Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Aug. 3, 2020)
Summary
This is page S4662 of the Congressional Record, Senate, August 3, 2020, with interleaved columns. It carries remarks supporting the nomination of Mark Wesley Menezes to be Deputy Secretary of Energy, with Mr. MANCHIN saying he is capable of handling the job and noting that the Department can help overcome and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the heading CORONAVIRUS, Senator MURKOWSKI of Alaska urges Congress to respond on unemployment insurance, food security, childcare, and a longer term PPP program. She says restaurants and bars in the State's largest city are shutting down again and that schools were to open in 20 days. Mr. MANCHIN adds that unemployment will not return until people have a vaccine.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Aug. 3, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-08-03-crec-2020-08-03-pt1-pgs4662-6625cf5692/
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S4662 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 3, 2020
Secretary Brouillette has his leader- concerned about the food security partment’s wide-ranging mission and a
ship team in place, and Mr. Menezes issues, for them, recognizing that a budget of over $35 billion dollars—$35-
has demonstrated that he has the plus-up in SNAP may be—may be what billion-dollar budget.
knowledge and the experience needed gets that family through from week to The DOE and its labs can also play a
to succeed as Deputy Secretary. week. vital role in supporting the scientific
So I appreciate, and I have shared This is not the time for us to figure research and development needed to re-
this with Mr. Menezes, his willingness out what every one of us wants because build our economy.
to serve our country in a new and a this is the must-pass bill in this Con- In addition, the Department is re-
higher capacity, particularly as we gress. It is a must-pass bill. But we sponsible for maintaining the Nation’s
seek to harness the Department’s capa- have to recognize that this can’t be nuclear weapons stockpile, overseeing
bilities to overcome and recover from about what we need, what I might need the four power marketing administra-
the COVID–19 pandemic. for my election, or what I might want tions, and ensuring our energy security
I thank the majority leader for bring- to advance as a legacy piece. This and protecting the Nation’s energy sec-
ing up his nomination. I would urge needs to be about those for whom the tor from cyber attacks, among other
every Member to vote in favor of it on anxiety and the—just the awful place things.
cloture today and on confirmation to- they are in right now; that they know As the Department’s second highest
morrow. we have been responsive to them; that ranking officer and its chief operating
CORONAVIRUS office, the Deputy Secretary nec-
we are addressing the immediacy of
Mr. President, before I yield the floor now. essarily plays a critical role in all of
to my friend and colleague, the rank- So whether it is what we do with un- these important functions.
ing member on the Energy and Natural employment insurance, whether it is Mr. Menezes brings an impressive
Resources Committee, I want to take what we do with food security, background to the job. Thirty years
just a very, very, very brief moment childcare, a longer term PPP program ago, he was counsel to our former col-
and urge us, at this moment, on the 3rd that will help our businesses, the league Senator John Breaux; 15 years
of August, as we are commencing this short-term assistances—but under- ago, he was chief counsel to the House
workweek here, where the expectation standing what it means for the longer Energy and Commerce and played a
from people from Alaska to West Vir- major role in shaping the Energy Pol-
term—the delay here only hurts the
ginia and all points in between is that icy Act of 2005.
most vulnerable.
this Congress is going to come together So I am urging all of us, let’s come He has held senior posts at the Amer-
to be responsive to the needs of the together, let’s work with our col- ican Electric Power Company, the
most vulnerable in this country right leagues on the other side of the aisle, Hunton and Williams law firm, and
now—the vulnerability that has come Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
let’s work with our colleagues over in
about because of a global health pan- Most importantly, though, for the
the House, because people in my State
demic and the ensuing economic crisis past 3 years, he has served as the Under
are hurting, and they are expecting us
that we see now. Secretary of Energy. As the Under Sec-
I spent the weekend back home in to respond.
With that, I know that Senator retary of Energy, Mr. Menezes has
Alaska. I heard the concerns and the shown he is up to the task and capable
MANCHIN wished to speak to the nomi-
fears of so many for whom things are of handling the job of Deputy Sec-
nation of Mr. Menezes. I appreciate his
not getting better. Things are looking retary.
worse, and it is bleak. As of today, in good work on the committee.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I think that he truly, clearly, dem-
the State’s largest city, the mayor has onstrated his knowledge and his firm
ator from West Virginia.
recognized that with the numbers in- grasp of the wide range of important
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I ask
creasing as they are, we need to go issues before the Department during
unanimous to be able to complete my
back to the hunker-down mode. So res- the confirmation hearing, and I am
remarks.
taurants and bars are shutting down
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without happy to support his nomination in the
again—just after they thought, with
objection, it is so ordered. most bipartisan way.
some level of optimism, they would be
NOMINATION OF MARK WESLEY MENEZES CORONAVIRUS
able to bring folks back into work,
they would be able to fill up the freez- Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I rise Mr. President, I would also like to
ers and get the produce and get the today in support of the Mark Menezes make a few comments on what my
great salmon that is coming in off the nomination to be Deputy Secretary of good friend Senator MURKOWSKI from
streams and serve up some great meals. Energy. Alaska said.
That is not happening. I agree wholeheartedly with our People are depending on us. This is
So that economic picture in our larg- chairwoman for Energy and Natural not time to have political battles. Peo-
est community is bleaker and bleaker. Resources. We have a great working re- ple are hurting in West Virginia; they
And for those who wake up and know lationship, and we have a good friend- are hurting in Arkansas; they are hurt-
that today is the day that they have to ship that means more than anything to ing all over. The uncertainty hurts
pay the mortgage, they have to pay the me. them more than anything else. We
rent, and they don’t know what level of But, basically, every now and then have to make sure that we understand
assistance is going to be coming from you get a person who comes before you this is a health crisis.
their Congress—they do know, though, that you know they are there for the A health crisis needs to have its at-
that the unemployment benefits that good of the public. They are truly pub- tention. We can’t be closing hospitals
they had received, the plussed-up lic servants, not for private service. in the middle of a health crisis. I have
amount, that that is not on the horizon So this person comes across with so three rural hospitals that closed. We
for them. much expertise. That is going to play have to make sure that they stay open
They do know that school is opening an important role in our national de- to fight the fight. Also, I am certain of
up in 20 days, and there is uncertainty fense and our energy and economic se- one point. Unemployment is not going
with how the schools are going to safe- curity and our science and research to come back full force until people
ly open up for the children and for the and even in fighting the ongoing know they have a vaccine or an anti-
faculty, the teachers, the janitors, how COVID–19 pandemic and helping to re- body that will protect them from a
they are going to make that work. build our economy. fatal disease. They are concerned and
The Deputy Secretary plays a central worried about that.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
And, oh, by the way, if this is a sched-
ule where the kids are only in class for role in all of these efforts, and I believe With that being said, right now they
a couple days a week, for a shorter that Mr. Menezes is up to the task. are asking us to continue on for the
time period, how do I deal with the The Deputy Secretary is the second next 5 months. We don’t have
struggles and the challenges of highest ranking officer in the Depart- connectivity. You talk about telework,
childcare? ment of Energy and the Department’s distance learning, telehealth. They
The folks at the food bank whom I chief operating officer on top of that. can’t have any of this if they can’t con-
met with over the weekend who are so He is responsible for managing the De- nect. So we have to make sure that one
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