Congressional Record, Senate, November 16, 2020, Page S6690
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated November 16, 2020, at page S6690. The Senate proceeds to executive session to resume consideration of the nomination of Kristi Haskins Johnson of Mississippi to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi. Under the heading Coronavirus, Mr. Leahy says the Senate keeps voting on judicial nominees instead of COVID relief and urges a vote on COVID appropriations and the government funding bills before funding stops in a few weeks. Mr. Moran then speaks on his RISER Act, which would let certain funds be spent on critical projects, and the page ends with a tribute to a life insurance professional named Roger.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Congressional Record, Senate, November 16, 2020, Page S6690.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-11-16-crec-2020-11-16-pt1-pgs6690-3-1c80e8d851/
, SHA-256 d2584ef919c64b016099758397f2c9bf2d9c9d93a99f1c01581151fb6cff81a2.Full text
S6690 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 16, 2020
EXECUTIVE SESSION voting on special interest judges—peo- we afraid to vote? Vote it up or down.
ple who have been proposed by special Let the American people see what we
interests groups, who are picked be- are doing.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR cause they feel they would vote with Certainly, I do not know a single per-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under these special interests groups. What we son, Republican or Democrat, in my
the previous order, the Senate will pro- should be doing is taking a little time State who would tell me: Well, I would
ceed to executive session to resume off from that and voting for the Amer- much rather have you vote on these
consideration of the following nomina- ican people. special interest judges than to vote on
tion, which the clerk will report. In my State, we have Republicans things that might actually help us
The legislative clerk read the nomi- and Democrats. We have a Republican keep our businesses from closing, help
nation of Kristi Haskins Johnson, of Governor who is doing an excellent job. us be able to afford our kids going to
Mississippi, to be United States Dis- He has just been reelected. We have a school, help us put food on our table.
trict Judge for the Southern District of wonderful Democratic woman who has That is what we should be doing.
Mississippi. been elected as the new Lieutenant Let’s vote on real things. Let’s vote on
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Governor. They both want to work to- the COVID appropriations. Let’s vote
ator from Vermont. gether to get people back to school, on the help. Let’s bring up our appro-
CORONAVIRUS back to work, protect their health. priations bills. After all, in just a few
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am They keep saying: When is the help weeks, all funding for the government
struck by the fact, as I call people coming from Washington? stops. Bring it up and vote on it. Vote
around my State of Vermont, which, I think that instead of spending all of up on down. If people don’t want to
like your State and every State, has this time talking about fanciful fund the government, then vote no. If
suffered from COVID—although I com- thoughts—I saw one of the Trump sup- they want to fund the government,
pliment our Republican Governor, who porters on television saying that she vote yes. If they don’t like a particular
has kept the numbers down lower than was there to rally for Donald Trump, part of the funding package, bring up
practically any other State in the to resist those millions of votes that an amendment and have the courage to
country. But we are facing winter, and came in at the last minute from China, put your name on it and then vote up
even today, the outgoing President into these voting booths. She thor- or down.
does not seem to be willing to acknowl- oughly believed it, and she seemed like I will speak further on this as we go
edge the huge mistake he made in not a really intelligent person. But let’s on. I see one of my colleagues on the
accepting the fact that we had a talk about reality. floor. I think he wants to speak.
COVID pandemic coming to this coun- The reality is that COVID did not go I yield the floor.
try. We lost too much time preparing away in the spring, as the President The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
for it. We are still not adequately pre- said. The reality is that you have to ator from the Kansas.
pared for it. We could take some hope wear masks. The reality is that you RISER ACT
in the news of new vaccinations, but have to take steps to keep from getting Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I am on
even that is going to take months be- COVID. The reality is that our schools the floor this afternoon to encourage
fore than can be fully implemented. are suffering, our families are suf- us in the U.S. Senate to address at
The reason I mention this is that the fering, our small businesses are suf- least some of the needs related to the
Senate time and again is voting on ju- fering, our government agencies are consequences of COVID–19.
dicial nominees who have been rec- suffering—America is suffering. There is a deadline that is fast ap-
ommended predominantly by a special I think about a few years ago when proaching. This problem was created in
interest group or a couple of different we had the Ebola plague, and the the statute by legislation that was
special interest groups. We have to Obama administration put in place, passed, the CARES Act. I have intro-
vote on these special interest judges with strong bipartisan support, a spe- duced legislation called the RISER Act
for lifetime appointments, but we can’t cial unit at the White House to react to to offer a solution to the issue I am
do a single thing to help the average plagues or serious novel diseases com- about to describe.
people who are suffering because of ing here. As a result, America was pro- As COVID–19 has swept across the
COVID. It should not be a Republican tected. But what we also did, as Amer- country, businesses and community in-
or a Democratic issue. ica does best, is we helped other coun- stitutions have been forced to adapt to
In my State, I hear from business tries to handle the question of Ebola. the virus, fundamentally changing the
people who have small B&Bs, may have What did we do when this adminis- way in which they operate. More peo-
a restaurant and a small business— tration came in? Well, because Presi- ple are working from home today than
they don’t identify themselves as Re- dent Obama set up that infectious dis- ever before, while others are being
publicans or Democrats; they just say: ease unit, they quickly disbanded it. asked to dedicate increased resources
We can’t open. What are we going to For months, as these reports were com- for public health precautions and sup-
do? ing in making it very clear we were port management. Virtual education
I hear from parents who say: What is facing a serious threat to the United and healthcare have also expanded
being done so our kids can go back to States, they ignored it and refused to greatly as communities are forced to
school? The schools say they could acknowledge it. Now at least they have conduct ordinary functions from afar
probably do something, but they need acknowledged it somewhat but are un- to prevent the spread of the disease.
the money to set up various COVID willing to take the steps necessary to Adapting to the realities of this
protections. fight it. newly virtual economy is costly. To aid
Small hospitals are overwhelmed. We So I suggest that the U.S. Senate do in this transition, as part of the
have seen this in States all over the its job. Hold off for a while on these CARES Act, Congress established the
country. The hospitals are being over- special interest judges and actually Coronavirus Relief Fund, or CRF. It is
whelmed, and the people working there vote for the things that help people a multibillion-dollar fund for State and
are being overwhelmed. who don’t have special interests—the local governments to disburse, cov-
The U.S. Senate hasn’t done a single vast majority of Republicans and ering a variety of expenses that have
thing. We had a bill before us from the Democrats, men and women, families arisen due to COVID–19. Expenses that
House in June and July. We could have throughout the United States of Amer- can be paid from the CRF funds include
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
voted on it. The Republican leader ica. Do something to help them. Bring providing small businesses and other
said: No, we can’t, because there are up the bills. Bring up the COVID bills. organizations with grants to reimburse
some parts we Republicans may not Bring up the appropriations bills. Cer- them for costs associated with han-
like. Well, that is why you vote. Bring tainly, Senator SHELBY and I are pre- dling coronavirus.
it up. Vote it up or vote it down. Bring pared to bring them to the floor. If peo- This funding was partly intended to
up amendments. Vote for them or vote ple don’t like a particular bill, then address immediate, unforeseen costs
against them, but do it. Instead, we bring up an amendment. Vote it up or absorbed by our public emergency offi-
spend our time day after day after day down. What are we afraid of? Why are cials and healthcare providers. Kansas
VerDate Sep 11 2014 08:20 Nov 17, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G16NO6.006 S16NOPT1
November 16, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6691
counties’ health departments have in- tegic investment that Congress made are addressing what we generally call
creasingly relied on this funding to en- back in March to support our commu- phase 4, another effort to improve the
sure they are able to meet the needs of nities that need it the most. opportunities for us to provide relief to
their community now and into the fu- I believe that State and local govern- our constituents due to the pandemic—
ture as this pandemic stretches on. ments know what is best for their com- whatever all those machinations are—
Many States, including my own of munities, including where and when to they will not happen quickly enough,
Kansas, have also established forward- spend these Federal dollars. and they certainly will not happen
looking programs to distribute grants Extending the relief for CRF pay- quickly enough to make certain that
for economic development projects ments dedicated to, particularly, job our local officials and their citizens
that respond to COVID–19, such as tele- creation projects will allow Kansas and know that they no longer would need
medicine, tele-education projects, and other States to strategically target to spend the money that we have pro-
projects that would improve broadband areas of need over a longer period of vided them in the next 5 or 6 weeks.
infrastructure in rural and underserved time, making more certain that our By including the coronavirus relief
areas. These communities already face taxpayer dollars are making the great- fund in the CARES Act, Congress ex-
a sharp divide in terms of broadband est impact to help our people recover tended a hand to States, local govern-
availability, and this pandemic has from this pandemic. This will better ments, and areas in need across the
highlighted that. Unfortunately, for all ensure that the areas in need identified country that are looking to adapt to
the work we have accomplished in by States and localities have a stable the new realities of the ongoing pan-
spreading the use of broadband, the source of investment that will aid in demic. In the absence of an extension
availability of broadband, increasing the ongoing economic recovery. of the deadline, money will be misspent
its connectivity, there are still plenty That said, I remain engaged with the and will certainly not be spent in the
of areas that need to be improved for Treasury and Senate Finance Com- most effective and valuable way.
access to quality internet services. mittee to improve the RISER Act to I urge my colleagues not only to sup-
As more broadband-intensive work ensure the availability of bipartisan port the legislation that I have intro-
like video conferencing and virtual ap- support. This is a bill I want to pass, duced, the RISER Act, but to work
pointments now takes place at a much not a bill I just want to introduce. with others—all of us—to come to a
higher rate, the urgency to improve While this thoughtful discussion with point in which we are capable this
these services increases. Rural commu- Treasury and the Finance Committee week—if it doesn’t get done this week,
nities stand to lose the most without continues, I recognize that Congress it probably means very little in an ex-
these types of projects. must urgently act to extend the dead- tension—to this week pass an exten-
Many of the projects require long line in the meantime. sion beyond December 31 for the use of
lead times to wisely plan, appropriate, While I have a particular bill that those CARES dollars in States across
and expend Federal funding. However— does things that I think are hugely im- the Nation.
and here is the problem—the CARES portant in this arena, I also recognize I urge my colleagues to join my legis-
Act mandates that CRF funds be spent that we don’t have the time to wait. lation. I urge my colleagues to join to
by the end of this year, now just a lit- Often throughout these few days that I ensure that the hand we offered under
tle more than a month away. This is have been home, away from Wash- the CARES Act won’t be withdrawn
absolutely not enough time for prepa- ington, DC, I have been asked: How is way too soon. I am thankful for the op-
ration-intensive projects to be care- your legislation coming? The answer portunity to address my colleagues in
fully planned and executed. The cur- is: There is broad bipartisan support. the Senate.
rent deadline puts several long-term Most Senators—most Republican Sen- I yield the floor.
economic development plans at risk of ators and most Democratic Senators— The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
losing funding if they are not com- are supportive of this measure, but the ERNST). The Senator from Iowa.
pleted by December 31, and it also pre- issue is: Will we be able to extend the
REMEMBERING ROGER JEPSEN
vents new, meaningful proposals from deadline in time for our local units of
being considered in the first place. government to know that they have an Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President,
Many Kansans—from our county additional amount of time, or, in the today I pay tribute to our former col-
health departments to our universities, absence of that, will we allow them or league and my friend, former U.S. Sen-
to our schools, to our cities and coun- require them to spend money in ways ator Roger Jepsen. Roger Jepsen
ties, to mayors and county commis- less effective or efficient than they passed away last Friday, at age 91, at
sioners whom I have visited with—have otherwise would? Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Quad
urged us to extend this looming dead- I know that there are other pieces of Cities, IA.
line. We need to have a longer period of legislation introduced by a few of my An Iowa native and an American pa-
time so that the Federal dollars are colleagues that would offer what we triot, Roger devoted his life in service
not spent—I always try to avoid using would call a clean extension of the CRF to his family, faith, and community.
the phrase ‘‘Federal dollars.’’ They are deadline, and I urge my Senate col- He spent his youth on his family farm
really taxpayer dollars or borrowed leagues to support the immediate en- near Cedar Falls, about 5 miles from
money that has to be paid back by tax- actment of these legislative proposals where I was born and grew up. I still re-
payers. It is a silly proposition that we to provide flexibility in fostering side within 4 miles of the farmhouse
would require the money to be spent meaningful investments in our home where I was born.
when what it will mean is we will States. Regardless of the close proximity of
spend money less effectively and less Around here, too often, it seems that us as young people, I didn’t become ac-
efficiently than we otherwise would in if we can’t do everything to solve a quainted with Roger until he rep-
the absence of this near-term deadline. problem, we do nothing to solve a prob- resented Scott County in the Iowa Leg-
That is why Senator ROBERTS and I lem. I have never understood that atti- islature. I wish I had known him ear-
have introduced the Remove Impedi- tude or approach. The things that we lier when we were neighbors, as chil-
ments for a Successful Economic Re- can agree on—and this is one, I think, dren.
covery Act, or RISER. This bill would on which we can, this extension of the For 14 years, Roger served our coun-
extend that deadline for State and deadline—we ought not wait for a larg- try in the U.S. Army. He was a para-
local governments by 2 years for a set er package that continues to be nego- trooper in the 82nd Airborne Division,
and then he later served in the Army
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
of currently eligible expenditures that tiated between the White House and
meet criteria for qualified economic Speaker PELOSI or between Republican Reserve.
development plans. and Democratic leadership in the Sen- Roger worked for 20 years in the life
This bill would allow funds for crit- ate or the Republican leadership with insurance business and was a member
ical projects that require additional at- the Democratic leadership in the of the National Association of Life Un-
tention and time for a more thoughtful House. derwriters. Along the way, Roger an-
investment to be spent more effec- Whatever the negotiations ongoing swered the call to public service and
tively without cutting short a stra- today to get us to a point in which we civic leadership. For more than two
VerDate Sep 11 2014 08:20 Nov 17, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G16NO6.007 S16NOPT1
File and source
- File
- CREC_crec-2020-11-16_crec-2020-11-16-pt1-pgs6690-3.pdf
- Size
- 211,176 bytes
- SHA-256
- d2584ef919c64b016099758397f2c9bf2d9c9d93a99f1c01581151fb6cff81a2
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov