Congressional Record, Senate, December 10, 2020 — Coronavirus Relief and H.R. 6395 Conference Report
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated December 10, 2020, beginning at page S7381, in a long document. The Senate resumes consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 6395, covering fiscal year 2021 military activities. Under the heading Coronavirus, Mr. Schumer says a bipartisan proposal is the only real game in town and calls it a false equivalency to pair State and local aid with a liability shield for corporations, since aid has broad bipartisan support and the shield does not. The page includes a farewell tribute to Cory, the departing Colorado Senator, and near the end Mr. Hawley speaks on the Duck Boat Safety Enhancement Act of 2019 after an accident on Table Rock Lake in which 17 people lost their lives.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, December 10, 2020 — Coronavirus Relief and H.R. 6395 Conference Report.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-10-crec-2020-12-10-pt1-pgs7381-3-840ae034ae/
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7381
can also get CORY in the occasional RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME Everyone knows that this bipartisan
pickle. I remember recently that just The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under proposal is the only real game in town
months after the Senator was sworn in, the previous order, the leadership time at the moment, the only proposal with
he and I were on a codel together in the is reserved. enough bipartisan support to, hope-
Middle East. I think the itinerary was fully, pass both Houses of Congress be-
f
something like eight countries in 6 fore the end of the year. Everyone
days. CONCLUSION OF MORNING knows that, it seems, except Leader
At one point, we were waiting to BUSINESS MCCONNELL, who continues to stand in
meet with a foreign leader. As every- the way of bipartisan progress and who
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning
one else was just waiting patiently in seems to wake up each morning with a
business is closed.
this grand palace, CORY spots what new round of outlandish reasons why
looks like a stray piece of paper lying f Democrats are somehow to blame for
on the floor. Earnestly thinking he LEGISLATIVE SESSION all the world’s ills.
should leave the place better than he As the bipartisan group of Senators
found it, CORY bends over and picks up continue to work toward a final agree-
the trash—except, it wasn’t trash. Just NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- ment, I want to address an incredibly
then, the Monarch rolls in with a color TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR false equivalency that has been drawn
guard—a color guard that is looking 2021—Conference Report—Resumed between two provisions: providing aid
anxiously for the floor marker that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under to State and local services—essential
was supposed to indicate where to stop the previous order, the Senate will re- State and local services—and granting
marching. Luckily, the only diplo- sume consideration of the conference sweeping immunity to corporations
matic fallout was a good laugh by all. report to accompany H.R. 6395, which that put their workers in harm’s way
Actually, good laughs tend to follow during the pandemic.
will be stated by title.
CORY in his wake. Our colleague finds You will hear voices say: Democrats
The senior assistant legislative clerk
humor in the ‘‘everyday’’ like few can want to fund State and local services
read as follows:
and shares it freely. while Republicans—that is, Leader
I understand one of his favorite sto- The committee of conference on dis-
MCCONNELL—want a corporate liability
agreeing votes of the two Houses on the
ries concerns a chat in the well with amendments of the Senate to the bill (H.R. shield. Each side wants something that
yours truly and former Senator Orrin 6395), to authorize appropriations for fiscal the other side doesn’t want to accept.
Hatch. CORY was filling me in on his ef- year 2021 for military activities of the De- But as I said, this is a false equiva-
forts to legalize marijuana in States partment of Defense, for military construc- lency, incredibly false, for two reasons.
like his. Orrin comes by, and sensing tion, and for defense activities of the Depart- First, State and local aid has broad
an ally, I pulled him in. I said: ment of Energy, to prescribe military per- bipartisan support, totally unlike the
Orrin, is this true? What the heck is going sonnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for Republican leader’s liability provision,
on out West? other purposes, having met, have agreed that which is expressly partisan. Let me say
the House recede from its disagreement to
Without missing a beat, our friend the amendment of the Senate and agree to
that again because it is important.
from Utah, a member of the LDS the same with an amendment and the Senate There is strong bipartisan support for
Church, shook his head sadly and said: agree to the same, signed by a majority of State and local aid. There is not the
‘‘First, it was tea. Then, coffee. And the conferees on the part of both Houses. same broad bipartisan support for
now this!’’ (The conference report is printed in sweeping corporate immunity.
CORY’s version of this story comes the House proceedings of the RECORD of Second, the two policies are not re-
complete with his finest Hatch and December 3, 2020.) motely equivalent in terms of impor-
McConnell impersonations. Believe me, tance or relevance to what is going on
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
he has the voices down pat. in our country right now. When we talk
For 6 years, Coloradans have been The PRESIDING OFFICER. The about providing Federal aid so the
represented by this remarkable person Democratic leader is recognized. States don’t have to cut essential serv-
who lives and works with relentless CORONAVIRUS ices, we are talking about saving lives,
focus and infectious joy: globe-trotting Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, and we are talking about saving jobs.
diplomacy, a thick stack of signature with each passing day, we get another We are talking about boosting the
bills signed into law, and generational round of news underscoring how costly economy. According to the Congres-
accomplishments that were only pos- this pandemic has been. Yesterday, sional Budget Office, money for State
sible because he was here. over 3,000 Americans—3,000—died from and local government creates the best
CORY likes to say himself: ‘‘Not bad COVID–19, the highest single-day death bang for the buck for the economy
for a boy from Yuma, CO!’’ We know toll to date. from any spending Congress is consid-
what he means, but I have to observe If you were making a list of some of ering.
that CORY’s roots and his accomplish- the deadliest days in American history, State and local aid is a policy with a
ments are not in conflict—quite the your mind would jump to Gettysburg, nationwide reach. It would solve a real,
contrary. It is only because CORY Antietam, Pearl Harbor, or 9/11. You immediate problem. On the other hand,
GARDNER is exactly who he is that he is can now add to that somber list last when Republicans talk about giving
able to do what he does. Thursday, Wednesday, last Tuesday, corporate indemnity, they are talking
CORY, everyone knows darn well your last Friday, and yesterday. Each day, about a solution in search of a prob-
transition is no ‘‘retirement.’’ This is a nearly 2,500 Americans or more lost lem. To date, there have been 20—only
brief pause between great chapters. I their lives to COVID in the course of a 20-some-odd personal injury lawsuits
bet Jaime will call it a victory if she, single day. filed in the entire country.
Alyson, Thatcher, and Caitlyn can just Now time is running out for Congress The bottom line is, one provision
get you to sit still—just sit still—and to finish our most pressing priority: solves a real problem in our country;
stay home through the holidays. passing an emergency COVID relief bill the other does not. The two sides are
But we all know it will take about 5 to help American families in need. not remotely equivalent, and it is not a
minutes before you have found a dozen Right now, there is one clear path to trade that makes any sense in terms of
new ways to keep doing big things, getting an outcome: a bipartisan group the well-being of the American people.
winning victories on behalf of others, of Senators and House Members who Now, I know the Republican leader
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and paying forward the ways in which have reached an initial agreement on and Senate Republicans want to help
you have been blessed. Colorado and another emergency relief bill. In the small businesses and re-up the popular
your country aren’t finished with you spirit of compromise and for the sake PPP to help prevent businesses from
yet, not by a long shot. So thank you of getting something done for the folding and American workers from
for everything. We will miss you badly American people, Speaker PELOSI and I being laid off. So do I. So do Demo-
around here, but we can’t wait to see have endorsed those efforts as a frame- crats. Well, guess what. State and local
what course you chart next. work for a final bill. relief is also about American workers
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S7382 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
getting laid off too. If you want PPP so mine our democracy by indulging man. And soon journalism led to poli-
small businesses don’t lay off people, President Trump’s wild conspiracy tics. He served as chief of staff and ad-
why wouldn’t you want State and local theories about a stolen election. viser for several Kansas Governors, be-
aid so governments don’t lay off peo- Here in the Senate, the chairman of coming then the State Republican
ple? They are the same people who the Homeland Security Committee an- chairman.
need to feed their families, pay their nounced yesterday that next week he In 1952, my dad was asked to head up
rent, pay their mortgage, and get on will convene a hearing on ‘‘election the Citizens for Ike campaign, which
with life. irregularities.’’ When is this nonsense, was a genuine army of volunteers made
State and local relief is about Amer- detrimental to our democracy, going to up of legions of veterans, women’s
ican workers getting laid off. It is end? When? groups, and mostly Republicans who
about firefighters getting laid off. It is It is already deeply irresponsible for wanted a candidate who could win.
about first responders getting laid off. my Republican colleagues, many of Plus, they really liked Ike.
It is about teachers getting laid off, them, to stay silent about President At 16, in my dad’s tow, I was the ser-
busdrivers, sanitation workers, essen- Trump’s deliberate attempts to poison geant at arms at the 1952 convention,
tial employees—men and women who Americans’ faith in our elections. It is back when conventions actually chose
have been working since the pandemic deeply irresponsible that there hasn’t the nominee for President. I vividly re-
began and risking their lives to keep been a full-throated defense of the va- member two lasting experiences: The
our country moving. It is impossible to lidity of our elections by Republican renowned Senator from Illinois, Ever-
imagine any community in this coun- Senators and the Republican leader, ett Dirksen, was a key leader in the
try functioning without them. who still refuse to call Joe Biden Bob Taft campaign. Senator Dirksen,
And this morning we learned that an ‘‘President-Elect.’’ But to go one step known for his long, eloquent speeches,
additional 1.4 million Americans filed further and use a Senate committee as was in the midst of his convention re-
new unemployment claims—a huge a platform to spread misinformation marks when the entire New York dele-
spike from the previous week. If you about our own elections is beyond the gation, led by former Governor and
want to save jobs, if you want to make pale. Presidential candidate Tom Dewey,
sure those numbers don’t go up, we So, in conclusion, Chairman JOHNSON marched in, and with considerable
need PPP for small businesses, and we should call off this ridiculous charade noise they took their seats.
need State and local aid for our govern- of a Senate hearing immediately. If he Dirksen paused and, pointing directly
ments because both aid those entities won’t, Leader MCCONNELL should inter- at Dewey and with his booming voice,
and prevent people from being laid off vene to ensure that the committee does said this: You, sir, have led this party—
and unemployment from going up. not indulge such quackery and con- this Republican Party—down to defeat
The liability provisions of the leader spiracy theories, and he should ac- in 1944 and again in 1948. Don’t do it
have nothing to do with that and in knowledge the results of the election again.
Whereupon, the entire New York del-
fact only affect a very small number of and make clear it is time to move on,
egation stood up and gave Dirksen the
lawsuits. just as he was happy to do so when the
So if we are going to be here on the raspberry, and I thought: This is what
shoe was on the other foot. Doing oth-
adults do at a convention?
floor and talking about saving jobs, we erwise would add fuel to the fire that is (Laughter.)
have to talk about saving the jobs of undermining faith in our wonderful de- One morning I was in a meeting with
essential public employees. They de- mocracy. my dad with the top Ike campaign
serve our help too. They are no dif- TRIBUTE TO PAT ROBERTS brass—Dewey, Lodge, Brownell, and
ferent than anyone else, whether they Madam President, finally, just a other GOP movers and shakers. He told
are in a red State or a blue State. note: I, too, want to bid a fond, fond me to sit and be quiet. He was in the
Make no mistake, right now there is farewell to the Senator from Kansas, a midst of suggesting the ‘‘fair play’’
one person—just one person—standing wonderful guy and a great guy. amendment, given that the new Ike
in the way, and that is Leader MCCON- I learned how good he was when we delegates from the solid South had sur-
NELL. met on the basketball courts in the prised the old guard and won delegate
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION House. He set the best picks of any- seats at the State convention, only to
Madam President, now on another body. He would quietly sneak up on be replaced by the old guard at later
matter, despite the fact that the Presi- you, you would be dribbling or moving, surprise conventions. Unlike Mac-
dential election ended well over a and boom. He knows. Arthur, old guards never die or fade
month ago and that, by now, every sin- But as good as he was at picks, he away.
gle State in the country and the Dis- was very fine at legislating, and he is My dad said there was no downside if
trict of Columbia has certified results, just a fine human being whom I think they lost, and he believed they could
there are still many on the political just about every Member on this side of win a majority of delegates. The ‘‘fair
right who refuse to accept reality. the aisle will very much miss. play’’ amendment passed, and Ike won
Today, amazingly enough, 17 Repub- So, PATTY, we wish you and your on the first ballot. I thought to myself:
lican attorneys general will meet with family the very, very best. Wow. My dad actually helped Ike win.
President Trump to discuss their des- I yield the floor. I met the general. I shook his hand—
perate and wildly irresponsible lawsuit, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The dis- and then again at the 1953 inaugural
which aims to literally overturn the tinguished Senator from Kansas. ceremonies when my dad became the
will of the people on the grounds they FAREWELL TO THE SENATE Republican national chairman.
didn’t like the results. Mr. ROBERTS. Madam President, my It was these reflections, told to my
This has gone beyond ridiculous. No colleagues, first, I thank the leadership great friend and Medal of Honor recipi-
court in this country has found any of on both sides for this opportunity to ent Senator Danny Inouye, that
President Trump’s claims of wide- give a PAT ROBERTS ‘‘adios, amigos’’ prompted him to say: PAT, I fought for
spread voter fraud credible. No serious speech. Ike. You met him. It is up to you to get
State election official, Democrat or The story of how I got into politics is this memorial done.
Republican, has found them credible. a pretty straight family path. As a And after a 21-year effort, we did just
Even the Trump administration’s Jus- fourth-generation Kansan, my great- that, with help from Bob Dole, Jim
tice Department, so browbeaten into grandfathers on both sides of the Rob- Baker, Susan Eisenhower, the Eisen-
political activities over the past 4 erts-Patrick family were pioneer news- hower family, and Senator LISA MUR-
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years, has not found a scrap of evidence paper editors who came to Kansas as KOWSKI, who kept the Ike commission
that would affect the final result. crusading abolitionists. To say I bleed going through these tough years. Fi-
Yet, rather than accept the simple fourth-generation printer’s ink would nally, we now have an appropriate, if
truth that Joe Biden will be the next be very close to the truth. not stunning, memorial to the Kansan
President of the United States, there However, the main influence that who saved Western democracy and
are actually sitting Senators and Con- drew me to public service was my dad, World War II and led America onto the
gress Members who prefer to under- Wes Roberts, who was a newspaper world stage.
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7383
With the final dedication of the and restoration of our national parks. Armed Services Committee, I traveled
Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial at Upon Keith’s retirement, a group of to cities within what remained of the
the end of my Senate career, it is a full party stalwarts encouraged me to run. former Soviet Union. In one of the So-
family-circle accomplishment. If my I thought about it, talked to Franki. viet Union secret cities, we discovered
dad helped elect Ike, then the least I Franki simply said: Well, this is what a lab that had developed strains of
could do was to lead the effort to make you always wanted to do. Let’s do it. pathogens that could do irreparable
the memorial on the Mall to a great So for 9 months, with no paycheck or harm to our Nation’s food supply. Talk
general and President a reality. health insurance and limited savings, about an evil empire. I caution my col-
In a homecoming address, Eisen- with three young children, Dodge City leagues: That threat still exists, even
hower famously said: ‘‘The proudest became our home. Most sane can- as we endeavor to continue the world-
thing I can claim is that I am from Ab- didates would not attempt to go door- wide fight against COVID–19.
ilene.’’ He was a small-town Kansas to-door in a district larger than most It has taken over 20 years to respond
boy who saved Western democracy and States; however, with a lot of help, we to this threat with a biological con-
led the Nation for 8 years with peace won a tough primary and a not-so- tainment and research lab, and we are
and prosperity. tough general election—the first of 24 still not done. I have put a lifetime of
Well, I too come from a small town in straight victories. work into NBADF, the National Bio
Kansas. So how did this boy from Hol- I was ranking to Chairman Kika de la and Agriculture Defense Facility—
ton, KS, become the longest serving Garza when the 1994 revolution put Re- Paws from Manhattan, KS—home of
Member of Congress in Kansas history? publicans in the majority after being in Kansas State University with the ever
Like father, like son. I graduated from the wilderness for over 40 years. Sud- optimistic Wildcats, Manhattan, KS. It
K-State with a degree in journalism. denly I was chairman. will soon serve as the first line of de-
My father joined the Marines in World In 1996, we achieved a major farm fense to protect American agriculture
War II and saw action in both Okinawa policy reform, changing 40 years of and the world’s food supply.
and Iwo Jima. I joined in peacetime farm bill policy. To this day, farmers I have also been privileged to serve
and served in Okinawa and was part of still have the freedom to farm what on the HELP Committee. Thank you to
the first Marine contingent to return they want. LAMAR ALEXANDER and to PATTY MUR-
I have had the honor and privilege of
to Iwo Jima on the 15th anniversary of RAY for supporting my amendments,
representing Kansas for 16 years in the
that battle. especially with regard to rural
House and now 24 in the Senate. The
So from Marine captain to newspaper healthcare.
PAT ROBERTS of 1980 was fighting for And, finally, I have chaired the Sen-
editor and news director of a radio sta-
Kansas values and for the issues that
tion in Arizona, I dropped everything ate Ethics Committee for 24 years. I
affected the daily lives and pocket-
and drove to Washington when Senator have tried to resign twice. I don’t know
books of all Kansans.
Frank Carlson asked me to come and As the PAT ROBERTS of 1996, I prom- what I have done wrong, but I have
work for him. Within weeks of leaving ised that if elected to the Senate, when been a member of that committee for
Phoenix, I was the chief of staff for Kansas spoke, Washington would lis- what I am sure is a record 24 years. I
Senator Frank Carlson, a venerable ten. think they just want somebody there
and highly respected Senator who I have held six gavels in the House to say: Wait a minute. Fifteen years
made his mark on Kansas history as and Senate, and that in and of itself ago, we tried that, and it didn’t work.
the only person to serve our State as might be a record, but it is what hap- Maybe we ought to start over.
Congressman, Governor, Senator, UN pened during my tenures as chairman As I move out of my office—formerly
delegate, and the founder of the Na- that I believe I have had the most last- a veritable museum of pictures,
tional Prayer Breakfast. ing effects. It is not just having the awards, and stuff that we all collect—
Life changed dramatically at that gavel; it is what you do with it. all that remains are the barren beige
time. I always thought a bachelor was Taking part and leading eight farm walls, full of memories and stories—all
a man who did not make the same mis- bills in the House and the Senate, I of which, of course, are classified. How-
take once. have touched and improved many lives, ever, I still have my Marine Corps
(Laughter.) and I have always been mindful of what bumper sticker: ‘‘To err is human, to
Then into my life came a tall, blonde, farm families do for our Nation and a forgive is divine.’’ Neither is Marine
blue-eyed magnolia blossom from troubled and hungry world as we craft- Corps policy. Marines never give up.
South Carolina. Franki and I have been ed each bill. We take the hill. The discipline and
married for 51 years and have been I was fortunate that my first com- focus I learned in the Marine Corps
blessed with three children and eight mittee assignments were to serve on never failed me in my toughest battles
grandchildren. I am who I am because the Armed Services Committee as well here in the Senate. Semper fi. Semper
Franki is my wife and we are parents as Agriculture. Strom Thurmond was fi, Dan. And still in the office, of
to David, Ashleigh, Ann Wesley; Papa the very senior chairman who, as the course, is a framed statement with the
PAT to Lorena, Patrick, Sayaka, Lilly, country song goes, never even called advice of LBJ, Lyndon Baines Johnson:
Charlie—Charlie bear—Miles, Oliver, me by my name. I was recognized as ‘‘Sometimes you just have to hunker
and Graham. ‘‘the Senator who had the good sense to down like a jackass in a hailstorm and
My family is my crowning—my marry a fine, beautiful, South Carolina just take it.’’
crowning—achievement. girl.’’ On that note, if you want to avoid a
Senator Frank was a great mentor. (Laughter.) hailstorm, get a good staff. You are
He always said: There are no self-made My role on the Armed Services Com- only as good as your staff—and I have
men or women in public office; it is mittee was simple. It was to collect the the best staff in Washington. I know
your friends and family who make you small change left by the Air Force to everybody thinks that, but I really do
what you are. enable the Marine Corps to continue to because they always—they always took
He taught me a great lesson: Your be our Nation’s force in readiness, not the hill.
true friends stand behind you when you to mention the new Warfighting Lab. My chiefs of staff, Leroy Towns,
are taking the bows and beside you I also had the privilege of being the Jackie Cottrell, and Chad Tennpenny;
when there are any boos. Senate Intelligence Committee chair- my DC deputy chief of staff, Amber
Following the 2-year stint with the man for 4 years during the Iraq war and Kirchhoefer; and my Ag Committee
Senator, I was privileged to work 12 staff directors, Mike Seyfert, Joel
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led the committee’s investigation that
years for the newly elected Congress- exposed a worldwide intelligence fail- Leftwich, and James Glueck—they led
man from the big First District of Kan- ure—and it resulted in a blueprint of the posse. And they always checked to
sas as his chief of staff. the 9/11 Commission and a better intel- make sure that the herd was still there
Keith Sebelius was a wonderful man, ligence community that did keep our and we didn’t ride into any boxed can-
a leader on the House Agriculture Com- country safe. yons.
mittee and the Interior Committee, es- As chairman of the brandnew Emerg- To the staff currently in this Cham-
pecially with regard to improvements ing Threat Subcommittee within the ber with me, and those watching on C–
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S7384 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
SPAN, thank you. It has been an abso- the sidewalks and eventually on the year, President George W. Bush spoke
lute privilege and an honor to have you Mall itself. I was in a little Volks- at graduation in Greensburg. The size
call me boss. Always remember you are wagen. The police told me the parkway of that audience matched the size of
a family. I couldn’t have asked for a was closed. When they focused on the hope that Kansans had for their future
more loyal and dedicated or talented next drivers, I jumped the curb, and I and the rebuilding of their lives.
staff. took off on the parkway. I am reminded of the optimism of
To be a Member of this U.S. Senate is As bad as that period of time was, it those speeches and the optimism that I
a true privilege—a working family. It was not as bad as the military march have for our country. We endured these
is the greatest deliberative body in the on thousands of World War I veterans hardships. We came out on the other
world. But today as compared to when demonstrating on the Mall and setting side. We did it by changing the old nor-
I first came to the Senate, it is the de- up camp in the mid-1930s and demand- mal and creating a new normal.
liberative part that gives me great con- ing bonuses. President Hoover ordered Here in the Senate, only we can de-
cern. I regret the loss of comity—the them removed by the military—led by cide what our new normal is, and we
ability to work together or just to get none other than Douglas MacArthur, ought to get to know one another. We
along. Sadly, gridlock appears to be complete with a tank, horse cavalry— don’t know one another. We don’t have
the new normal. However, it doesn’t with swords—and armed troops. The to let the apparent gravitational pull
have to be this way. ‘‘bonus’’ vets were quickly dispersed of more and more politics and pursuit
I am very proud, I have had the privi- and rounded up. of power to change what our Founders
lege of being chairman of a committee Fast forward, the 1968 Chicago riots, gave us—the creation of a nation, of
that does get along, and we do get Kent State and the horrible shooting of liberty and freedom, the envy of the
things done—the Senate Agriculture students by untrained guardsmen. world, and to literally move the U.S.
Committee. And it is really not that Senator Bobby Kennedy, running for Senate from the moorings of its his-
hard. First, we represent the best of President, only suffered the same fate toric and great past to simply be a
our Nation—farmers, ranchers, grow- as his brother. rubberstamp for radical change.
ers, and the entire food value chain. We And then came Watergate. Those The beauty is that we can decide
know that we have a collective job to days were tough. It was almost impos- what our normal is. We don’t have to
do on their behalf—and we do just that. sible not to face the bitter splits over let circumstances dictate our future.
Second, we convene in a small hearing our political parties and even families. Let us, once again, become a body of
room—in pre-COVID times—right Today, we are in the midst of a respect, humility, cooperation,
across the table from each other. worldwide pandemic, and even that has achievement, and, yes, friendship. That
Third, for the most part, we actually fallen into politics. But it doesn’t have can and should be our new normal. The
know one another. to be. At home, Kansas has been dealt entire country could use a little bit of
I used to be the ranking Republican its fair share of hardships, but in Kan- what we say in Kansas: ad astra per
when Senator STABENOW was the chair- sas—as JERRY MORAN knows—we don’t aspera; to the stars through difficulty.
person. We worked together on the 2014 let disasters define us. We grab our So as my time in the Senate draws to
farm bill. In 2018, this wasn’t our first bootstraps and get to work. That is our a close, I have done my best to improve
rodeo. We knew, regardless of what normal. JERRY will remember multiple the lives of Kansans and all Americans,
each of us wanted, passing a farm bill prairie fires that have ravaged Kansas for decades, to accomplish big and
was paramount. We had an agree- farms and ranches: the Anderson Creek small things so that this generation
ment—no surprises, no press the other fire in 2016, the Starbuck fire in 2017. and future generations might live and
one did not know about. And we held Folks, these flames were 60 feet high achieve the American dream.
hearings together, all over the country. To Kansas, I say a humble thank you.
and moving 60 miles an hour. Those
I went to the campus of Michigan State Thank you for the privilege of rep-
folks have learned to adapt and build
and wore green and white; DEBORAH resenting you in this great body.
back with the help of USDA disaster To my colleagues, thank you for
came to Kansas State and wore purple. programs. fighting on behalf of our great Nation
We not only agreed to work together, Then we had the tale of Treece, KS—
and alongside me to preserve this
we gave staff marching orders to do the once a boom town, turned toxic waste
Chamber. It has been such a privilege.
same. We also became friends. I pro- dump. It was an extremely unsafe and
As I ride off into the sunset to create a
tected her and she protected me in con- unhealthy place for folks to live. We
new normal for Franki and me, I will
ference. And we got 87 votes, setting a worked with the Obama administration
be cheering for the Senate to rebuild
record for a farm bill—standing right and its EPA. I mean, really. No less, we
the bridges of comity that will create a
there now where our leader is now sit- relocated them to safer places, lit-
new normal.
ting. I was trying for 90. He said: What erally, and greener pastures because My colleagues, my time is up. Thank
do you want? I said: I want justice. He working across party lines is what we you for yours.
said: No, you want blood. do in Kansas. I yield the floor.
Now, ordinarily, we do not vote Let’s not forget about the EF tor- (Applause.)
alike—Senator STABENOW and myself— nado in 2007 that completely destroyed, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
but we remain friends. And that is the wiped out the community of Greens- SCOTT of Florida). The Senator from
way it should be. Friendship and com- burg, KS. I immediately called Presi- Kansas.
ity is the norm for the Ag Committee. dent Bush. He was up at Camp David. I TRIBUTE TO PAT ROBERTS
It could be for the whole Senate. called from a McDonald’s in the next Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, thank
Though, things in this great country town and asked for help. When I hung you.
are rocky, I have a news flash: These up, there were 25 people gathered Senator ROBERTS, thank you for your
really are not the worst of times. around me listening. comments.
When I first came to Washington in One old-timer, in his bib overalls, I am nervous today, and more nerv-
early 1967, our Nation experienced the said to me: PAT, was that the President ous now that I have heard you speak,
tragedy of the assassination of Dr. of the United States? because I am concerned that this may
Martin Luther King. Within hours, I said: You bet. be for the first time in our lives that I
Washington was on fire, marines on the He turned to his wife and said: Moth- have ever spoken longer than you.
Capitol steps with sandbags, automatic er, I told you. I told you PAT was a That makes me nervous.
weapons with live ammunition. Ad- talking to the President, and we would
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
‘‘I do solemnly swear that I will sup-
vised to leave the beltway, I mistak- get help. port and defend the Constitution of the
enly thought I could get to my parents’ And FEMA was there the next day. United States against all enemies, for-
apartment house. This was BF, before In a FEMA-issued tent, I talked to eign and domestic; that I will bear true
Franki. I wanted to take the Rock the graduating senior class, whose faith and allegiance to the same.’’
Creek Parkway. No traffic was moving, school and homes were but a pile of de- These are words spoken by PAT ROB-
tear gas in the air, random gunshots. I bris, and told them: You are the class ERTS more than once, but on Sep-
decided to jump the curb and drive on of hope and destiny. The following tember 15, 1958, age 22, PAT ROBERTS
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7385
joined the Marine Corps, and he has is the guy I want serving me and my port for crop insurance—there is no
lived by his oath, by his promise to do fellow Kansans. question that Kansas and American
exactly that every day thereafter and He won that election in January of farmers, ranchers, and producers had a
in every job he pursued here in the 1981 and became a House Member rep- strong voice in Congress as a result of
Congress of the United States, in the resenting the First Congressional Dis- PAT ROBERTS being here.
House and the Senate. trict of Kansas, known in our State as He is distinguished by being the first
He indicated he served as the chief of ‘‘The Big First.’’ The geography of that Member of Congress to chair both the
staff for Senator Frank Carlson, one of district today—and almost true when House and Senate Agriculture Commit-
those Kansans who served the U.S. Sen- PAT was the Congressman—is the size tees. In the next Congress, we will
ate and is so highly regarded even of the State of Illinois. The largest city begin the process of writing another
today. He served as the chief of staff is Salina, which then had a population farm bill, and it will be the first farm
for Congressman Keith Sebelius. of about 35,000. It is a rural place, and bill since the Agriculture and Food Act
I met PAT ROBERTS 50 years ago, in it fit the PAT ROBERTS’ mode of rep- of 1981 that will be written without
1969. A few years later, in 1974, I be- resentation, which was, I know them PAT ROBERTS’ direct influence.
came an intern in the office of Con- and they know me. However, Senator ROBERTS’ legacy
gressman Sebelius. PAT has been my He was elected with a significant ma- and impact on farm policy will be felt
boss for 45 years. jority of voters. He won seven times to for generations to come as a result of
When I describe PAT, I tell people our be reelected to the House of Represent- his work in the 1996 Freedom to Farm
most common conversation is never atives. He never received less than 60 Act, the 2000 Agriculture Risk Protec-
spoken. It is symbols. PAT does this: percent of the vote, and in his last elec- tion Act that modernized crop insur-
Come here; sit down. Every time I tell tion to the House of Representatives, ance, and many, many other pieces of
PAT this, he, in his Jack Benny voice, he received nearly 78 percent of Kan- consequential legislation.
will say: ‘‘Now cut that out.’’ But for 45 sans’ approval. Sitting on those wagon In his early years in the Senate, as
years: Come here; sit down. tongues and listening in on those coffee Senator ROBERTS indicated, he led the
And PAT, while you discount that and klatches had its consequence. Intelligence Committee. This was dur-
I highlight it, it has been some of the It is the kind of politics that PAT de- ing the 9/11 attacks. Under his leader-
most enjoyable time in my life, where scribed that I hope we return to, in ship, the committee conducted a
I have had the opportunity to be your which it is all about taking care of sweeping and exhausting review of U.S.
friend and to listen to what you had to Kansans, taking care of Americans, intelligence, which led to critical re-
say. I suppose if I thought long and setting aside our differences and find- forms to put us in a better position to
hard, I might find something that ing common ground, just as Kansans— know more and protect Americans bet-
wasn’t good advice, but I can’t remem- particularly, rural Kansans—have to do ter. That work in intelligence reform
ber it. So everything in those cir- in their community. earned him a spot in a very distin-
cumstances was something that I con- On January 3, 1997, PAT was sworn in guished guest speaker program, the
tinue to value today. I learned some- as a Member of this body. I asked prestigious Landon Lecture Series of
thing in every conversation. Robin, my wife, what it is I might say Kansas State University.
Knowing PAT for 50 years, I told him today. She said she remembers in Combining his experience in agri-
that he just keeps me around and he about early 1996—maybe late 1995—she culture, intelligence, and in defense,
puts up with me because I have at least answered the phone, and it was PAT Senator ROBERTS has laid the ground-
heard of the people he knows. ROBERTS. What he said was, Tell JERRY work for the National Bio and Agro-de-
He does know people. PAT and I both to put his running shoes on. fense Facility at his alma mater in
grew up in times of politics in which PAT ROBERTS gave me the advantage Manhattan, KS. It brings great oppor-
your relationship with voters, your re- of knowing his plans well in advance of tunity to our State, and we are so
lationship with constituents, your rela- the public or potential opponents, and pleased to have PAT’s accomplishments
tionship with Kansans was paramount. set the stage in my life as somebody benefit the country and our State for
PAT knew the school superintendent in whom you would look at and think generations to come.
every community. PAT knew the execu- there is no chance of ever being a U.S. PAT ROBERTS deserves great credit
tive of the chamber of commerce and Senator, but PAT ROBERTS found value for the Eisenhower Memorial. I have
the newspaper editor. He knew the in me and gave me the opportunity to been around this issue for a long time.
president of the county Farm Bureau. serve where I serve today. I never It has been challenging from the get-
I don’t know how many times I heard thought I would catch up with Pat in go. Nothing was easy, and controversy
PAT say: I am going home to talk to the House of Representatives. I never apparently follows every new memorial
the coffee klatch in Dodge City or I am thought I would catch up with PAT on the National Mall. I have no doubt
going to sit on the wagon tongue and I ROBERTS in the U.S. Senate, but be- that in the absence of PAT’s leadership,
am going to hear from Kansans what cause he and his friends took an inter- his bringing people together and per-
they have to tell us. est in me and because this is America, haps, yes, his sense of humor, Kansans’
Politics, as you heard from Senator that became possible. President Eisenhower would never be
ROBERTS, is in his blood and in his fam- PAT is only the 34th Kansan to serve seen honored and respected at the me-
ily—Wes Roberts, the chairman of the a term in the U.S. Senate. I like that morial we now have.
Republican National Committee; number. PAT will recognize that 34 is He, Senator ROBERTS, advocates for
Frankie Roberts, the staff person for special to Kansans. We are the 34th policies he believes in. He compromises
Strom Thurmond. It is in his blood and State admitted to the Union, and he is when necessary, and he always has a
in his family. It is not just politics, but the 34th Senator to serve a term from way of bringing everyone together,
public service. Kansas in this body. often with a joke ready to ease the ten-
In 1980, PAT ROBERTS decided to be an PAT ROBERTS told me to put my run- sions when things get stressful.
office holder, not an office staffer. The ning shoes on, gave me a chance, and I always used to tell him: I saw that,
first letter I ever wrote to an editor of we have had those running shoes on for once again, you became the funniest
a Kansas paper was to my hometown, a long time thereafter. Member of Congress. You got an award.
where his primary opponent lived. I PAT is that fourth generation Kansan He always would correct me: No, I
supported PAT ROBERTS in a letter to who knows us. I would say one of his am not the funniest Member; I am the
the editor when his opponent was greatest contributions to our State, to
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
most humorous Member.
somebody who was highly regarded and the Midwest, and to the country has Many times he has been designated
a friend of mine. But PAT ROBERTS’ been his distinguished career in leader- the most humorous Member of Con-
friendship and his commitment—who ship in agriculture. The farm bills that gress.
he is as a human being and his sworn he mentioned, the work with Demo- Some of the most important work he
oath—told me that PAT ROBERTS was crats and Republicans coming to- has done for Kansans won’t be memori-
the person I wanted to be my Congress- gether, fighting for competitive and alized in laws passed or signed into law
man. The constituent in me said: This fair markets for our producers, the sup- here in Washington, DC, but in the
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S7386 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
meaningful change he made back home guess, in knowing PAT, is that his role geration, but his legacy can hardly be
among the people whom he and I care model—the person he may admire the overstated. He has left a lasting im-
for and love. How about the rural hos- most—is that Kansan Dwight Eisen- print on farm and food policy in this
pitals he fought for to keep their doors hower. In the book ‘‘How Ike Led,’’ country. As has been said, he is the
open or the family farms that are still which PAT gave us all a copy of, I read only person to have written a farm bill
operating because of decisions and ef- that Ike led with a sense of humor as as both the chairs of the House and
forts he made? He has consistently, part of the art of leadership of getting Senate Agriculture Committees.
continuously fought to get farmers and along with people and getting things Those of us who have had the honor
ranchers, to get rural communities, to done. He also said the supreme quality of working alongside PAT on the Sen-
get the people of Kansas the right re- for leadership was, unquestionably, in- ate Agriculture Committee know there
sources at the right time. tegrity. Without it, no real success was is no other place like it. It is a place
I have had the challenge of following possible no matter whether it was on a where we leave politics at the door and
in politics in my life, in both the House section gang, a football field, in the focus on ways we can improve people’s
and the Senate, those humorous peo- Army, or in an office. lives and livelihoods in rural America.
ple—PAT ROBERTS being one. The PAT ROBERTS, I have no doubt that We do that because we know agri-
greatest challenge, probably for both of you have lived up to that role model— culture isn’t a red issue or a blue issue.
us, is Bob Dole. How can you ever fol- that Kansan who is esteemed around Agriculture and food policy affect all
low Bob Dole in any way and how can the world—and you have led like Ike of us—everyone—and nobody knows
you compete with his sense of humor led. I thank you and your staff for all that better than Senator ROBERTS.
and, particularly, his wit? So I asked that you have done for Kansas and for Senator ROBERTS and I have never
Senator Dole what it is I might say on America. I thank you for what you given up on farm bills, and we never
this floor to honor PAT ROBERTS. As have done for me and our team. Your gave up on passing the 2018 farm bill
usual, he took my responsibilities mom and your dad—your dad, you say, even when it got tough. At the begin-
away from me and said: Here, just read got you started in this politics world. I ning of the negotiations, we made a
this. knew your mom; I never met your dad. commitment to work together. We vis-
So these are the words of Bob Dole: They would be so proud of you for the ited each other’s home States. In fact,
One of my first memories of Pat was when service that you are completing this twice we visited. I arrived in the Little
he worked for the late great Sen. Pat Carl- term. Apple of Manhattan, KS, wearing K-
son. Of course that was well over 50 years To Franki, David, Ashleigh, and State purple, which, again on his be-
ago, when Pat was just a young child and I Anne-Wesley, thank you for your sup- half, I am wearing today. Then, a few
was . . . well . . . maybe just a teenager. Pat port and engagement. It is not PAT weeks later, PAT came to
has the best sense of humor of anyone in ROBERTS—it is the family—and you Frankenmuth, MI, and wore an MSU
Congress—I’m not sure how he acquired it, green tie.
have all been engaged in his politics
but I know it serves him well today. Pat—I
and his public service day in and day Around this time, we also made a
honestly don’t know what it is like to be re-
tired, but people tell me it’s great. Be fore- out. commitment to each other to write a
warned, though, the rest of the world doesn’t Robba and I wish you and Franki ab- bipartisan farm bill. Throughout the
operate exactly like the Senate . . . solutely the best. entire process, I never doubted that
If anything goes wrong or breaks at home, I told a Kansas farmer what I was PAT had my back, even when negotia-
your trusted Chief of Staff isn’t on speed dial doing but didn’t ask him for any advice tions got tough, and he knew I had his
to put out the fires. Plus, there’s nobody to as to what to say. His last comment— back as well. Thanks to this partner-
dial your calls for you anyway. he is a rancher from Elkhart—was, ‘‘As ship, we achieved the most bipartisan
Put your alarm clock up for sale on eBay—
a Kansan, I would want to know that bill in history. As he said, the first
(1) somebody out there might want to buy a
beat-up clock once owned by a famous Sen- my Senator fought for my values in DC time around, it was 86 votes, and then
ator and (2) you won’t need to wake up early and that the Senator did everything he the final bill was 87 votes. That was the
ever again in your life . . . unless you just could to ensure our part of the world most ‘‘yes’’ votes on a farm bill ever.
want to go sit in the D.C. traffic for old was a priority to the Nation.’’ We were able to do that because we had
time’s sake. To the rancher in Elkhart, PAT ROB- a unique partnership built on trust and
You’ll have to brew your own coffee . . . so ERTS is exactly that—a Kansan who mutual respect, and the outcome was a
buy one of those space-age looking contrap- fought for our values at home while in strong, bipartisan bill that provided
tions or make friends with your local
Washington and did everything he certainty for farmers—from wheat
barista.
You’ll have to share elevators with the could do to ensure that our part of the farmers in Kansas to cherry growers in
rest of the world now, so just stop looking world was not forgotten in this part of Michigan. Part of that certainty was
for that ‘‘Senators Only’’ sign. the world. with special crop insurance, and no-
Your grandkids are now your information So, PAT, I guess you said thank you body deserves more credit for the foun-
technology department, so reward them ac- to Kansans, and you said thank you to dation of that important safety net
cordingly if you want your computer to be this Senate. I think it is time for me to than Senator PAT ROBERTS.
up and running. Or just ask Alexa. say in return, on behalf of all Kansans, PAT is also a champion for food secu-
But in all seriousness, Pat, you’ve earned thank you for your service to our Na- rity and agriculture exports and agri-
some time off for a job well done in Congress
tion and to our State. For a life being culture research, which is why he and I
over these past 40 years. Kansas has cer-
tainly benefited from your steadfast leader- well lived, you are the example. Thank worked together to establish the Foun-
ship. You care about the Sunflower State, you. dation for Food and Agriculture Re-
and you care about our nation—and that’s The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- search in the 2014 farm bill. He also un-
always been what matters most. Your ator from Michigan. derstands the importance of protecting
strength of character, plain-spoken opti- Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I food assistance for children and for
mism, and determination to make a positive rise to pay tribute to someone who has families. I was honored to share the
difference in people’s lives—that’s what peo- been more than a colleague, who has Food Research and Action Center Dis-
ple will remember about your legacy of pub- been more than just a friend. In fact, tinguished Service Award with Senator
lic service here. You’re a great American and
a dear friend, and Elizabeth and I wish you
he has been a true partner in this Sen- ROBERTS last year for our teamwork.
nothing but the best for you and Franki from ate, and that has paid huge dividends Above all, it has been an honor work-
here on out. One important point of clari- for farmers and families and commu- ing with PAT because he is truly one of
nities across our country. a kind. From the moment I met him, it
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fication, though—the filibuster simply
doesn’t work at home. Senator PAT ROBERTS has been here became abundantly clear that he was
God Bless America, in the Senate for a long time. Some not the run-of-the-mill politician.
BOB DOLE. might even call him an institution. In Some say it is his unflappable nature.
I know that all of us and Kansans fact, at a recent Ag Committee event, Others say it is his unique sense of
have great regard for Senator Dole. I I joked that, as a young man, he ad- humor. Yet, to me, PAT ROBERTS is de-
also know that Kansans and all of us vised George Washington on farm pol- fined by his loyalty, his integrity, and
have great regard for PAT ROBERTS. My icy. That might be a bit of an exag- his dedication to the people of Kansas.
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7387
He started his career as a first lieu- been unique for you. She has been a and end up serving there, but nobody
tenant in the Marine Corps. It is clear great influence on you. We are going to could have been more encouraging or
he has carried that courage and convic- miss you. I am going to miss that kind. I had a great meeting with him.
tion with him throughout his entire humor every day. Godspeed. We talked about agriculture. I am
life. As he said, he was also a news- Mr. President, today, I would like to grateful that I have had the oppor-
paper reporter, which makes sense speak about my longtime colleague tunity to get to know him pretty well
when you think about his dogged deter- and friend, Senator PAT ROBERTS. here during my time in the Senate.
mination and, for better or worse, his PAT and I have served together in One of the reasons we have so much
ability to be exceptionally quotable. As Congress for 40 years. It comes as no common ground is we both come from
a public servant, he is so beloved in his surprise that he is the longest-serving States where agriculture is incredibly
home State of Kansas that he has member of the Kansas delegation. important. It is the No. 1 industry in
never lost an election—a record 24 and Born in Topeka, PAT graduated from South Dakota. I have had the privilege
0. If only his K-State Wildcats could be Kansas State University (K-State) and of serving on the Ag Committee with
so lucky. served as an officer in the U.S. Marine PAT now for more than a decade. I call
(Laughter.) Corps, achieving the rank of First him ‘‘my chairman’’ since he has been
Senator PAT ROBERTS, it has been an Lieutenant. my chairman on the Ag Committee for
honor to be your partner and an even He went on to work for Senator so long. He calls me ‘‘Coop’’—a mon-
bigger honor to be your friend. So, Frank Carlson and later Congressman iker he gave me very early in our ac-
while your retirement is well-deserved, Keith Sebelius, whom he succeeded in quaintance because he says I look like
you will be deeply missed on the Agri- the House of Representatives in 1980. Gary Cooper. Now, I have to admit that
culture Committee and in the Senate. PAT and I were colleagues in the the first time he called me that I had
Thank you for all you have done for House. It was there that we first be- to look up some pictures to see if that
farmers and families and for the Amer- came friends. were a compliment or not, but I know
ican people. I wish you only continued In 1996, PAT was elected to represent that he meant it that way. Whenever
Kansas in the U.S. Senate and is cur- he introduced me at the Ag Committee,
happiness and success as you and
rently finishing his fourth term. it was always, ‘‘Coop, it’s high noon.
Franki and the family move to this
PAT ROBERTS has had quite the ca- You’re up.’’ ‘‘High Noon’’ was a famous
next piece of your life.
I yield the floor. reer in public service. Over his four movie in which Gary Cooper starred
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- decades in Congress, he has served as with Grace Kelly.
Of course, PAT is, I would say, some-
ator from Alabama. chairman of the House Agriculture
body who is very accomplished in talk-
Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, my Committee, the Senate Ethics Com-
ing about movies from that era and
seatmate here, PAT ROBERTS, is going mittee, the Senate Intelligence Com-
stars from that era. He knows a little
to be missed not just by the whole Sen- mittee, and the Senate Agriculture
bit about everything and a lot about a
ate, not by the Nation, not by the peo- Committee.
few things. I call him ‘‘my chairman,’’
ple of Kansas, but by a lot of us he PAT ROBERTS is the first Member of
as I said, because he has been there for
keeps going day-to-day and has for a Congress in history to have chaired
an awfully long time, and he never
long time. both the House Agriculture Committee minds the stories and nicknames. They
I first met PAT ROBERTS in 1979. I had and the Senate Agriculture Committee. are quintessentially PAT. It is just the
just been elected in 1978 to the U.S. He has also served as the ranking way that he conducts himself.
House of Representatives. As has been member on each of those committees. Somebody talked about his sense of
said here today, he was the chief of In 2018, Senator ROBERTS became the humor here this morning. I think Sen-
staff of distinguished Congressman first Member of Congress to write and ator MORAN talked about PAT’s being a
Keith Sebelius, who was well recog- pass farm bill in both Chambers. funny guy in the Senate and of PAT’s
nized and well respected on both sides Over the years, his dedication to the saying he was not a funny guy but a
of the aisle. PAT was his chief of staff. people of Kansas has been extraor- humorous guy. I would say he is a
Our paths crossed later when he was dinary and inspiring. funny person. He is a comedian by na-
elected to the Senate. We served on the He arrived on Capitol Hill as a staffer ture, and he keeps all of us entertained
Intelligence Committee together and in 1967—and is leaving Washington as with his repertoire of country music
on other committees. the longest serving Member of Con- lyrics, his old movie quotes, and just a
He is unique. That wit of his, I gress in his State’s history. storytelling flair. You can be sure that,
think—the humor—is genetic. He has a It is also worth noting that he never if you are going to be around PAT for
daughter who is like that, which is lost a race. Not once. very long, you are going to have a few
wonderful, I think. I told PAT one time: PAT ROBERTS will undoubtedly be belly laughs.
That must be an inherited char- missed in the Senate by his peers on I always tell him—and I think it is
acteristic. He smiled. He understood. both sides of the aisle. true, and I think you have kind of
Yet PAT ROBERTS is a lot more than Senator ROBERTS is currently my heard it today—when he gets up on the
just a little humor to me; he is a seri- deskmate on the Senate floor. I know I floor and speaks or when he speaks at
ous person. He has had, as you know, a will miss his congeniality and humor a committee hearing, that when you
distinguished career as a Kansas State during our conversations. close your eyes, you kind of hear Paul
graduate, a Marine officer, a staffer, a Annette and I have enjoyed spending Harvey. Senator MORAN said he sound-
Congressman, and one who has chaired time with PAT and Franki over the ed like Jack Benny once in a while, and
both Ag Committees in the House and years. We wish them all the best. maybe that is true, too. What I always
Senate, which has never been done—40 I yield the floor. knew when I was growing up was that
years of elected office between the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Paul Harvey was a voice that was on
House and the Senate. ator from South Dakota. the radio pretty much every day in our
We are going to miss you, PAT. I am Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I first house, and I hear that same sort of
going to miss you. I have sat here with met PAT ROBERTS when I was running Midwestern, resonant, and
you, and I have sat all over the Senate for the U.S. House of Representatives commonsensical voice whenever I hear
with you. for the very first time. I had a friend PAT get up and talk.
I will tell you, if you are feeling down who worked for PAT, and he got me a But I will tell you that PAT may have
about something or if you are feeling meeting with him, which, at the time,
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
a great sense of humor—he does keep
bleak that day, PAT will either was a pretty big deal because he was us constantly smiling around here,
straighten you out or make you think the chairman of the House Ag Com- which is something we don’t do near
that this is not all bad, that America is mittee, and I was in a Republican pri- often enough, particularly these days—
coming together, and that it is always mary, where I was over 50 points be- but he is also very, very serious when
coming together. hind. So the prospects weren’t really it comes to getting things done for the
So, PAT, you have your great family bright that I was ever going to be people of Kansas, and they couldn’t
up here with you today. Franki has somebody who would make it through have a better advocate.
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S7388 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
As I said, both PAT and I come from they have contributed to his success chair that committee for 24 years is a
States whose lifeblood is agriculture, here. There aren’t any of us who are testament of every single Senator here
and PAT ROBERTS’ heart has always here who don’t have a supportive fam- saying how much they believe in this
beat with the farmers of this country. ily, supportive spouse. We are truly man’s integrity.
His advocacy for American agriculture grateful for the many contributions I was honored a couple of years ago
resulted in his serving as chairman of that Franki and the family have made when PAT asked me to serve on the Ei-
both the House and the Senate Agri- to PAT’s accomplishments here, his senhower Memorial Commission. It was
culture Committees during his career, success in the Senate, and I know he is a true honor for me, and I will say I
and, as already been noted, he is the looking forward to spending more time saw again one of the great qualities of
first Member of Congress in history— with them in the future. Senator ROBERTS’ tenacity. On a rainy
first in history—to have served as the PAT, thank you for your leadership, night a few months ago, I attended the
chairman of both the House Agri- for your friendship. May God bless you dedication ceremony of President Ei-
culture and the Senate Agriculture in your retirement. I will miss you. senhower and watched as America cele-
Committee. I yield the floor. brated a great American, a great Kan-
He is also the first Member of Con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- san, and there is one person who really
gress to have written and passed a farm ator from Alaska. made that a reality—Senator PAT ROB-
bill in both Chambers. I think he has Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I rise ERTS.
worked, as was said earlier, on eight also to say farewell to a truly great So today we say farewell to another
farm bills in all, which is an incredible Senator, Senator PAT ROBERTS. great Kansan and a great American,
number. And I am proud to have He has been a friend and a mentor of my good friend Senator PAT ROBERTS.
worked with him on three farm bills in mine in the U.S. Senate. He has been a Thank you, sir, for the example, for
the Senate, including the 2018 farm leader, and there is no doubt—we are the mentorship, for the friendship, and
bill, which passed the Senate with the hearing it all—about all his accom- your great service to the Senate, to
greatest number of votes of any farm plishments. He is certainly one of the Kansas, to America, and to the U.S.
bill in Senate history—a tribute to the great State of Kansas’s most accom- Marine Corps. Semper Fi.
plished Senators ever. I yield the floor.
hard work that PAT and his staff put The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
into building consensus and reaching But I would be remiss if I didn’t men-
tion that he is also a great Senator for ator from Kansas.
out to Members from all across this Mr. MORAN. I suggest the absence of
country who represent different areas, another group of proud Americans, and
a quorum.
different commodities, different crops, that would be the U.S. Marine Corps. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
and bringing them together to write a Senator ROBERTS has taken care of the clerk will call the roll.
farm bill. U.S. Marines during his entire tenure The legislative clerk proceeded to
I have been around here long enough here. If the marines needed something, call the roll.
and been associated with enough farm they knew where to go—the great Sen- Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask
bills to know that they tend to be kind ator from Kansas. unanimous consent that the order for
of controversial because some people As you know, most Senators wear the quorum call be rescinded.
represent cities and maybe don’t have their Senate pin here, indicating that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
agricultural constituencies. So the fact they are a Senator. We are proud to objection, it is so ordered.
that PAT was successful in getting a wear that. For the years I have known H.R. 6395
farm bill across the finish line here in Senator ROBERTS—he is probably doing Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I sound a
the Senate with a record 87 votes is a it again today—he wears his pin, but little redundant here because we have
remarkable accomplishment in and of sometimes and usually he actually been talking about this bill for a long
itself. wears the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, time now, for several months. People
Of course, PAT’s leadership, as has al- showing—and I think he has one on don’t realize how long it takes to get a
ready been pointed out, hasn’t been right now—where so much of his loy- defense authorization bill all the way
limited to agriculture. Among other alty lies—with the U.S. Marine Corps. through the system. There is no doubt
things, he has served as chairman of So I know that the marines are cer- in my mind that this is the most im-
the Senate Intelligence Committee, tainly going to miss Senator ROBERTS. portant bill of the year, every year,
where he led a sweeping review of the I am certainly going to miss Senator and the importance, I think, is pretty
U.S. intelligence apparatus and ad- ROBERTS. well demonstrated by the fact that we
vanced a number of reforms to shore up You know, just like in his remarks have successfully passed a defense au-
our intelligence and our national secu- today, he is a man of great wit, great thorization bill every year for 60 years.
rity. Then there is his work on bio- stories, and I have had the honor to And I feel we will do the same thing. It
sciences, military issues, education, hear so many of these stories, and a lot could be today, it could be tomorrow,
healthcare, and the list goes on and on of these stories, of course, for me, in- but nonetheless, it is a bill that has to
and on. volve Alaska and the late great Sen- pass.
PAT has proudly represented the peo- ator Ted Stevens, who was also a very Now, when President Trump came
ple of Kansas in Congress for 40 years— close friend of PAT’s, in the seat which into office 4 years ago, we had a prob-
16 in the House of Representatives and I am honored to hold here in the U.S. lem. He inherited a military that had
now 24 in the U.S. Senate—but, as has Senate. I have learned so much from serious problems. In fact, during the
already been mentioned as well, his these stories that I heard from Senator last 4 years of the previous administra-
public service began long before that ROBERTS. tion—that would have been 2010 to
with his time as an officer in the U.S. Most importantly, he has been a 2015—the President depleted the budget
Marine Corps. Once a marine, always a great example for me and so many or reduced the budget for military by
marine. PAT has proudly represented other Senators. He is a statesman, a 25 percent.
the marines here in Congress. He is marine, an optimist. You heard it in I don’t say that really critically of
currently the most senior marine serv- his remarks today. We need more of President Obama because he had dif-
ing here on Capitol Hill. that. He is a family man, a dedicated ferent priorities. He was up-front about
The motto of the Marine Corps is husband for over 50 years to a beau- it and didn’t consider this to be high
‘‘Semper Fidelis’’—always faithful. tiful, wonderful wife; a leader in the enough of a priority. Now, the sad
PAT has lived out that motto over his Senate—six chairmanships—who gets thing about this is that at the same
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long career of service to our country, things done for his State and for his time that he was reducing our military
and I hate to think of a Senate without country; and finally, a man of integ- spending by 25 percent, Russia was in-
PAT ROBERTS. He will be sorely missed, rity—of integrity. creasing theirs threefold and China’s
but he has more than earned his retire- You know, it is tough duty to be the was increased by 83 percent. So we
ment and a chance to spend more time chairman of the Senate Ethics Com- dropped ours by 25 percent, and at the
with his wife Franki and his children mittee, but the Senate Ethics Com- same time, China increased theirs 83
and grandchildren. I know how much mittee is much needed here, and to percent. That is really serious.
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7389
People have this assumption that I think having the best weapons and mention the names of and show his ap-
America has the best of everything and equipment is critical, to be sure, but preciation for the Democrats that
that we don’t have any problem out we also need the infrastructure and worked in the minority, and I want us
there, but we do, and we found several manpower to support it. Over the past to do the same thing for the Repub-
systems where they were actually get- several years, Congress has provided licans in the majority.
ting ahead of us. So, working with Con- the military with significant funding John Bonsell—I don’t think there is a
gress, we passed the NDAA appropria- increases and authorizations to begin person in Washington, DC, who knows
tions bill. We secured nearly $3 trillion and continue critical military con- more about the military than John
in funding for our Nation’s defense. struction projects overseas, as well as Bonsell does. And he put together a
This year alone, the administration in our country. group of people. These are all experts.
will provide more than $740 billion for These military construction projects They all work—you know, people don’t
resources our military needs to keep can be found everywhere—from Arkan- understand this, but I am talking
our country and our troops safe. sas to South Carolina, Oklahoma to about weekends, Sundays, times that
The fiscal year 2021 National Defense California, and Missouri to Massachu- they have to work to get these things
Authorization Act cements President setts, and all across the country. These done and to get that bill into position,
Trump’s hard work to restore our mili- investments will also build on our im- because you have to pass it through
tary to be the best fighting force. That provements to family housing. the Senate, and you have to go onto
is what we are supposed to be doing in I have heard people complain about the Senate floor. Then you have to go
America. The NDAA authorizes critical what we do for the military in this to the House and the House committee
investments to protect our military ad- country, and they try to say that we and the House floor, and then you have
vantage across all domains, from the are spending more on our military than to have a conference.
skies to the seas and even now through both China and Russia put together. There are some things in this bill
space, a whole new program. Yeah, that is true, but there is a reason that we avoided having—and I am
With the President’s leadership last for that, and the reason for that is that thankful that we did, quite frankly—
year, the NDAA created the Space the most expensive thing in building a that the House wanted and the Senate
Force. It is the first time there has military is individuals—what we are didn’t want. We were able to iron out
been a new branch since 1947, and that spending on individuals, on housing, these differences and get them done.
happened this year. This year’s NDAA and on all these things. But to do that, we had to work long
makes sure that it is set up success- Now, when you are dealing with it, hours. I can assure you that the staff
fully. and looking at Communist countries, worked a lot longer hours than I did.
One of the things about the Space and you look at Russia and you look at So I single these people out as really
Force that I think people who are China, they don’t take care of their experts, and I want to show them ap-
somewhat critical of—we were doing a people. They don’t have that expense, preciation, and I am just going to read
good job in space before without the and that is why we spend more than them off to you here: John Bonsell. We
Space Force, but the fact that we can they do. You know, just in the last 2 know about John Bonsell. We know
concentrate all those efforts in one years, what we have done to improve what he has done. He has been with me
force and be on equal footing—because housing for our troops—troops and since he was, years ago, stationed at
that is exactly what our primary prob- their families—other people don’t do Fort Sill in my State of Oklahoma. He
lem is out there with China and Russia. that, but we do it. So that is why it is has been with me, and he has been
They both have what would be in their so significant that we do this. heading up this group and putting the
interpretation a space force, so it was I have a concern that I would like to group together.
important that we did, too, and that share, and I hesitate to do this because This group consists of: John Wason,
was the right thing to do. it will take a little bit of time. People Tom Goffus, Stephanie Barna, Greg
This also authorizes the procurement out there don’t realize, in a bill like Lilly, Marta Hernandez, Rick Berger,
of 93 F–35s, the Joint Strike Fighters, this, what all goes into it. I looked at Jennie Wright, Adam Barker, Adam
to continue the rebuilding of our over- the people who are heading this thing Trull, Al Edwards, Sean O’Keefe, Brad
worked combat aircraft. It also in- up, and, yesterday, Senator REED Patout, Jason Potter, Katie Sutton,
cludes authorizations for C–130J air- talked about the Democrats and the Eric Trager, TC Williams, Otis
craft, which will modernize our fleet, Republicans and their staff people, who Winkler, Gwyneth Woolwine, Katie
used for transportation of personnel worked so hard. Let me say this: We Magnus, Leah Brewer, Debbie
and also for refuelers and things that could not have done this without the Chiarello, Gary Howard, Tyler
we have to do in the military. That is cooperation and the love that we have Wilkinson, John Bryant, Griffin Can-
an upgrade of the old version. The J for each other, with Senator REED. I non, Keri-Lyn Michalke, Soleil Sykes,
model of the C–130 is a great vehicle. mean, he heads up the minority, and I Brittany Amador, and Jillian
We have to have it authorized and all head up the majority, and we want, to- Schofield.
of the priorities set. That is what this gether, to make sure we have the best Now, these people, they are just
bill does. product in the world and that we get names to a lot of other people, but each
We also have authorized the procure- the best of everything for our troops in one has just really performed long and
ment of nine new battle force ships, in- the field. hard hours. There has been more staff
cluding the Virginia-class submarines. So I want to really single out Sen- work go into this bill than any other
We talked about that for a long time, ator REED for all the work that he has bill that is before us, than anytime
and now we are finally doing that. done. He has been a great partner and year round.
Another area that we have been friend throughout this process. And we So I just appreciate so much the hard
doing is our nuclear forces. Our Presi- want to thank our colleagues in the work that has gone there, and we will
dent has been a champion for our nu- House also—Congressman SMITH and pass this bill. It is one that if we don’t
clear modernization efforts—and for Congressman THORNBERRY. We all pass it, we are not going to give the re-
good reason. Our nuclear deterrent is worked together. sources necessary for our kids in the
the cornerstone of our national secu- You know, I have been involved in a field to have the safety that we can
rity. The NDAA ensures that our Na- lot of these things, and they always provide them and to have the equip-
tion wields a safe and reliable nuclear end up in the Big 4. That is where you ment.
deterrent by authorizing the resources have the leading Democrat and Repub- We want to get to the point where we
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needed to modernize. lican in the House and Democrat and have the very best of everything out
Now, we didn’t do this for a long pe- Republican in the Senate, insofar as there, and right now, we don’t. China
riod of time. We fell behind. This bill is defense is concerned, and we iron these and Russia are knocking at our door.
reversing that, and we are getting back things out. But in the meantime, this We have to do a better job than we
into the competition—the nuclear com- long bill is one that has taken just a have done in the past, and I am going
petition. That is where the real threat lot of work. And I know that, yester- to be working with the administration
is. Everybody knows that. day, Senator REED got a chance to to do everything we can for the coming
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S7390 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
year. But right now, we need to get days and then back into the fields, so leadership and values all around the
caught up and go ahead and pass this. that they have many who felt that world, and it will give our Nation what
This bill is the roadmap for the next they would be home for the holidays we need to confront the aggressors that
year, and that is why this is important. who are going to find that they are not I mentioned, like China and Russia.
So I encourage all of us to do what we able to be home for the holidays. So I This legislation is strategic, and this
have to do to get this bill done—hope- think it is very important that the legislation is strong. It is smart, and it
fully, today, but definitely by tomor- Senate send a strong message that we supports our troops, and it stands up to
row. I believe that will happen because have their backs, just as they have our enemies. The Senate needs to pass
people do care about our troops. There ours. this, the 60th National Defense Author-
is no one more deserving in America This is an incredibly bipartisan piece ization Act.
than our troops who are out there in of legislation—one of the most bipar- CORONAVIRUS
harm’s way, and we are going to make tisan pieces of legislation every year Madam President, I would now like
sure that we do the right thing for when it comes to the floor of the Sen- to take a moment to discuss another
them. ate. It reflects equal input from Repub- topic, and that is coronavirus relief for
I yield the floor. licans and from Democrats. The Senate American families.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Armed Services Committee adopted 229 Increasingly, we are seeing commu-
FISCHER). The Senator from Wyoming. bipartisan amendments before it ap- nities across the country asking for a
Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I proved the NDAA this summer by a clear path forward—a path forward to
come to floor today in complete sup- vote in the committee, on which the put the virus behind us and to help us
port of Senator INHOFE, the chairman Presiding Officer also sits, of 25 to 2. grow our economy. The takeaway from
of the Senate Armed Services Com- It is also in line with the Bipartisan last Friday’s job report is we really
mittee, and I come in support of the Budget Act of 2019. It supports $741 bil- have no time to waste. For the first
National Defense Authorization Act. I lion in defense funding for the 2021 fis- time since we passed the CARES Act,
come to speak to that, and I am so cal year. the jobs report showed signs of a slow-
grateful for the Senator from Okla- The NDAA is really a proud tradition ing recovery—recovery, yes, but not as
homa and for his ongoing, determined of this institution and of our Nation. rapid as planned.
leadership in making sure that our Na- This is the 60th year in a row that the The sectors hardest hit at the begin-
tion remains safe and secure and free. Senate has taken up the NDAA, and it ning of the pandemic are now hard hit
And it is because of the work done by has passed this body every year. We again—retail and food services. The Re-
Senator INHOFE and his committee and need to make sure this year is no ex- publican-led CARES Act secured the
this body and this legislation that we ception. The world may be distracted swiftest, strongest economic recovery
will be voting on. I am so grateful for by other things that are going on—cer- in our Nation’s history. It added more
the leadership of the chairman, and I tainly, the issue of a coronavirus pan- than 12.3 million jobs in the last 7
want to talk, specifically, about the demic—but, make no mistake, China months. It has been a great American
reason I think it is important that we and Russia still have global ambitions, comeback.
do pass the legislation that the com- and they pose grave threats to our Na- At the end of this month, provisions
mittee has worked so hard on. tion’s security. of the CARES Act are expiring—things
So the Presiding Officer knows, as a The Chinese military has actually like sick leave, unemployment bene-
member of that committee, that this stepped up its aggression against its fits, and tax provisions. We need to ex-
critical national security legislation neighbors, and we see it in the South tend those. For small businesses, I be-
lays out America’s defense and na- China Sea. Russia is using energy as a lieve we need to reestablish and refur-
tional security priorities, as the Sen- weapon against its neighbors, and it bish the popular Paycheck Protection
ator from Oklahoma just made up, for continues cyber attacks against gov- Program. The money has gone. I talked
the years to come. It sets the policies to small businesses in Wyoming, talked
ernments and institutions around the
to defend our Nation, and it supports to county commissioners last night,
globe. This legislation will help keep
America’s service men and women here and talked to our Wyoming stock
China and Russia in check.
at home, as well as those abroad. It maintains our high-tech edge, as growers yesterday. We need to replen-
I was honored to spend Thanksgiving, the chairman of the Armed Services ish the Paycheck Protection Program.
We need to reallocate unused funds
again this year, with Wyoming Na- Committee has just said. It modernizes
for immediate needs now. Republican
tional Guard troops, members of our our nuclear weapons system with fund-
priorities are American priorities in
Air National Guard, and they are serv- ing for the Ground Based Strategic De- terms of relief from coronavirus.
ing at this time in Qatar, in the Al terrent. It invests in new tech- We want to make sure, certainly, to
Udeid Air Force Base in the Persian nologies—hypersonic weapons, biotech- fund the distribution of the vaccine,
Gulf. And when I think of the National nologies, artificial intelligence, cyber which is ready to go. We need to pro-
Defense Authorization Act, this legis- security—all of which are designed to vide relief for individuals and small
lation before us today, I think of them. help keep us safe and free. businesses, and we need to get kids
I think about the members there— It implements the National Defense back into the classroom safely so they
Charlie Med, doing medical evacu- Strategy to promote a strong military don’t fall further behind.
ations and medical transport. deterrent and to strive for lasting The job we need to do is significant,
First, I will tell you that, in terms of peace, and it delivers a well-deserved it is serious, and relief is necessary. We
these Wyoming soldiers who are there, pay raise for our troops, along with need to get a bridge to the point where
if you are in need of medical care or high-quality housing, healthcare, and people have either received the vaccine
medical transport, you would be in childcare for military families at or there is immunity in communities.
very capable hands. You also know home, as well as abroad. Republicans are offering a path for-
they have what they need to be able to So I do want to thank Senator ward. We are doing it legislatively.
do the job. I think of them, and I think INHOFE and Ranking Member Senator What we have heard from the Demo-
of their families—the sacrifices that REED of Rhode Island for their work in crats are hard lines, all-or-nothing de-
are being made by the families at bringing this bill to the floor. Demo- mands. We have heard them for the
home, because the families play a sig- crats have a history of opposing some- last 7 months. Democrats have offered
nificant and important role in this as times stronger defense funding, espe- no new proposals for COVID relief.
well. cially during the Obama-Biden years,
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They passed their $3 trillion Fantasy
You know, it is interesting, with so but this makes longer term funding un- Island bill in May and never lifted a
many deployed overseas right now, certain, and it becomes even more im- pen after that.
some of them have found that their de- portant to do what we need to do now In the last 6 months, Democrats have
ployments have been extended. Be- to stand up against our adversaries. blocked relief that we have offered on
cause of coronavirus, they are unable No, we can’t afford to slow our Na- the Senate floor four different times.
to do the transports of moving people tion’s critical defense investments Last week, Speaker PELOSI said—ad-
back to the United States for the holi- now. This NDAA will protect American mitted—that she had held up all those
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7391
6 months of coronavirus relief for the With that, I thank you. but a $1,200 direct payment for the
American public for political gain, for I yield the floor. working families of this country, simi-
politics. And we heard it from the mi- I suggest the absence of a quorum. larly structured to what was included
nority assistant leader just yesterday, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The in the CARES package of March.
admitting the same, punishing the clerk will call the roll. I will be introducing an amendment
American people for politics. It is a sad The senior assistant legislative clerk to the 1-week continuing resolution to
commentary on where that party has proceeded to call the roll. make sure that occurs, that every
been as the American people are asking Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I working-class adult in this country re-
for relief. Democrats don’t have a plan. ask unanimous consent that the order ceives another $1,200 direct payment,
They played politics with the pan- for the quorum call be rescinded. plus $500 for their kids. If we could do
demic. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without it in March and it was the right thing
Again, our path forward is to do the objection, it is so ordered. then, now, at a time when the situation
things that we know need to be done: Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, in many ways is even worse, we can
distribute the vaccine, provide Ameri- this country faces an unprecedented and must do it today.
cans with relief, and get Americans’ crisis in terms of the pandemic and the Every Member of this body, I know,
lives back on track. What we hear from economic meltdown. I understand that wants to get out of Washington to get
Democrats are more lockdowns, more negotiations are currently going on in home to their families for the holiday
taxes during a pandemic, and more spe- terms of coming up with an economic season, and put me at the very top of
cial projects for the far left. It is sad. package dealing with COVID–19 relief, that list. But at a time when so many
The Democrats’ policies don’t meet the and I applaud the very hard work that American families are suffering, when
moment. We need to get relief to the each of the negotiators are doing, so many people don’t know how they
public now. Democrats are ignoring Democrats and Republicans. But the are going to feed their kids or prevent
where we really are in terms of the truth is that the results up to this being evicted from their homes or how
cost the Americans have borne and the point for those negotiations are totally they are going to pay for a doctor’s
progress that we have made in the re- unsatisfactory given the economic des- visit, we cannot leave Washington and
covery, and they have done it for polit- peration facing tens of millions of return to our families unless we ad-
ical purposes. working families all across this coun- dress the economic suffering that so
Scientists and researchers are within try. many other families are facing.
several days of approval of the vaccine As I think everyone will remember, When a national emergency occurs,
and a distribution nationwide. The back in March of this year, at the be- the U.S. Government must respond.
country is soon going to have several ginning of the pandemic, the U.S. Con- And we are in a national emergency
highly effective vaccines distributed to gress acted unanimously—unani- today. To get out of Washington, to
every State. mously, Democrats and Republicans— turn our backs on the suffering of so
In Wyoming, we are looking forward and worked with President Trump to many men, women, and children in
to 5,000 vaccines as early as Monday Vermont and in every other State in
come up with an economic package
and 15,000 by the end of the month. I this country, would be immoral, it
that went a long way toward pre-
talked to the head of the intensive care would be unconscionable, and we can-
venting absolute misery and destitu-
unit at the Wyoming Medical Center not allow that to happen.
tion for many of our people.
just the other day—the hospital where Again, we must make certain that
Through no fault of their own,
I had been chief of staff, where there every working family in this country
COVID–19 resulted in millions of our
are increasing numbers of patients in receives a $1,200 direct payment, plus
people losing their jobs and their in-
the intensive care unit on respirators, $500 for their kids. That is the least we
come. That is what the pandemic did.
where the staff is exhausted. They say: can do.
Nobody is to blame. That is what hap- Let me be as clear as I can be. Today,
We need the vaccine for the staff, for
pened. And in response, in March, as a result of the horrific pandemic and
the frontline workers, for the
Democrats and Republicans in this economic meltdown, the American
healthcare workers, for the elderly,
Congress came together, worked with working class is hurting in a way that
and for the nursing home patients so
they don’t end up in the hospital and the President of the United States, and has not been experienced since the
on ventilators. in a very significant way responded to Great Depression of the 1930s.
These are the healthcare heroes of that crisis. That is what we did in In terms of public health, yesterday
the day, the doctors and nurses taking March. alone, over 220,000 Americans were di-
care of these sick patients. We are What I don’t understand is that at a agnosed with COVID–19—yesterday—
going to administer vaccines to them, time when, in many ways, the eco- and tragically, over 3,000 died from this
to the nursing home patients, and to nomic and public health crisis is worse horrific virus. We are experiencing now
those at high risk. Over the next 3 today than it was in March, why we are some of the worst days in terms of
months, over 1 million people will be not responding accordingly? cases being diagnosed, in terms of hos-
vaccinated. In March, as you know, we passed the pitalization, in terms of death. That is
Relief is necessary. In our State, we $2.2 trillion CARES Act, which in- where we are today. In other words,
have lost 299 citizens to coronavirus—a cluded a $600 supplement to unem- more Americans were killed by the
number that I would have thought ployed workers, and, my God, what re- coronavirus yesterday than were killed
would not have occurred. This is with lief that was to millions of workers on 9/11.
people trying to social distance, people who had lost their jobs. In addition, we Tens of millions of our fellow citizens
trying to do the kinds of things in provided a $1,200 direct payment to have lost their jobs as a result of the
terms of wearing masks—a behavior every working-class adult in this coun- pandemic. They have lost their in-
that we know, with hygiene, would try, plus $500 for their kids. comes. They have lost their health in-
minimize the spread—but still the dis- Once again—and let me repeat this— surance. They have depleted their life
ease continues to spread. we did this unanimously, and we did it savings.
The vaccine is the solution, but be- working with President Trump despite Let me tell you this: We deferred
tween now and the time the people can many of the enormous disagreements evictions. We prevented people from
get vaccinated, help is needed, and it is that a lot of us have with President being evicted from their homes. But
up to this body to act. We still have Trump on so many issues. when at some point that deferment
Now, what I don’t understand is, if
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work to do on behalf of the American ends, all across the country, people are
people. I hope that the Democrats will we could work together in March, if we going to owe thousands and thousands
join us in this effort this holiday sea- could have succeeded 9 months ago, of dollars to their landlords. They
son to get that relief to folks who need why can we not do exactly the same don’t have the money to pay them.
it. In the meantime, I say let’s con- thing right now? That is why I will in- Tens of millions of people are in danger
tinue to do the things that we know sist that any agreement in terms of a of being evicted.
work so we can stay safe and our busi- COVID–19 relief package must include You may have noticed that there
nesses and our country can stay open. not only strong unemployment benefits were reports out there that hunger—
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S7392 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020
this is the United States of America, Act, we can act effectively today as we people twisting themselves in knots,
the wealthiest country in the history enter this holiday season. going against their own alleged prin-
of the world. We are looking at num- Once again, I very much appreciate ciples to get their desired result.
bers that suggest that hunger is at the the hard work that has gone into the Today, the subject is war powers. The
highest level we have seen in decades. current $908 billion proposal being hawks and the neocons somehow want
Children in America are going hungry, worked on by a number of Democratic you to believe, in contrast to all logic,
and all across this country, tenants are and Republican Senators, but, simply that the President of the United States
worried that they are going to get a stated, given the horrific extent of the has the unitary power to go to war
knock on the door from the sheriff current crisis and the desperation of so anytime he wants, anywhere, free from
evicting them from their homes or many of our people, this proposal does interference from Congress. That is
their apartments and throwing their not go anywhere—anywhere—far their stated position anytime war
belongings out on the street to join the enough. comes up. Yet, today, in the NDAA,
other 500,000 Americans who are now In truth, rather than the $3.4 trillion they say they now want a President
homeless. which we on the Democratic side called that cannot leave a war without their
In America today, over half of our for in the Heroes Act and passed in the permission.
workers are living paycheck-to-pay- House—the U.S. House of Representa- How absurd is that? They believe
check, while one out of every four tives a number of months ago passed a that a President has the power go to
workers in this country is either unem- $3.4 trillion bill, but what is being dis- war anywhere, anytime, but when a
ployed or earning an annual income of cussed and negotiated right now with President tries to remove troops they
less than $20,000 a year. I don’t know Democratic and Republican Senators say: Oh, no, no. What we really want
how anybody makes it on less than only allocates $348 billion in new are 535 generals in Congress to tell him
$20,000 a year. money. The remaining $560 billion are he can’t leave a war. How absurd is
During the holiday season to come, funds transferred from the CARES Act that?
over one-third of Americans expect to that have not yet been obligated. It is exactly the opposite of what
So what we are talking about now, as both the Constitution and logic would
lose income and are already having a
opposed to $3.4 trillion passed in the dictate. When Congress tried to impose
difficult time paying for their basic
Heroes Act, is, roughly speaking, $348 time limits on troop engagements dur-
household expenses.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention billion in new money right now. We are ing the Iraq war, the neocons squawked
that, at a time when so many people in talking about, roughly speaking, 10 that it would be a mistake to have 535
percent of new money compared to generals. They said the execution of
our economy are suffering, it has been
what was passed in the House. That is the war was a prerogative of the Presi-
far worse for the African-American and
absurd. That is unacceptable. I am pre- dent—until a President decided he
Latino communities. During this pan-
pared to negotiate, but I cannot nego- wanted to leave a war.
demic, nearly 60 percent of Latino fam-
tiate in good faith when we are receiv- During the Bush administration,
ilies and 55 percent of African-Amer-
ing 10 percent of new money compared Dick Cheney and a team of legal apolo-
ican families have either experienced a
to what was passed in the House in the gists argued for something they call
job loss or a pay cut. That is just an
Heroes bill. the unitary executive theory. Professor
unimaginable number. So the general Unlike the CARES Act, which we Edelson at American University de-
population is suffering—even worse for passed unanimously in March, the pro- scribes this theory of an all-powerful
the African-American and Latino com- posal now being negotiated only pro- Commander-in-Chief concept: This uni-
munities. vides a $300 supplement for unemployed tary executive theory claimed to jus-
I should also add that, in the midst of workers rather than $600 a week. Fur- tify, effectively, unchecked Presi-
this pandemic, not everybody is suf- ther, unlike the $1,200 direct payment dential power over the use of military
fering. The people on top, some of the for every working-class individual and force, the detention and interrogation
billionaires on top, are doing phenome- $500 for each child, this agreement of prisoners, extraordinary rendition,
nally well. Over the past 9 months of being negotiated provides absolutely and intelligence gathering.
this pandemic, 650 billionaires—650, not nothing—zero. Moreover, this proposal According to the unitary executive
a whole lot of people—have seen their does nothing to address the healthcare theory, since the Constitution assigns
wealth go up by over $1 trillion, during crisis impacting tens of millions of the President all of the executive
this pandemic, and now own over twice Americans who cannot afford medical power, he can set aside laws that at-
as much wealth as the bottom 50 per- care and has totally inadequate finan- tempt to limit this power over national
cent of American people. cial assistance for the most vulnerable. security. This is an enormous power.
This is the United States of America, The American people need help, and Critics say that it effectively puts the
the richest country in the history of they need help now. In fact, there has President above the law. But this is the
the world. No person in this great never been a time in the modern his- belief of the neocons. They say: ‘‘The
country should be going hungry. No tory of this country when the Amer- President is all-powerful,’’ until they
person should live in fear of going ican people were in more economic des- say, ‘‘Well, unless the President is try-
homeless. No person in America should peration and a time when people need- ing to stop a war, then we must shack-
lack the healthcare they need when ed help. If a government means any- le the President with rules and regula-
they or their kids get sick, especially thing, it means that we cannot turn tions and make sure that he cannot
in the midst of the worst public health our backs on tens of millions of fami- leave a war unless Congress says so.’’
crisis in 100 years. lies who today are suffering. So we That is what the NDAA will do this
Can you imagine? I mean, it really is have to make sure that every working year.
unimaginable that we are looking at individual in America receives at least These same people who advocated for
220,000 people yesterday having been di- $1,200 in direct payment. That is what virtually unlimited Commander-in-
agnosed with COVID–19, with the virus, we have to do. We cannot continue the Chief powers have put forth limits in
and there are 90 million people in status quo of simply coming in here to this bill to restrain a President from
America who are either uninsured or work and then going home and going removing troops from a country. Effec-
underinsured, and they can’t even af- back for our holiday. tively, these neocons put forth a belief
ford to go to a doctor. But that is ex- So I am going to do everything I can that the Commander in Chief has vir-
actly what is going on in America to insist that we make sure that every tually unlimited power to initiate war,
today.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
working person in this country gets a but they are just fine with
This is an unprecedented moment in $1,200 direct payment, and we are not hamstringing and preventing the Com-
American history, and the Senate going to go home until that happens. mander in Chief from ending a war.
needs to take unprecedented action to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Hypocrisy, anyone? Without a shred
protect the working families of this ator from Kentucky. of embarrassment, these neocons hap-
country who are facing extreme eco- H.R. 6395 pily constrain a President from leaving
nomic desperation. If we could act ef- Mr. PAUL. Madam President, the a war theater while they also simulta-
fectively in March through the CARES best part of any debate is when you see neously argue for a President who can
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December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7393
start war anytime, anywhere across much about a unitary executive, isn’t Commander in Chief; they care more
the globe without congressional au- so much about an all-powerful Com- about perpetuating the Afghan war.
thorization. Our Founding Fathers mander in Chief, the philosophy of Until recently, this chorus of voices
would be appalled. these people is about war and substan- sang of nothing but the almighty, end-
Primary among our Founders’ con- tiating war and making sure that it be- less powers that Presidents have as
cerns was that the power to initiate comes and is perpetual war. Commander in Chief. That is, until a
war not be in the hands of one person. Senator GRAHAM said the one thing President arrived on the scene who
As Madison wrote in the Federalist Pa- he has been consistent on is that wanted to reduce overseas troop levels
pers, the executive is the branch of ‘‘there is 1 Commander in Chief, not and end America’s longest war in Af-
government most prone to war. There- 535’’ these are his words ‘‘and I believe ghanistan. Then the promoters of a
fore, the Constitution, with studied this Commander in Chief and all future strong Commander in Chief suddenly
care, vested the war-making powers in Commanders in Chief are unique in our jumped ship and began advocating the
the legislature. Constitution and have an indispensable opposite. They began advocating that
To our Founders, initiation of war role to play when it comes to pro- 535 Members of Congress should, in-
was the sole prerogative of Congress. tecting the homeland. If we have 535 deed, become generals and should limit
But a great deal of discretion was given commanders in chief, then we are going the President’s ability to remove
to the President in article II to execute to be less safe.’’ troops from Afghanistan.
the war. The neocons forever believed I guess, except for this bill, which ac- Which is it? Are you for this unlim-
in this discretion. They said the war tually creates 535 generals in Congress ited power of the President to com-
shouldn’t be fought by 535 generals in to tell the President, not just this mence and execute war or are you only
Congress; we should give the President President—and some of it is anger. It is for it when they are initiating war,
the freedom and power to execute the partisan anger. People don’t like Presi- when they are continuing war, and
war. And, largely, they are correct— dent Trump—but this will bind all fu- against Presidential prerogative if the
until they pop their heads up today and ture Presidents. This isn’t just about President chooses to end a war?
say, unless the President wants to stop this President. Shouldn’t we call out this hypocrisy?
a war, then we take it all back. What When LINDSEY GRAHAM says we don’t Shouldn’t someone stand up and ex-
we really want is a President who can’t want 535 Commanders in Chief, if this press and expose this rank dema-
execute a war or execute the end of a is his belief, he should vote against this goguery? Shouldn’t someone cry foul
war without the permission of Con- bill because this bill creates 535 Com- that the advocates of unlimited Presi-
gress. manders in Chief. dential power want it only to apply
Likely, our Founders would have The late Senator McCain said: ‘‘It when that President advocates for war?
agreed with the common complaint would be a very serious situation where But the moment a President advocates
that we don’t need 535 generals in Con- we now have 535 commanders in chief to end a war or lessen overseas troops
gress. In other words, success in war re- . . . the President of the United States and these deployments, he or she must
quires most decisions on executing the is the only commander.’’ be shackled by 535 generals.
war to be in the hands of one person— Senator INHOFE, the chairman of the This Defense authorization bill could
the President. Even I, who have been Armed Services Committee, has said: more aptly be called ‘‘A Bill to Prevent
opposed to most of the recent overseas ‘‘We don’t need the 535 generals in Con- the President from Ending the Afghan
activities and wars—even I believe that gress telling our troops how to win this War.’’ We never actually give the real
once Congress initiates it, most of the fight,’’ except for we are going to pass titles to the bill, but that would be an
decisions should be made by the Presi- a bill that I assume all of these folks accurate title: ‘‘A Bill to Prevent the
dent. will vote for that actually creates 535 President from Ending the Afghan
The decision to go to war requires generals in Congress to say to the War.’’
the consensus, the initiation—the be- President—to this one or any Presi- As such, any serious advocate for
ginning of war requires the consensus dent—that he can’t leave the theater in ending the Afghan war should vote
of 535 Members of Congress under the Afghanistan without their permission. against this monstrosity. The neocon
Constitution. It is very clear. They de- It is a tragedy; it is hypocrisy; and it is advocates for Presidential war powers
bated it over and over, and they said: a terrible bill. should own up to their hypocrisy and
Initiation, declaration of war, should Of course, there is also former Vice admit that their love of perpetual war
be done by Congress. But the execution President Dick Cheney, who was ada- trumps their oft-stated unitary execu-
of the war would largely be left up to mant that the War Powers Resolution, tive theory.
the President. Many, many current and which requires the President to simply In reality, the neocons are enamored
former Members of Congress have report to Congress on matters of war, of their theory of unbounded Presi-
agreed. was unconstitutional as ‘‘an infringe- dential power only when that power is
Representative LIZ CHENEY has ar- ment of the president’s authority as used to foment war. The minute a
gued that the nature of military and the commander in chief.’’ President decides to end war, the
foreign policy demands the unity of the Senator ALEXANDER also said ‘‘there neocons’ true stripes are exposed as
singular executive and that the Found- is a reason why we don’t have 535 com- they beat their chest and proclaim—as
ers certainly did not intend, nor does manders in chief or 100 commanding 535 generals might—that the President
history substantiate, the idea that generals each saying charge down this will not be allowed to remove troops
Congress should legislate specific lim- street or over that hill.’’ without congressional permission.
its on the President’s powers in war- I tend to agree, except for it seems to This bill sets a very dangerous prece-
time. be one-sided. These people seem to be- dent for limiting a President’s power to
LIZ CHENEY, who is also, ironically, lieve that we shouldn’t have 535 gen- end war and should be vigorously op-
the author of this amendment to the erals in Congress when it is about initi- posed.
NDAA, said we shouldn’t limit the ating war. But when it comes to re- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
President’s powers in times of war and moving troops from the battle, when it YOUNG). The Senator from Missouri.
then she authors a limitation on the comes to finally coming home after f
President removing troops from war. America’s longest war in Afghanistan,
So which is it? I guess she is only for they all say: Oh, no, no, no. You are DUCK BOAT SAFETY
this unitary power—she is only for this wrong. We are not going to let you ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2019
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
all-powerful Commander in Chief when come home. We are going to restrict Mr. HAWLEY. Mr. President, July 19,
they fight war. But if a President and restrain the powers of the Com- 2018, is a date that we in Missouri
wants to end a war, oh, no, Congress mander in Chief because we don’t want won’t ever forget. There were 17 people
has to stop them at all costs from end- to end the Afghan war. who lost their lives and 11 who were in-
ing a war. It seems as if the only thing you can jured in a boating accident on Table
I think what comes out of this is that conclude is they really don’t care Rock Lake. During a severe thunder-
the neoconservative philosophy isn’t so about their theory of an all-powerful storm, a duck boat called Stretch Duck
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