Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Sept. 8, 2020)

Summary

This is the Congressional Record, Senate, for September 8, 2020, covering pages S5429 and S5430 under the heading Coronavirus, with interleaved columns. Mr. Grassley says he conducted 49 county meetings in Iowa in August, part of his annual 99-county set. Mr. McConnell says Democratic leaders blocked the Republicans' HEALS Act, a package of more than $1 trillion, and a narrower August proposal, and that Republicans are releasing a targeted proposal on topics such as extended unemployment benefits and a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program. Mr. Leahy says nearly 190,000 people have died and that another emergency funding bill is needed. The page also records three bills placed on the calendar en bloc and the start of consideration of the nomination of Brett H. Ludwig to be a District Judge in Wisconsin.

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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Sept. 8, 2020).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-09-08-crec-2020-09-08-pt1-pgs5429-6-6bc7f67dd8/, SHA-256 f5afd1069aa2528dc30cf52bc7b375020a3299eca6ff0871783ef79ad951f170.

Full text

Congressional Record
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116 th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE

Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 No. 154

Senate
The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was across someplace in the country. That lions in the race for treatments and for
called to order by the President pro path was about 150 miles long in Iowa vaccines.
tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). and 34 miles wide, and it destroyed the But this relief was never going to
f crops for this year in that area. Other last forever. Today, enhanced Federal
issues came up as well. Biofuels, unem- unemployment benefits are only still
PRAYER ployment insurance, the farm econ- available because of action by Presi-
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- omy, access to childcare and school re- dent Trump. The Paycheck Protection
fered the following prayer: openings were frequent points of dis- Program has closed to new applica-
Let us pray. cussion. I had the chance of visiting in tions, and the funds it has delivered are
Eternal God, our hope for years to 15 different locations with about that being exhausted. This last month has
come, empower our lawmakers to live many school superintendents, and they brought a whole new challenge: how to
with integrity. Lord, inspire them to were very optimistic about the coming get teachers and students safely into a
permit their words to be matched by school year. new school year. These are the chal-
their deeds. As they strive for this eth- This is my 40th year holding my 99 lenges that people I represent are fac-
ical congruence, strengthen them to county meetings. I started this tradi- ing every single day. Kentuckians and
examine their hearts with the goal of tion when I first was elected to the all Americans know this unprecedented
seeking to glorify You. Living by Your Senate, so Iowans in every corner of crisis is not through with us yet, and
precepts, may they aspire to be faithful the State would know I care about so they expect that Congress isn’t
to the noble calling of serving You and their opinions. through helping yet either.
country. It is an honor to serve Iowans in the Senate Republicans have been fight-
We pray in Your majestic Name. U.S. Senate and uphold my end of rep- ing for months to deliver another
Amen. resentative government. I look forward round of COVID–19 relief. In July, we
f to more Q&As across the State this proposed the HEALS Act, a sweeping
year and starting my 41st year of 99 package totaling more than $1 trillion
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE county meetings in 2021. that would have led right to bipartisan
The President pro tempore led the I yield the floor. talks, but Speaker PELOSI and the
Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: f Democratic leader said no.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the They said they would block our tril-
United States of America, and to the Repub- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY lion dollars for kids, jobs, and
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, LEADER healthcare unless we doubled the cost
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- to accommodate an endless wish list of
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. jority leader is recognized. non-COVID-related liberal priorities
BLACKBURN). f such as tax cuts for blue-State million-
The Senator from Iowa. aires.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I CORONAVIRUS So Republicans tried another way to
ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 Mr. MCCONNELL. Our Nation has break the logjam. In August, we pro-
minute in morning business. spent the last 6 months fighting the posed narrowing discussions to some of
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without medical, economic, and social effects of the most urgent, most bipartisan sub-
objection, it is so ordered. this pandemic. The Senate’s historic jects that seemed especially ripe for
f rescue package from back in March, agreement, but Speaker PELOSI and the
the CARES Act, has gone a long way to Democratic leader blocked that as
IOWA 99 COUNTY MEETINGS help American workers and families well. Now they claimed it was too
Mr. GRASSLEY. In August, I held 49 endure these incredible challenges. ‘‘piecemeal’’—too piecemeal, they
county meetings as part of my annual It delivered the extra Federal unem- said—to get any help out the door until
99-county set of meetings in Iowa. At ployment benefits that helped laid-off Democrats and Republicans had settled
every meeting, the format is the same: workers make ends meet. It created every disagreement on every front.
Iowans set the agenda. the Paycheck Protection Program, The Democratic leaders have spent
Challenges from the pandemic and which has helped millions of small months playing these ‘‘Goldilocks’’
storm recovery were among their top businesses keep their lights on and games. They have complained about
concerns. To explain the storm recov- keep employees on the payroll; it sent every single thing we put forward but
ery—about once every 10 years there is resources to the frontlines of the produced nothing of their own with any
a big wind storm called a derecho going healthcare fight; and it invested bil- chance whatsoever of becoming law.

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∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

S5429

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S5430 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 8, 2020
Meanwhile, after all their blustering blast away—blast away—in bad faith, vide for a Improve Health Insurance Afford-
that Congress should never do any- call names, and complain about the in- ability Fund to provide for certain reinsur-
thing ‘‘piecemeal,’’ Speaker PELOSI finite number of things this proposal ance payments to lower premiums in the in-
dividual health insurance market.
came rushing back to Washington to does not do. Maybe they will bring
pass the most piecemeal bill you could back their ‘‘Goldilocks’’ act and say Mr. MCCONNELL. In order to place
possibly imagine—legislation that sole- our multihundred-billion-dollar pro- the bills on the calendar under the pro-
ly helped out the U.S. Postal Service posal is too small or too skinny, even visions of rule XIV, I object to further
and did nothing at all for American though Democrats just passed a piece- proceedings en bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
families. When Republicans tried to meal bill for the Postal Service that ig-
tion having been heard, the bills will be
help American workers keep their jobs, nored everything else—a piecemeal bill
placed on the calendar on the next leg-
Speaker PELOSI and Leader SCHUMER for the Postal Service that ignored ev-
islative day en bloc.
said it was ‘‘piecemeal,’’ but when erything else. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President,
House Democrats’ fears about mail-in Democrats can do all that if they I suggest the absence of a quorum.
voting made them think maybe their want to. I understand they have al- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
own jobs would be in jeopardy, that ar- ready been criticizing this bill today clerk will call the roll.
gument suddenly disappeared. before they even read it, before it had The legislative clerk proceeded to
That is the score. Democrats are all even been put out. More of this would call the roll.
for piecemeal bills when they concern just reinforce that only one side of the Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask
their own reelections, but when it aisle seems to want any bipartisan out- unanimous consent that the order for
comes to bipartisan aid for kids, jobs, come at all. the quorum call be rescinded.
and schools, Democrats say it is either It is easy to tell in Washington The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
their entire wish list—all of it—or no- whether somebody’s end goal is polit- objection, it is so ordered.
body gets a dime. ical posturing or getting an outcome. f
Well, Republicans see this quite dif- One way or another, what Democrats
ferently. We don’t think this crisis do will be revealing. RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
cares about partisan politics. We think The Senate is going to vote on this The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
people are hurting and Congress should targeted proposal. We are going to get the previous order, the leadership time
do its job. We want to agree where a bi- the stonewalling of Democratic leaders is reserved.
partisan agreement is possible, get out from behind closed doors and put f
more help out the door, and then keep this to a vote out here on the floor. It CONCLUSION OF MORNING
arguing over the rest later. is going to happen this week. Senators BUSINESS
That is how you legislate. That is will not be voting on whether this tar-
how you make law. You find agreement geted package satisfies every one of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning
where agreement is possible and keep their legislative hopes and dreams. business is closed.
arguing over the rest later. That is not what we will do in this f
So Republicans are making yet an- Chamber. We vote on whether to make EXECUTIVE SESSION
other overture. Today, we are releasing laws, whether to forge a compromise,
a targeted proposal that focuses on sev- whether to do a lot of good for the
eral of the most urgent aspects of this country and keep arguing over the re- EXECUTIVE CALENDER
crisis—issues where bipartisanship maining differences later. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
should be especially possible. I am A few weeks ago, more than 100 the previous order, the Senate will pro-
talking about policies such as extend- House Democrats spoke out publicly. ceed to executive session to resume
ing the additional Federal unemploy- They asked Speaker PELOSI to stop consideration of the following nomina-
ment benefit for jobless workers; pro- stonewalling and let the House vote on tion, which the clerk will report.
viding a second round of the job-saving targeted COVID relief short of—short The legislative clerk read nomina-
Paycheck Protection Program for the of—her entire wish list. The Speaker tion of Brett H. Ludwig, of Wisconsin,
hardest hit small businesses to prevent ignored them—ignored her rank and to be United States District Judge for
layoffs; sending more than $100 billion file, just like her piecemeal postal bill the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
to help K–12 schools and universities ignored American families. The Senator from Vermont.
open safely and educate our kids; dedi- Over here I will make sure our Demo- CORONAVIRUS
cating billions more for testing, con- cratic colleagues get a chance to walk Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, as we
tact tracing, treatments, and vaccines; the walk. Every Senator who has said all know, we are in the middle of a pub-
on-shoring manufacturing capacity for they want a bipartisan outcome for the lic health crisis. The American people
critical medical supplies and rebuilding country will have a chance to vote for are hurting, from every State in our
our national stockpile; giving all kinds everyone to see. Senators will vote this country. Nearly 190,000 people—our fel-
of families more choice and flexibility week, and the American people will be low citizens—have died. Millions have
to navigate education and childcare watching. lost their jobs, and they are struggling
during the crisis; providing legal pro- f to make ends meet. People are being
tections for schools, churches, char- evicted from their homes, and they are
ities, nonprofits, and employers so they MEASURES PLACED ON THE struggling to feed their families.
can reopen; providing more help for the CALENDAR The virus is still not under control.
Postal Service. Our proposal would do Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, We know there is a need for another
all this and more. I understand there are three bills at emergency funding bill. The need to
Now, here is what our bill is not. It is the desk due for a second reading en address the COVID crisis is clear. This
not a sweeping, multitrillion-dollar bloc. is something, actually, we could have
plan to rebuild the entire country in The PRESIDING OFFICER. The done in July if we had been willing to
Republicans’ image. It does not even clerk will read the bills by title for the actually do our job and vote on the ap-
contain every single relief policy that second time. propriations bills after the House of
Republicans ourselves think would help The legislative clerk read as follows: Representatives had already shown the
in the short term. I am confident the A bill (H.R. 3) to establish a fair price ne- way, but 4 weeks ago, the Trump ad-
Democrats would feel the same way. gotiation program, protect the Medicare pro- ministration and the Senate Repub-
But the American people don’t need gram from excessive price increases, and es- lican leadership walked away from the
tablish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medi-

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us to keep arguing over what might be negotiating table. Democrats had of-
care part D enrollees, and for other purposes. fered a compromise. Republicans said
perfect. They need us to actually make A bill (H.R. 51) to provide for the admission
law. of the State of Washington, D.C. into the ‘‘My way or the highway’’ and left
So Democratic leaders are perfectly Union. town. They just walked away from the
free to come out here and keep up their A bill (H.R. 1425) to amend the Patient Capitol when we had all these things
playbook from these past months. Just Protection and Affordable Care Act to pro- that needed to be done.

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