Congressional Record, December 4, 2020 — House

Summary

Page H6842 of the House section of the Congressional Record for December 4, 2020, showing the end of a roll call with 164 nays on passage of a bill, after Mrs. Lesko demands the yeas and nays. Mr. Carter of Georgia gives a personal explanation that he missed rollcall Nos. 233, 234 and 235 and would have voted aye. In floor debate a speaker honors a fallen veteran whose life was cut tragically short, saying these veterans fought for the country, and another exchange concerns a family of three children in an apartment and the limits of what a bill provided, which are the speakers' views.

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“Congressional Record, December 4, 2020 — House.” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-04-crec-2020-12-04-pt1-pgh6842-7c40886382/, SHA-256 a14b4d678558b2bf76534cc63230f1e7c7856cac6505876b473bef6ee210ff62.

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H6842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 4, 2020
(Jeffries)Sires Titus (Connolly) Wilson (FL) Veasey Wasserman Wexton PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Vela Schultz Wild
(Norcross) Watson Coleman (Hayes)
Waters Wilson (FL)
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker,
Speier (Scanlon) (Pallone) Velázquez
Thompson (CA) Welch Visclosky Watson Coleman Yarmuth on rollcall No. 233, I am not recorded because
(Kildee) (McGovern) Welch Young of circumstances which caused me to miss the
NAYS—164 vote. Had I been present, I would have voted
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. aye.
MCCOLLUM). The question is on the pas- Amodei Griffith Posey
Armstrong Grothman Reed On rollcall No. 234, I am not recorded be-
sage of the bill. Arrington Guest Rice (SC) cause of circumstances which caused me to
The question was taken; and the Babin Guthrie Roby miss the vote. Had I been present, I would
Speaker pro tempore announced that Bacon Hagedorn Rodgers (WA) have voted aye.
the ayes appeared to have it. Baird Harris Roe, David P.
Balderson Hartzler Rogers (AL)
On rollcall No, 235, I am not recorded be-
Mrs. LESKO. Madam Speaker, on Banks Hern, Kevin Rogers (KY) cause of circumstances which caused me to
that I demand the yeas and nays. Barr Herrera Beutler Rooney (FL) miss the vote. Had I been present, I would
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Bergman Hice (GA) Rose, John W.
Biggs Hill (AR) have voted nay.
ant to section 3 of House Resolution Rouzer
Bilirakis Holding Roy MEMBERS RECORDED PURSUANT TO HOUSE
965, the yeas and nays are ordered. Bishop (NC) Hollingsworth Rutherford RESOLUTION 965, 116TH CONGRESS
The vote was taken by electronic de- Bishop (UT) Hudson Scalise Barragán (Beyer) Kaptur (Dingell) Payne
Bost Huizenga Schweikert
vice, and there were—yeas 228, nays Brady Hurd (TX)
Bera (Aguilar) Kennedy (Kuster (Wasserman
Sensenbrenner Bonamici (Clark (NH)) Schultz)
164, not voting 38, as follows: Brooks (AL) Jacobs
Shimkus (MA)) Kim (Davids Peters (Kildee)
[Roll No. 235] Buchanan Johnson (OH)
Simpson Boyle, Brendan (KS)) Pingree (Kuster
Buck Johnson (SD)
YEAS—228 Smith (MO) F. (Jeffries) Kirkpatrick (NH))
Burchett Jordan
Smith (NE) Brownley (CA) (Stanton) Pocan (Raskin)
Adams Garamendi Morelle Bustos Joyce (OH)
Smith (NJ) (Clark (MA)) Lamb (Golden) Porter (Wexton)
Aguilar Garcı́a (IL) Moulton Byrne Joyce (PA)
Smucker Carson (IN) Langevin Pressley
Allred Garcia (TX) Mucarsel-Powell Chabot Katko
Spano (Cleaver) (Lynch) (Trahan)
Amash Golden Murphy (FL) Cheney Keller
Stauber Castor (FL) Lawson (FL) Price (NC)
Axne Gomez Nadler Cline Kelly (MS)
Stefanik (Demings) (Demings) (Butterfield)
Barragán Gonzalez (TX) Napolitano Cloud Kelly (PA)
Steil Cohen (Beyer) Lee (NV) (Kuster Rooney (FL)
Bass Gottheimer Neal Cole King (NY)
Steube Costa (Cooper) (NH)) (Beyer)
Beatty Green, Al (TX) Neguse Comer Kinzinger
Stivers DeSaulnier
Bera Grijalva Norcross Conaway Kustoff (TN) Lieu, Ted (Beyer) Roybal-Allard
Taylor (Matsui)
Beyer Haaland O’Halleran Crawford LaHood Lipinski (Garcia (TX))
Thompson (PA) Deutch (Rice
Bishop (GA) Hall Ocasio-Cortez Crenshaw LaMalfa (Schrader) Ruiz (Dingell)
Thornberry (NY))
Blumenauer Harder (CA) Omar Cuellar Lamb Lofgren (Jeffries) Rush
Tiffany Doggett (Raskin)
Blunt Rochester Hastings Pallone Curtis Lamborn Lowenthal (Underwood)
Timmons Doyle, Michael
Bonamici Hayes Panetta Davidson (OH) Latta (Beyer) Schneider
Tipton F. (Cartwright)
Boyle, Brendan Heck Pascrell Davis, Rodney Lesko Lowey (Tonko) (Casten (IL))
Turner Escobar (Garcia
F. Higgins (NY) Payne DesJarlais Lipinski McEachin Schrier
Upton (TX))
Brindisi Himes Perlmutter Diaz-Balart Long (Wexton) (DelBene)
Van Drew Frankel (Clark
Brown (MD) Horn, Kendra S. Peters Duncan Lucas McNerney Serrano
Walberg (MA))
Brownley (CA) Horsford Phillips Emmer Luetkemeyer (Raskin) (Jeffries)
Walden Garamendi
Butterfield Houlahan Pingree Estes Marshall Meng (Kuster Sires (Norcross)
Walker (Sherman)
Carbajal Hoyer Pocan Fitzpatrick Massie (NH)) Speier (Scanlon)
Walorski Grijalva (Garcı́a
Cárdenas Huffman Porter Fleischmann McCaul Moore (Beyer) Thompson (CA)
Waltz (IL))
Carson (IN) Jackson Lee Pressley Flores McKinley Mucarsel-Powell (Kildee)
Watkins Hastings
Cartwright Jayapal Price (NC) Fortenberry Meuser (Wasserman Titus (Connolly)
Weber (TX) (Wasserman
Case Jeffries Quigley Fulcher Miller Schultz)
Schultz) Watson Coleman
Gallagher Moolenaar Webster (FL)
Casten (IL) Johnson (GA) Raskin Higgins (NY) Nadler (Jeffries) (Pallone)
Garcia (CA) Mooney (WV) Wenstrup
Castor (FL) Johnson (TX) Rice (NY) (Sánchez) Napolitano Welch
Gibbs Murphy (NC) Westerman
Castro (TX) Kaptur Riggleman Jayapal (Raskin) (Correa) (McGovern)
Gohmert Nunes Williams
Chu, Judy Keating Rose (NY) Johnson (TX) Pascrell Wilson (FL)
Cicilline Gonzalez (OH) Olson Wilson (SC)
Kelly (IL) Rouda (Jeffries) (Pallone) (Hayes)
Cisneros Kennedy Roybal-Allard Gooden Palazzo Wittman
Clark (MA) Khanna Ruiz Gosar Pappas Womack f
Granger Pence Woodall
Clarke (NY) Kildee Ruppersberger
Graves (MO) Perry Yoho b 1315
Cleaver Kilmer Rush
Green (TN) Peterson Zeldin
Clyburn Kim Ryan LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS
Cohen Kind Sánchez NOT VOTING—38
Connolly Kirkpatrick Sarbanes (Mr. SCALISE asked and was given
Cooper Krishnamoorthi Scanlon Abraham Cox (CA) McHenry permission to address the House for 1
Correa Kuster (NH) Schakowsky Aderholt Dunn Mitchell
Allen Ferguson Mullin
minute and to revise and extend his re-
Costa Langevin Schiff
Courtney Larsen (WA) Schneider Brooks (IN) Foxx (NC) Newhouse marks.)
Craig Larson (CT) Schrader Bucshon Fudge Norman Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I rise for
Crist Lawrence Schrier Budd Gianforte Palmer the purpose of inquiring to the major-
Crow Lawson (FL) Scott (VA) Burgess Graves (LA) Reschenthaler
Cunningham Lee (CA) Scott, David Calvert Higgins (LA) ity leader the schedule for next week.
Richmond
Davids (KS) Lee (NV) Serrano Carter (GA) Johnson (LA) Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman
Scott, Austin
Davis (CA) Levin (CA) Sewell (AL) Carter (TX) King (IA)
Stewart from Maryland (Mr. HOYER), my friend
Davis, Danny K. Levin (MI) Shalala Clay Loudermilk and the majority leader of the House.
Collins (GA) Wagner
Dean Lieu, Ted Sherman Marchant
Cook McCarthy Wright Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank
DeFazio Loebsack Sherrill
DeGette Lofgren Sires the gentleman for yielding.
DeLauro Lowenthal Slotkin b 1308 Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House
DelBene Lowey Smith (WA) will meet at 12 p.m. for legislative
Delgado Luján Soto Mr. LARSON of Connecticut changed business. Members are advised that
Demings Luria Spanberger his vote from ‘‘nay’’ to ‘‘yea.’’
DeSaulnier Lynch Speier votes are expected as early as 2 p.m.
Deutch Malinowski Stanton
So the bill was passed. I want to repeat that. We are going
Dingell Maloney, Stevens The result of the vote was announced in at 12 p.m. Votes can be as early as 2
Doggett Carolyn B. Suozzi as above recorded. p.m.
Doyle, Michael Maloney, Sean Swalwell (CA) A motion to reconsider was laid on
F. Mast Takano This is unusual for the first day of
Engel Matsui Thompson (CA) the table. the week. I have advised and urged
Escobar McAdams Thompson (MS) PERSONAL EXPLANATION Members to stay here this weekend—
Eshoo McBath Titus
Espaillat McClintock Tlaib
Mr. KING of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I was most of them I have talked to are—be-

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Evans McCollum Tonko unable to vote on December 3, and 4, 2020, cause, clearly, we are trying to get two
Finkenauer McEachin Torres (CA) due to not being in town. Had I been present, critical pieces of legislation done,
Fletcher McGovern Torres Small I would have voted as follows: ‘‘no’’ on rollcall
Foster McNerney (NM)
which we will speak to, I think, in a
Frankel Meeks Trahan No. 230; ‘‘no’’ on rollcall No. 231; ‘‘no’’ on roll- little bit.
Gabbard Meng Trone call No. 232; ‘‘no’’ on rollcall No. 233; ‘‘yes’’ on On Tuesday and Wednesday, the
Gaetz Mfume Underwood rollcall No. 234; and ‘‘no’’ on rollcall No. 235. House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-
Gallego Moore Vargas

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December 4, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6843
hour debate and 12 p.m. for legislative The House may also consider addi- it is my understanding she may be
business. tional legislation to address the leaving.
On Thursday, the House will meet at coronavirus pandemic, as I have al- Mr. HOYER. It is a vicious rumor
9 a.m. for legislative business. ready said. The House has passed two that has been spread abroad in the
I advise Members that we still have different Heroes bills. country.
to pass an omnibus and we have to pass We passed the bill on May 15th, 6 Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I would
a COVID–19 relief bill, and we will not months ago, to deal with this extraor- be happy to yield time to her if she
adjourn the Congress until such time dinary crisis placing millions of Ameri- would like to deny that rumor, but
as we can accomplish those two objec- cans at risk, causing deep emotional while that may create some issues, I
tives. and physical distress and a challenge would like to say that, if this is the
I was hopeful that we would accom- not only to their health, but also to last time that we do this colloquy be-
plish those objectives by next Thurs- their psychological welfare, and to edu- fore the end of this year, it has been a
day. Unfortunately, things are not cating our children and keeping our true pleasure to work with Shuwanza
moving as rapidly as I think they schools safe and providing the re- Goff.
ought to—I would like them to, but as sources necessary that, if we can get My whole staff has enjoyed working
they ought to be moving—so that children back in school—which I think with her, and especially on those areas
Members need to be advised that they all of us want to do—that we can ac- where we agree—the CARES Act and
need to keep their schedules very, very complish that objective. USMCA come to mind as recent major
flexible until such time as we pass both The House has also passed, on Octo- accomplishments that this legislative
of those pieces of legislation. ber 1, some 2 months ago, a $2.2 trillion body has done together, Republicans
We will, in addition, consider several and Democrats—and she, I know, has
bill. That was not taken up by the Sen-
bills under suspension of the rules. The been that conduit who works with our
ate. The Senate has passed no legisla-
complete list of suspensions will be an- staff on the Republican side. We con-
tion since May 15th. They did not con-
nounced by the close of business today. sidered it a true joy to work with her.
I will say something further on sus- sider our bill either time, neither the
Heroes 1 bill nor the Heroes 2. She doesn’t schedule every bill I ask
pensions. Somebody said: Oh, well, we
It is unfortunate, in my view, that her to schedule, but I will blame that
are not passing important bills.
That is not accurate. Somehow, when Senate Republicans have failed to act, on the majority leader, not on
we have agreement, it is not looked as even if they didn’t act on what we Shuwanza.
important. On suspensions, it simply wanted to do. I am pleased that the Mr. Speaker, if I can, in all serious-
means we have an agreement between Speaker and Senate majority leader ness, say, it has truly been a treat and
the parties that we can pass those bills spoke yesterday. I have spoken to him a joy, and she is one of the people who
because they are bipartisan and the three times this week, and I hope that makes this place work when it does
overwhelming majority of Members we can get an agreement. The House work.
agree on them. So we are passing bills stands ready to act next week. We can always talk about the things
that are good bills but not controver- Lastly, as everybody understands, that we would like to achieve that we
sial, and that is a good thing. when you get to the end of a session, can’t, but there are many important
But we will consider several bills we don’t contemplate everything that things we achieve, like those impor-
under suspension. As I said, the com- might be on the agenda, so other pieces tant pieces of legislation I talked
plete list will be available at the close of legislation may be on the agenda about and many others that don’t get
of business today. next week or the week thereafter. that same kind of attention, but they
The House will consider the fiscal Again, I reiterate, I am very hopeful wouldn’t happen without the work and
year 2021 National Defense Authoriza- that we can get this business done by the great leadership that Shuwanza has
tion Act conference report. I am very next week. demonstrated here. She will be missed
pleased that we have a bipartisan, bi- Mr. Speaker, the reason I scheduled here, and I just wanted to mention
cameral agreement on NDAA and look the 11th as the CR day is because I that.
forward to it overwhelmingly passing wanted to make sure we could get I know the gentleman feels probably
both Chambers next week and, if nec- Members home. With the COVID crisis, even stronger, because she has worked
essary, overriding a threatened veto by the pandemic has exploded. for him for the whole time I have been
President Trump. Members ought not to be aggregating in leadership, but, I think, going back
This is a critically important bill to here on the House floor or aggregating to maybe 2008.
pass. It always passes, and I am hopeful here in Washington. They ought to be Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gen-
that we will come together on this bill. home. And if we got out on the 11th— tleman.
It was a tough conference but a good I want to get through on the 10th so we Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I may get
conference, and the result, I think, can can send a bill to the Senate. However, into this next week, and I am hopeful
be supported by both sides of the aisle, if we left on the 11th, it will be 14 days that the gentleman is right that we
signed, obviously, by the Senate Re- before Christmas, and, therefore, if don’t have a colloquy next week, that
publican chairman and our chairman Members leaving Washington had to we would have completed our business,
here in the House. quarantine themselves, they would as I have been talking about.
As Members know, the continuing have sufficient time to do so so that Mr. Speaker, I have been blessed, the
resolution expires on December 11; they could be with their families on House has been blessed, the country
therefore, the authority for spending to Christmas Day. has been blessed by Shuwanza Goff’s
keep government running will expire I would hope that everyone on the leadership on this floor on my behalf
on the 11th. The Committee on Appro- Committee on Appropriations, the and on the majority’s behalf, working
priations is hard at work on reaching leadership—myself included—would closely with the minority. And I know
an agreement on an omnibus, and I feel the urgency of passing this needed that Shuwanza would want me to say
hope to bring that to the floor as early legislation. that she looks forward to the same
as possible. I am hopeful that will be Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman kind of cooperation in her new job that
next week. for yielding. she has gotten in her old job, and if the
Frankly, I have had a discussion with Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I thank gentleman wants to assure her of that,
Senator MCCONNELL. I am told there is the gentleman. I will yield to him.
no agreement that we cannot make on There are a few items relating to leg- Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I will
the 11th that will be easier to make on islation that I want to bring up with give this assurance to the majority

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the 18th, which is the end of the fol- the gentleman, but before that, I did leader, that if you are looking for a re-
lowing week. I would urge Members, want to mention that it is my under- placement, I would be happy to provide
however, to ensure that they are avail- standing that the floor director for the recommendations and even participate
able for the week of the 14th if we have majority leader, Ms. Shuwanza Goff— in the interview process, if that would
not completed our business by next the last thing I would want to do is em- be helpful to the gentleman from
week. barrass her here on the House floor, but Maryland.

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H6844 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 4, 2020
Mr. HOYER. The gentleman is most ment’s response to assisting people is because she was waiting on a ‘‘new
generous. with ALS be quick as well. President.’’ I hope that was a quote
Mr. SCALISE. I think the generosity Mr. Speaker, as we know, what this that was made out of context or maybe
probably ends there with today’s col- bill does is it provides an acceleration needs to be revised.
loquy. I am sure we will have that op- for people who are suffering from and b 1330
portunity next week to have a longer afflicted with ALS to get assistance.
conversation, but I truly do want to So, hopefully, the House will pass it There are millions of people that are
pass that on to Shuwanza, and not just and will send it to the President. literally facing the elimination of their
on behalf of myself, but on behalf of I appreciate the gentleman’s cospon- livelihoods, and we have a bill that, if
the minority leader, Mr. MCCARTHY, sorship of the bill. it was put on the floor today, yester-
and his staff, as well as mine, and all of Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I thank day, or September, when we first had
us in leadership who get to work with the gentleman. this conversation, there would be hun-
her. Mr. Speaker, as relates to the sched- dreds of thousands of businesses still
Mr. Speaker, I do want to mention, ule next week, as well as the schedule open today that are now bankrupt,
on the schedule next week, one of the we have had this week, I want to bring that will never open again. Every day
items that I know we have worked on up a piece of legislation that we have we wait, more businesses don’t reopen.
together and talked about that I be- talked about here in this colloquy and Clearly, we are negotiating to try to
lieve the gentleman has scheduled for in other venues for months now, and get an agreement on bigger issues. We
next week is S. 578, which is the ALS that is the bill by Congressman are not there. We weren’t there last
Disability Insurance Access Act, some- CHABOT, H.R. 8265, which is the Pay- month; we weren’t there the month be-
thing that we have worked on, a num- check Protection Program Extension fore. The Senate has tried to take up
ber of these items, for people with Act. votes on things. It wasn’t the Repub-
ALS. We have seen over these last few licans; it was the Democrats that
The Steve Gleason Act was one of months our small businesses have blocked those bills coming up. This, by
those items we worked on a few years struggled tremendously. Some indus- the way, was one of those in the pack-
ago, passed to help people with ALS, tries have done better during this pan- age that would have been voted on by
and has been a tremendous, tremen- demic where they have seen increased the Senate, if not for Senate Demo-
dous benefit to people struggling with sales for various reasons, but we have crats blocking even the debate on the
ALS. mostly seen and heard from so many of Senate floor. So they never had that
Steve Gleason is a constituent and a those businesses and industries that debate.
dear friend, somebody whom we have have been devastated, some harder On this floor, just today, we saw a
worked with on many things. He re- than others, but so many devastated to bill to legalize marijuana. You saw
ceived earlier this year—it seems like the point of bankruptcy. Daily, we see items in there where it would give ad-
years ago, but just January of this stories of businesses that closed their ditional money to people in the mari-
year, he was the recipient of the Con- doors for good. juana industry. This is something that
gressional Gold Medal, and deservedly Mr. Speaker, in the State of New Congress, I am sure, will continue to
so. York alone, it was reported that one- debate.
He and I were communicating earlier third of all small businesses—one- But there is a pandemic where,
this week about this legislation, which third—will never open again. We came today, we have businesses that are
I am a cosponsor of, and I just want to together to do the CARES Act, to pass shutting their doors. Tomorrow, busi-
thank the gentleman for scheduling that lifeline to so many small busi- nesses will go bankrupt forever, small
that for the floor next week. nesses—saved probably 50 million jobs businesses. We can help them. Not with
One of those areas, as you were talk- in America, saved millions of small a new program that we need to nego-
ing about earlier, that might not get a businesses—but it expired; and when it tiate the details over, but something
lot of attention but an issue that both expired, we learned a lot more about we already did that was so highly suc-
Republicans and Democrats have where our economy was at that time. cessful that we have a track record to
worked on is to help people with ALS When we passed it, it was at the very show what it can do.
who, right now, under current law, beginning of the pandemic. We now saw Our small banks, local community
even after the diagnosis with ALS—as over those months which businesses banks, were part of that process and
we know, it is just a devastating diag- were doing better, which weren’t, and are ready to go again. Again, we don’t
nosis—have to wait 5 months to get the came back in September with a piece need to reinvent the wheel here. This is
normal benefits that they are entitled of legislation that would free up money an existing program that has got exist-
to. And time is very, very critical to that is not going to have to be bor- ing, remaining money, but the program
people with ALS. This eliminates that rowed, money that is actually sitting is frozen and expired. This bill just re-
5-month gap where they would have to in that account, frozen, $137 billion news it and could pass on the suspen-
wait, one of those additional occasions that we already appropriated. But the sion calendar, and it still hasn’t been
where it takes an act of Congress to fix program expired so it can’t be used brought up.
this. anymore unless we change the law. While we are negotiating other
The Senate acted, and quickly, now, So, we are not talking about creating things, why not release this hostage
the House will be acting to address this a new program. We are talking about and let this bill pass. It could have
deficiency that needs to be fixed. I going back to a program that was been done today. It wasn’t a lack of
think you will see both sides come to- maybe one of the most successful time. When we are debating legalizing
gether with a very large vote, but I things that we have done to help people marijuana instead of saving small busi-
thank the gentleman for scheduling in need—not just those small busi- nesses, that is a misplaced priority of
that for the floor next week. nesses, but the millions, 50-plus million this Congress. We should have come to-
I yield to the gentleman, if you have people whose livelihoods depend on gether months ago. September 16, it
anything to add on that. those jobs. was introduced. September 17, I
Mr. HOYER. Well, I was pleased to The bill was brought forward, had a brought it up to the majority leader at
schedule this. Obviously, as you know, lot of bipartisan interest, but for var- this colloquy. The following week
it passed the Senate the other day. ious reasons hasn’t been scheduled on brought it up again.
Hopefully, we will pass it on suspension this House floor. And there were re- Then we filed a discharge petition.
next week and it will be sent to the ports that maybe it was tied to waiting You had, I think, 23 Democrats sign a

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President. Hopefully, the President on the election or whatever other letter saying they would sign that dis-
will sign it. things. charge petition if we didn’t get a bipar-
Obviously, ALS is just a terrible, ter- In fact, the Speaker of the House, tisan agreement, recognizing that the
rible disease, and a disease that acts just today, made a comment that one Heroes Act is not a bipartisan agree-
very, very quickly, which means that of the reasons a certain relief package ment. Unfortunately, not one of those
there is a premium on the govern- bill wasn’t brought to the House floor Members who signed the letter saying

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December 4, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6845
they would sign the discharge have it in both bills we passed. It wasn’t a talking to Senator MCCONNELL towards
signed the discharge. Talk is cheap question that they were partisan or not that end.
around here. partisan. They weren’t taken up in the The Senators are working on an ef-
Livelihoods are being lost. Businesses United States Senate. We passed them. fort to get that done. I am hopeful they
are shuttering for good. Why can’t this They were not taken up. are successful. The Speaker and Mr.
bill be scheduled for the floor while we Yes, the Senate leader offered a bill SCHUMER said it was a place that they
work on the other things that we are that every economist with whom I could negotiate from, which means we
not in agreement on? This is something have talked said was not substantive are closer than we have been, and I
we are in agreement on. But it won’t be enough, not sufficient resources to stop hope it gets done.
scheduled for the floor. the hemorrhaging, and to help fight Mr. SCALISE. Let me remind the
Maybe we can get an agreement to COVID–19. gentleman that in the CARES Act, we
schedule that Monday when we are So I tell my friend, we are for that addressed many of those issues that
coming in at 2 o’clock to vote on other bill. What we are not for is forgetting the gentleman already brought up,
items. This would be something that the kids, the families, the hospital starting with the States.
would get 400-plus votes, if it was just workers, the researchers, the States, In fact, I don’t know of a single State
scheduled. the localities. We are not for forgetting in this country who has spent all of the
I yield to the gentleman. them. We believe that if we pass one money we sent them. Educational op-
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank part of a multifaceted response to portunities for schools to reopen safely
the gentleman for his observations. He COVID–19 and the implication for our and educate kids are being denied in
is right; we are for this. economy, that will not be what our some places but not in others, but it is
We are also for making sure that economy, nor our people, need. not from a lack of money. There is not
children have food on their tables. We We would ask you to talk to the Sen- a single school system I have heard
are also supportive of making sure that ate or to offer your own bill. Offer your from, where we sent them the money—
education facilities have the money to own bill that deals with all of those and by the way, they still have mil-
keep their venues safe and to keep edu- millions of people that I just ref- lions, and in some cases, billions of
cation flowing. We are also for making erenced that are in deep, deep distress. those dollars sitting in their account,
sure that childcare is available to par- We need to deal with the small busi- idle, that can be used today to safely
ents who can go back to work, when nesses, and we do. We need to deal with reopen schools.
and if their children go back to school. If the State chooses not to do it or if
the unemployed and we do.
We are also for having critical money We have a lot of things expiring on the school system chooses not to do it,
for testing and tracing and, yes, for de- December 31, PPP—your bill, does not that is on them. But they are denying
livering the vaccinations. Yes, we are deal with any of that. We need to deal those kids opportunities. We are seeing
for that, and we are also for States and with all of it. We ought to do it. Mr. report after report, scientific studies,
localities that are hemorrhaging rev- the American Academy of Pediatrics,
CHABOT’s bill ought to be a part of
enue to have the resources to continue talking about the damage that is being
that, and it will be, because we are
done to our young children by being de-
to be on the front line of fighting the committed to that. But we are also
nied the opportunity to go back to
battle against COVID–19. committed to not forgetting all of
school in classroom and learn. It is
We are also for resources, not only to those people and elements that I men-
devastating to those kids.
have created the vaccine—almost all of tioned. Suicides are up and opioid abuse is
which is being funded by the Federal I want to help the airlines. And, up, because of all of these things, and
Government—but we are also for mak- hopefully, that will be in any deal that it is the small businesses that are pay-
ing sure we can deliver that vaccine we come to. I want to help the res- ing the biggest price.
and have vaccinations as well as hav- taurants. These are people who, If you look, people that are getting
ing a vaccine. through no fault of their own, are dev- unemployment insurance at the State
We are very strongly for helping the astated. level—we did enhanced unemployment
extraordinary number of unemployed, So I tell my friend, he is right, but insurance for a period of time, and in
who are on unemployment insurance, only partially so. He is right that we most cases we were paying people more
and who, at the end of this month, are ought to be helping the small busi- money not to work than they were
going to find it goes away. We are for nesses. But I don’t think there is a making before they lost their job.
having an additional enhancement of small businessman in America that What they ask me is not that they
that unemployment insurance, which would say let the nutrition issue go, as want to stay on unemployment. They
so many economists will tell you from we see lines of cars and lines of people want to go back to work. They want
the CARES Act, was absolutely essen- getting food boxes so they can put food their business to be alive when they go
tial to keep the economy afloat. on their table for their kids and them- back to work. But if a small business
And the fact that we have kept the selves, people who never, ever, ex- closes for good, the cost to us is going
economy afloat, as shown by—appar- pected in their lives to be in a food to be dramatically higher.
ently, the stock market thinks we are line. I think the small businessmen If we can right now throw that life-
okay—the millions and millions and would say, take care of them. I think line, again, to those businesses—not
millions of families who are in deep the small businessmen would say, I with a new program, not with things
distress and are not okay. I am ap- haven’t been able to pay taxes, and I that we don’t agree on, like $900 billion
palled by the fact that we have not know the State is still operating hos- to bail out failed States, which is the
acted. pitals, still fixing the roads, still hiring Heroes Act. We already spent hundreds
We have acted twice. You say it was police and fire, and hiring nurses in of billions of dollars that we gave to
partisan. That is true; you chose not to public hospitals. They need help, too. States. Like I said, I think every single
vote for it. It wasn’t much different We are all in this together. That is State has some of that money left.
than the CARES Act, which you did my response to the gentleman, Mr. Some have billions of dollars of that
vote for. But, apparently, shortly after Speaker. money left.
we passed the Heroes Act, your leader, We want to have a comprehensive bill So the idea that we are going to hold
Mr. MCCARTHY, said, Let’s wait and see that will deal with a comprehensive up relief to small business, who are
what happens. And Senator MCCONNELL threat to our economy and to the closing every day, hundreds of thou-
said, Let the States go bankrupt. health of our people and to the welfare sands—a third of every small business
Well, they are on that road. And we of our people. We think that is the re- in the State of New York is gone for

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
have seen what happened by waiting. sponsible thing to do. good. How many more need to die be-
We have thousands of our fellow citi- I am hopeful that we can get an fore this problem is recognized by this
zens dying every week, now over 260,000 agreement in the near term. When I Congress?
Americans; millions afflicted. say, ‘‘the near term,’’ by next week. I So those States are sitting on money,
So I tell my friend, Mr. Speaker, that have been talking to Senator MCCON- and the gentleman wants to hold up re-
we care about PPP, and we took care of NELL towards that end. The Speaker is lief to small businesses to give another

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H6846 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 4, 2020
$900 billion to bail out States, not for We know that is going to lead to their tables every morning and every
the COVID damage, but the problems businesses that will never come back. evening. I didn’t hear him talk about
they had before. That is what the He- And we have a bill ready to go that the unemployed, the 12 million Amer-
roes Act disagreement was about. We would get massive bipartisan support ican workers who are going to run out
agreed on giving States money. They without a new dime of money, money of unemployment as of the end of this
still have some of that money, and it sitting frozen in an account that would month.
can be used to reopen schools safely, help those small businesses. The cri- Mr. Speaker, I did hear him talk
still today. teria is you have to have at least 25 about the failed States. Let me tell
What is not there right now is relief percent loss. you, Maryland is not a failed State,
for those small businesses. So when So your small businesses that are and our Governor is a Republican. His
you look at all of these different doing well today—again, we know name is Hogan. His father served in
things—the vaccine, they are not wait- there are some that are doing better this body. He, along with Mr. Cuomo,
ing on approving a vaccine based on today than they were a year ago, but the Governor of New York, said the
more money coming in. We put money we also know some are about to close States, meaning all the States, need
in the CARES Act, and President for good. We can help them, not with substantial assistance or they are
Trump spent it effectively on Oper- new policy that we are not in agree- going to have to make substantial
ation Warp Speed to get us to the point ment on. That is where the negotia- cuts. In my State, we have made cuts,
where we have not one, but two—Pfizer tions are continuing to go back and and we are a wealthy State. We have
and Moderna—ready to go. forth on. made cuts, which have undermined the
The FDA is about to approve two dif- But if there is something we all agree States’s ability to respond as robustly
ferent vaccines, and it is being mass on, do we really need to hold that hos- as they need to do to COVID–19.
produced today. We are not waiting on tage, when that means that many of Now, the President wants to talk
money to mass produce it. The Depart- those businesses will never come back? about failed States. What he really
ment of Defense is actually involved in We could have done this in Sep- means is blue States, Mr. Speaker.
helping distribute it. Airlines have al- tember. It was brought up in Sep- That is what he means—large States
ready been contracted to get it out. tember. It is not a new item. like New York; large States like Cali-
Some need to be air-conditioned more How many thousands of businesses fornia. By the way, Florida and Texas
than others. All of that is put in place. died from the day that that bill was in- are in the same position. Now, Texas
If we need more money, we will come troduced to today and will die again has a greater surplus. But failed States
together and get more money. But a between now and Monday? is a fake news item.
vaccine is not waiting on us to send It can be put on the schedule Mon- Mr. Speaker, what we should do is
them more money. We need to get it day. It is not going to stop the negotia- come together and have an agreement.
out. We need the FDA to follow their tions on the other things. There are Now, we can pass something here, and
process, which they are doing. They are other things that we are both in agree- we did pass something here. The Re-
the gold standard in the world for ap- ment on that aren’t part of that bill. publicans chose to join us, Mr. Speak-
proving vaccines, and it is unheard of, Bring that as a stand-alone. Let’s bring er, on the first three bills. One was an
in the history of mankind, for a virus, $8.3 billion bill responding to $1.2 tril-
each of those items that we are in
that we didn’t even know of until a lion or $2.2 trillion that the President
agreement on.
year and two days ago in the world, to But the idea that we hold everything asked for. In other words, four times
now be on the brink of not one, but two hostage to things that aren’t going to what the President asked for. In terms
FDA-approved vaccines. That is hap- of what we have done, that seems like
happen, hundreds of billions to failed
pening because of what we did coming small potatoes, a lot of money.
States, giving checks to people who
together with the CARES Act and then But it was clear that the administra-
aren’t here legally, is that really a pri- tion’s response to this crisis was woe-
President Trump’s Operation Warp ority?
Speed. fully inadequate, represented by that
Is that really the things we are get-
These aren’t items that are waiting first bill that they sent to us, knowing
ting called on every day?
on our relief. What is waiting is relief full well that it would not even come
The folks that are on unemployment
for small businesses. close to meeting the needs. So we in-
want to be able to go back to their job.
Now, the Heroes Act, again, it was a creased it about 400 percent. The
If the company is dead and gone, there Speaker then negotiated with Mr.
partisan exercise, not because it was
will be nothing to go back to. And so Mnuchin and came up with two addi-
mostly like the CARES Act. It was
we are working on so many items that tional bills that were passed in a bipar-
very different from the CARES Act. In
we are in agreement on. We have given tisan fashion.
the Heroes Act, there are billions of
money to our health experts to con- And, very frankly, the President told
dollars in that bill to give checks to
tinue to focus on the virus, to continue us this was about to go away. Not to
people here illegally. That wasn’t part
to get the vaccine, and we may have worry. It is going to go away. It will go
of any agreement. It wasn’t in the
another two—could be four—vaccines away tomorrow maybe or next week. It
CARES Act. That is new policy that is
by the end of this year. That is some- is going to go away when the weather
not going to be signed into law.
thing we all ought to applaud because gets warm. And Dr. Fauci said: No, Mr.
If you want to negotiate and hold
of what we did when we came together. President, that won’t happen. So, es-
small businesses hostage on that, we
But here is an area where we already sentially, the President dismissed Dr.
may never get relief for small busi-
came together. It was so successful Fauci as a principal adviser. Thank-
nesses. But that was one of the items
that that money now is frozen, and fully, Mr. Biden, President-elect Biden,
in the Heroes Act where we had no
those businesses that did well are still is going to bring him back as the prin-
agreement.
doing well. The ones that aren’t will or cipal adviser, one of the great experts
b 1345 will not be alive in a month from now, in the world on vaccines and on infec-
But the areas where we had agree- based on whether or not we confront tious diseases.
ment, can we at least agree to pass the this. It is not new policy. It is some- So I am somewhat frustrated that we
things we have agreement on? thing we already agreed on, and some- focus on one facet. But I will tell you,
And what did we have more agree- thing we already celebrated as a suc- if those 12 million people become un-
ment on than anything? The PPP, cess. Let’s do that one more time while employed without assistance, they
proven to be so successful that literally we negotiate on the things we are in won’t have any money to spend on
every day we hear from small busi- disagreement with. small businesses. If those States don’t

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
nesses that say they would not be alive Mr. Speaker, I would just suggest have the ability to operate properly,
today if not for the PPP. But we also that, and I yield to the gentleman. that will hurt small businesses. If the
hear from small businesses every day Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank transportation system faltered, it will
who are about to close. the gentleman for suggesting that. I hurt small businesses.
Some States are talking about shut- didn’t hear him talk about the children Mr. Speaker, my point is that we are
ting their whole State down again. who are having trouble getting food on e pluribus unum: Out of many, one. We

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December 4, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6847
are a nation reliant upon one another, take care of the other problems, the you haven’t even used all that money,
and the harm to one results in the small businesses ultimately will not be you can’t use that as an excuse for not
harm to the other. Therefore, we be- able to survive either. We are in this doing it, and saying: I am waiting for
lieve that there ought to be a com- together. you to give me more money, when you
prehensive piece of legislation, as there We do not have a policy on this side still have money remaining.
was overwhelmingly supported. of the aisle saying: You are on your And I agree with the gentleman on
But the Republicans, after CARES, own, children; you are on your own, un- the school lunch program. The thing
and when we passed the Heroes Act in employed; you are on your own, States, there is that we don’t give a supple-
May, passed it on May 15, they thought localities, municipals, small towns, ment to schools in normal times. These
everything was hunky-dory and they small counties. are not normal times. But in normal
walked away. That is not our policy. We are in this times, schools feed kids at lunch with
Mr. MCCONNELL said the States can together, and we want to help all of the existing budgets they have. They
go bankrupt. Think of the consequence those in distress. don’t wait for us to send extra money
that would have had. And, yes, we gave Mr. Speaker, I don’t know that I will to them to feed the kids.
them some money under CARES. No- have anything more to say on this par- If they are not educating the kids in
body, when we voted on CARES, ticular item, but I am appreciative of the classroom, they are still taking
thought we would be where we are Mr. CHABOT’s bill. I hope that his bill is that money. I haven’t seen them rebate
today. Nobody, except Dr. Fauci, and included, and I hope that we can pass the money to those families in commu-
some other experts, scientists, medical something next week to help all of nities.
personnel, said: Look, this thing is those in deep distress. That would be So what are they doing with that
going to come back, that is what hap- good for our country. It is the right money?
pens with these pandemics. They have thing to do. It is the moral thing to do, If you bring the kids back and edu-
an original assault, and then they and I hope we do it. I will facilitate it cate them safely in the classroom,
come back. And they came back with a when we get to an agreement. I thank which the protocols allow for in any
vengeance, and people are losing their the gentleman. community, high risk, low risk, if you
lives. Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I thank have got a high outbreak, there are dif-
And the failure to pass a comprehen- the gentleman, too. In terms of our ferent ways to handle each community.
sive bill—we agree, we want to help children, we know sending them back The CDC has given them guidelines.
these small businesses. Heroes 1 helped to school safely, the protocols are out The Academy of Pediatrics have given
small businesses. Heroes 2, you didn’t there. Child nutrition programs are ad- them guidelines. Some school systems
vote for those. You said they were par- ministered in our schools. That is not have chosen not to follow them and
tisan. I am not sure what was partisan happening because the kids are in leave the kids at home, but they are
about them. They were no more par- those systems where they are not safe- still taking the money.
tisan than the CARES Act was par- ly reopened. Those kids aren’t able to
b 1400
tisan. Mr. Speaker, the difference was, get the school lunch programs.
very frankly, the Republicans decided Mr. HOYER. Will the gentleman There has never been a better argu-
they were going to vote for CARES, yield? ment for school choice and letting par-
and then they decided, we have done Mr. SCALISE. I yield to the gen- ents choose. If one school system is
enough. And we have been twisting in tleman from Maryland. willing to educate your child safely and
the wind now for 6 months since we Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I don’t the other is not, why shouldn’t you be
passed Heroes. know about your school system, but able to take that money and send your
I don’t want to make a speculation of my school system is still providing child to the place that is willing to do
how many hundreds of thousands or meals for kids either as a pick-up at it safely for you?
tens of thousands of lives may have the school or delivery at some site, be- It is not a question of the money. It
been saved had we passed Heroes 1, or cause that is a critical problem, but is a question of the will to do it.
we acted much sooner out of the ad- they need money to do that. We know But when we talk about those busi-
ministration. But I am hopeful we can that food banks are stretched, and we nesses and what was in the CARES Act
get rid of all this ‘‘who struck John, need to deal with that program. That is and what wasn’t, the CARES Act was
you did it, I did it, who did it,’’ and my point. It is not just small busi- not the Heroes Act. I think the gen-
come to grips in the next 7 days, maybe nesses. It is that nutrition program. tleman knows some of the differences.
14 days. There is no reason why we I just wanted to clarify that in my I will tell the gentleman a few of the
can’t come to an agreement. school districts, we are delivering differences.
There is a bipartisan group in the meals, notwithstanding the fact that What is in the Heroes Act that is not
United States Senate, Republicans and schools are shut down. in the CARES Act that we all voted for
Democrats, who have come up with a Let me say something else just as an was letting thousands, an unknown
bill, $908 billion. Now, that is a lot of aside. Three of my counties have a ma- number of thousands, of criminals out
money. But what they try to do is deal jority, if not unanimous, county com- of prison. I have never gotten a
with all of the issues that I have missioners who are all Republican. straight answer on how many thou-
raised, and they do. Maybe not as much They have all voted to keep the school sands of criminals would be let out of
as I think we ought to do, maybe not as systems virtual, as have my other prison or why that even needs to be in
specifically targeted as I think, but it counties. a COVID relief package. But that is in
is a basis for agreement. And I hope the I represent five counties, essentially, the Heroes Act, which was not in the
Senate passes it. I hope they pass it or parts thereof. They have all voted. CARES Act, and we are completely in
next week and send it over to us. Hearing from parents and teachers, and disagreement on that.
I guarantee you when they send it perhaps some students, they are all vir- Why it hasn’t been dropped out, who
over to us, we will act on it. We won’t tual. They will need as much money to knows, but that is a choice the major-
leave it sitting, as Heroes 1 and Heroes continue virtuality as they will to get ity made. Again, sending direct checks,
2 have sat in the Senate for 6 months, kids back in school. They need extra billions of dollars in direct checks, to
or 21⁄2 months. We won’t let it sit. resources to do that. people that are here illegally was not
Why? The $908 billion bill that is agreed or in the CARES Act; it is in the Heroes
Because the country is at risk. Our proposed by a bipartisan group in the Act. If we wanted to make it bipar-
people are at risk. Our children are at Senate has money in that bill for those tisan, drop those things out. But they

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
risk. Our families are at risk. programs. haven’t been dropped out by the major-
Mr. Speaker, as you so correctly Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, those ity, and here we have a program that
point out, the whip points out that our schools already have access to the $150 we agree on.
businesses are at risk. He is absolutely billion that we sent the States that But in terms of the small businesses,
right and we need to act. But if we only they haven’t even already spent. If I the small businesses are dying on the
act on small businesses and we don’t gave you money to do something and vine because some States are giving

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H6848 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 4, 2020
mixed signals, changing rules, going children even though somebody who is If the gentleman has nothing else,
backward, forward. In States like Cali- illegal is living in the household. then I would be happy to yield back.
fornia, they are saying you can operate What they want to have done is no- Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have
as a liquor store or as a strip club but body in that household got help. It is nothing else.
not as a church. Even the Supreme just a difference of perspective. And I Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I yield
Court stepped in and said that is ludi- get it. back the balance of my time.
crous and that you can’t keep doing it. But let me tell you something. What
f
But you go to New York and so many you can’t get away from is, Mr. Speak-
of these States where they are saying er, they have not passed a bill through RESIGNATION FROM THE HOUSE
for safety protocols you have to shut the United States Senate. Why? Be- OF REPRESENTATIVES
down and you can’t go to a restaurant, cause it would require compromise. Be-
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.
and then you see the Governor of the cause you don’t have the votes, Mr.
HARDER of California) laid before the
State at a restaurant without a mask. Speaker, in the Republican Party to
House the following resignation from
But you can’t go. You see mayors in pass a bill without compromise. So
the House of Representatives:
communities telling businesses they they have sent us no bill.
Now, Mr. MCCONNELL can say all he HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
can’t stay open or it is not safe to have Washington, DC, December 7, 2020.
Thanksgiving with your family, and wants: Well, we need 60 votes, and they
Ms. NANCY PELOSI,
you find out they are flying to other won’t give us 60 votes. Speaker, House of Representatives,
He is right. And he won’t com-
States to have Thanksgiving with their Washington, DC.
promise. DEAR SPEAKER PELOSI: I hereby submit my
family. Your side, on a regular basis when
This blatant hypocrisy by some of resignation, effective Monday, December 7,
you were in charge, couldn’t pass a lot 2020 at 12:00 p.m. EST, as the United States
these leaders who are telling you that
of pieces of legislation that had to be Representative of the 8th District of Cali-
you have to live your life one way and
passed, and what did John Boehner do? fornia. Attached is the letter I submitted to
they are living their lives a different the California Secretary of State.
Walked over here and said: Madam
way, and hiding behind protocols that Leader, Mr. Whip, can you help us? Sincerely,
don’t exist, that is driving people nuts. And we did. President Bush asked for PAUL COOK.
The businesses are dying because of it. TARP. He couldn’t get the votes on
The trust in government gets de- your side. Where did he come? To our HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
pleted in those places because they are Washington, DC, December 7, 2020.
side. We passed it, which saved the Hon. ALEX PADILLA,
watching. And it is not isolated. I wish country from a depression.
it was just once or twice. I wish it was Secretary of State, California Department of
So when you are talking about all State, Sacramento, CA.
never going on. But it is over and over this stuff, we sent two bills. You didn’t DEAR SECRETARY PADILLA: I hereby submit
again, yesterday and today another like them, fine. Pass something my resignation, effective Monday, December
story comes out of a local leader or a through the Senate. But it would have 7, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. EST, as the United States
governor telling you that you can’t do required compromise, and Mr. MCCON- Representative of the 8th District of Cali-
something, and they are doing it. They NELL offered no such compromise. fornia. Attached is the letter I submitted to
didn’t think they were going to get I think, frankly, we ought to move the Speaker of the United States House of
caught doing it. My God, that has to Representatives.
on because I don’t think we can beat
end. The hypocrisy has to end. Sincerely,
this horse anymore. We are not going PAUL COOK.
Let’s get back to saying things that to agree. But pass a bill. Have a com-
make sense, working with the proto- prehensive bill that helps those chil- f
cols, working with the experts and the dren, that helps those unemployed, MARKING A VICTORY FOR
scientists. But don’t use a scientist se- that helps those renters who can’t pay VIETNAM VETERANS
lectively and say something that is not their rent and are going to be evicted.
really true and you, yourself, know it Do you think that helps small busi- (Mr. HARDER of California asked
is not true because you are doing it. nesses? Do you think it helps grocery and was given permission to address
That is what some of those folks are stores? Do you think it helps barber- the House for 1 minute and to revise
doing. It is driving people nuts, and it shops? Do you think it helps gasoline and extend his remarks.)
is driving their businesses under. They stations? It does not because they are Mr. HARDER of California. Mr.
will never come back. going belly up, and they don’t have any Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a
Those families that are struggling resources. long-overdue victory for our Vietnam
and the kids that are going to have We are in this together. What I keep veterans.
trouble eating are having that trouble telling him, Mr. Speaker, and what I For decades, tens of thousands of
because the businesses that their fami- keep telling my side, as well, we are in Vietnam vets haven’t got the benefits
lies work for are being bankrupted by this together, and we need to help ev- that they deserve. Even though dis-
crazy, radical policies that have to end. eryone who is in such distress, not just eases like Parkinson’s, hyper-
We can help them in the short term. small businesses. We need to help small thyroidism, and bladder cancer are sci-
We ought to help them in the short businesses. entifically linked to Agent Orange,
term. The airlines continue to say they are they still aren’t covered by the VA.
Some of the stuff I mentioned that going to stop flying. This doesn’t help But, today, I am thrilled to say that
we are not in agreement on ought to them. veterans exposed to Agent Orange can
get dropped out. But in the meantime, Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, if we finally stop fighting their own govern-
don’t hold them hostage. Let’s bring wanted to pass another CARES Act- ment because my bill, the Fair Care for
those things that we agree on to the type piece of legislation, as we have Veterans Act, is on track to become
floor and save the businesses that we seen in both other CARES Act bills, the law of the land.
can because every day we don’t, more you have a lot of willingness and inter- I want to dedicate this effort to Josh-
will never come back. est on this side of the aisle, which was ua Melendez of Modesto, California,
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gen- there on both of those votes. Clearly, and Lyle Ducheneaux of Turlock, Cali-
tleman. there are things in Heroes that there is fornia, two local veterans who will per-
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I just want no bipartisan consensus on. sonally be impacted by this change.
to say, this business about illegals get- So, our party is willing and ready to Most of all, I want to dedicate this
ting money, let me just give you an ex- go another round on those items we effort to my grandfather, First Ser-

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE
ample. You have a husband and wife agree on, and not months from now, geant Albert Z. Simmons, whose life
and three children living in an apart- not months ago, as it should have been was cut tragically short by Agent Or-
ment. The husband does not have au- done. It should be done today. Hope- ange. I wish he could be with us today
thorization to be here. What the bill fully, it will be done when we return. I to see this.
provided for, that the gentleman talks would be happy to work with the gen- These veterans fought for us. It has
about, is making sure we feed those tleman on those items. been my honor to fight for them. God

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File: CREC_crec-2020-12-04_crec-2020-12-04-pt1-pgh6842.pdf
Size: 252,671 bytes
SHA-256: a14b4d678558b2bf76534cc63230f1e7c7856cac6505876b473bef6ee210ff62
Our copy: CREC_crec-2020-12-04_crec-2020-12-04-pt1-pgh6842.pdf
Original: www.govinfo.gov