Congressional Record — Senate, S7456 (December 14, 2020)
Summary
Page S7456 of the Congressional Record, Senate, for December 14, 2020, carries remarks under the Coronavirus heading. Cornyn says the first COVID–19 vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNtech and found 95 percent effective in clinical trials, was approved, that Texas expects an initial shipment of nearly 225,000 doses, and that Democrats blocked relief bills. A Senator asks whether Republican colleagues will acknowledge the electoral college results confirming Joe Biden's victory. The page also shows the Senate resuming the nomination of Thomas L. Kirsch II to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, S7456 (December 14, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-14-crec-2020-12-14-pt1-pgs7456-4-072bf3200e/
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S7456 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2020
To my knowledge, the Republican The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Well, our Democratic colleagues
leader of the Senate still has not re- ator from Texas. stood in the way of investing more in
ferred to Joe Biden as President-elect. CORONAVIRUS vaccine distribution, extending unem-
Will he change his tune now that the Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as we ployment insurance benefits, helping
electoral college has once again con- all know by now, late Friday evening, our small businesses keep their work-
firmed his victory? Will the rest of my the world received the news that we ers on payroll, and giving our schools
Republican Senate colleagues do the have been waiting, hoping, and praying the resources they need in order to pro-
same? for since March. The first COVID–19 vide education to our students safely.
After no evidence of widespread voter vaccine was approved here in the Our Democratic colleagues didn’t block
fraud was found in the country, after United States. The vaccine was devel- these bills because they disagree with
State election officials corroborated oped by Pfizer and its German partner the content of the bills; they simply
the accuracy of the results in every BioNtech and was found to be 95 per- refuse to engage if we do not concede
State in the country, after the Trump cent effective in preventing COVID–19 to their controversial and outrageous
campaign’s legal team racked up an as- during clinical trials—extensive clin- demands.
tonishing win-loss record of 1 and 59, ical trials. At first, Democrats refused to back
after the Supreme Court summarily The leaders of Operation Warp Speed off the completely absurd bill passed in
dismissed two ludicrous efforts by Re- immediately mobilized the distribution the House called the Heroes Act, which
publicans to invalidate the results in plan, and the first doses of the vaccine includes things like diversity studies
swing States, will the Republican are arriving at healthcare facilities
for the marijuana industry and tax
Party in Congress, here in the Senate, across the country today. Texas’s ini-
breaks for millionaires and billion-
finally acknowledge the results of an tial shipment of nearly 225,000 doses
aires. While they eventually realized
will be administered to our healthcare
election that was determined over a how unrealistic their position was,
workers this week by our healthcare
month ago? they now stand firm in providing a
workers, and we will provide these he-
Just how long are Republicans going bailout for cities and States that have
roes with the protection they need to
to keep up this charade, which has be- been—some of which have been grossly
continue their fight on our behalf on
come a national embarrassment? Even mismanaged for decades.
the frontlines.
now, the Chairman of the Homeland This is a turning point in our war Over the last several months, our
Security Committee is planning to against COVID, and the significance of Democratic colleagues have repeatedly
hold a hearing this week about what he this victory in such an expedited time- blocked legislation that would have
calls ‘‘election irregularities.’’ frame cannot be overstated. I want to poured half a trillion dollars more into
Look, our Republican colleagues thank the brilliant men and women our fight against COVID–19 because it
don’t have to like the results of the who made this feat possible. There are didn’t include their far-fetched, par-
election, but they have a solemn re- the researchers and scientists who de- tisan priorities. Our Democratic col-
sponsibility to accept them. They have veloped the lifesaving vaccine, as well leagues have wasted a lot of time in
a duty to confer legitimacy on them. as the volunteers who participated in playing games with this pandemic re-
Instead, for the past month, they have clinical trials. There are the manufac- lief, and the clock on this Congress is
given President Trump the space to turers that are rapidly producing mil- quickly running out. Congress needs to
promote wild conspiracy theories about lions of doses and distributors who are pass another bill this week, and I en-
election fraud and poison Americans’ getting those doses to sites across the courage our Democratic colleagues to
faith in our democracy. country as quickly as possible. Of start compromising and quit the
As the electoral college casts the ma- course, there are the hospitals, phar- grandstanding. They have shown us
jority of its votes for Joe Biden—the macies, and our incredible healthcare time and again, when you sit down at
same number of votes that President workers who will lead the vaccine ef- the negotiating table with an all-or-
Trump called a landslide 4 years ago— fort. The race to a COVID vaccine will nothing attitude, the result is always
our Republican colleagues must do now be remembered as one of the greatest nothing, and that is all they have to
what they should have done a month human achievements of our generation, show for their obstruction over the last
ago: Accept the legitimacy of Joe and these brave and brilliant individ- months since we passed the CARES
Biden’s election to the Presidency of uals helped make it possible. Act.
the United States. I want to remind all of us that while NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
I yield the floor. this is a huge milestone and one that
should absolutely be celebrated, we are Mr. President, on another topic, last
f Friday, another important thing hap-
not out of the dark yet. The light at
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME the end of the tunnel is getting bigger pened—the Senate passed the National
and brighter, but we still have a ways Defense Authorization Act with broad
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under bipartisan support and sent it to the
the previous order, the leadership time to go, and each of us has our own part
to play in getting us there. For the President for his signature. This marks
is reserved. the 60th year in a row that we have
American people, that means stopping
f the spread through the same habits completed the defense spending bill,
that we learned all year—washing your and that is as it should be. Our na-
CONCLUSION OF MORNING tional security is the No. 1 priority
BUSINESS hands, wearing a mask, practicing so-
cial distancing, and taking extra care here in Washington, DC, and for our en-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning to protect our most vulnerable friends tire Nation.
business is closed. and neighbors. Of course, this holiday Texas servicemembers will receive
f season is not a time to forget the hab- higher salaries and stronger support
its we built over the last several for their families because of this legis-
EXECUTIVE SESSION lation. That includes assistance for
months but to double down on them.
While this is a development to be military spouses whose careers involve
celebrated and a day we have been relicensing, and it includes high-qual-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR looking for for a long time, Congress ity childcare on military bases. This
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under has not yet done its job. For months on legislation will also bring some serious
the previous order, the Senate will pro- end, the American people have asked updates and improvements to Texas
ceed to executive session to resume for additional financial support to military bases. Joint Base San Anto-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
consideration of the following nomina- weather this storm, and so far we have nio, Joint Bases Fort Worth and Fort
tion, which the clerk will report. not seen any progress. Our Democratic Hood, and the Pantex Plant in Ama-
The legislative clerk read the nomi- colleagues blocked bill after bill, say- rillo will all receive additional funding
nation of Thomas L. Kirsch II, of Indi- ing more of the words of Speaker for updates and facilities to improve
ana, to be United States Circuit Judge PELOSI: Nothing is better than some- their capabilities and mission readi-
for the Seventh Circuit. thing. ness.
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