Congressional Record, House, H5121 (October 1, 2020)
Summary
This House page of the Congressional Record for October 1, 2020 carries one-minute speeches. Byrne commemorates the life of Winston Groom, author of ‘‘Forrest Gump’’, who passed away recently in Fairhope, Alabama. A speaker says House Democrats have shown there is a better way to lead in the crisis and calls for direct cash relief, funds for State and local governments, widespread testing and free COVID treatment and vaccines for all. Murphy of North Carolina is given permission to speak on the gift of adoption.
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“Congressional Record, House, H5121 (October 1, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-10-01-crec-2020-10-01-pt1-pgh5121-2-a1658e228f/
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October 1, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5121
COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF fordable Care Act and offer nothing in necessary for the States and localities
WINSTON GROOM return. They continue to tell the that are hiring police, firefighters,
(Mr. BYRNE asked and was given American people, ‘‘You are on your sanitation workers—the critical per-
permission to address the House for 1 own.’’ sonnel necessary to help confront this
minute.) They tried to repeal or undermine virus.
Mr. BYRNE. Madam Speaker, I rise the Affordable Care Act more than 65 Where Democrats have said we are in
today to commemorate the life of a times in Congress and failed. Now they this together, President Trump has
man I was proud to call a constituent are trying to overturn the law in court, said it is what it is.
and they are attempting to ram a Su- Let me say to the American people:
and a friend, the great author Winston
preme Court nominee through in order What it is does not have to be.
Groom. House Democrats have shown that
Winston passed away recently in to do what they failed to do through
the legislative process, of course, after there is a better way to lead and a
Fairhope, Alabama, after a long and vi- more responsible way to govern in this
brant life whose words touched untold saying that we ought not to consider a
Supreme Court nominee in an election crisis.
millions around the globe. Most of Democrats have also been fighting to
America knows Winston is the author year because we ought to let the people
speak. make our economy work, Madam
of ‘‘Forrest Gump,’’ the timeless Amer- Speaker, for the people while Repub-
ican novel adapted into the classic film In fact, the people spoke in 2016 and
voted for Hillary Clinton by over a 3 licans fight to make our economy work
of the same name. for the wealthy. That is why they are
Winston and I share a hometown, Mo- million disparity. Republicans didn’t
care. They wanted to know what the fighting about the tax provision that
bile, and, as adults, lived near each they put into the CARES Act, which
other in Fairhope. I was blessed to be electoral college said. And, of course,
that is our Constitution, but it is not we think ought to be deleted because it
able to develop a friendship with Win- is for the wealthy, not for those who
ston over the past several decades. the people speaking.
The fight over this nominee is very are struggling.
Our State of Alabama, particularly In 2017, President Trump and Repub-
southwest Alabama, is renowned for much about the ability of Americans to
access quality, affordable healthcare. licans enacted an unpaid-for $1.5 tril-
the quality of writers we have pro- lion tax cut where 83 percent, more
When Democrats came into the ma-
duced. We are also renowned for the than 8 out of 10 Americans who got re-
jority, we took immediate action,
colorful qualities of many of those lief in that tax act were some of the
Madam Speaker, to defend the Afford-
writers. wealthiest people in America, the top 1
able Care Act in court and stand up for
Winston was not only an incredible percent. That bill also raised taxes on
its protections for more than 130 mil-
talent who will leave a lasting impact 86 million middle-class households.
lion Americans with preexisting condi-
on the literary world, but one of the In contrast, Madam Speaker, House
tions.
most colorful characters to ever call Democrats have used our majority to
What can we expect if Republicans
Alabama home. As Forrest Gump benefit working families and grow our
succeed in ending the Affordable Care
would say: ‘‘That’s all I have to say economy. We voted to raise the min-
Act?
about that.’’ imum wage and ensure equal pay for
Free preventative screenings and
I wish Winston’s family all the best, equal work for women. It lies unat-
services, gone.
and I thank them for sharing Winston The guarantee of coverage for those tended in the United States Senate.
with the world. with preexisting conditions without Senator MCCONNELL will not bring it
f higher premiums, gone. up.
The ability to get covered under your We invested in new infrastructure
DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING FOR and clean energy innovation that
parents’ plans if you are younger than
ALL AMERICANS drives growth of new, high-paying
26, gone.
(Mr. HOYER asked and was given The ban on lifetime and annual lim- American jobs. It sits untended in the
permission to address the House for 1 its of coverage, gone. United States Senate.
minute.) That is what we are defending for the b 1115
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, since people and what we will continue to House Democrats have been working
the beginning of this Congress, House protect. to make government more transparent
Democrats have fought for the people. Madam Speaker, we also took real and accountable to the people.
From lowering healthcare costs to rais- action to lower prescription drug costs Our majority moved swiftly, Madam
ing wages by rebuilding America, to with the passage of H.R. 3 and other Speaker, to pass the strongest and
cleaning up corruption and strength- legislation—not a gimmick like Presi- most comprehensive government re-
ening democracy, House Democrats dent Trump’s meaningless executive form legislation in decades, the For the
have passed major legislation and orders or his illegal coupon cards that People Act.
shown the American people what our endanger the future of Medicare, but That bill will hold government offi-
priorities are. real action to benefit those who need cials more accountable, increase trans-
At the same time, sadly, Republicans more affordable prescription drugs. parency and ethical standards, and in-
have also made clear what their prior- And when an unprecedented, deadly crease voter protections while insti-
ities are, priorities the American peo- pandemic swept across the globe and tuting national redistricting reforms.
ple, in my view, do not share, for exam- on to our shores, House Democrats led Where is it? In the Senate left
ple, and particularly, on healthcare. the way with swift action, enacting untended, unconsidered by the United
For years, Madam Speaker, President four bipartisan laws and passing a fifth States Senate, because it is on MCCON-
Trump and Republicans have been tell- bill, the Heroes Act, 41⁄2 months ago. NELL’s desk and he will not move it.
ing the American people that they No action in the United States Senate While this President and Republicans
have a plan that is better than the Af- for 31⁄2 months, and then a lame effort, continue to make it harder for Ameri-
fordable Care Act which will cover which was not supported by Repub- cans to vote, and sow confusion and un-
more Americans. As a matter of fact, licans in the Senate and certainly no certainty about balloting, House
the President said he would cover ev- Democrats in the Senate. Democrats passed H.R. 4 to restore the
erybody at a lower cost and higher President Trump and the Republican John Lewis Act, to restore the protec-
quality. Not a single Member of this Senate, however, have blocked the He- tions in the Voting Rights Act that so
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House can rise and say, ‘‘I know what roes Act so necessary for those on un- many fought for, demonstrated for, and
the President’s bill is,’’ because they employment, so necessary for those died for.
have never seen it after 3 years and 8 who are trying to feed their families, But unfortunately, too many in this
months. so necessary for family support, so nec- country are trying to make it more dif-
But after years with no plan being essary for small businesses, so nec- ficult, not easier, to cast that central
put forward, it is clear exactly what essary for hospital workers and those facet of being a citizen in a democracy,
their plan really is: Eliminate the Af- who are administering testing, and so the right to vote.
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H5122 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 1, 2020
That is one of the 340 bipartisan bills BREAST CANCER AWARENESS Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina.
that are languishing on Senator MONTH Madam Speaker, I would like to reach
MCCONNELL’s desk. He will not call (Mr. GUEST asked and was given per- out today to the thousands of Ameri-
them up before the Senate for a vote, mission to address the House for 1 cans who have opened their homes to
muzzling democracy. minute and to revise and extend his re- the gift of adoption. Giving a child a
That is 340 important bipartisan bills marks.) home and a better life is one of the
blocked, stalled, or ignored. Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, Octo- greatest gifts we can give.
Madam Speaker, let’s not forget that ber is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I especially want to applaud Judge
we began our majority in the middle of a time to call attention to this deadly Amy Coney Barrett’s effort to help
a damaging and irresponsible govern- disease, to recognize the advancement bring two children from Haiti out of
ment shutdown, the longest shutdown our Nation has made in the battle the depths of despair to a better life
that I have experienced in the 40 years against breast cancer, and to spread in- here in America.
I have been here. formation about the fight to save the I was doing medical relief work in
We moved swiftly to end that shut- lives of those impacted. Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, which
down and prioritize the passage of It is estimated that more than 275,000 made 80,000 children orphans instantly.
funding bills last year and this year be- new cases of breast cancer will be diag- Children who would literally be 10 feet
fore the end of July in order to prevent nosed this year. For this reason, it is apart from their parents would be sepa-
another shutdown of our government. vital that those at risk take proper rated in the chaos, never to see them
So last year we passed 8 of the 10 ap- steps to reduce their risk for this dis- again.
propriation bills by June 26. This year, ease. The Barrett family did a beautiful
we passed 8 of those 10, notwith- Our medical personnel have made thing by adopting an orphaned child in
standing COVID, by July 26. great progress in our fight to cure the aftermath of this horrible disaster.
The Senate has not passed out of breast cancer, but we must continue to Her family gave a toddler a new life
committee a single appropriation bill, do more. after one of the worst earthquakes in
not one, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I hope everybody recorded history.
What have they been doing? Judge will join me this month in spreading Unfortunately, some misguided souls
after judge after judge after judge. awareness about breast cancer, com- in this country have turned that beau-
That is what they are doing, to serve forting those who have been impacted tiful act of kindness into one of cre-
their ideological agenda, hoping that or are fighting cancer right now, and ating racial division rather than unity.
they can control through the courts thanking our medical personnel for They purport evil motives in a selfless
that which they cannot control in the their dedication to treat and cure this act of sacrifice just to create further
democratic process. deadly disease. division in our Nation.
We have shown, Madam Speaker, f Judge Coney Barrett is now a Su-
what it means to govern for the people, DON’T TAKE THE RIGHT TO VOTE preme Court nominee. Let her example
and over the next few weeks, Ameri- FOR GRANTED of knocking down racial barriers and
cans will have a chance to choose the creating unity rather than division be
direction our country follows in the (Ms. SCANLON asked and was given
permission to address the House for 1 an example for all of us to follow.
years ahead. They know that Repub- I look forward to her successful
licans have failed them: no healthcare minute.)
Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, our placement on the Nation’s highest
bill, no infrastructure bill that the court.
elections are foundational to our de-
President talked about in the cam-
mocracy, the pulse of our Nation, and
paign, ‘‘I am going to invest in infra- f
the most sacred form of protest that
structure.’’ No bill has been presented
we as Americans have at our disposal.
by the President to do that, no We, the people, have a right to vote WE ARE A NATION IN CRISIS
healthcare bill. without obstruction, without fear,
They know that our Republican col- (Ms. DEAN asked and was given per-
without intimidation, and with the as- mission to address the House for 1
leagues have failed them through their surance that every vote will be count-
inaction and irresponsibility. minute and to revise and extend her re-
ed. marks.)
And they know, Madam Speaker, Madam Speaker, I want to take a
that Democrats have offered a serious Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, more
minute to assure the American people
agenda of leadership, have dem- than 207,000 Americans are dead, and
who are receiving mail-in ballots for
onstrated the capacity to govern re- there is no end in sight. One in six
the first time, making a plan to vote
sponsibly, and have shown ourselves al- Americans is jobless.
on election day, looking for locations
ways to be for the people. These are not just numbers. These
where early voting is taking place,
Madam Speaker, today we will be are people. They have lost their liveli-
signing up to volunteer, or feeling a
considering a bill. We are in negotia- hoods, their health, their careers.
sense of uncertainty as we participate
tions. I hope those negotiations work. Many have lost everything. It did not
in one of the most important elections
Frankly, Speaker PELOSI and Sec- have to be this way.
of our lifetime: your vote is safe, your
retary Mnuchin reached four bipartisan Our Nation had its first confirmed
vote is secure, and your vote matters.
deals. Mr. MEADOWS was not chief of And, Madam Speaker, to the young COVID case in January, and yet 9
staff, of course, at that point in time. people who will be casting their votes months later, there is no national test-
Let us hope that we can reach a bipar- for the first time: you are the future of ing strategy, no leadership from the
tisan deal. this country, and we need you to par- White House.
We were supposed to consider our He- ticipate in our government now more We have a President who would rath-
roes 2 bill, our offer, our proffer, our than ever. er save face, save power to himself,
statement of what we think is nec- To those who have lost faith in our than save lives, who corrosively con-
essary to uplift the American people, government: we, the people, are the tinues to play politics as people die.
to let them know they are not on their gatekeepers of our democracy, and our We are a Nation in crisis. People are
own, we are with them, we are to- participation has never been more im- in despair.
gether. portant. Government has a role to play. We
We will consider that bill today if There is far too much on the line for must act with urgency and decency as
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there is not an agreement. I hope there us to take voting for granted. we support one another with direct
is an agreement. I hope we have a bi- f cash relief, funds for State and local
partisan piece of legislation that we governments, widespread testing, and
can pass in the near future, because the THE GIFT OF ADOPTION the guarantee of free COVID treatment
American people need it, and that is (Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina and vaccines for all.
what we have done in the past. Let’s asked and was given permission to ad- Let us live up to Elijah Cummings’
hope we can do it today. dress the House for 1 minute.) command: ‘‘We are better than this.’’
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