Congressional Record, Senate, August 10, 2020, Page S5360
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated August 10, 2020, at page S5360, in a long document. Mr. McConnell criticizes Democratic demands in the relief talks, saying they want a trillion dollars in extra money for State and local governments, which have spent only about one-fourth of the $150 billion sent in the springtime, and that jobless benefits should not pay people more to stay home. He then speaks about Hong Kong, saying Jimmy Lai was arrested for alleged violations of the national security law imposed by Beijing. Near the end, another speaker says more than 1,000 Americans are dying every day, the eviction moratorium is ending and the Senate is virtually a ghost town.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, August 10, 2020, Page S5360.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-08-10-crec-2020-08-10-pt1-pgs5360-5-58cc66de50/
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S5360 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2020
comments from very early on in this Our view, which a majority of Ameri- thing possible to find common ground
pandemic. cans share, is simply that it and deliver more help, but the Demo-
This is the way they looked at it: disincentivizes rehiring and reopening crats have said no. At least the Amer-
They saw this pandemic as ‘‘a tremen- to pay people more to stay home. It is ican people know the score. At least
dous opportunity to structure things to a statement of the obvious. It they know the score.
fit our vision.’’ That was the House disincentivizes rehiring and reopening f
Democratic whip. Speaker PELOSI her- to pay people more to stay home.
self put it this way: ‘‘This is an oppor- Plenty of Democrats said they saw HONG KONG
tunity. Every crisis is.’’ Working fami- the point and were happy to negotiate Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on
lies call this pandemic a crisis. They on this. Speaker PELOSI’s own No. 2, a totally different matter, this week-
call it a nightmare. But leading Demo- the House majority leader, said: ‘‘It is end brought more unsettling news in
crats call it ‘‘an opportunity.’’ not $600 or bust.’’ That was the No. 2 the ongoing struggle for Hong Kong to
Just listen to some of their demands. Democrat in the House. The senior preserve any shred of its civil liberties
These are the Democrats’ demands Senator from Maryland said: ‘‘We cer- and self-governance.
that stood between all of this help and tainly understand. We don’t want to One of the region’s most prominent
the Americans who need it. have a higher benefit than what some- pro-democracy advocates, Jimmy Lai,
Here is one: Democrats say nobody one can make working.’’ Oh, no. But was arrested yesterday for alleged vio-
gets another dime of relief unless State the Speaker and the Democratic leader lations of the so-called national secu-
and local governments get about $1 overruled them. No deal. No deal unless rity law imposed by Beijing.
trillion in extra money. Let me say we pay people more to stay home. Last year, after a historic election
that again. Democrats are saying no- That is not about COVID. It is not that saw millions flock to the polls to
body gets another dime of relief unless about a real reopening. It is about far- overwhelmingly reject President Xi’s
State and local governments get $1 left ideology. They preferred for the preferred candidates, the Chinese Com-
trillion in extra money. jobless benefits to go down to zero— munist Party moved quickly to choke
Let’s put a few facts on the table. zero—unless they could pay people
No. 1, State and local governments Hongkongers’ free expression.
more to stay home. Mr. Lai has been at the vanguard of
have spent only about one-fourth of the Does anyone in this country really
huge sums we sent them back in the the vibrant Hong Kong-based media
believe that relief for Americans
springtime—$150 billion. and publishing world.
should be totally contingent on bailing
No. 2, the economists who have cal- Jimmy Lai was arrested for an al-
out States for mismanagement that
culated the likely COVID-related leged violation of the so-called na-
predated the pandemic by decades?
shortfalls for State and local govern- tional security law imposed by Beijing.
Does anyone really think it was better
ments have mostly produced estimates He has devoted much of his life to ad-
for jobless benefits to completely ex-
that are entire multiples less—entire vancing precisely—precisely the sort of
pire unless we pay people more not to
multiples less—than what Democrats values that the CCP finds most repul-
work? And does anyone really think
are demanding. sive: freedom of thought and freedom
that Congress should walk away from
No. 3, in our HEALS Act, Repub- of speech.
countless subjects where a bipartisan
licans tried to give States and local- agreement should be possible over The Senate, the country, and free-
ities extra flexibility around the these fringe positions? Do Americans dom-loving nations across the world
unspent funds they already had—extra think Democrats should walk away stand with Mr. Lai and with all the
flexibility around the unspent funds from school funding, testing, cash to peaceful demonstrators who have met
they already had. In my State, for ex- households, preventing a spike in sen- the business end of the CCP’s repres-
ample, 94 percent of the money we sent iors’ Medicare premiums, legal reform, sion.
them has not been spent. and more, over this? f
We wanted to send huge sums to help I think almost every family in Amer-
with schools, which are one of the RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
ica would answer these questions the
States’ biggest expenses. Typically, in same way, but unfortunately Speaker The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
a State budget, the two biggest items PELOSI and the Democratic leader have the previous order, the leadership time
are education and Medicaid. answered them the opposite way. They is reserved.
But forget all that. Democrats are think they have political leverage over f
demanding that we send State and the President of the United States, and
local governments a colossal amount of MORNING BUSINESS
so they are willing to personally in-
money, with no relationship to actual crease the pain for vulnerable families The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
need, while they have only spent a unless they get their way on matters the previous order, the Senate will be
quarter—25 percent—of the money they not related to COVID. in a period of morning business, with
have already gotten. Republicans wanted to agree on the Senators permitted to speak therein
Clearly, this isn’t about COVID. things we could agree to. Democrats for up to 10 minutes each.
Democrats think they smell an opening said: Our way or the highway. Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab-
they have wanted for years—to make Republicans wanted to send cash sence of a quorum.
Uncle Sam bail out decades of mis- now—right now—for schools, testing, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
management and broken policies in and unemployment benefits and argue clerk will call the roll.
places like New York, New Jersey, and over State bailouts later. Democrats The legislative clerk proceeded to
California. So they have decided that said nobody gets a penny unless Texas call the roll.
no working family anywhere in Amer- and Florida bail out New Jersey. That Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask
ica can get another cent—not one is their position. Nobody gets a penny unanimous consent that the order for
cent—unless they get to create a tril- unless Texas and Florida bail out New the quorum call be rescinded.
lion-dollar slush fund for mismanaged Jersey. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
States, completely and totally out of So this is where we are. The previous objection, it is so ordered.
proportion to pandemic needs. UI benefits expired. The PPP closed its f
Here is another one of those far-left doors.
demands: Nobody gets another dime Over the weekend, President Trump RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY
unless we indefinitely pay people more took steps to soften the blow of the LEADER
to stay home than to go back to work. Democrats’ hostage tactics on Amer- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
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Republicans agree we ought to con- ican families who need help most. His Democratic leader is recognized.
tinue additional Federal jobless bene- decisions will help spare some Ameri- f
fits during this extraordinary time. cans some of the pain from the Demo-
Senate Republicans tried several times crats’ hostage-taking. CORONAVIRUS
to stop them from expiring. The Demo- From the beginning—from the very Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, over
cratic leader blocked us. beginning—our side has tried every- the weekend, the United States
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August 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5361
achieved an ignominious milestone. in the room: No, it is going to be our says: Well, maybe we should get rid of
Five million Americans are confirmed way or no way. We are not going to it because we should defer; we should
to have contracted COVID–19—by far, meet you in the middle. get rid of the payroll tax altogether.
the most in the world. Why? Why wouldn’t they, when the This Executive order is an example of
Our country went from 4 million needs are so great, when there are so many false promises that Donald
Americans having had the disease to 5 many people suffering and so many Trump has made and, just as impor-
million in 17 days—only 17 days. One more who will suffer if we don’t act? It tantly, it is so put together with spit
million Americans were infected in is because this Republican Party is so and glue that in all likelihood many
just 17 days. We have lost American tied in a knot that it can’t agree to States will not implement it at all—
businesses, American wealth, and an anything. It can only spute the same some have said so. And many more,
unbearable number of American lives— political speech every day. even if they want to implement it, will
a number that will inevitably increase Republican Leader MCCONNELL has take months—several months—while
as the number of infections continues admitted that 20 Republican Senators people will not get their unemploy-
to rise. will not vote for any more relief for the ment benefits.
The brutal economic effect of the American people. The Senate bill that The easiest thing to do for the good
pandemic has spared no corner of our the Republican leader keeps referring of the economy, for keeping millions
country. We are living through the to lacks the support of Senate Repub- out of poverty, which the President’s
greatest economic crisis since the De- licans. He can’t bring it to the floor be- pandemic unemployment insurance has
pression and the greatest health crisis cause so many of them will vote done, is simply to renew the existing
since the Spanish flu in 1918. So it against it. unemployment insurance. But because
should not be hard to convince Repub- The President himself called the Re- of the hard right, because so many Re-
licans in the Senate and the White publican bill ‘‘semi-irrelevant’’—one of publicans don’t want to spend the
House to provide urgent and necessary the few things he said about this crisis money, even for people who have lost
relief to the American people. that had some truth to it. jobs through no fault of their own, it
The $3.4 million in the Heroes Act It was not some possibility that doesn’t happen.
was based on the country’s needs, Democrats blocked. Senate Repub- The idea that the American worker is
which is so large and so diverse. It is licans spiked it the moment it came looking for an out is demeaning to the
not a political position; it is what our out. Why? Maybe they thought that American worker, Leader MCCONNELL.
country needs—its schools, its busi- these Executive orders would be a way Americans want to work. There is
nesses, its renters, its homeowners, its out. They are so tied in a knot they pride in work. The overwhelming ma-
essential workers, its post office, its can’t legislate or even bring them- jority of Americans, if given the choice
elections, State and local governments, selves to join us in the middle. They of a job or unemployment insurance for
our healthcare system. Leader MCCON- were clinging to the hope that the a period of time, even if that unem-
NELL doesn’t seem to understand this. President could do something on his ployment insurance is not exactly
He sees everything through a political own through Executives orders, but as what they got paid, will take the job.
lens. we have seen, Executives orders in gen- We know that.
eral aren’t going to get the job done, America believes in the work ethic.
But we Democrats are looking at the
especially the incompetent ones issued So how demeaning to the American
real needs of people. They are large,
over the weekend. worker to say they are looking for a
and they come from many different
President Trump’s recent Executive way out; that they are looking for a
places. That is why we called for a
orders are so unserious, in terms of way to ‘‘skeeve’’ the system. That is
large bill because it was needed be-
meeting the large needs of America, as not the American worker I know. That
cause the American people demanded
to be pathetic. Take, for example, the is not the New York worker I know.
it. At this point, the American people
payroll tax deferral. It makes no sense. But, of course, when unemployment is
are on our side. By survey data, two-
Even Republican Members of Congress over 10 percent, you can be looking for
thirds support the $3.4 billion Demo-
and, according to reports some mem- a job, but you may not get one. That is
cratic plan, not the skimpy Republican the reason so many people are on pan-
plan that doesn’t deal with people’s bers of the administration, opposed a
demic unemployment insurance.
needs. payroll tax deferral because it would do
The President’s plan there was noth-
But at the end of last week, after next to nothing to help our workers or ing short of a disaster in terms of its
days of arduous negotiations, Speaker the economy. Remember, the President inability to be implemented, its effect
PELOSI and I continued to run into Re- did not cancel payroll taxes—he can’t— on Social Security and Medicare, and
publican intransigence. They didn’t see he just deferred them. Most employers the demeaning way in which it looks at
people’s needs the way we did. They will continue to withhold the payroll the American worker. The President’s
didn’t see the depth and breadth of this tax so that their employees will not be Executive orders, therefore, are a dis-
crisis. So, like in any normal negotia- hit with a very large tax bill in Decem- aster.
tion, we offered to move in their direc- ber when the deferral expires. ADP, a The President’s Executive order on
tion if they would move in ours. Let’s nonpolitical payroll processing com- evictions is the best example of all siz-
meet in the middle, we said—in the pany, said: It ‘‘may take months to im- zle and no steak. It does not even guar-
middle. That is how negotiations plement’’ the President’s new policy. antee a moratorium on evictions. It
occur. That is how you get something It feels like forever ago, but Can- merely instructs Federal Agencies to
done. The White House said no. didate Trump promised he was dif- ‘‘review’’ and ‘‘consider’’ whether it is
It was difficult for us to offer that ferent from Republicans and would appropriate to halt evictions, let alone
compromise. The Democratic position never touch Social Security or Medi- people who have fallen behind on their
is that we want to devote enough re- care. Well, guess what. Deferring the rent.
sources to defeat the virus and see the payroll tax is a backdoor way of weak- Three of the things the President has
American people through this crisis. ening Social Security and Medicare. In done don’t work. The deferral of the
The Republican position is to give case the President’s intentions weren’t payroll tax hurts Social Security and
much less than what is needed. Demo- clear, he said that after the election he does not pump money into the econ-
crats don’t want to leave large portions may permanently cut the payroll tax, omy. Cutting the unemployment insur-
of the country and the economy to fend which would deplete the trust funds ance will take weeks and months to
for itself, but the reason we want to and destroy Social Security and Medi- implement and hurts American work-
meet in the middle is that getting care as we know it. If you are a senior ers and demeans them. The Executive
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major legislation through Congress is or have paid into Social Security or order on evictions says: Let’s consider
the only way to achieve something sig- Medicare and are waiting for it, watch something. We know what that means
nificant for the American people. out—watch out. Seniors throughout in jargon around here: Let’s not do it.
Rather than compromise, our Repub- the decades, since we have had Social Let’s just talk about it.
lican counterparts said: ‘‘Take a hike.’’ Security, have jealously regarded the President Trump’s Executive orders
Quite literally, they said virtually this trust fund, and now Donald Trump are hardly worth the paper they are
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S5362 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2020
printed on. You don’t have to take my ounce of sorrow, not a shred of remorse He told Senators: Go home until fur-
word for it. Go ask Republican Sen- for the many mistakes his administra- ther notice. Go home. We are going to
ators from South Carolina and Ne- tion has made. The President says: ‘‘It put the Senate on standby. No need to
braska who aren’t too thrilled with it is what it is.’’ be here doing the people’s business.
either. What a shocking admission of Presi- Well, the coronavirus is not on stand-
Of course, the biggest problem with dential failure. We live in the wealthi- by. The coronavirus is very much alive
these Executive orders is not what est and most powerful Nation on Earth. and well and spreading throughout the
they do but what they don’t and can’t Yet countries around the world manage country—more severely in some parts
do. The orders don’t address testing, to test their citizens, isolate cases, than others but spreading throughout
tracing, and treatment of COVID–19— stop the spread of the disease—coun- the country—and with it has come the
desperately needed to curb the health tries with bigger populations than ours spread of economic pain and economic
crisis which, in turn, is hurting the and countries with a mere fraction of harm. So COVID–19 is not on standby,
economy so badly. our resources and know-how. President and neither is the economic pain and
The orders leave out money to safely Trump’s response to this crisis is a na- fallout that it has caused.
reopen our schools and provide the tional and an international embarrass- But here in the U.S. Senate, the Re-
PPE and other help to keep the kids, ment. The President says: ‘‘It is what publican leader, the majority leader,
teachers, and staff safe. The orders will it is.’’ has said: Go home and be on standby.
not give food assistance to hungry kids President Trump is not the only one That is not leadership at any time. It
and families. who dismisses the gravity of COVID–19. is certainly not the kind of leadership
The orders will not aid State and The lack of empathy and under- that the American people need and
local governments, firefighters, sanita- standing starts at the top, but it goes should expect during a global pandemic
tion workers, bus drivers, healthcare all the way down. The President’s Chief and recession-era unemployment lev-
workers. All the people who keep our of Staff said COVID–19 isn’t such a big els.
communities running could lose their deal for schoolchildren compared to So why did the majority leader tell
jobs. the flu. Leader MCCONNELL put the people to just go home and be on stand-
The orders leave out funds to ensure Senate on ice for 4 months in the mid- by? It is because he wanted the Trump
elections can be carried out safely dle of a global pandemic because his administration to negotiate an agree-
amid COVID–19, and the orders do party ‘‘didn’t feel the urgency of act- ment. Last I checked, the U.S. Senate
nothing to keep our post offices open ing’’—his words. Now, by the leader’s was a separate branch of government
and make sure our elections are con- own admission, more than a third of with its own responsibilities. Yet we
ducted in a safe and sound manner dur- the Senate Republican caucus doesn’t have the Republican leader, who runs
ing this COVID crisis. want to vote for anything—anything— the U.S. Senate from the floor, telling
The fact is, we are facing an unprece- to help the American people. people to go home and be on standby
dented crisis. The government is going The economy is failing. Small busi- because he wants the President of the
to have to commit resources to fight nesses are closing. State and local gov- United States, the Trump administra-
this disease and the economic devasta- ernments are cutting essential serv- tion, to negotiate an agreement and
tion it has wrought. Executive orders ices. Americans can’t pay the rent and then come back to us. In other words,
cannot do that and, therefore, will al- will be thrown out of their homes. the Republican leader wants to con-
ways be insufficient, especially those Families can’t afford to feed their chil- tract out his responsibilities and the
crafted in such a poor way as these. dren. Essential workers don’t have responsibilities of the U.S. Senate to
The only way to crush the virus and PPE. We are sending our kids back to the executive branch.
school without a plan. The number of If you look at the U.S. Constitution,
truly protect American working fami-
Americans we are testing is going there are three separate branches of
lies is to pass a comprehensive bill in
down. The disease is ravaging our nurs- government. Yet the Republican leader
Congress that is equal to the chal-
ing homes. Americans are dying—so has decided to give his proxy to the
lenges facing our country. Democrats
many in so short a time that funeral President of the United States, to the
remain ready to return to the table. We
homes and morgues are storing the executive branch, rather than stay
need our Republicans to join us there
dead in refrigerated 18-wheelers. here in the U.S. Senate and do our
and meet us halfway and work together work.
Yet the President says: ‘‘It is what it
to deliver immediate relief to the Now, why is that? Why is it that the
is.’’ The President, his aides, his party,
American people. We are ready as soon and Congress are not even awake to majority leader has decided to contract
as our Republican colleagues have what is happening in this country. out his responsibilities and those of the
come off this view that it is their way That is the reason Senate Republicans Senate to the executive branch of gov-
or no way and meet us in the middle. delayed for 4 long months, and that is ernment? Well, we don’t have to guess
Now, before I yield the floor, I want the reason we have been unable to find because Mr. MCCONNELL has told us. He
to take a step back and talk about the agreement with the White House. told PBS NewsHour: ‘‘About 20 of my
core problem in our negotiations over I yield the floor. Members think that we have already
the past few weeks. President Trump The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- done enough.’’ Let me read that again.
and the Republican Party—certainly in ator from Maryland. This is from the Republican leader:
the Senate—are not alive to the suf- f ‘‘About 20 of my Members think that
fering of the American people. The re- we have already done enough.’’
sponse from the White House to the CORONAVIRUS He is obviously referring to Repub-
greatest domestic challenge of the 21st Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I lican Members of the Senate caucus.
century can be summed up in five thank you. I want to thank the minor- These are Members of the Senate Re-
words issued by President Trump in an ity leader—the Democratic leader, Mr. publican caucus. They think all is well;
interview last week: ‘‘It is what it is.’’ SCHUMER—for his remarks. we have done enough; we don’t need to
President Trump was challenged to There are not many of us around here do any more to expand access to test-
defend his claim that COVID–19 is in the Senate today. It is pretty quiet. ing, don’t need to expand access to per-
under control. ‘‘How?’’ he was asked. If you walk through the halls, there is sonal protective equipment, don’t need
‘‘A thousand Americans are dying a virtually nobody around. That is what to do anything to help our schools. We
day.’’ President Trump’s response: ‘‘It it was like last Thursday afternoon. have done enough. We don’t need to do
is what it is.’’ That is what it was like here in the anything more on unemployment in-
‘‘It is what it is.’’ That is how the Senate on Friday and again on Satur- surance, where the additional $600 a
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President of the United States of day and again on Sunday. Here we are week has expired.
America responds to the harrowing again on Monday, and this Senate is Senator MCCONNELL said that 20 of
fact that more than 1,000 Americans virtually a ghost town—a few people his Members thought they have al-
are dying every single day from a virus here, but for the most part, everybody ready done enough. The eviction mora-
his administration has failed to con- was sent home by the majority leader, torium is coming to an end, both na-
tain—not a morsel of empathy, not an by Senator MCCONNELL. tionally and in many States, but 20
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