Congressional Record — Senate, August 6, 2020, Page S5256
Summary
Page S5256 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for August 6, 2020, in interleaved columns, from remarks on the Senate floor. One speaker describes the Cape Gazette and says the loss of local news would be devastating to communities, and recounts the Delaware Food Bank partnering with the Delaware National Guard. Another speaker says the Trump administration and Washington Republicans have not met the challenges with urgency, and that Majority Leader McConnell acted as if it were any other Thursday, which is that speaker's view. Remarks also raise parents' worries about education during the pandemic.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, August 6, 2020, Page S5256.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-08-06-crec-2020-08-06-pt1-pgs5256-2-7976ea2631/
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S5256 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2020
weighs heavy on the Cape Gazette and our Unfortunately, the Trump adminis- fears. They share incredibly personal
industry as a whole. The loss of local news tration and Washington Republicans details about the challenges that they
would be devastating to communities, big have not met the challenges facing the face and then are also so willing to
and small, across the country.
American people today with any sense share with us their successes too. We
I can see that I have colleagues eager of urgency, and the cost of that inac- get to witness our constituents and
to join me in these remarks on the tion has been seen all across the coun- work with them in difficult times and
floor, so let me bring this to a close. try. But, today, Senate majority Lead- in good times, and they are willing to
One of the moments this became er MCCONNELL decided to act as if this share that with us. They demonstrate
most real for me was when the Dela- were just any other Thursday—just any to us day in and day out what it means
ware Food Bank partnered with the other Thursday for the Republicans in to be a member of a community, what
Delaware National Guard to provide the Senate. it means to come together and solve a
supplemental food for Delawareans. Well, it is not just any other Thurs- problem. They do it in their businesses.
I was out at the Christiana Mall, just day for our constituents. Back in May, They do it on school boards. They do it
off I–95—huge parking lot. The mall, of House Democrats passed a substantial without regard to political party or
course, closed. This was early on in the relief bill called the Heroes Act, but for walk of life.
pandemic. months, Republicans refused to even
We thought we would see dozens, The least we could do in the U.S.
acknowledge the necessity of providing Senate on this Thursday, over this
maybe 100 households lined up in their
more relief. In the 3 months since the weekend, over the next week, is follow
cars to get some extra food, much of it
House acted, the pain that our citizens their example, represent them at their
from Federal sources.
The line went all the way around the are experiencing has only grown. Cases best, display that American ingenuity,
mall. Hundreds and hundreds of Dela- have skyrocketed. The United States of innovation, pragmatism, compromise,
wareans—people who later commented America is approaching 160,000 Ameri- can-do spirit. In the process we could
either on radio or letters to the editor cans killed by this virus. Small busi- save lives; we could begin to rebuild
that they never thought they would be nesses have shuttered, and millions of our economy; and we could dem-
in a food line. people have lost their jobs. onstrate to the rest of the world that
Not since the Great Depression have Meanwhile, President Trump con- we know how to come together and
the food banks of this Nation seen lines tinues to downplay the significant toll work for what is best for all of us.
as long and made up of as diverse a that this virus has taken. Earlier this We must help our constituents. We
background and groups asking for, week he said this of the COVID–19 must act. Our country cannot wait any
eager for, willing to accept, hoping for death toll: ‘‘It is what it is.’’ longer.
support for them and their families. Just yesterday, he again claimed I yield the floor.
This year alone, 50,000 Delawareans that the virus would simply go away. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
have turned to our food banks so that Not recognizing the gravity of this ator from Oregon.
they can put food on the table for their threat has significantly harmed Ameri-
families. cans and America. While Congress f
I don’t know what my colleagues are can’t undo the damage that has been
reading, what emails they are getting, done, I am urging my colleagues to CORONAVIRUS
what calls they are answering, what come together on a response that will
lead us forward. Throughout this week, Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Senator
texts or posts on social media are mov-
I have joined with my colleagues to STABENOW said some time ago that this
ing them, but I know that the Dela-
come to the floor and to lay out some is not just another Thursday. She and
wareans that have reached out to me
of the priorities that we are focused on my eloquent colleagues, Senator COONS
have shared with me the pain of 150,000
and to share what we are hearing from and Senator HASSAN, who has just left
Americans who died, have shared with
people all across our States. the floor, have shown how painfully
me the anxiety and concern about how
The cost of inaction grows every sin- true Senator STABENOW’s statement is
schools and businesses will reopen, and
gle day. Millions of Americans lost en- about letting this not be just another
have asked: When will we do our job?
hanced unemployment benefits and Thursday here in the Senate.
Work across the aisle, find responsible
with it the ability to feed their fami- With Republican colleagues headed
compromise, and support our Nation in
lies and pay their rent. People will lose home for the weekend, perhaps for
this moment of crisis.
their homes now to evictions. By the weeks, I want to take stock for a mo-
With that, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- way, their landlords will feel the ripple ment of all of the very crises the coun-
ator from New Hampshire. effect when they can’t pay their rent. try faces while American families and
Their grocers will feel the ripple effect communities don’t have the luxury of a
f
when they can’t buy groceries. The weekend. There is the COVID crisis,
CORONAVIRUS economic pain will spread and spread which Senator STABENOW and Senator
Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, since and spread. COONS just talked about, with more
the early days of the COVID–19 pan- Lack of supplies and testing capac- than 50,000 newly confirmed cases and
demic, it has been clear that we would ity—a national disgrace months into 1,000 or more deaths a day with a total
need a sustained response to mitigate this pandemic—is hindering the ability of 41⁄2 million cases in our country to
the damaging health and economic im- to slow the spread of the virus and, of date.
pact facing the American people. course, hindering the ability of people There is the joblessness crisis. En-
When Republicans and Democrats to get back to work and school safely. hanced unemployment benefits have
came together to pass the CARES Act Schools are struggling to open with- expired. Tens of millions of Americans
in March, I, along with my Democratic out the adequate guidance that the are out of work, with millions walking
colleagues, made clear that we would Federal Government could provide and on economic tightropes.
need to stand ready to provide addi- without resources that they need to My colleagues are reading the let-
tional, robust support as the situation keep teachers, staff, students, and fam- ters. This is not based on some kinds of
demanded. ilies safe. media reports. They are reading di-
This afternoon we have been hearing States and local communities are ac- rectly from what their constituents are
from our colleagues. I thank Senator celerating cuts and, with it, adding to saying, and I want to make sure every-
STABENOW for gathering us here. I body knows this, having listened now
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
job losses and lost economic activity.
thank Senator COONS for the way he Americans are hurting. They are for days to our colleagues saying that
just illustrated in such personal, direct hurting in red States, and they are the big problem is that somehow the
terms the way this pandemic and all of hurting in blue States. They are crying American worker doesn’t actually
its ripple effects are impacting his con- out for help. want to work. Senator STABENOW and I
stituents, as they are impacting my One of the great privileges of this job have heard that repeatedly in the Fi-
constituents and constituents of every is that people come forward with their nance Committee room. I think it is in-
single Member of the U.S. Senate. ideas, with their hopes, with their sulting to the American worker.
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August 6, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5257
We had a nationwide townhall spon- You know, workers are going over the Right now, the Trump administra-
sored by the Town Hall Project on un- cliff. tion and Republicans in the Congress
employment issues recently, and peo- Well, the fact that Republicans have are breaking that deal. The virus is out
ple would say things such as this: If I sat this debate out is what pushed of control, spiking in so many States.
heard about a job on Monday night, I those workers over the cliff—pushed The key economic lifeline for jobless
would be there at the crack of dawn on them over the cliff—as we warned week Americans is getting yanked away. It
Tuesday morning to get that position. after week after week that the econ- is just unconscionable.
So, as we take stock of these crises, omy was cratering and permanent lay- And, now, just in the last few hours,
the COVID crisis, the joblessness crisis, offs are increasing. there is talk that Donald Trump is
I think what we ought to do is add the Senator MERKLEY has joined us. We looking at possibly tomorrow, Senator
crisis of legislative malpractice that hear all the time at home and in the STABENOW, tearing up the Constitution
we are seeing with this Senate Repub- Pacific Northwest about people who and ordering a cut in the Social Secu-
lican walkout today, heading home in- got laid off once, things seemed to be rity and Medicare tax on his own. This
stead of working, as Senator COONS has getting better, they got brought back, will not give a dime to the millions of
said, in a bipartisan way to get the and they were laid off again. So it families who have lost jobs during the
coronavirus rescue bill. seems—when Senator STABENOW points pandemic but will put thousands of dol-
I have not seen anything like this in out that this is not just another Thurs- lars in the pockets of every lawyer and
my time in public service: The biggest day in the Senate—that the economy is wheeler-dealer who can pay themselves
public health disaster in over a cen- headed in the wrong direction. a salary while sitting at home.
tury, the worst level of unemployment I am just going to spend a couple of What really concerns us—and I have
since the Depression, an economy that minutes, as we talk about this issue of been involved in these issues since my
barely holds on, and tomorrow’s jobs how things are definitely not right Gray Panthers days—is one thing that
report will almost certainly show that here on this Thursday in the Senate, on Donald Trump is talking about, Sen-
any hope for a V-shaped recovery that the question of what would it take for ator STABENOW, and that is draining
Donald Trump talked about is long Senate Republicans to get serious the Social Security trust fund and
gone. about working with us on a bringing closer the day when Social Se-
Republicans delayed and sat on their coronavirus bill now? How bad would it curity benefits will be cut. So for all of
hands for months. I think the Pre- have to get? One-quarter of a million those people who are, say, in their late
siding Officer heard me walk everybody Americans’ lives lost? Half a million? fifties, and they have worked so hard
through the calendar, how weeks How many jobless? 40 million? 50 mil- and done difficult labor year after year
passed, months passed. We made offer lion? Does the economy need to con- after year just hoping—hoping—to be
after offer for negotiation. Senator tract even more than it did in the sec- able to get Social Security, now Don-
SCHUMER and I developed a proposal ond quarter before Senate Republicans ald Trump is talking about draining
that to a great extent was based on say they are going to work with Demo- the Social Security trust fund, cutting
some of the thinking of Senator THUNE. crats to help the economy and help the the Social Security and Medicare tax
I always think of my friend from Congress? on his own. It sure seems like he has a
Delaware, who is the champion of bi- Back in March, there was a basic deal monopoly on bad ideas.
between the American people and the He is also talking about some kind of
partisanship. That proposal was based
government to try to make sure that Executive order on enhanced unem-
on Senator COON’s—excuse me, Senator
there was an effort to try to provide ployment benefits, which he actually
THUNE’s thought that, you know, if un-
help for people as the pandemic took doesn’t have the authority to issue—
employment is high, people need a ben-
hold in this country. Senator STABE- one more Donald Trump ‘‘con’’ oil, an
efit so they can make the rent and pay
NOW and I were sort of the point people additional bit of snake oil.
for groceries. Then Senator THUNE With respect to the unemployment
said: But, you know, when unemploy- as it related to the big issues in the Fi-
nance Committee. Senator STABENOW, issue and his idea of an Executive
ment goes down, the benefits should re- order, what he would do there is throw
flect that as well. He said that. doing her usually terrific job on the big
health issues, and I spent days and State workforce agencies into chaos.
So Senator SCHUMER and I wrote the As we talked about, so many States
unemployment insurance bill to reflect days hearing essentially from the
Labor Secretary, Secretary Scalia, have faced real challenges in getting
that. The unemployment benefits benefits out to all the deserving Ameri-
would be tied to economic conditions about how he really wasn’t going to
cans.
on the ground. push hard for much of anything except
We have been trying, on the Finance
Yet what we have seen is that some- business as usual. But after that dif- Committee. Senator STABENOW has
how Senate Republicans can now leave ficult period that went on for days and been a big champion of improving tech-
in good conscience for the weekend, days in the Finance Committee, we ac- nology. We got $1 billion for the State
possibly the August recess, when the tually got the $600 extra per week, each agencies. We are trying to get more.
Senate hasn’t passed a bill to help all week, and modernized the unemploy- Donald Trump’s proposal would just
of those Americans who are sick and ment program. As Senator STABENOW end up hurting the jobless Americans
jobless. knows, back when the program began counting on benefits even more. If Don-
Our job is to legislate on the big in the 1930s, nobody knew about a gig ald Trump were serious about extend-
issues, not to run home and campaign. worker or the self-employed, or the ing enhanced unemployment coverage,
Our job is to sit down, negotiate, and independent contractor, or freelancers, he would be working with Democrats
find solutions. MITCH MCCONNELL, on and the like. There was a sense that we on extending the benefits instead of
the basis of this morning’s newspaper, would be working on unemployment fighting them.
doesn’t seem to even show up at the ne- for a long time, particularly the way it I am going to close with this, and it
gotiating table. was administered, because the States is a response to something I have heard
Now, as I mentioned, we have been have these kinds of bronze-age tech- from many of my Republican col-
warning for days and weeks and nologies. One of the frustrating parts leagues who seem to have recovered
months that enhanced unemployment of this period is that even though mil- their sense of fiscal conservatism that
benefits were going to expire at the end lions and millions of Americans have disappeared when Donald Trump was
of July. Republicans sat on their gotten those extra benefits, that is inaugurated. I heard some of them say
hands. really cold comfort to the many people
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
that passing another COVID bill would
Earlier, we heard Senate Republicans who haven’t been able to get through amount to sacrificing our children’s fu-
talk about how they had a 1-week pro- the system and who haven’t been able, tures.
posal which, of course, wouldn’t—based call after call after call, to get their Here is what is worse for American
on the unemployment experts—get any claim resolved. Yet there was the be- children: growing up at a time when
real help to people who need that ginning, based on that vote, of a strat- their parents can’t find good-paying
money for rent and groceries anytime egy to help people get through the eco- jobs because of double-digit unemploy-
soon. The Senate Republicans said: nomic hardship. ment, getting evicted from their homes
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S5258 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2020
in the middle of a pandemic and be- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the challenge in the school if the
coming homeless, having to skip meals ator from Oregon. school can’t afford to convert the way
because their family can’t afford f it operates, either in the school, in a
enough food each month, going to very altered manner, or providing
CORONAVIRUS
school in a district that laid off teach- workstations and computers and
ers and staff due to the coronavirus re- Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, is this broadband so every child has the abil-
cession, which means packing too just another Thursday? Are things ity to work online.
many kids into classrooms, which can going along well in America, with Now, we know that even that is going
be dangerous. nothing to worry about, nothing to to be far insufficient because so many
Let’s forget about all of that same keep us up at night, nothing to keep children are in households where there
old Republican deficit talk. It is the mothers and fathers up worried about isn’t going to be the type of full-on, all-
same old routine from a decade ago and the health of their children? Is this day assistance to help them utilize
a decade before that and a decade be- just another Thursday with America that online access. We know that.
fore that. The Republican deficit talk doing well, or are we here in the midst Shouldn’t we be providing the re-
was nowhere to be found when they of the worst pandemic in a century sources to minimize the gap between
passed—over the opposition of Demo- since the Spanish flu? You wouldn’t the best-off and ordinary families?
crats on the Finance Committee—a $2 know it from this Chamber. You Shouldn’t we be trying to do every-
trillion tax handout overwhelmingly wouldn’t know it from the majority thing for our children?
benefiting multinational corporations leader’s shutting this place down. My dad was a mechanic. A mechanic
and the wealthy. Is it possible that we are in the worst who works in the sawmill is called a
Americans struggle with the pan- economic implosion since the Great millwright. He said it is the best job in
demic and the joblessness crisis right Depression? Is this just another Thurs- the world. If he could keep the machin-
now. The Senate needs to deal with it day? ery humming, it meant that every
right now. You wouldn’t know that we are in a worker had a job to come to, and it
As Senator STABENOW said—she elo- terrible economic collapse based on the meant the company made money. Ev-
quently launched this important dis- fact that the majority leader is treat- erybody was happy if he could keep the
cussion, and I know my friend from Or- ing this period of time like just an- machinery running, and he did. He did
egon is here to be part of it—it is cer- other Thursday, when everything is a marvelous job.
tainly not another Thursday in the fine and everything is good in America.
He was pretty disappointed when the
Senate, not another garden-variety, It is almost 3 months ago that the
company was bought by an investor
end of the week when you have en- House passed a robust bill to address
and the mill was shut down overnight
hanced unemployment benefits expir- the pandemic and to address the eco-
and the timber that the company had
ing, and 160,000 Americans dying. It is nomic implosion—3 months ago. Why
was sold to another company, a bigger
unthinkable—unthinkable—that any- didn’t the Senate say immediately, we
company. But, in that context of a fa-
body could be going home when there will act, as well, because we are having
ther with a powerful ability to keep
are so many challenges right in front big issues in America? They didn’t act
machinery humming that would ben-
of us. after the first week after the House
efit so many other people, he loved the
I hope the majority leader, Senator acted. They just treated it like another
fact that we had good public schools.
MCCONNELL, and my Republican col- week, no concerns. They didn’t act in
the second week. We are now 11 weeks He told me: Son, because we live in
leagues understand the power of what
since the House acted and still the ma- America and have these public schools,
Senator STABENOW has basically out-
jority leader says: Don’t worry, be if you go through the door of that
lined, because there are times on a
happy. It is just another Thursday. All schoolhouse and you study hard, you
Thursday afternoon in the Senate
is good in America—no concerns, no can do almost anything in our country.
where I think you could say you
wouldn’t have the kinds of challenges anxiety, no worry. Just be happy. What a glorious vision for an ordi-
we are talking about. This is not one of I can tell you what I am hearing from nary, working American to say to their
them. This is one where, on issue after Oregonians. They are saying it is not child: Because we live in America, you
issue, there are crises: the COVID cri- just another Thursday. They are saying can do almost anything, in our coun-
sis, the joblessness crisis, and now we our State government is estimated to try. The horizons are boundless be-
have a legislative malpractice crisis by lose $10 billion in revenue over the next cause we have good public schools.
Senator MCCONNELL leading his Sen- two bienniums—a little less than $3 bil- But it is 11 weeks since the House
ators. lion this biennium, a little more than acted. Have we acted to provide good
I urge him to come back, work with $4 billion in the next biennium, and public schools? All of our teachers and
us, bring about the negotiations we about $3 billion after that. That is $10 our administrators and our parents and
need, as I said again and again, on un- billion of lost revenue for core pro- our school boards are saying we are
employment. grams, like healthcare, housing, edu- just around the corner from the ordi-
I am not going anywhere—not any- cation, and transportation. That is a nary start of school. It is either just
where. This is one of the most impor- pretty big deal in terms of the founda- before or just after Labor Day.
tant causes I have ever had the oppor- tions for the programs Oregonians Where is the U.S. Senate? MITCH
tunity to be a part of. Even with all of count on. MCCONNELL sent us home. He shut this
the challenges with unemployment, I I am hearing from a whole lot of par- place down while our children’s edu-
can only imagine, Senator STABENOW, ents—moms and dads—and they are cation, preparation for a very unusual
how much more hurt there would be in saying: This is not just another Thurs- and difficult year, goes untended be-
America without those millions of peo- day. We are worried about our chil- cause there aren’t the resources.
ple getting the money for groceries and dren’s education. I can tell you, I am hearing a lot
rent and paying medical bills and car I recognize there are a lot of rich peo- from the medical community. My wife,
insurance and keeping the lights on. ple in America paying for tutors for Mary, is a nurse. She is a home hospice
We need the majority leader and Re- their children, maybe two tutors for a nurse, so she goes and coaches families
publican colleagues in the U.S. Senate child—maybe a math tutor and a read- as their loved one goes through the
to work with us. There is no time to ing tutor, maybe a special education final chapter of their life here on our
tutor, who knows—because they are planet. A lot of these folks that she
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
waste. They ought to be recognizing
the power of what Senators have said rich. visits, because they are in hospice, it,
here today. That negotiating needs to You know what, most of America are by definition, means they are quite ill.
take place now rather than having yet ordinary Americans who count on the Often, the families around them are el-
another break for Senators to pursue quality of our public schools. I can tell derly, and they are very concerned
other kinds of matters. you, a lot of parents are worried about about any presence of COVID,
I thank my colleagues. how are they going to be able to have coronavirus. What she hears is that we
I yield the floor. an education for their children given need to tackle this pandemic.
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