1
July 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4569
Schools need to reopen safely based that we have a debt and deficit we have payers’ dollars in recognizing the chal-
on State and local criteria. This bill in- to be mindful of, what we are trying to lenges we have with debt and deficit.
cludes money for schools to do that. do is to actually utilize funding that We have to be mindful of it, but at the
There is about $70 billion for elemen- we put together in the CARES Act for same time, we have to make sure we
tary and secondary schools. Frankly, the CCC, or the Commodity Credit Cor- are getting adequate assistance out to
we are a little bit ahead of where the poration. We are taking $14 billion of those great farmers and ranchers
House was with the Heroes Act. If you that and combining it with the $20 bil- across America who are getting it done
get into a bidding war with the House, lion from this legislation to make sure for all Americans every single day.
you are never going to win. You need a that we have adequate funding—a total I yield the floor.
realistic discussion. Only 90 days ago of about $34 billion—to address the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
or so or 60 days ago, the House felt it needs in farm country. ator from Indiana.
needed $100 billion to reopen schools. Prior to the coronavirus, farmers en- Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I rise to
We suggested $105 billion. In some re- tered 2020 after 7 years of rural reces- discuss the HEALS Act.
port, I read that the House then de- sion caused by low commodity prices, As we continue to confront this
cided, well, maybe it should be $400 bil- trade disruptions, and some really coronavirus pandemic, we have to en-
lion if the Senate were willing to spend tough weather and natural disasters. sure that our schools and our employ-
$105 billion. Yet our farmers and ranchers are the ers can safely reopen. Our healthcare
We should be able to figure this out eternal optimists—they have to be—so providers must also have the resources
and figure this out quickly, with some they go into every year with that grit they need to continue to provide essen-
of that money being available only if and determination and continue to pro- tial care to all Americans to fight this
you go back to school in person and vide that food supply that we all rely virus and to help this Nation return to
some of it being available if you go on. some semblance of normalcy as quick-
back to school virtually, as others will Now, of course, you add COVID–19 ly as possible. We have to also provide
do, depending, again, on their situa- into the mix. Storefronts have closed. liability protection for those schools,
tions locally. Restaurants have shuttered their businesses, and healthcare providers
We are ready to move forward. An- doors. Processing plants have limited while they do their very best to oper-
swers to these important questions are and, in some cases, shut down oper- ate safely during this unusual, once-in-
in this bill. I look forward to talking ations. Of course, ag prices are also a-generation, once-in-multiple-genera-
about it not only with our Democratic down. Farmers and ranchers came into tions pandemic. The HEALS Act will
colleagues in the Senate but with our a tough situation and now face further help to provide these protections.
colleagues in the House. challenges with the pricing and the The HEALS Act also includes several
I yield the floor. other challenges created by COVID–19, provisions that I have been cham-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- as I said. Though it will take some pioning, including legislation to ad-
ator from North Dakota. time to really quantify those losses, dress unemployment insurance system
Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise to the reports we have right now indicate reform.
discuss the relief that the HEALS Act that losses in the ag sector could be We note that there have been a lot of
will provide to those in farm country near $42 billion. For example, losses in challenges associated with the legacy
and rural America as they weather the the cattle industry alone could total as computer systems, and we should never
challenges of COVID–19. much as $13 billion. ever have to endure this again.
It is so important, for they are out We need to be there for them be- Financial assistance to help
there for us every day, producing that cause, again, they are not only out childcare providers reopen has also
food supply. They had incredible chal- there producing the food; they are been another priority of mine. I recog-
lenges before this COVID–19 started. doing other things to help out as well. nize that our childcare providers play
The Presiding Officer is from an ag For example, there are a couple of sto- an essential role in not just caring for
State. He knows the kind of challenges ries about our farmer groups that are our children and ensuring they remain
we are facing. Obviously, we need to be making an effort to help others. educated and in a safe environment
In May, R.D. Offutt Farms, which is
there for them as we go through this when their parents aren’t around but in
one of our Nation’s premier potato
coronavirus fight. also being critical to our broader econ-
growers that is based in Fargo, ND, do-
I want to start by thanking them. omy. If your kids aren’t taken care of,
nated 37,000 pounds of frozen potato
They provide us with the lowest cost, you can’t go to work, and Hoosiers
products to the Great Plains Food
highest quality food supply in the want to go to work.
Bank. The North Dakota Stockmen’s
world. Think about it. Every single Finally, we have telehealth legisla-
Association and its foundation donated
American benefits every single day tion that has been included in this
$20,000 to the same food bank to pur-
from what our farmers and ranchers do HEALS Act that will lead to greater
chase beef from North Dakota ranch-
with food, fuel, and fiber. Just the food ers. The North Dakota Farmers Union affordability and access, especially as
piece alone means that Americans have and Farmers Union Enterprises teamed many of these authorities are made
the highest quality, lowest cost food up to donate 30,000 pounds of pork ribs permanent in the future. This is a way
supply in the history of the world. This to the Great Plains Food Bank as well. to bend the cost curve down and pro-
is thanks to our farmers and ranchers. Those types of stories go on. vide a higher value for each of those
Rarely, if ever, has there been a more So while the farmers and ranchers of healthcare dollars in our moving for-
appropriate time to say thank you to America are out there, fighting their ward.
the men and women who provide us own challenges, they are helping others It also includes the TRUST Act,
with that food supply, and the resil- at the same time, and I think that it is which is something that I helped to in-
ience of our ag producers, in the face of truly, truly remarkable. troduce in order to establish a bipar-
tremendous hardship that has been In the CARES Act, we took the first tisan national plan to finally begin
caused by the global health pandemic, important step by providing $9.5 billion tackling the long-term drivers of our
serves as a real testament to their grit to the USDA, the Department of Ag, national debt once we get through this
and to their determination. along with the $14 billion, which I just coronavirus pandemic. I have been
That is why we have worked to pro- referenced, to replenish the CCC. As I talking about this and have sometimes
vide additional support for farmers, mentioned earlier, we have utilized been criticized for talking about fiscal
ranchers, and processors in this some of that funding to provide assist- responsibility and the largest drivers of
HEALS Act. The legislation includes ance, but now we are going to take our long-term national debt. I am
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
$20 billion in direct appropriation, that additional $14 billion and combine unapologetic every time I talk about
which will be used for our farmers and it with the funding here of $20 billion it. This TRUST Act would establish a
ranchers, along with other funding to make sure we can get that assist- bipartisan national plan to finally
that we were able to secure in the ance off to the farmers. begin tackling this, and I hope it will
CARES Act. We are trying to also do it Again, we are working to do this in a remain in the package as negotiations
in a cost-effective way. In recognizing way that is prudent with our tax- continue.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:12 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G29JY6.030 S29JYPT1
S4570 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 29, 2020
Most importantly, I am glad the nesses; it is the smaller enterprises been endorsed by roughly 50 national
HEALS Act includes some really im- where the innovation occurs. Then, ul- organizations and more than 50 Indiana
portant features of my RESTART Act, timately, it is the big businesses that businesses, and these are prominent
which is a bipartisan piece of legisla- acquire these innovative businesses. national organizations, including, for
tion that I introduced with Senator So we want these engines—these in- example, the National Association of
BENNET. We now have somewhere north cubators of innovation, these small Manufacturers.
of 42, 44 bipartisan cosponsors. We have businesses, medium-sized businesses Given the widespread support for the
50 national groups—and growing—that that are innovative and entrepre- RESTART Act, I will continue to work
are supportive of this legislation. It is neurial—to survive this difficult time. with my colleagues to ensure that
very important that these features re- They are also pillars, frankly, of more of it is included in the final
main in the HEALS Act. Main Street, America. We take pride in coronavirus package. I hope we get all
Like my RESTART Act, the HEALS our small businesses, many of which of it included. We have to ensure that
Act recognizes the need for having have been so hard hit. We don’t want to we are caring for those who have suf-
long-term working capital loans and hollow out Main Street America on the fered the most.
targeting that relief toward businesses back end of this. The most fiscally irre- To Sheila and to Pat, you have my
that have suffered significant revenue sponsible thing we could do here at the word—you have my word, as you did
decline. We don’t want more examples Federal level of government is to fail the first day we met, that I would do
of businesses that are doing just fine in to respond to the needs of these small everything I could to fight for the peo-
the wake of the pandemic getting ac- and medium-sized enterprises. ple of Indiana, to fight for what is
cess to moneys that, frankly, they So the additional assistance that I right, to fight tirelessly on behalf of
don’t need. Instead, we want to target am calling for is critical to, for exam- my customers—you and the millions of
our resources toward the hardest hit ple, the more than 500,000 manufac- Hoosiers I represent—answering only
businesses that will not survive this turing employees in the State of Indi- to my ultimate bosses: God and the
pandemic. That is what the RESTART ana, the most manufacturing-intensive Constitution.
Act does, and I am proud of those fea- State in the country. I will fulfill that pledge and continue
tures that were included. However, I It is also critical to the 200,000 Hoo- fighting for all of you during this dif-
have to say, in order to truly assist the sier restaurant employees laid off or ficult time.
hardest hit small- and medium-sized furloughed since March. We have been The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
enterprises that have fallen through able to provide them some short-term ator from North Dakota.
the gaps of previous programs, more of Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, first of
assistance, but this virus and the chal-
the RESTART Act is going to have to all, I want to associate myself with the
lenges associated with it have lingered
be included throughout this negotia- message delivered just a little bit ago
on much longer than all of us had
tion process. by my senior Senator from North Da-
hoped, and we are going to have to help
Last night, I received a text from a kota, Senator HOEVEN, and echo his
out these employers so that they have
longtime friend of mine. Her name is words about the importance of farmers
a place to go back to work once we fig- and ranchers, all of our agricultural
Sheila. Sheila is a resident of Dearborn ure this thing out.
County, IN. Gosh, Sheila is an incred- producers—those who produce the food
This assistance is critical to the
ibly hard-working person, and she and the fiber and the fuel for our coun-
small music venues that enrich our
texted me the following: try.
local communities throughout the They need assistance, and I am really
Todd, I saw you on C–SPAN today. I really State of Indiana and across our coun-
appreciate how you bring up the Hoosiers. grateful that Senator HOEVEN has
try, which are facing permanent clo- played such a lead role in getting them
When you are writing this next bill, please sure, too, and the countless res-
consider small businesses like my husband assistance in the HEALS Act. It is crit-
and I have. Pat is the lone legal owner of our
taurants, gyms, salons, boutiques, ho- ical.
catering business. We invested all of the rev- tels, retailers, and other small busi- I want to join the rest of my col-
enue made over the few years into our busi- nesses that are essential pillars of our leagues today in discussing the HEALS
ness, buying equipment, et cetera. Because community. Act and demonstrating our support for
of this investment, we had an impressive I grew up in a small business family. the merit of this important bill. The
schedule of events this past spring, summer, We had our up years; we had our down ultimate answer to the problems that
and fall lined up. This time of year gives our years. We had some rough Christmases. we face as a result of this virus, of
barbecue business our greatest exposure and My dad, my mom—they took great
opportunity for financial gain. We were in- course, lies in the healthcare industry
pride in that family business. They and in our healthcare in fighting
eligible for a PPP loan because we did not
show a profit. When composing the next made it. They worked hard. But they against this enemy, the virus. That is
PPP, please consider single-person business saw nothing like this virus. We need to why we are calling for more funding for
owners like our barbecue and catering busi- help these businesses. These businesses testing and treatments and, ulti-
ness. God bless you. are in dire straits not because any bad mately, a vaccine, hopefully, and hope-
Well, God bless you, Sheila. It is business decisions were made, but, in- fully soon.
hard-working people and couples and stead, because this virus came from As we do so, we also have to make
partnering Americans who help build overseas, disrupted our lives, and in sure that our economy is healthy, that
this country. It is innovators and en- the interest of public health, our em- our economy survives, and that our
trepreneurs and doers and dreamers ployees had to stay home. People education system remains available
and workers like Sheila. stopped buying the same things they and accessible to our students in the
If we don’t provide this much needed were buying. Our shopping patterns classroom.
relief now, I am really concerned that changed. Jobs, kids, and healthcare, students,
we are going to be in a far worse posi- At some point we will resume some parents, and patients—these are what
tion in the weeks and months to come. semblance of normalcy. We are getting Senate Republicans are fighting for.
As more businesses close perma- there. But in the meantime, we need a I have introduced bipartisan legisla-
nently, they go bankrupt; they are no bridge to the other side of this virus. tion to further this goal. I believe we
longer paying payroll taxes. Then there We need to make sure that all of the should include it in the HEALS Act in
is greater damage done to the economy provisions of the RESTART Act make its entirety. Many pieces of it are in,
and to our Nation’s balance sheet. it into the HEALS Act. but I think we can do more.
I am also concerned about our ability Since Senator BENNET and I intro- The Paycheck Protection Small
as a country to fully recover once there duced the RESTART Act in May, our Business Forgiveness Act would offer
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
is a vaccine available. It is our small legislation has received support from streamlined forgiveness for any bor-
and medium-sized enterprises, which more than 40 bipartisan Senators. I am rower of a Paycheck Protection Pro-
you disproportionately find in States proud of that. There is a lot of hard gram loan of $150,000 or less who fills
like Indiana, the heartland of the coun- work going on in the U.S. House of out a simple one-page form attesting
try, where so much innovation occurs. Representatives to get Members of the that they spent the loan dollars the
It is not always in these large busi- House to sign up as well. It has also way they are supposed to.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:12 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G29JY6.031 S29JYPT1
July 29, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4571
With the expected forgiveness guid- we gave lenders by holding them ac- PROTESTS
ance from the bureaucracy, businesses countable for the decisions the bor- I come to the floor today to talk
and lenders will have to spend billions rowers made. about another epidemic, and that is the
of dollars to receive the forgiveness Fraud is a concern, for sure, which is epidemic of violence that is sweeping
that was promised them. In fact, we es- why my proposal keeps all audit au- our country.
timate that each borrower would have thorities intact. If a borrower falsely Monday’s Washington Post headline
to spend $2,000—and each lender $500 attests to using the funds correctly, warns: ‘‘Protests explode across the
per loan—just to comply with what the the Federal Government is able to in- country; police declare riots in Seattle
bureaucracy comes up with. That vestigate and hold them accountable. If and Portland.’’
doesn’t even include the dollars we this sounds like a commonsense ap- Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal edi-
have to spend on the bureaucracy proach, that is because it is. torial is headlined: ‘‘A Weekend of
itself. This bipartisan measure was popular Urban Anarchy.’’ ‘‘A weekend of Urban
We created the PPP to help small from the start, and it is gaining sup- Anarchy.’’ In Seattle, on Saturday, ri-
businesses and their employees survive, port still, with a quarter of the Senate, oters blew a hole in a police precinct.
not to create a bureaucracy that will a sizable number in the House, and now They hurled explosives, and they in-
bury them in paperwork. close to 200 business associations and jured 53 police officers. In Portland, ri-
So who are these borrowers of PPP groups from the entire political spec- oters threw Molotov cocktails Friday
loans of $150,000 or less? Well, loans of trum supporting it. night. Several officers were hit with
this size make up—listen to this—85 Why wouldn’t it be popular? It aligns heavy explosives. The rioters returned
percent or 4.2 million of the loans but with the very same principles we are Sunday and attacked the courthouse.
only 25 percent or $132 million of the fighting for right here today—jobs, In spite of what the Democrats say
loaned amount. Imagine that: 85 per- kids, and healthcare. when they call these ‘‘peaceful pro-
cent of the loans are in this category— No small business owner figuring out tests,’’ these are not peaceful and they
4.2 million of roughly 5 million loans. how to safely send their kid to school are not protests. This is active vio-
So that means 15 percent of the author- should have to worry about unneces- lence. This is organized violence, and it
ized PPP loans make up 75 percent of sary red tape. No employee of a shop on is meant to destroy and to intimidate.
the borrowed money. Main Street should have to live in fear Portland has now endured 60 days of
In North Dakota, the average loan of being laid off because their employer senseless destruction. These violent
was only $91,000, but under current law, might not perfectly comply with the protests are a powder keg for our en-
the bureaucracy would, regardless of arbitrary requirements put forth for tire Nation. The rioters threaten entire
loan size, seek to indiscriminately them by a bureaucrat in Washington. communities. They are ruining lives,
verify and approve forgiveness applica- No brother, sister, son, or daughter and they are ruining neighborhoods.
tions, and they haven’t even come up should have to sit down and crunch the They are wrecking public property, and
with the form to do it with yet. numbers to make sure they have they are wrecking private property.
This would require a significant enough money to apply for loan for- They burn, they loot, and they kill.
growth in the government and in the giveness while supporting their family Across the country, a number of po-
bureaucracy that we cannot afford, at home. lice officers have been killed. Accord-
only to make small businesses and The fear they face is real. ‘‘Small ing to the New York Times report,
lenders spend time and money they business’’ is not just an arbitrary des- murder rates in our big cities are now
can’t afford to spend to comply with ignation. They are the backbone of up 16 percent compared to last year. In
this bureaucracy. It makes no sense. America. They are the employers of New York alone, murders are up 24 per-
Lest we forget, when the Senate the vast majority of people in our cent. In Atlanta, murder is up 31 per-
unanimously passed the CARES Act, country, and their anxiety is our anx- cent. In Chicago, murder is up 51 per-
we made our intent clear: PPP loans iety. cent. In Chicago, last week, 15 people
would become grants for the businesses Earlier this month, Treasury Sec- were shot while attending the funeral
that spent the money properly, and the retary Mnuchin told the House com- of a victim of gang violence. Children
banks were there to help guide them. mittee that this is an idea we should are being hurt and killed. A 7-year-old
There was no caveat that the loan consider, and I agree. We should con- girl and a 14-year-old boy were among
would come with unnecessary bureauc- sider it in bipartisan negotiations and those shot and killed in Chicago over
racy. In fact, quite the opposite was add it to the HEALS Act in its en- the Fourth of July weekend.
true. The implication was that it would tirety. It will give our small businesses This is a crisis of leadership in our
not come with additional bureaucracy. the peace of mind they need, like the liberal cities. Where are the Demo-
The bipartisan bill that I introduced rest of us, while they fight for their cratic mayors? They have surrendered
with Senators MENENDEZ, TILLIS, and livelihoods during this pandemic. to the mob. Where are the Democratic
SINEMA—and now has 25 Senate spon- I yield the floor. Governors? They have surrendered to
sors—would fulfill our original intent The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the mob. Instead of leading, they are
and the promise we made to lenders ator from Wyoming. turning their backs on the safety and
and applicants by creating a simple, Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask security of the law-abiding citizens of
accountable process for loan forgive- unanimous consent to be allowed to our communities. In these liberal cit-
ness. complete my remarks before the roll- ies, mob rule has replaced the rule of
Our bill also includes a provision call vote. law. We are seeing in realtime—in
which makes sure that the lenders will The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without realtime—the result of the radical
not be held responsible for improper objection, it is so ordered. ‘‘defund the police’’ movement that is
actions of the borrowers, while still en- Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, first, embraced by many Democrats.
suring proper enforcement action can let me say I concur with the comments We should defend, not defund, the po-
be taken if necessary. In fact, the ac- by the Senator from North Dakota. I lice and law enforcement. Americans
countability structure is intact. think he makes wonderful points about do not want to defund the police. Ac-
When we passed the CARES Act, we what is being done in terms of pan- cording to a recent Rasmussen poll,
literally encouraged businesses to demic relief and the issues that we as a two out of three Americans oppose cut-
apply for PPP and urged the bureauc- nation are facing. ting police funding. A majority say
racy and the lenders to get the money As his State and mine are similar, that they want the Federal Govern-
out the door fast. We were in a crisis. with so many small businesses, and we ment to help fight crime in these cit-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
We were trying to keep people from see the impact and the success related ies. One thing is clear: The violent riot-
being laid off and let go. to the Paycheck Protection Program, I ing plaguing our cities cannot con-
Largely, we were successful, but that just want to associate my beliefs with tinue. The police are being targeted for
success could be undone if we do not those that we have just heard ex- doing their job, and their jobs come at
take the next steps properly. We pressed from the Senator from North great personal risk. At the same time,
shouldn’t backtrack on the guidance Dakota. elected Democratic mayors and city
VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:12 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G29JY6.033 S29JYPT1
S4572 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 29, 2020
council members and Governors refuse NAYS—46 Hirono Murray Stabenow
Jones Peters Tester
to condemn the rioting and the cold- Baldwin Hassan Sanders Kaine Reed Udall
blooded murder. Bennet Heinrich Schatz King Rosen Van Hollen
Blumenthal Hirono Schumer
It is time for local leaders to restore Klobuchar Sanders Warner
Booker Jones Shaheen Leahy Schatz Warren
law and order. It is time to make sure Brown Kaine Sinema Manchin Schumer
Cantwell King Whitehouse
our communities are safe again. The Smith Menendez Shaheen
Cardin Klobuchar Wyden
death and destruction lies at the feet of Carper Leahy
Stabenow Merkley Sinema
elected Democratic leaders. Each must Tester Murphy Smith
Casey Manchin
Udall
be held accountable for their leader- Coons Menendez
Van Hollen
NOT VOTING—2
ship failure. Cortez Masto Merkley
Warner Cruz Markey
Duckworth Murphy
I yield the floor. Durbin Murray Warren The nomination was confirmed.
Feinstein Peters Whitehouse
CLOTURE MOTION
Wyden
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
Gillibrand Reed
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant Harris Rosen
the previous order, the motion to re-
to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the consider is considered made and laid
NOT VOTING—2 upon the table, and the President will
Senate the pending cloture motion,
which the clerk will state. Cruz Markey be immediately notified of the Senate’s
The senior assistant legislative clerk The PRESIDING OFFICER. The yeas action.
read as follows: are 52, the nays are 46. The Senator from Alabama.
The motion is agreed to. UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 585
CLOTURE MOTION
Mr. JONES. Mr. President, I rise
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- f
today amid what we all know to be a
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the global health and economic crisis that
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
we are in. I rise to propose a solution
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
nation of Marvin Kaplan, of Kansas, to be a that has been in front of us all along
clerk will report the nomination.
Member of the National Labor Relations from the very beginning. It is a solu-
The senior assistant legislative clerk
Board for the term of five years expiring Au- tion that has existed for 55 years to-
read the nomination of Marvin Kaplan, morrow—55 years.
gust 27, 2025. (Reappointment)
Mitch McConnell, Joni Ernst, John of Kansas, to be a Member of the Na- Medicaid has brought millions of peo-
Thune, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Roy Blunt, tional Labor Relations Board for the ple to better healthcare. It has brought
John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, Deb term of five years expiring August 27, billions of dollars into States. That is
Fischer, John Barrasso, Shelley Moore 2025. (Reappointment) important when we have both a
Capito, Todd Young, John Boozman, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under healthcare crisis and an economic cri-
Lamar Alexander, David Perdue, Kevin the previous order, all postcloture time
Cramer, Tim Scott, Michael B. Enzi.
sis, but for 55 years, Medicaid has lifted
is expired. the health outcomes of people all
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- The question is, Will the Senate ad- across this country and especially in so
imous consent, the mandatory quorum vise and consent to the Kaplan nomina- many States that need it—States like
call has been waived. tion? Alabama that are poor States, that are
The question is, Is it the sense of the Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. I ask unhealthy States.
Senate that debate on the nomination for the yeas and nays. But we can do better. A solution of
of Marvin Kaplan, of Kansas, to be a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a Medicaid would bring billions of dollars
Member of the National Labor Rela- sufficient second? into my home State of Alabama along
tions Board for the term of five years There appears to be a sufficient sec- with about a dozen other States. It
expiring August 27, 2025, shall be ond. would create thousands of new jobs. It
brought to a close? The clerk will call the roll. would help shore up rural hospitals
The yeas and nays are mandatory Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is that are facing financial struggles, a
under the rule. necessarily absent: the Senator from condition made worse by this pan-
The clerk will call the roll. Texas (Mr. CRUZ). demic. It would provide healthcare cov-
The senior assistant legislative clerk Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the erage in Alabama alone to between
called the roll. Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. MAR- 300,000 to 400,000 Alabamians who do
Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is KEY) is necessarily absent. not have it right now. Some didn’t
necessarily absent: the Senator from The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there have it before this pandemic. Others
Texas (Mr. CRUZ). any other Senators in the Chamber de- don’t have it now because they have
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the siring to vote? lost their jobs. They have lost their
Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. MAR- The result was announced—yeas 52, employer-sponsored healthcare.
KEY) is necessarily absent. nays 46, as follows: Expanding Medicaid would generate
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. COT- [Rollcall Vote No. 149 Ex.] $935 billion, with a ‘‘b,’’ in new tax rev-
TON). Are there any other Senators in YEAS—52 enue for the State of Alabama. It
the Chamber desiring to vote or to Alexander Gardner Portman would help local economies across the
change their vote? Barrasso Graham Risch State by creating good jobs and ensur-
The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 52, Blackburn Grassley Roberts ing workers and their families have
Blunt Hawley Romney
nays 46, as follows: Boozman Hoeven
good healthcare.
Rounds
[Rollcall Vote No. 148 Ex.] Braun Hyde-Smith In our rural areas, especially,
Rubio
Burr Inhofe Sasse healthcare is dependent on Federal dol-
YEAS—52 Capito Johnson Scott (FL) lars. Folks, expanding Medicaid was
Alexander Gardner Portman Cassidy Kennedy
Collins Lankford
Scott (SC) the right thing to do before this pan-
Barrasso Graham Risch Shelby
Blackburn Grassley Roberts Cornyn Lee demic and some 37 States or so did just
Sullivan
Blunt Hawley Romney Cotton Loeffler
Thune
that. In fact, two States did that fairly
Boozman Hoeven Rounds Cramer McConnell recently. Conservative States of Okla-
Crapo McSally Tillis
Braun Hyde-Smith Rubio
Burr Inhofe Daines Moran Toomey homa and Nebraska are both in the
Sasse
Capito Johnson Enzi Murkowski Wicker process of expanding Medicaid. It was
Scott (FL) Young
Cassidy Kennedy Ernst Paul important before the pandemic, but it
Scott (SC) Fischer Perdue
Collins Lankford is vital that we do it now. It is abso-
Shelby
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
Cornyn Lee
Cotton Loeffler
Sullivan NAYS—46 lutely vital, especially, as so many
Cramer McConnell Thune Baldwin Cardin Durbin people have lost their jobs, lost their
Crapo McSally Tillis Bennet Carper Feinstein
Toomey
employer-sponsored healthcare
Daines Moran Blumenthal Casey Gillibrand
Enzi Murkowski Wicker Booker Coons Harris
through no fault of their own.
Ernst Paul Young Brown Cortez Masto Hassan Alabama didn’t take that step back
Fischer Perdue Cantwell Duckworth Heinrich in 2011 when it should have. Alabama
VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:12 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G29JY6.034 S29JYPT1
File and source
- File
- CREC_crec-2020-07-29_crec-2020-07-29-pt1-pgs4567.pdf
- Size
- 275,797 bytes
- SHA-256
- 66113507a30daf30dde8e2aff47be2e26167e2ed215f9dd81acd08b08b09dacc
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov