Government Funding (Cong. Rec., Sept. 14, 2020)
Summary
Page S5568 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for September 14, 2020, headed Government Funding, in interleaved columns. A speaker says the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018-2019 government shutdown cost taxpayers about $3 billion and reduced gross domestic product by about two-tenths of a percent, and warns that a failure of a quick bipartisan response would be shameful, which is that speaker's view. Another speaker says the pandemic exposed the digital divide and calls for a 10-year plan for broadband service in rural States such as West Virginia, starting with unserved areas.
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“Government Funding (Cong. Rec., Sept. 14, 2020).”
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S5568 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 14, 2020
me to be behind him on these pro- Budget Office estimates that the 2018– coronavirus pandemic. With the new
posals. I know they will be reasonable, 2019 government shutdown cost tax- normal consisting of teleworking, vir-
and I know they will be straight- payers—cost all of us—about $3 billion. tual learning, and telehealth appoint-
forward. Boy oh boy. If, when we see It actually registered as a decrease in ments, there is no question that this
those images, we are not able to step 2019’s gross domestic product of about has forced us to recognize and to reck-
up with a commonsense, bipartisan, two-tenths of a percent. Those will be on with the digital divide in this coun-
and quick response, then shame on all losses that we will never recover. try. The ability to have affordable and
of us. I commend the Senator for his As bad as that all sounds, that was reliable service is more valuable than
leadership, and I look forward to work- only a partial government shutdown. ever.
ing with him. There were 9 out of 15 Departments and However, in 2020, my State remains
GOVERNMENT FUNDING several Agencies that were closed. one of the least connected States in the
Madam President, as if that isn’t What we are facing in a couple of country. Over the last few months, I
enough—and with the challenges we weeks would affect the entire Federal have heard from many constituents—
face with having close to 200,000 of our Government. To state the obvious, that hundreds of my constituents—who are
fellow citizens dead from coronavirus was when we were not in a global pan- having difficulties properly and effi-
and there still being no national plan demic and an economic recession. Vir- ciently working from home, helping
on PPE or testing or, my fear, that we ginians and people across the country their kids with their homework be-
could see a repeat of the mistakes that continue relying on services from the cause they lack robust internet access.
were made on testing and PPE happen Federal Government to help keep their You know, I think about those chil-
on vaccinations if we are not careful— families and businesses afloat. dren who either don’t have
I am sure the administration will connectivity or don’t have an adult in
what I actually came to talk about and
take steps to ensure people continue to the home who can really help them do
to remind my colleagues about is some-
receive their most essential things, their digital learning. We have to get
thing that the Senator from Oregon
like SNAP benefits to keep their fami- our kids back in school, but in the
will also be very, very involved in. I ex-
lies fed and PPP loans to keep their meantime we have to have this
press my grave concern that we are
businesses afloat. Shutting down the connectivity.
only 16 days away from a potential
entire Federal Government will inevi- Some examples of this are Randy
lapse in government funding.
It is encouraging that Secretary tably lead to disruptions and bare-bone from Parkersburg, whom I spoke to re-
contingency matters. cently during a tele-townhall meeting
Mnuchin and Speaker PELOSI seem to
The American people need and,
have reached at least an agreement in that I held with constituents. Randy
frankly, deserve better. With food inse-
principle on this must-pass stopgap expressed his frustration with not
curity, housing instability, and job loss
funding, but I have been around here being able to access the internet, mak-
all on the rise, now is the time for the
long enough to know that when nego- ing it difficult for his kids to complete
Federal Government to do more to help
tiations between and within two Cham- their homework. He was driving to a
everyday people—not by turning the
bers on supposedly must-pass hot spot.
lights out. Shutting down the govern-
coronavirus relief legislation breaks Laura from Wheeling expressed her
ment just as we are expecting a surge
down and stalls—and when that break- concern that her children will fall be-
in COVID–19 cases post-Labor Day and
down lasts for months—that we cannot hind in school without access to their
as the flu season is starting and as we
let the funding of our government get homework online.
are needing to work double time to se-
mired in the same complacency and And Mandy from Elkins, who is a
cure the November election and as the
lack of urgency. professor, needs internet because of re-
Postal Service needs relief and, as Sen-
I hope and pray that the devastating quired online learning at Davis & Elk-
ator WYDEN just indicated, as the en-
impact of the 2018–2019 government ins.
tire west coast is burning—boy oh boy.
shutdown is still in the front minds of These are just examples of the few of
Calling it a self-inflicted injury doesn’t
all of my colleagues here in the Senate. the concerns that I have heard from
even cut it. If we were to shut down, it
I acknowledge it has been a long year, my constituents, but, unfortunately,
would be more like kicking ourselves.
so here is a little recap for those who there are many, many more just like
Failing to reach an agreement on fund-
need it. those. I am sure you are hearing them
ing the government would be abso-
The government shutdown over the as well in the great State of Iowa.
lutely disastrous. The reality is that broadband build-
holiday of 2018 and into the beginning I can only hope that there will be bi-
of the new year of 2019 was the longest out in rural areas of West Virginia and
partisan agreement on this point and
shutdown of the Federal Government across our country are extremely ex-
that we will be able to put aside any of
in history—not of this Congress’s and pensive and take more time to com-
the unrelated policy differences to ful-
not under this administration but in plete because, in our case, we have
fill one of our most basic obligations as
our country’s history. those beautiful West Virginia moun-
lawmakers—that of funding the gov-
For 35 days, the Federal Government tains. I have always said that if we can
ernment and keeping our commitments
did not hold up its end of the bargain communicate with somebody on the
to both our constituents and the Fed-
with taxpayers or the public servants Moon, we can surely find a way to de-
eral workforce that works so tirelessly
who have dedicated their lives to deliv- liver broadband to individuals, fami-
to serve them.
ering services to them. The economic I yield the floor. lies, and businesses all across this Na-
impact and human toll were dev- I suggest the absence of a quorum. tion.
astating. More than 380,000 Federal The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Fortunately, the FCC Chairman, Ajit
workers were furloughed, and another clerk will call the roll. Pai, understands this and has been
450,000 were forced to work without The senior assistant legislative clerk working with the other Commissioners
pay. While Federal employees eventu- proceeded to call the roll. at the FCC to structure the future of
ally received backpay, furloughed Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I rural broadband deployment. The
workers who happened to be contrac- ask unanimous consent that the order FCC’s upcoming Rural Digital Oppor-
tors still have not been made whole. To for the quorum call be rescinded. tunity Fund—which I am going to call
put that in context, contractors, in- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without it RDOF, which is how we address it—
cluding those who had served the Fed- objection, it is so ordered. is the largest Federal investment
aimed at closing the digital divide.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
eral Government as custodians, cafe- BROADBAND
teria workers, and security guards, had Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I RDOF will award $20.4 billion over
to figure out how to pay rent and buy rise to address broadband connectivity the next 10 years for broadband service
medicine and put food on the table and broadband access in rural States in rural America, with a special em-
after two entire paychecks just evapo- like the Presiding Officer’s State and phasis at the beginning on those who
rated. my State of West Virginia. are totally unserved and then moving
The economic effects were not just Our Nation has experienced a very to those who have some service, but it
personal either. The Congressional tough couple of months because of the is inadequate.
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