Congressional Record — Senate, September 10, 2020, Page S5527
Summary
Page S5527 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for September 10, 2020. A speaker says Democrats have rejected serious negotiation on a relief bill, that a compromise bill is the only way to get a bill through the Senate to the President, and that next year the country will owe more than it produces for the first time since the end of World War II. The page then records the reservation of leader time and an executive session. A later speaker defends the CARES Act, which gave $600 a week in additional Federal supplements to unemployment, and criticizes the lack of investment in transit systems in the Republican legislation. Under Election Security, the speaker refers to a whistleblower complaint.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, September 10, 2020, Page S5527.”
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September 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5527
real enemies are their political oppo- Our Nation is deeply, deeply in debt Democrats have rejected serious nego-
nents, I assume, will follow his lead right now. Next year, our country will tiation. Sure, they sat in meetings, and
and vote no. They can tell American owe more than we produce for the first they talked about a bill, but at the end
families they care more about politics time since the end of World War II. of the day, Democrats refused to com-
than helping them. That is a very bad place to be. That is promise. It was their bill or no bill,
But Senators who want to move for- getting toward the kind of debt-to-GDP which means that so far, they have
ward will vote yes. They will vote to ratio that helped bring about financial chosen no bill.
advance this process so we can shape it disaster in Greece. While the United The only way to get a bill through
into a bipartisan product and make a States is not Greece, if we grow our the Senate and to the President’s desk
law for the American people. That is debt enough, what happened to the is to develop a compromise bill. Even if
what working families need. They need Greek economy could happen here. the majority leader puts Democrats’
us to act. They need us to legislate. Being the United States of America exact bill on the floor today, there is
Today, they will see exactly who has does not exempt us from financial re- no way—no way—it would make it
their backs. alities. In times of crisis, sometimes through the Senate, much less be
f
you have to borrow money, and that is signed into law by the President. So if
what we had to do earlier this year the Democrats really want a bill, they
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME with the CARES Act and other are going to have to compromise, and
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under coronavirus relief legislation. But we that is something they have continued
the previous order, the leadership time have an absolute responsibility to to refuse to do, which leads to the log-
is reserved. every American, to every hard-working ical conclusion that Democrats don’t
individual in this country to ensure want a bill at all.
f If Democrats really wanted to get re-
that we are only borrowing what is ab-
EXECUTIVE SESSION solutely necessary. lief to Americans, they would work
Democrats’ proposal doesn’t even with Republicans to pass a compromise
come close to meeting the definition of bill even if it didn’t contain all the
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR ‘‘necessary spending.’’ To give just one money Democrats want, because even
example, Democrats have proposed ap- if it were true that the Republican leg-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
propriating a staggering $1 trillion for islation is inadequate, some money is
the previous order, the Senate will pro-
States even though the States still— better than no money. If you can’t get
ceed to executive session to resume
still—haven’t spent the money we pro- someone in need all the money you
consideration of the following nomina-
vided for them in the original CARES think they should have, you should get
tion, which the clerk will report.
Act. Now, it is certainly possible that them what money you can.
The senior assistant legislative clerk If Democrats really thought it was of
at some point, we will have to provide
read the nomination of Hala Y. Jarbou, overwhelming importance that we de-
some kind of additional assistance to
of Michigan, to be United States Dis- liver relief to Americans right now,
States, but to create a trillion-dollar
trict Judge for the Western District of they would be working with Repub-
slush fund for States before they have
Michigan. licans to get as much relief as they
even spent the money they have al-
Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab- could through Congress. But, for Demo-
ready been given would be an incred-
sence of a quorum. crats, delivering relief to Americans is
ibly irresponsible use of taxpayer dol-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The not really of overwhelming impor-
lars. At least some of that money could
clerk will call the roll. tance. What is of overwhelming impor-
be used for coronavirus relief.
The senior assistant legislative clerk Other money in the Democrats’ bill tance to Democrats is keeping
proceeded to call the roll. would go to measures that have noth- coronavirus alive as a political issue,
Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask ing—absolutely nothing—to do with and if that means no bill, well then
unanimous consent that the order for the virus, things like diversity studies Democrats are OK with that. They
the quorum call be rescinded. in the cannabis industry, a soil health would rather have no bill, zero funding,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without study, federalizing elections, and tax and a political weapon than to have a
objection, it is so ordered. cuts for millionaires in States like New bill and allow Republicans to say that
CORONAVIRUS York and California. we helped Americans. So all indica-
Mr. THUNE. Madam President, once One of the biggest priorities in the tions are that when we have a vote
again this week, Republicans are bring- wake of the coronavirus is helping later today, they plan to filibuster this
ing forward a proposal to provide addi- Americans keep their jobs or to find bill.
tional coronavirus relief to help pro- new ones. It should be front and center This is not the first time we have
tect jobs, to get kids and teachers back in any relief bill. Yet Democrats’ mas- seen this. Think back to the end of
in the classroom safely, and to provide sive bill—over $3 trillion in the Demo- June. In the wake of George Floyd’s
funding for the treatments and vac- crats’ bill—manages to mention the death at the knee of a police officer,
cines we need to defeat this virus, and word ‘‘cannabis’’ more often than the Americans of all parties came together
once again, Democrats are objecting. It word ‘‘job.’’ Diversity studies for mari- to push for police reform. Republicans
is the same old song: Republicans’ bill juana are more important, evidently, put a police reform bill on the floor of
doesn’t spend enough. Well, let’s talk than jobs—at least if you look at the the Senate for debate and amend-
about that for a minute. Democrats’ bill. That should tell you ment—a substantial bill that included
First of all, Republicans are not all you need to know about the serious- 75 to 80 percent of what both Demo-
claiming that the bill we put on the ness of the Democrats’ proposal. I crats and Republicans said they want-
floor this week contains the last dol- would love for the Democratic leader ed, the product of years of research and
lars we will need to spend in response to come down to the floor and explain work by Senator TIM SCOTT, who has
to the coronavirus. We may need to how a bill that mentions the word personal experience on this issue.
spend more. This bill is simply an at- ‘‘cannabis’’ more often than the word And Democrats? Well, Democrats
tempt to direct relief funds to some of ‘‘job’’ is a serious coronavirus bill. filibustered. That is right. In the face
the biggest priorities right now, like Of course, despite the unseriousness of a nationwide call for police reform
helping the hardest hit small busi- of the Democrats’ proposal, Repub- legislation, Democrats refused to even
nesses weather this crisis and pro- licans have been willing to compromise move forward to debate the legislation.
viding more resources for testing, on a coronavirus bill from the very be- Why? Because agreeing to work with
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
treatment, and vaccines. These are ginning. We understand how negotia- Republicans on legislation would have
areas we should all agree on. tion works, and we knew that we would taken away much of Democrats’ ability
Second of all, Democrats’ have to give some ground and that to exploit police reform as a political
coronavirus proposal—the $3 trillion Democrats would have to give some issue. So Democrats filibustered even
bill they proposed—is both unrealistic ground. We were and are willing to do though, remarkably, they were offered
and irresponsible. just that. But from the beginning, by Senator SCOTT and other supporters
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S5528 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 10, 2020
of the bill numerous amendments—10 Now, the Republican leader claims a skinny bill of $1 trillion, but even
amendments, 20 amendments—votes, the vote this week will expose Demo- that wasn’t good enough for the hard
opportunities to improve the bill—at cratic obstruction and delay—another right—the large hard right—in his cau-
least improve the bill in their eyes into one of these ‘‘Alice in Wonderland″- cus. So he put together, with spit and
a form that they could pass it. type statements—but, of course, Demo- polish, an emaciated bill that hardly
It is hard not to wonder if some of crats weren’t the ones who said: Let’s does a thing—that leaves out so many
the violence that we have seen in our put the Senate on pause. Who said Americans, it doesn’t come close to
cities across the country in recent that? Democrats didn’t say: Let’s wait meeting the moment—so he might say
months could have been avoided if and see. Who said that? Democrats he might be able to bring something on
Democrats had not decided to attempt didn’t delay for 4 months while the Na- the floor with a modicum of support in
to exploit this issue for political gain. tion suffered. In fact, the House passed his caucus.
There is not a lot Republicans can do a bill with the broad support of Senate It is insufficient. It is completely in-
if Democrats intend to keep Democrats. adequate. It does not help renters keep
prioritizing perceived political advan- So while the President was lying to a roof over their heads or American
tage over doing their jobs as legisla- the American people about the families put food on the table. It short-
tors, but we are going to take this vote coronavirus, Senate Republicans were changes healthcare and education. It
on the coronavirus relief bill this week, following suit in spirit. The Republican does not provide a dime to protect es-
today, and we are going to keep offer- leader himself talked about the lack of sential State and local services. It is
ing opportunities for Democrats to urgency in his caucus to address the laden with poison pills, provisions our
work with Republicans to help the problem. So the idea that Democrats, colleagues know Democrats would
American people. who passed a comprehensive relief never support, to guarantee the bill’s
Maybe some of the Democratic rank package through the House nearly 4 failure.
and file will decide that they have had months ago, are the cause of delay and The truth is, the Republicans and the
enough of their leaders playing politics obstruction is ridiculous. It has been Republican leader don’t want to pass a
and will work with us to resolve and to the Republicans all along. The record bill. Too many on the hard right—in
get some things done for the American shows it. the Senate and outside it—would be
people. From the beginning, from way back angry if they actually put together a
Republicans are ready to negotiate. in March after the CARES Act passed, bill that could pass.
We just need Democrats to come to the Democrats have insisted on continuing So Leader MCCONNELL, this morning,
table. a program of assistance to the Amer- demanded that Democrats name ex-
I yield the floor. ican people. We proposed legislation to actly what we oppose in their bill, like
I suggest the absence of a quorum. give hazard pay to essential workers, it was some kind of challenge. How
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The about the broad immunity provisions?
rental assistance, housing assistance,
clerk will call the roll. From the day he announced them, he
The senior assistant legislative clerk nutrition assistance, legislation to ex-
knew that it wouldn’t get Democratic
proceeded to call the roll. tend the enhanced unemployment ben-
support. How about the Betsy DeVos
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I efits that kept nearly 12 million Ameri-
school choice plan that would funnel
ask unanimous consent that the order cans out of poverty, money for rural
money into private schools while he
for the quorum call be rescinded. broadband, money to help our res-
neglected the real needs of our public
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without taurants and our hotels. We have pro-
schools? Of course Democrats would
objection, it is so ordered. posed many different things, none of
oppose that. He knew that. He knows
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, which are in the Republican bill.
that.
today the Senate will take a rather House Democrats passed the Heroes
The truth is, this emaciated bill is
pointless vote on the latest highly par- Act through their Chamber. So far, it not a serious attempt at legislation or
tisan, Republican, emaciated COVID is the only major COVID relief bill solving the real problems in our coun-
relief bill. since the CARES Act to pass either try. It is a shame. It is one of the most
Now, the Republican leader keeps Chamber of Congress. Meanwhile, as cynical moves I have seen, a fairly
claiming that his bill is an attempt at the spring turned into summer and as transparent attempt to show that the
a bipartisan solution, but of course the summer approached fall, Republicans Republicans are doing something,
bill was drafted solely by Repub- dithered and delayed. They pushed when, in fact, they want to do nothing,
licans—no input from Democrats—and their chips in with President Trump’s in reality.
rushed to the floor. lie and hoped the virus would miracu- We are in the middle of a pandemic,
Mr. Leader, go look up in the dic- lously disappear and everything would historic unemployment, industries
tionary what bipartisanship is. It is be all better. Rather than use the struggling from one end of America to
both parties working together, not power of the Federal Government to the other, and Leader MCCONNELL isn’t
your party doing a bill and then saying help our citizens during a once-in-a- searching for bipartisan progress; he
it is bipartisan. lifetime crisis, Senate Republicans seems to be looking for political cover.
What the Republican leader has done closed their eyes and crossed their fin- Once this bill goes down, we will be
is no one’s idea of bipartisanship, not gers, hoping they wouldn’t have to do right where we started at the start of
even his own Members’. anything. Sound familiar? It is just the week: waiting for our Republican
Let’s go over history. He has done what President Trump tried to do as colleagues to wake up to the size of the
this trick before: COVID 2, COVID 3, well. crisis in our country and work with us
COVID 3.5. In each case, Republicans Here now, in September, Republicans on a bill that actually makes sense.
came out—the leader came out saying finally felt the public pressure to sup- We want to work on a bipartisan bill.
he did his own bill, saying: This is the port a bill, but instead of working with The Speaker and I have come down $1
only bill that will pass. Democrats are Democrats on something that could trillion off our initial request, which
blocking it. pass, our friends on the other side tried was based on the real needs of the
Democrats held strong, and what to find the bare minimum that Senate American people during this pandemic
happened? We got much better bills Republicans could support. They had 20 crisis. Our Republican colleagues—both
with many of the things we wanted. We Republican Senators—in the words of the President’s minions and the Repub-
got truly bipartisan bills once the lead- the leader—who wanted to spend no lican Senate—have refused to budge.
er determined that he had to negotiate money. The greatest economic crisis I still have some hope, once this bill
with Democrats to pass something. since the Depression, the greatest is defeated. If past is prologue, there is
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
That will happen again. There is a de- health crisis since the Spanish flu just actually a significant chance that the
cent chance that will happen again. about a century ago, and 20 Repub- public heat on many Republican Sen-
But this bill is not going to happen be- licans want to spend nothing. They are ators, as they go back home, will have
cause it is so emaciated, so filled with the tail wagging the Republican dog. them come to their senses and they
poison pills, so partisanly designed—it So the Republican leader didn’t know will start negotiating with us in a seri-
was designed to fail. what to do. He proposed a meager bill, ous way. That happened on COVID 2. It
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September 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5529
happened on COVID 3. It happened on President Trump doesn’t mind pan- former senior official in the Office of
COVID 3.5. I pray and plead, for the icking people when it serves his inter- Intelligence and Analysis at the De-
sake of our country and the people who est. What is worse is that he will not partment of Homeland Security, polit-
are suffering, that it will happen again tell the truth when it hurts his inter- ical leaders at DHS told him to refrain
and that Republicans, once they see est, even if lives are at stake. from sharing reports about Putin’s ef-
they can’t pass this emaciated, terribly The President’s comments in this forts to interfere with our elections be-
insufficient, and poison-pill-pocked interview were despicable. It should cause ‘‘they make the President look
proposal, will start negotiating in re- serve as a warning to all Americans bad.’’ And this DHS whistleblower goes
ality with us—something they have not about who this man is and his total, on to allege a broader pattern by
done as of yet. complete abject failure to lead. Trump and his lieutenants of politi-
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION (Mr. SCOTT of Florida assumed the cizing and misrepresenting intel-
Madam President, now on President Chair.) ligence, altering the information to fit
Trump, yesterday it was reported that, TRANSIT the President’s way of thinking, what
in taped interviews with Bob Wood- Mr. President, finally, on transit, the President thinks makes him look
ward, President Trump acknowledged COVID–19 has changed nearly every as- good.
that he knew the danger posed by pect of American life, but Senate Re- We know this President doesn’t like
COVID–19 way back in February but he publicans and the White House only to hear the truth. He literally can’t
deliberately—deliberately—downplayed want to address the barest sliver of the handle it. But what is even more
the threat to the American people. We problems in our country, so this week alarming is that former DNI Director
now know that the President wasn’t I have been pointing out many of the Dan Coats, according to Bob Wood-
ill-informed. He wasn’t being overly things that the Republican proposal ward’s new book, could not shake his
optimistic. He was lying to the Amer- leaves out. ‘‘deep suspicions’’ that Vladimir Putin
ican people. He was deliberately Yesterday, I spoke about the plight ‘‘had something’’ on the President.
downplaying the virus to the American of live venues and the need to save that Many Americans believe what Coats
essential part of our culture and our said; that the reason Donald Trump
people at a time when early and force-
economy. Today I want to address an- bows down in obeisance to Putin is
ful action could have saved so many
other topic that has received far too that Putin knows something that the
lives.
Look, when the house is on fire—a little attention from the Senate Repub- President doesn’t want made public.
licans: transit. That is how egregious the pattern of
five-alarm fire—you have an obligation
Public transportation systems are President Trump’s behavior has been.
to let people know. If you don’t, they
the lifeblood of great American cities. It cries out for an explanation, and
are going to burn, and they are going
Regional networks connect workers to there is no logical one. There is no hon-
to die.
When we look at the rest of the world jobs and consumers and businesses. As orable one. President Trump’s pattern
anyone can imagine, during the pan- of downplaying the threat from Putin,
and see why they are doing better than
demic, while transit authorities like placating the dictator, and pursuing
we are in fighting this disease, the rea-
the MTA have continued round-the- policies that have long been the goal of
son is simple: They had some leader-
clock operations to serve the people, Moscow asks an enormous question:
ship. We have had none from the White
ridership on public transportation has What does President Putin know that
House—none. We have had lying. We
plummeted, leaving them in a state of President Trump is so afraid of?
have had ignoring the problem. We Here is what needs to happen. Before
have had misleading the American peo- crisis. God forbid if public transpor-
we leave for the election, there has to
ple but no leadership at a time when tation were forced to shutter or dras-
be an all-Senators briefing on the
we desperately need it. tically reduce operations, like on Long
threat from Putin to our election.
Other leaders around the world were Island, where they rely on the Long Is-
Every Senator—Democratic, Repub-
clear about science. They faced up to land Rail Road. The damage to re-
lican, liberal, conservative, North,
the problem and worked hard to solve gional economies and to the national South, East, and West—has an obliga-
it. They instituted policies to test, economy would be severe. But there is tion to our constituents and the coun-
trace, and isolate. We had a President not a penny—not one single penny—in try we all love to find out what exactly
who simply lied about the dangers of the Republican bill to help public tran- Putin is up to.
the disease and suggested that Ameri- sit systems or even help State and I yield the floor.
cans inject bleach. Other leaders took local governments, which fund a lot of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
responsibility and ownership. We had a the transit systems—not a penny. ator from Illinois.
President who said: ‘‘It is what it is.’’ My Republican friends seem to look CORONAVIRUS
In the annals of history, this will be at this crisis through a narrow lens. Mr. DURBIN. I want to thank my
one of the five greatest examples of Some of my colleagues have criticized colleague from New York for his com-
lack of leadership in American history. Democrats for the outrageous idea of ments this morning. He is right. We
President Trump, the history books wanting to help our State governments have seen this play before. We know
are not going to regard you kindly. and the essential public services they how it ends. Senator MCCONNELL, the
They are not going to regard you kind- provide. Republican leader, comes to the floor
ly. I have news for our colleagues. These and proclaims that his latest creation
The President is coming up with regional transit systems are mission is bipartisan; the Democrats have a
great excuses now for his perfidious critical to the national economy. It is choice to vote yes or no; take it or
lies. This time, he said he didn’t want not just a New York problem or a New leave it; we are done.
to tell the truth about COVID because Jersey problem or an Illinois problem, We have been through this over and
it might cause panic. Really? Is this it is a national crisis. over again. That is not how Congress or
the same President who is busy pan- The Metropolitan Transit Authority human activity works. We have a split
icking America right now, telling alone carries about 40 percent of the government between Democrats and
women in the suburbs that their safety Nation’s transit riders and drives as Republicans. When we sit down to-
is at risk when the suburbs are not at much as 10 percent of the national gether and compromise, good things
risk at all? Is this the same President GDP—10 percent. The facts argue for can happen. We proved it March 26. The
who invented a caravan of migrants in heavy investment in public transpor- vote was 96 to 0 for the CARES Act, a
an attempt to panic Americans before tation systems to stanch the bleeding $3 trillion bill early on to address the
the last election? This President al- and jump-start the economy when the coronavirus pandemic and to deal with
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ways uses panic as a tool when he pandemic wanes. The lack of invest- the serious challenges to our economy.
thinks it serves his interest, so the ment in transit systems in the Repub- Thank goodness we did it. It gave
idea that he did it because he didn’t lican legislation is unacceptable. $600 a week in additional Federal sup-
want to panic Americans does not ring ELECTION SECURITY plements and unemployment to fami-
true. It seems like an ex post facto ex- Mr. President, finally, according to a lies who were facing layoffs and clo-
cuse for the President’s perfidious lies. whistleblower complaint filed by a sures of their businesses. We helped
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