Congressional Record, Senate, October 24, 2020 — Barrett Nomination and Relief Requests
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated October 24, 2020, at page S6432, in a long document. Mr. Schumer says Democrats have supported $600 billion on top of $3 trillion in relief for unemployment benefits, small businesses, vaccines, testing, education and childcare and accuses Republicans of wanting an issue rather than a result. Mr. Brown says 600,000 people in his State lost $600 a week in unemployment insurance at the end of July, and an objection is heard to a unanimous consent request on preexisting conditions. Remarks on Judge Barrett's Supreme Court nomination describe her respect for precedent and the Ginsburg rule, and Mr. Brown makes a unanimous consent request on H.R. 1759.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, October 24, 2020 — Barrett Nomination and Relief Requests.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-10-24-crec-2020-10-24-pt1-pgs6432-791934afaa/
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S6432 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 24, 2020
An analogy I have been using would with suicide. Of course, the answer is tion that she was asked by members of
be, Mr. President, if I said: Mr. Presi- no again. It is sad and unfortunate. the Judiciary Committee.
dent, give me $200. The Presiding Offi- Fortunately, the American people will Judge Barrett has an impressive
cer would look at me in shock, but be- be able to have a real say, not on the command and, of course, the respect
cause he is a generous individual, he Supreme Court Justice they are rush- for the law and the Constitution. Clear-
would say: Maybe not $200, but I will ing through but on who will be the next ly, from her testimony, she respects
give you $100. But just because the Pre- administration and who will do more. precedent, and she practices judicial
siding Officer didn’t give me the full We will see what their answer is. restraint. In her words: ‘‘A judge who
$200, I would go stomping off, and I Mr. BROWN. Will the Democratic approaches a case as an opportunity for
don’t even take the $100. That is, in ef- leader yield? an exercise of will has . . . betrayed
fect, what the Senators on the other Mr. SCHUMER. I would be happy to her judicial duty.’’
side of the aisle are doing. yield. She went on to explain to the com-
We are offering and we supported $600 Mr. BROWN. I hear Senator JOHNSON mittee her legal method, how she con-
billion on top of $3 trillion in relief— talk about employers can’t find work- siders statutes and the Constitution
necessary relief, needed relief for un- ers. There are 600,000 in my State who and how she interprets and applies the
employment benefits, for small busi- lost their unemployment insurance statutes and the Constitution. Her ju-
nesses, for vaccines, for testing, for just like that at the end of July. Six dicial method is rigorous and exacting
education, for childcare. It is there for hundred thousand people lost $600 a but fair. She testified that she would
the taking. All they have to do is say week. listen to both sides in every case. She
yes. Yet they say no because they I go back to March, when we passed said: ‘‘We want judges to approach
would rather have an issue rather than this bill that was so important it cases thoughtfully and with an open
result. passed unanimously. There was one mind.’’
Are they serious about helping the amendment Republicans wanted for When pressed on how she might rule
American public or do they just want this $2.5 trillion bill. It was to strip out in a particular case, Judge Barrett
to play politics? I think the answer is unemployment insurance so that those promptly applied what we all know as
quite obvious. workers didn’t get the $600 a week. the Ginsburg rule, and she did it just
I object. What are they to live on? Six hundred like every other recent nominee to the
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- thousand people in my State can’t find Supreme Court for the last 30 years
tion is heard. work, 100,000 in Wisconsin, even more when Ginsburg first told the Judiciary
The Democratic leader. in New York, tens of thousands in Iowa Committee that there would be no
Mr. SCHUMER. The emaciated bill and Utah. What are they to do? hints, no previews, or forecasts, and
filled with poison pills that the Sen- We know there is going to be a wave Judge Barrett demonstrated her inde-
ator from Wisconsin talks about was of evictions and foreclosures as people pendence by often repeating the Jus-
never intended to pass. In fact, the Re- are thrown out of their apartments and tice Ginsburg rule.
publican majority leader waited 5 their homes. I specifically asked Judge Barrett if
months before doing anything while This Congress continues to—the Sen- she had made any promises or guaran-
people were suffering. The bill does not ate just won’t do its job. Do your job. tees to anyone about how she might
contain close to what is needed. If Senator MCCONNELL would do his rule on a case. She responded this way
Basically, his analogy is incorrect. job, we could do our job and get this to my question:
The analogy would be saying: You have economy back on track. The answer is no. . . . No one ever talked
a series of serious illnesses; let’s treat Thank you. about any case with me. . . . I can’t make
one because we don’t want to pay for Mr. SCHUMER. I would add one final any pre-commitments to this body either. It
the others—even though we were will- thing. The bill that the Senator from would be inconsistent with judicial inde-
ing to increase the deficit by close to $2 Wisconsin talks about was totally par- pendence.
trillion by giving a tax break to the tisan, which they know can’t pass. To quote further:
wealthy. Then, when Leader MCCONNELL put it I’m not willing to make a deal—not with
So this cry about deficit, when it on the floor, he filled the tree so it the committee, not with the president, not
comes to helping middle-class people, couldn’t even be amended. with anyone. I am independent.
hurting people, unemployed people, I yield the floor. That quote or similar words were
people who can’t feed their kids, no, it The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- spoken by Judge Barrett to almost
is the deficit. When it comes to giving ator from Iowa. every suspicious Judiciary member
a big tax break to wealthy corpora- NOMINATION OF AMY CONEY BARRETT about whom she might have made some
tions and wealthy people, that is fine. Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, the deal ahead of time to get on the Su-
As much as I respect my colleague Senate will soon vote on the confirma- preme Court.
from Wisconsin, I don’t really take his tion of Judge Barrett to become Asso- Contrary to critics’ claims about her
words very seriously. Our Republican ciate Justice of the U.S. Supreme being biased, Judge Barrett is even-
friends put this emaciated bill on the Court. I will be voting in favor of her handed and has ruled for both plaintiffs
floor at the last minute because they nomination, and I urge my colleagues and defendants in all kinds of cases.
got such pressure for doing nothing. to do just the same. She believes in justice for all, in ac-
They know it can’t pass the House. As was made clear to millions of cordance with the law and the Con-
They know it is totally inadequate. Americans who watched her hearing, stitution, just like we would expect ev-
This is the greatest economic crisis Judge Barrett has the temperament, erybody to say who is a lifetime ap-
since the Great Depression, the great- the modesty, and the humility that we pointee to the Judiciary, but we don’t
est healthcare crisis for 100 years since should all expect in a judge. She ap- see all of them following that practice.
the Spanish pandemic flu, and our col- proaches cases without bias or personal She went on to tell the committee: ‘‘I
leagues do next to nothing in terms of agenda. She made that very clear to al- am fully committed to equal justice
the crisis. This is loaded with poison most every question asked to her by under the law for all persons.’’
pills so they know it can’t pass. They every member of the Judiciary Com- When asked if she will follow the law
know it can’t pass the House, and they mittee. wherever it leads, she said: ‘‘Yes.’’
waited 5 months. Most importantly, Judge Barrett un- Then she said: ‘‘I have an agenda to
The American people know it. When derstands the proper role of members stick to the rule of law and decide
they are asked: Who wants to solve of the Judiciary and our constitutional cases as they come.’’ Yet that wasn’t
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
this problem, they know that it is the system of separated powers. That is, a good enough for our Democratic col-
Democrats in the Senate and House judge should interpret—not make—the leagues and their leftist allies.
who want to and the Republicans have law. Making law is, under the Constitu- However, throughout the hearings,
resisted. There is no question about it. tion, the responsibility of the Congress, the Democrats and many in the media
The bills I just asked for are small not the Supreme Court. She also made deliberately misrepresented Judge
bills, not very expensive, that deal that very clear in almost every ques- Barrett’s views on the Affordable Care
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October 24, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6433
Act. They claimed her critique of Chief Monday. Maybe our Democratic col- issue after issue. I mean, that is the
Justice Roberts’ reasoning in the 2012 leagues will finally show up for work, way this place works. That is the cor-
ACA case will dictate how she will vote do their job, and give Judge Barrett an ruption of this place. The President of
in some upcoming cases. They obvi- up-or-down vote on the merits because the United States has said: I want her
ously didn’t listen to her when she had I think the public knows now, if it were confirmed now because I want her
no preconceived notions about any case listening in to the Judiciary Com- there to decide the election that I am
and had made no promises to anybody. mittee as it was voting her out, that going to be involved in, and I want her
The Democrats even pushed the story the Democrats boycotted the commit- there now so she can overturn the Af-
line that Judge Barrett signaled to tee’s deliberation. Let’s not forget fordable Care Act.
President Trump that she would sup- that, just 4 years ago, the same Senate Of course, Judge Barrett said to the
port invalidating the ACA if she were Democrats declared that the Court committee: Well, I have made no prom-
confirmed to the Supreme Court. That needed nine to function properly. ises. I have made no commitments. I
is nonsense. Judge Barrett made it Judge Barrett is that ninth. Only 4 have not cut deals with anybody. Of
clear that she didn’t have an agenda. years later, they don’t seem to think course, she says that, but the fact is
She testified: ‘‘I have no hostility to so. that this is why the President nomi-
the ACA.’’ Judge Barrett is a jurist of honor, of nated her. We know that.
Legal scholars critique court deci- integrity, and of great principle. The As a result, in my State, I know what
sions all the time even when they don’t Judiciary Committee received a num- the Affordable Care Act has done for
disagree with the outcome. For in- ber of letters in support of her nomina- the last decade. There are 900,000 peo-
stance, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, before tion. They all praised her intellect, her ple who have insurance who didn’t have
her nomination, criticized the Court’s judgment, her collegiality, and her insurance before the Affordable Care
reasoning in Roe v. Wade, but no one kindness. We all saw that kindness as Act. More than 100,000 people under the
claimed that Ginsburg didn’t support she testified over a 3-day period of age of 26 have been able to get health
the outcome of Roe v. Wade. time. insurance because they have been able
Judge Barrett’s critique of Roberts’ Judge Barrett won’t be a politician to stay on their parents’ healthcare
reasoning was shared by many legal on the Bench. She will make decisions plans. There are a million seniors in
commentators across the political as they should be decided—in an impar- Ohio who have gotten free preventive
spectrum, including by ones on the tial manner and in accordance with the care—screenings for osteoporosis,
other side of the aisle. Even President law and the Constitution. I am pleased physicals. More than 100,000 Ohio sen-
Obama rejected the notion that the Af- to vote in favor of Judge Barrett’s con- iors have saved an average of $1,100 on
fordable Care Act was a tax instead of firmation to be an Associate Justice of their prescription drugs because of the
a penalty. The question of its being a the Supreme Court, and I urge my col- Affordable Care Act. Maybe, most im-
tax or a penalty and the constitu- leagues to support her as well. portantly, 5 million Ohioans have pre-
tionality or the unconstitutionality of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- existing conditions. This was before
the ACA was what they were critiquing ator from Ohio. the coronavirus. Now that number is
based on Roberts’ decision to uphold Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, that higher. There are 5 million Ohioans
the constitutionality of the ACA, for it sounded really good. who have had their preexisting condi-
could be constitutional under the tax- Senator GRASSLEY knows, of course, tions covered over the last decade.
ing powers of the Congress. Even Rob- she was a good witness. Of course, she Why? Because of the Affordable Care
erts didn’t pay any attention to that didn’t take positions. Of course, she Act, those people with preexisting con-
fact. We even had Democrats saying said she made no promises. Of course, ditions have been protected. Insurance
that the penalty for the individual Judge Barrett said she was open- companies can’t raise their rates be-
mandate was a penalty and that it minded. Cut through it all. I am not a cause of preexisting conditions, and
wasn’t a tax. Moreover, Judge lawyer, and I don’t serve on the Judici- they can’t cancel their insurance be-
Barrett’s critique of Justice Roberts’ ary Committee. I don’t think Senator cause of their preexisting conditions.
reasoning dealt with an interpretation GRASSLEY is a lawyer, but I am not Those will be gone. The protections for
or a provision that is no longer in ef- really sure. Maybe he is. I might be preexisting conditions will be gone if
fect because we did away with the indi- mistaken, and I apologize if he is. the Affordable Care Act is gone. Pro-
vidual mandate. Yet we all know why she was nomi- tections for people under 26—their
The question before the Supreme nated. President Trump said why she staying on their parents’ plans—will be
Court this fall, then, will be entirely was nominated. President Trump has gone if the Affordable Care Act is over-
separate, and it is pointless to specu- been very explicit in saying that he turned by the Supreme Court.
late. Yet the Democrats wasted much wants a judge who will overturn the Now, they couldn’t do it democrat-
time on that type of speculation—ques- Affordable Care Act and that he wants ically. They couldn’t do it because the
tion after question, Democrat after her there quickly because the Afford- citizens of this country didn’t want it
Democrat, on that side—when they able Care Act hearings begin soon after repealed. So President Trump has gone
were questioning her. the election. He wants a judge who will to the courts to legislate so they can
Senate Democrats want to portray undermine women’s rights to make overturn it. We know all of that.
Judge Barrett as a threat to their own decisions about their own That is why the comments of my
healthcare. They want to distract from healthcare. He is putting her on be- friend from Iowa are just disingenuous.
the fact that they recently filibustered cause he knows she will oppose work- He knows that. Of course, she didn’t sit
a COVID relief bill that would have ers’ rights. He is putting her on be- in front of the committee and say: Yes,
protected preexisting conditions. This cause he knows she will oppose mar- I made a deal. Of course, she didn’t sit
all is just a Democratic election year riage equality. He also wants her on in front of those on the committee and
scare tactic, and they are using it al- quickly because he said: I want her say: I have strong feelings about the
most totally as a reason to vote there when the election is contested Affordable Care Act and gay rights and
against Judge Barrett. after the election. women’s health. She is not going to
It happens, though, that the voters So, of course, Senator MCCONNELL al- say that. I am not a lawyer, but I know
aren’t buying it, that the public is not ways does the bidding. Senator MCCON- enough to know that she is not going
buying it. A recent Politico poll shows NELL comes out of his office. I assume to go to the committee and say that.
a majority of Americans wants the he gets many of his marching orders We know what it is about. It is about
Senate to confirm Judge Barrett, and a from the President of the United repealing the Affordable Care Act. It is
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
recent Huffington Post poll says: ‘‘Vot- States. He comes down here, and 51 about taking rights away from LGBTQ
ers favor the confirmation of the Su- spineless Senators—and then there is citizens in this country. It is about
preme Court nominee Amy Coney Bar- the Senator sitting in the Presiding Of- taking rights away from women.
rett by a 9-point margin.’’ ficer’s chair, and I appreciate his cour- Maybe it is also about fixing the elec-
She will be confirmed. That is what age—do whatever the President tells tion. Deep down, the President and
we are going to do on Sunday into MCCONNELL to tell them on issue after Senator MCCONNELL know they are not
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S6434 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 24, 2020
going to win the election this year, so Imagine, instead, if the President had his own business, was employing other
they want that ninth vote in the Court worn a mask and stood up and treated Clevelanders. Now the office building is
just in case the President brings a law- us like adults and said to the American empty. The food court is closed. His
suit. If it ends up in the Supreme public: You know, this is really seri- sales have dropped from $700 a day to
Court, he and the Republicans will ous. This could turn from an epidemic just $200 a day. He is looking at impos-
have appointed six of the nine Justices. into a pandemic. We have to fight sible choices unless the government
That is the game in town. That is what back. I am wearing a mask. I ask every helps.
we know is rigged. American to wear a mask, just like we We know we can. We did it in the
So many millions of Americans are ask people to wear seat belts and stop spring when we passed payroll protec-
frustrated and angry with the way the at stop signs. I want every American to tion. There were all kinds of implemen-
President has failed the country during wear a mask. I want people to socially tation problems. The Secretary of the
this pandemic. We know we have 4 per- distance so we can get this—but he Treasury and the President seemed
cent of the world’s population but that didn’t do any of that. Of course he more interested in the big guys than
22 percent of the deaths in the world didn’t do any of that. the little guys. Too many businesses
are of Americans. It is not because we And he also came up with no national went to the front of the line, but de-
don’t have good doctors in Utah or in testing, contact tracing strategy. He spite all that, we hear from businesses
Wisconsin or in Ohio; it is because of didn’t invoke the Defense Production that are open today only because of
terrible Presidential leadership. Act so that we could make cotton PPP.
President Trump and Senator swabs and gloves and masks and gowns I heard from Spangler Candy in
MCCONNELL have essentially left the and all the things we needed to do to Bryan, OH, a family-owned union com-
country to fend for itself during this stay safe. He had none of that. pany. I have toured their plant and
pandemic. The stock market is up, so He has no guidance on how businesses seen the great work this, I believe,
Trump and MCCONNELL seem to think are supposed to protect their cus- fourth generation management team
everything is fine. The stock market is tomers, no investment of our vast re- has done.
up. What the heck? They are oblivious sources to help them do it. They have seen business drop 70 per-
to the families staring at stacks of And we see the results. We saw them cent. They had to take their first Fed-
bills. They are oblivious to the small in April and May, in June and July, in eral support in their 114-year history,
businesses that are watching years August, in September, and now Octo- using PPP to prevent layoffs. They
and, in some cases, often decades of ber. In fact, in my State, as in many kept their doors open, and they pro-
hard work and investment—or they are States, there are more coronavirus di- vided pandemic premium pay for their
family businesses going back many, agnoses every day—almost every day— Teamster employees.
many decades—evaporate in a few than there were a month ago, 2 months A music and arts venue in Youngs-
short minutes, but the stock market is ago, 6 months ago. town, the Westside Bowl, talked at one
up, so Trump and MCCONNELL seem to Local restaurants are closed for good. roundtable about how they how had
think everything is fine. The big chains may recover. Commu- zero dollars in revenue in the past 6
It is the same story over and over months. PPP kept their office staff and
nities that already didn’t get a lot of
again. Corporate lobbyists, their allies
investment—Brown and Black neigh- stagehands on payroll, but as it runs
in Washington do whatever it takes to
borhoods, rural communities, places out, so will their ability to pay em-
make sure Wall Street recovers, and
you can’t see from Trump Tower— ployees.
then they say: Oh, no, we really can’t Ohio Star Forge, a parts manufac-
those places are seeing their home-
afford to help anyone else.
grown businesses shut their doors and turer in Warren, just north of Youngs-
I hear from small, family-owned busi-
lay off workers. town, represented by the Steelworkers,
nesses all the time, how they are strug-
gling. They are under incredible stress. Black-owned businesses have closed lost 90 percent of their business when
They are worried about whether they at twice the rate of White-owned busi- auto plants shut down. PPP made a dif-
can make rent or make payroll. They nesses. We know Latino- and Asian- ference. They are now back to about 70
have waited on the phone for hours and owned businesses are getting dispropor- percent of their capacity.
couldn’t get answers about loans. tionately hurt. Polter’s Berry Farm is a family farm
These folks aren’t lounging in a C-suite Our office hears from so many of in Fremont. One of their crops is pump-
corner office. They don’t have high- these Ohio businesses. We have done a kins. The major pumpkin buyers are
priced lawyers and accountants who series of virtual roundtables with Ohio amusement parks and fall festivals.
can do all the paperwork. They don’t restaurants. Pumpkin sales were down. PPP was
have the lobbyists who line up outside One Ohioan in Zanesville talked helpful, but now they are worried
MITCH MCCONNELL’s office helping about taking over the family business about whether they can repay it.
them. They are fighting for their his dad first started 67 years ago. Busi- A+ Cleaners in Dayton has seen de-
dreams. ness is down significantly. He tries to mand plummet. People don’t need
We know why they are struggling. pay his employees a living wage and much dry cleaning when they are
We know why some of them still can’t give them time off for vacations and working from home. They were able to
open their doors 7 months—7 months— family needs. He is a really good em- stay open with an EIDL loan and a
into this crisis because the President ployer. He is afraid of letting his em- CARES Act grant from the county.
and this Senate have so botched this ployees down. They are terrified of what happens
crisis. Another, a bar owner in Belle- when the money runs out.
Again, 4 percent of the world’s popu- fontaine, told us his sales are down and We have a bill to get more help to
lation, 22 percent of the world’s deaths, he is worried about his own businesses. these businesses—the Small Business
and the President said: I take no re- When he wrote to me, he didn’t just Lifeline Act. It would extend PPP
sponsibility. The President said: Not talk about himself. He said that he is through at least next spring. It would
my fault. The President said: I get a 10 worried about the ripple effects on the get more funding to the program so
out of 10 for how I have managed this. farmers and suppliers, the truck- they can get more money out the door
President Trump has no plan, never drivers, and so many others. to these businesses. It would specifi-
has, to control the virus. He has not Now he is dreading the winter, when cally target help to the truly small
even tried. Imagine if President he won’t even be able to use the patio. businesses that need it the most, in-
Trump, back in March, instead of lying He wonders what he is going to do, cluding minority-owned businesses. It
to the American people—he knew how what the suppliers are going to do. would extend the debt relief program.
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
serious it was. He told his Wall Street And it is not just restaurants. The It would get help to nonprofits that we
friends, and he told that reporter from media reported on a newsstand in know are hurting just like businesses
the Post. I can’t remember his name. downtown Cleveland, owned by Mr. are.
He told them it was serious, but he Patel, an Indian immigrant who came As important as these steps are, we
didn’t tell the American people. He lied to Ohio and has lived the American can’t just give businesses loans and
to us. Dream. He built a better life, started think that will take care of it when the
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October 24, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6435
virus is still raging and the customers The Senator from Wisconsin. relief packages—the ones I was refer-
don’t have jobs. Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, reserv- ring to earlier—the target package
That is why we need a comprehensive ing the right to object, where do you that does provide financial relief to the
bill that actually meets the magnitude begin? That was quite the statement. unemployed, to small businesses, to
of this crisis. This visceral, decades- At some point in time, it just be- schools, to parents with childcare and
long opposition from my colleagues to comes galling to listen to the tactics— provides funding for agriculture and
unemployment insurance—I don’t the scare tactics and false allegations, testing and vaccines—that also in-
know how they don’t realize that when particularly from the other side that cluded language to protect coverage for
600,000 Ohioans are getting $600 a week, gave us the Affordable Care Act, an Or- people with preexisting conditions.
they are spending that money at local wellian-named bill if there ever were Twice in the last few days or weeks,
businesses. They are keeping the econ- one. they have also voted no on Senator
omy going from just a total crevasse. One of the promises made to promote TILLIS’s bill that does exactly that—
They are helping the economy. They that bill was, in the end, determined to protect the insurance coverage of peo-
are helping local businesses. They are be the PolitiFact Lie of the Year—I ple with preexisting conditions.
giving those businesses revenue, but think in the year 2013: If you like your Now, if they were really serious
when the $600 just stops, not only are healthcare plan, you can keep your about protecting the coverage of people
those 600,000 Ohioans’ lives just so, so plan. If you like your doctor, you can with preexisting conditions, they
difficult, but it makes the businesses of keep your doctor. would have voted yes. But they voted
which they are patrons, the businesses Millions of Americans lost their no.
that they patronize—it obviously hurts healthcare plans. They lost their doc- So I could go on and on. I have jotted
them at their bottom line. tors. Premiums didn’t decline by $2,500 down all kinds of points that I would
I think the stories from these busi- per family; they actually sky- like to refute, but it is really not worth
nesses really get to the fundamental rocketed—sometimes two, three, four the time and effort.
question of what sort of country we times the price because of the faulty Again, let me emphasize that Repub-
want to live in. When we invest in design of healthcare, of the Affordable licans agreed with the American peo-
small business, we invest in people and Care Act, ObamaCare. ple. This debate is over. We have of-
communities, not stock buybacks, not Probably the greatest false allega- fered proposals to do just this. We want
executive bonuses. tion that is just offensive—and, by the to protect the insurance coverage of
I know that Senator MCCONNELL and way, to call every Member on this side every American with preexisting condi-
his colleagues here always are looking spineless is offensive. We have different tions. We just want to do it in a way
out for the stock market, always are views. You know, you try to respect that doesn’t cost them an arm and a
looking out for Wall Street, always the different views if you actually want leg like ObamaCare did.
want to hear about stock buybacks and So I personally am just getting sick
to accomplish something.
executive bonuses. I know that is their of the false allegations, and that is
But one of the greatest false allega-
thing. But during a pandemic, I wish it only one of them. I could drone on and
tions—and they go back to the well
were less their thing. on about the false allegations made by
time and time and time and time again
The stakeholders in these businesses the other side against Republicans and
about this—is the Republicans don’t
are not nameless, faceless share- conservatives, but I will focus on this:
want to protect the coverage for people
holders. They are the owners’ neigh- This is a false charge. It is canard. It is
with preexisting conditions. Nothing a scare tactic. I am begging the Amer-
bors. They are family members. They
could be further from the truth. ican people not to listen to it or believe
are the people we see or used to see at
That was an argument made back in
our kids’ schools, in the grocery store, it. Republicans want to protect the in-
2010, and the American people decided
and at church. surance coverage of people with pre-
A year from now, do we want to be that we should do that. Republicans
existing conditions. If they were seri-
left with only the biggest companies agreed with the American people that
ous about it, they would have voted yes
that follow the Wall Street business we wanted to protect everybody’s cov-
on what we have already proposed; and
model that treats workers as expend- erage, covering people with preexisting
for that and many other reasons, I ob-
able? conditions.
ject.
Ohioans know all too well what hap- We just want to do it where it doesn’t The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
pens when you let Wall Street run cost Americans an arm and a leg. The tion is heard.
things and you ignore Main Street. Our faulty architecture of ObamaCare Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, before of-
communities have watched for decades caused premiums to double, triple, and fering another unanimous consent, I
as factories closed and investment quadruple because they actually made just point out there were 10 years of
dried up and storefronts were boarded a very small slice of the American pub- protections for people with preexisting
over in towns and cities that once were lic—5 to 7 percent of the people who conditions under ObamaCare and 10
thriving. had to buy coverage on the individual years of speeches from Republicans
When people in those towns wake up, market, who don’t have the employer about repeal and replace, with no real
they realize the only jobs you can get coverage plans that cover people with proposal to replace the Affordable Care
are at a big-box chain for rock-bottom preexisting conditions—they made that Act. The President has promised it
wages with no healthcare, no paid sick small percentage of the American pub- about every couple of weeks through 4
leave, no power over your schedule. Is lic bear the full cost and brunt of cov- years, and he still hasn’t put a real bill
that what we want for our future? ering people with preexisting condi- forward.
We have the resources to fix this. We tions. It was not smart. It was a faulty UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 1230
are the greatest, richest country in the design. Mr. President, in order to proceed to
world. Let’s rise to meet the moment. The way you fix it is, yes, you re- the consideration of H.R. 1230, Pro-
Let’s pass a comprehensive bill that quire insurance carriers to cover people tecting Older Workers Against Dis-
gets help to our businesses, our work- with preexisting conditions, not deny crimination Act, which passed the
ers, and their customers. And let’s get them coverage, but you spread that House with bipartisan support, I ask
the communities the support they cost over everybody. unanimous consent that the Senate
need. Just as I mentioned earlier to the proceed to legislative session.
Mr. President, in order to proceed to Democratic leader when I objected to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
the consideration of H.R. 986, the Pro- his bill, our friends on the other side of objection?
tecting Americans with Preexisting the aisle are far more interested in an Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ob-
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
Conditions Act, which the House issue rather than getting a result. ject.
passed with bipartisan support, I ask How do I know this? Well, particu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
unanimous consent that the Senate larly on this issue, covering people tion is heard.
proceed to legislative business. with preexisting conditions, four times UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 1759
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there in just the last few days and weeks, Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, in order
objection? they have voted no, first on two COVID to proceed to consideration of H.R.
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