Congressional Record, Senate — December 3, 2020, S7193
Summary
This is page S7193 of the Congressional Record, Senate, December 3, 2020, continuing onto S7194. It opens with the end of a tribute that thanks Mike Enzi for his 24 years in the U.S. Senate and wishes him the best in retirement. Under Coronavirus, Ms. Cortez Masto speaks about Nevada, stating that it has the second highest unemployment rate in the country at 12 percent and that it has been 223 days since the Senate last approved funds to help all Americans, and she lists items that relief should include. Under Recognition of the Minority Leader, Mr. Schumer thanks Ms. Cortez Masto, says her remarks were on point, and speaks about a bipartisan proposal that includes money for State, local, and Tribal governments, additional unemployment insurance and small business funding.
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“Congressional Record, Senate — December 3, 2020, S7193.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-03-crec-2020-12-03-pt1-pgs7193-b810c95c71/
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December 3, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7193
As chairman of the Budget Com- food banks in East Las Vegas just be- surance. People without jobs are strug-
mittee, he has passed budgets with an fore Thanksgiving. The mobile food gling right now to pay rent or mort-
eye to restraining spending and less- bank is one of our food pantries gages or healthcare.
ening the burden we place on future throughout the State of Nevada, and Let me tell you, housing assistance
generations. His 2018 budget also paved this particular one is run by Three from the CARES Act helped tens of
the way for the landmark Tax Cuts and Square. I arrived around 8 a.m. in the thousands of Nevadans and millions of
Jobs Act, which reformed America’s morning to a line of cars waiting at the Americans keep a roof over their
outdated Tax Code, helped create jobs site. That line sometimes gets so long, heads. That was legislation we passed
and opportunities for workers, and put police have to direct traffic around it. immediately in a bipartisan way—one
more money in the pockets of Amer- Literally, they lined up at 3 a.m. The of four. But those funds have run out.
ican families. food pantry doesn’t even open until 7 They are gone, and they need to be re-
MIKE is an outstanding legislator, or 8 in the morning, but they were placed. When the limited CDC eviction
and he is also one of the finest human there at 3 a.m., around the block, in moratorium expires on January 1, Ne-
beings you will ever meet. I think all of their cars to stay safe from the COVID– vada is bracing for 250,000 to 400,000
us have benefited from his thoughtful- 19 pandemic. There were over 350 of possible evictions. That is more than 20
ness at one time or another. I remem- them throughout that morning. That is times the national number of evictions
ber when I was experiencing heel pain a not unusual with what is happening in in 2019.
few years ago with an ailment called Nevada right now. That is not unusual, Families and seniors can’t get
plantar fasciitis, and I mentioned it to and it should be, but because this pan- enough to eat. In August and Sep-
MIKE because he was a shoe salesman demic has hit Nevada and so many tember, 234,000 Nevadans said their
and a shoe store owner. It wasn’t more States so hard, we are seeing the con- households were experiencing food in-
than a few days later when MIKE came sequences of inaction by this body in security. That is 11 percent of Nevada
to me with some heel inserts to put the Senate. households going hungry—the second
into my shoes, which, I might add, As I got there that morning, I imag- largest share in the country. One hun-
helped a lot. Obviously, he had a lot of ined those people in the middle of the dred and twenty-nine thousand said
experience through the years dealing night with their lights and power off in that the children in their homes didn’t
with people with foot issues. But it was their cars to save fuel in the cold have enough food.
typical of MIKE ENZI—thoughtful and desert night. And they waited pa- The longer we delay passing addi-
practical, down-to-earth. tiently. They were quiet because they tional economic relief, the more jeop-
In business, as everyone knows, the knew assistance would be there when ardy we create for our entire economy,
customer comes first, and MIKE has morning came. And sometimes that nationwide. Don’t take my word for it;
brought that attitude to his 24 years food runs out for those many people just listen to Chairman Powell of the
here in the U.S. Senate. As a shoe who are waiting, and then they have to Federal Reserve, who has been saying
salesman, he put his customers first, come the next day. But because of the this over and over again—most re-
and as a Senator, he always put his inaction in this Chamber, most Nevad- cently in a hearing in the Banking
constituents and the American people ans who are hurting don’t have that re- Committee, which I am a member of.
first. He has never forgotten how to assurance that there will be imme-
The Senate must do more to help
help people. He has never forgotten diate, swift relief for them because
people not just in my home State but
where he comes from. He has worked they don’t know when Federal help will
across the country, especially now, as
hard every day that he has been here in come. Lifeline organizations like Three
case counts are climbing. We are only
the Senate to make life better for the Square, which are working tirelessly to
months away from being able to give
people of Wyoming and for American help families fill the gaps, are running
the population at large immunity to
citizens. out of resources.
this deadly virus. We have to do every-
He is an outstanding colleague and a It has been 223 days since the Senate
thing we can to help people get to that
friend, and I will miss his wisdom and last approved funds to help all Ameri-
time, to ensure that for the coming
expertise—and his great fishing stories. cans endure this once-in-a-lifetime ca-
months, Nevadans can stay in their
MIKE, I wish you the very best of ev- tastrophe. Meanwhile, too many people
homes, they can take care of their
erything in your retirement. I am glad in Nevada are languishing in the dark,
kids, they can keep their businesses
you will have more time to spend with hoping for economic assistance that
running, knowing that they will have
Diana and the kids and grandkids and still hasn’t arrived.
In Nevada, we continue to have the an opportunity to open them in the fu-
more time to enjoy your beloved home
second highest unemployment rate in ture, and they can protect themselves
State of Wyoming. While no State will
the country at 12 percent. That is al- from this virus. The only way to do
ever compare to South Dakota in my
most twice the national rate. Unem- that is to get them the relief they need
book, I have to say that Wyoming is
ployment is so high in Nevada because now.
spectacularly beautiful, and I am glad
you will be able to be there now on of the coronavirus pandemic. It has That relief simply has to include
more of a full-time basis. But you will stopped conventions, entertainment, more money for State, local, and Trib-
be missed here. I want to thank you for hospitality, and travel operations in al governments, which have had to cut
your service and your friendship. May the Silver State and across the coun- back on critical services in the middle
God bless you and your family in your try. In August, in Nevada, employment of a pandemic.
retirement. in travel and tourism was down 25 per- It should include extended unemploy-
I yield the floor. cent over last year. Nationwide, spend- ment benefits and pandemic unemploy-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. ing on travel has declined by 42 percent ment assistance, as well as more loans
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The compared to 2019. As a result, there are for our small businesses and for PPP.
clerk will call the floor. 60 percent fewer travelers to McCarran It must have housing assistance to
The senior assistant legislative clerk International Airport in Las Vegas and prevent a wave of homelessness and ill-
proceeded to call the roll. 50 percent fewer travelers to Las Vegas ness.
Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, itself. The American Hotel and Lodging It should do more to protect workers,
I ask unanimous consent that the order Association estimates that without fund education, and stave off hunger
for the quorum call be rescinded. more funding, nearly 70 percent of ho- for families.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without tels may close by the end of this year. It also needs to include billions that
objection, it is so ordered. Because of the devastation to what States have asked for to help with vac-
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CORONAVIRUS had been a thriving hospitality indus- cine distribution. We are going to be
Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, try in Nevada, many of the jobs aren’t rolling out millions of doses of vac-
I rise today to talk a little bit about there right now, and too many workers cines, all of which will need to be
what is happening in Nevada. Last in Nevada can’t pay their bills. More stored, handled, and tracked across 50
week, I had the opportunity to be than 175,000 people in the Silver State States. Healthcare workers not just in
home, and I went to one of our mobile continue to claim unemployment in- Nevada but across the country will
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S7194 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 3, 2020
need training to administer the vac- goes on the floor of the Senate. I don’t compromise that the Senators have
cine, and the public needs education agree with that, but that is the way worked on.
about vaccine safety and access. the rules are set. MITCH MCCONNELL de- I yield the floor.
We have witnessed an amazing feat of cides every single day what legislation RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
human ingenuity in developing a vac- comes to the floor of the Senate, what The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
cine faster than we have ever done it can be debated, what amendments can BRAUN). The Democratic leader is rec-
before, but the Federal Government come. I have watched this for years as ognized.
and this Chamber still haven’t set MITCH MCCONNELL, instead of including CORONAVIRUS
money aside to make sure that vac- the Democrats in bipartisan negotia- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first,
cines get to those who need it. tion on some of these important bills, let me thank my colleague and friend,
It also has to include money for test- puts them together behind closed the senior Senator from the great
ing and tracing so that we can contain doors, with only Republicans and State of Nevada, for her words. They
spread of this virus and get more peo- maybe the current administration, and are on point. I hope the Republican
ple back to work. then puts them on the floor of the Sen- leader was listening. I hope our Repub-
Nobody should be standing in the ate for the first time; bypasses our lican colleagues were listening because
way of a comprehensive, bipartisan re- committee hearings, where there is bi- her genuine concern for her State,
lief package to help Americans hold partisan support, usually, for bills; by- which is suffering just like mine is—
out until they can get the vaccines we passes that and puts it on the floor of both States depend on entertainment
know are coming. They need relief the Senate without any compromise, and tourism. It is real. We all want to
now. That is why I support the bipar- without any of the Democrats’ involve- get something done, and we are all
tisan proposal that our colleagues in ment, and expects us to vote for it, and willing to give to get something done,
the Senate put together just recently. then holds the Democrats account-
That proposal, which they look at in but the Republican leader holds the
able—accountable—because we didn’t key, and we hope he is open to com-
a comprehensive way for all of our
have the opportunity to fight for our promise. I will have more to say on
States, includes money for State, local,
States and put important funding in that in a minute, but I thank her for
and Tribal governments. It includes ad-
there for State and local government, her comments.
ditional unemployment insurance. It
for broadband, for our healthcare work- We all know how desperate things
supports funding for small businesses,
including the Paycheck Protection ers, for our hospitality industry—you are. Yesterday, we were leveled by
Program, EIDL disaster loans, res- name it. That is not the way the Sen- some of the grimmest statistics of the
taurants, stages, and deductibility. ate should be operating. You know pandemic. More than 100,000 Americans
What I mean by stages are the live that, and I know that. were hospitalized; more than 2,700
We have to get back to a time when Americans died, the highest recorded
events in the hospitality industry that
we compromise, when we all come rep- number in a single day since the pan-
have been so devastated and have not
resenting our States. We all have equal demic began; more than 274,000 Ameri-
received any relief during the time we
votes. There are two of us from each cans have died in total. That is the
have appropriated funds to address the
pandemic. It includes CDFI, commu- State. We are fighting for our constitu- equivalent of a 9/11 attack every day
nity lender support. It includes trans- ents and our States, and we should be for 92 days in a row.
portation—our airlines, our airports, able to have that debate, that con- Unlike the spring, when the rates of
our buses, our transit, Amtrak—and versation, on the floor of the Senate in infections and fatalities peaked before
our workers there. It includes vaccine a fair manner. That is why I ask MITCH steadily declining, the winter months
development and distribution and test- MCCONNELL to allow a vote on this pro- and the hangover from Thanksgiving
ing and tracing. It includes money for posal. travel will likely cause these rates to
I had the opportunity to watch one of get worse before they get better.
healthcare provider relief. It includes
money for education, for student loans, my colleagues talk about this. I abso- The steady yet staggering loss of
and, yes, housing assistance and rental lutely agree with him, Senator ANGUS American life is horrific. And because
assistance that is needed now. It also KING. He said: I sit in these commit- so many of us are isolated, because so
includes money for nutrition, for the tees, in these bipartisan committees, many have contracted the disease and
food insecurity that I just talked about and I vote for relief for disasters, hurri- have experienced relatively mild symp-
that I witnessed that morning in Las cane disasters, fire disasters—fires in toms and recovered quickly—thank
Vegas and that we hear about con- the Western States where I come from God—there is a sense that things are
stantly, not just in Nevada but across and where you know so well that the not as bad as they seem. But the raw
this country. It includes money for fires are devastating our Western accounting is unavoidable, and it is
childcare, for broadband, for the U.S. States. But for the hurricanes that harrowing. The loss of our friends, our
Postal Service—so many things. happen in Texas, Florida—you name parents, our neighbors, our siblings,
It was well reasoned and com- it—I vote for relief because I know our colleagues must be acknowledged
promised and thought out, and it was those constituents in those States are and mourned and must inspire us to re-
our colleagues coming together—Re- suffering. I don’t look at them as blue double our efforts to defeat this evil
publicans and Democrats coming to- States or red States. I look at them as disease.
gether—for the best interests of this Americans who are in need right now, As COVID–19 races through much of
country. and I am going to support that relief. the country, the economic fallout of
I will tell you, we do not need unani- Why are we doing that with this the pandemic also broadens. Many fam-
mous support for this proposal. What coronavirus relief package? I do not ily budgets and small businesses are at
we need is a vote on the floor of the understand. It is not what the Amer- their breaking point.
Senate. That is why I am asking MITCH ican people expect of us. It is not what Economists are now warning that the
MCCONNELL to allow this proposal to they want, and it is not what they de- U.S. economy could fall into double-dip
come to the floor of the Senate for a serve. I cannot stress this enough: It is recession without additional relief
vote. If some of my colleagues don’t time for the Senate to get back to from Congress. Let me say that again.
want to support any more relief, then work on behalf of the American public. We could have a double-dip recession
they don’t have to vote for it. But I That means that we are willing to com- unless there is relief—good, strong re-
would guarantee and I would suspect promise. That means we are willing to lief from Congress. That is why Demo-
that there are more than enough of my do what is right and what is needed in crats have been so desperately trying
colleagues on both sides of aisle who our communities because I can guar- to convince our Republican colleagues
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want to pass relief for the many Ameri- antee you, any one of us who goes and the Republican leader, in par-
cans across this country in our States home to our State—we are all suf- ticular, to work with us in a bipartisan
who are suffering right now, but they fering; we all see it. That is what the fashion on another round of emergency
have to be given the opportunity. American people expect of us. Federal relief.
I get that right now, there is only I hope MITCH MCCONNELL allows a Speaker PELOSI and I made a new
one person who gets to decide what vote on the floor for this bipartisan offer to Leader MCCONNELL and Leader
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