Congressional Record, December 18, 2020, from Page S7695 — Senate

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A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated December 18, 2020, beginning at page S7695, in a long document. A Senator argues against limiting the emergency lending powers of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve, saying they helped keep credit from freezing for manufacturers and that the Senate should stop stalling and act on military, health care, education and transportation funding. Another speaker describes hardship from the pandemic, citing over 90 million Americans uninsured or underinsured and some 30 million families worried about eviction. Near the end, a Senator warns that the government is about to hit a shutdown deadline and discusses the SolarWinds cyber intrusion and the importance of installing security patches.

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“Congressional Record, December 18, 2020, from Page S7695 — Senate.” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-18-crec-2020-12-18-pt1-pgs7696-d05245ae6e/, SHA-256 e75a92ab8cce1a10d8107ecd5d02105dcb33e244b4514ddf9c734adcc174b5bb.

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December 18, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7695
Treasury and the Fed because you try right now? Just cross-partisan poli- paycheck, trying to survive on a star-
want to limit what they can do in tics wanting to set up a way for the vation wage of 10 or 12 bucks an hour.
terms of their powers to help people next President to fail? Because when The reality is that millions of our sen-
and to help businesses in a crisis. colleagues take away tools that a ior citizens are trapped in their homes,
Our Nation is in a crisis, and we President—any President—and the unable to see their kids or their grand-
would be in an even deeper crisis right Federal Reserve have to boost the children, unable to go to a grocery
now if it weren’t for the Federal Re- economy and prevent economic col- store, and many of them are trying to
serve. The Federal Reserve stepped in lapses, they are saying they care more get by on $12,000-, $14,000-a-year Social
early during the crisis. Under the cur- about that cross-political fight—make Security and scared that they may
rent administration, I might add, sure somebody looks bad and make come down with the virus and die.
where nobody was suggesting that we sure somebody fails—rather than car- In addition, millions more with dis-
provide these kinds of amendments or ing about the people we represent who abilities are suffering. Further, in our
restrictions then—under the current create the jobs, the businesses, large country today, one out of four workers
administration, under the Trump ad- and small, and the people who have is either unemployed or makes less
ministration, I didn’t hear that debate. those jobs and the people who need than $20,000 a year. And in the midst of
Maybe I missed it, but I didn’t hear those jobs. this pandemic, because we are the only
that debate. But thank goodness we Michigan is the proud home to so major country on Earth not to guar-
didn’t have a debate because they many small- and medium-sized manu- antee healthcare to all people as a
stepped in early, taking extraordinary facturing businesses that employ thou- right—in the midst of this pandemic,
measures to keep credit from freezing sands of people. I know there are those the worst healthcare crisis in 100 years,
up for our businesses. This is the same businesses across the country, in- over 90 million Americans are unin-
money that businesses use to provide cluding the State of Pennsylvania, sured or underinsured and unable to go
services and keep people employed. where my colleague is advocating for to a doctor when they need to.
And I have to say, as someone com- this. Further, we have the worst eviction
ing from a major manufacturing State I would urge—strongly urge—at this crisis in modern history. Some 30 mil-
like Pennsylvania, like Ohio, like Indi- moment in time, at the end of what has lion families worry that because they
ana, like Wisconsin, that having the been such a horrible, difficult year for cannot pay their rent, they may end up
capacity for the Fed to step in and pro- Americans, I would urge my colleague out on the street.
vide some confidence in the market- from Pennsylvania and any others sup- That is where we are today economi-
place so that our auto suppliers and porting him to try stop trying to un- cally, and if this country means any-
our other manufacturers could get dermine American jobs and our ability thing—if democracy means anything, if
what they needed in terms of the cred- as a country to respond to the eco- the U.S. Government means anything—
it, it was critical to jobs—thousands nomic crisis that is still happening. it means that we cannot turn our backs
and thousands and thousands and thou- Let’s stop stalling. We need to do our on this suffering, not in Vermont, not
sands of jobs. jobs to keep our military going and in Wisconsin, not in New York, not in
The emergency powers that the Fed- healthcare and education and transpor- any State in this country where people
eral Reserve passed were put in place tation and all the other critical serv- are hurting in an unprecedented way.
during the 2008 financial crisis so that ices that the Federal Government It means that we cannot leave Wash-
the Fed could respond quickly to the funds. And we need to pass this critical ington, as Senators, for the holidays to
next crisis. Well, here we are in the COVID legislation today and give the go back to our families unless we ad-
next crisis. The crisis is all around us, American people the help they need dress the pain and anxiety of other
and yet some are laser-focused on tak- and the help they deserve to survive families throughout this country.
ing away the Fed’s ability to respond the next few months of this health and Mr. SCHUMER. Would my colleague
in the future with a new President— economic crisis. from Vermont yield for some support
not the current sitting President but a A wonderful bipartisan effort brought
for his amendment?
future President. This is like a fire de- us to this moment where we can pro-
Mr. SANDERS. I would be happy to
partment selling off their fire trucks vide a critical lifeline to Americans
yield to the minority leader.
while houses down the street are burn- across our country. Mr. SCHUMER. I will speak briefly.
ing. It would be a tragedy and an outrage
And I thank my colleague.
Now, 2020 has been brutal—really if efforts to undermine our economy
I join my friend Senator SANDERS to
brutal—on families and businesses and and the success of our incoming Presi-
support his amendment to give $1,200 in
communities across the country. And dent stop this urgent help from being
direct financial support to the Amer-
this crisis is not over. I really wish it passed. We need to get this done now.
I yield the floor. ican people in the yearend emergency
was. I mean, we have hope because of
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- relief bill.
the vaccines and more effective testing
ator from Vermont. Now, this effort should not subtract
and so on, but this isn’t over, and
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 5063
from any other program already in the
things could get worse in 2021 if we sab-
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, this bill, like enhanced unemployment, aid
otage the very things that helped us
country faces the worst set of public to small businesses, education,
this year. If this is how you are setting
health and economic crises that we healthcare, or any other provision. We
up a new President to not have the
have faced in over 100 years. don’t need to offset the cost or cut
tools to make the economy better,
As a result of the pandemic, more from elsewhere in the bill to make sure
what does that say about what people
people than ever before are becoming the stimulus checks are $1,200 for each
care about—the people we represent?
infected, right now. Hospitalization is adult and then money for children and
Because, ultimately, it is about people
higher than it has ever been before, others, as he will elaborate. Much of
losing their jobs; it is about businesses.
right now. And more people are dying the money will go back into the econ-
This is more than just about cross-par-
than ever before, literally day after omy anyway.
tisan politics. The reason for the amendment is
My friend Senator SCHATZ, who has a day.
Now, we all hope and pray that the simple. Over the course of this pan-
way with words, on Twitter, put it this
new vaccine will be distributed as demic, working Americans have taken
way:
quickly as possible and that it will put it on the chin. Millions have lost their
We almost have a bipartisan COVID pack-
age, but at the last minute Republicans are an end to this nightmare. But, today, jobs through no fault of their own.
making a demand that WAS NEVER MEN- the truth is that millions of low-in- Twenty-six million have had trouble

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TIONED AS KEY TO THE NEGOTIATIONS. come and middle-class families are suf- putting food on the table in the last 5
They want to block the FED from helping fering in a way that they have not suf- weeks, bread lines stretching down
the economy under Biden. It’s the reason we fered since the Great Depression of the American highways. Twelve million
don’t have a deal. 1930s. Americans will owe an average of $6,000
Is that really the reason we don’t Today, the reality is that over half of in rent and mortgage payments. So we
have a deal to help people in our coun- our workers are living paycheck to have an opportunity in this emergency

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S7696 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 18, 2020
relief bill to give financial aid di- breaking profits, the Republican lead- in July—over 5 months ago—and dur-
rectly—directly to those Americans. It ership here in the Senate was able to ing that time, the Republican Senate
could mean the difference between provide over $1 trillion in tax breaks to has done nothing to help working fami-
Americans paying the rent or not, af- the 1 percent and large corporations. lies pay their rent, feed their children,
fording groceries or not, the difference Yes, at a time when climate change— go to a doctor, or pay for the lifesaving
between hanging on until the vaccine yes, climate change is real—threatens prescription drugs they need. And the
helps our country get back to normal. the entire planet, this Congress was Senate has not done anywhere near
Now, the only objection we have able to provide hundreds of billions of enough to provide help for the strug-
heard is that this will add too much to dollars in corporate welfare to the oil gling small businesses in Vermont and
the deficit. That is why a Republican companies and the gas companies and all across this country that are des-
Senator rejected a similar request ear- the coal companies that are exacer- perately trying to stay afloat.
lier today—to push a baseless agenda of bating the climate crisis. Further, as bad as the economy has
austerity. Please. Yes, just the other day, here in the been in general, it has been far worse
By now, Republican objections over Senate and in the House, legislation for African Americans and Latinos.
the debt and deficit are comical. They was passed which would provide $740 During the pandemic, nearly 60 percent
added $2 trillion to the debt with a billion to the military—the largest of Latino families and 55 percent of Af-
massive tax cut for corporations and military budget in history, more than rican-American families have either
the wealthy, and that was during a the next 10 nations combined. We spend experienced a job loss or a cut in pay.
steady economy. But now the economy more on the military than the next 10 For 9 months, we have asked tens of
is on life support. Americans are queu- nations combined. millions of working people in this
ing up on bread lines and filing for un- So we could do all of those things— country to survive on one $1,200 check,
employment. Just as a Democratic tax breaks for billionaires, massive with no help for healthcare, no support
President is about to take office, all of corporate welfare, huge military ex- for hazard pay, no assistance for rent
the sudden the deficit scolds are back. penditures—but in the midst of the relief—absolutely nothing. Meanwhile,
It is ludicrous. Chairman Powell— worst economic meltdown since the I should mention that over the same 9-
hardly a big liberal—of the Federal Re- Great Depression, somehow Congress is month period, 651 billionaires in the
serve insisted: ‘‘The risk of overdoing unable to respond effectively to the United States became over $1 trillion
it is less than the risk of underdoing needs of working families. richer. A trillion dollars in increased
it.’’ As the Presiding Officer may know, I wealth for the very richest people in
The quickest way to get money into have recently introduced legislation to our country and one $1,200 check for
the pockets of the American people is provide every working-class American tens of millions of Americans des-
to send some of their tax dollars right an emergency payment of at least perately trying to survive. That is un-
back where they came from. So let’s $1,200, which is $2,400 for a couple and conscionable, that is immoral, and that
step up to the plate and deliver the $500 for each of their children. has to change.
$1,200 survival checks to millions of This is not a radical idea. This is an Now, let us recall that way back in
Americans before the holidays. idea that is supported by President May, the House of Representatives
I support Senator SANDERS’ request Donald Trump. It is an idea that is sup- passed the $3.4 trillion Heroes Act,
fully and hope the Senate will consent. ported by President-Elect Joe Biden. It which, among other things, included
I yield back. is an idea, by the way, that according $600 a week in supplemental unemploy-
Mr. SANDERS. Let me thank the to a recent poll, is supported by 75 per- ment benefits; another direct payment
senior Senator from New York, the cent of all Americans, including 77 per- of $1,200 for working-class adults and
Democratic leader, for his strong state- cent of Democrats and 72 percent of Re- $500 for their kids; and generous sup-
ment. He is exactly right. In this kind publicans. port for small businesses, hospitals,
of crisis, it is comical that suddenly Further, importantly, this amount of education facilities, and State and
our Republican friends, once again, dis- direct payment is exactly what Con- local government. In other words, the
cover that we have a deficit. This is a gress passed unanimously 9 months ago House passed a $3.4 trillion bill that
moment of emergency—of emergency— as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act. was, in fact, a very serious effort to ad-
and we have to respond to the needs of Let me repeat. In March, every Mem- dress the enormous crises facing our
working families. And I thank Senator ber of the House and Senate, appro- country.
SCHUMER for his strong support for this priately, including myself, voted to I should also add that in July, sev-
legislation. provide a direct payment of $1,200 for eral months later, the House passed an-
Members of Congress should also be working-class adults, $2,400 for couples, other version of the bill, so-called He-
aware that we are far behind other and $500 for their kids. roes 2, and this legislation was for $2.2
major countries in terms of protecting That was the right thing to do 9 trillion.
working families during this pandemic. months ago. And given the fact that That same month, in July, Senate
Not only does every other wealthy the crisis today is, in many respects, Majority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL
country guarantee healthcare to all worse than it was 9 months ago, that is proposed a $1.1 trillion bill that also
people as a human right, almost all of exactly what we should be doing right provided a $1,200 direct payment for
them are providing far more generous now. working-class adults and $500 for their
benefits to the unemployed and the As a result of the pandemic, the gov- kids. Then, in October, Secretary
struggling in their countries than we ernment told restaurants, bars, retail Mnuchin, in negotiations with Speaker
are doing in our country. stores, movie theaters, schools, malls, PELOSI, proposed a COVID relief plan
Several months ago, I introduced leg- small businesses all over this country: for $1.8 trillion. That is Mnuchin rep-
islation, along with Senator KAMALA Shut your doors. It is too dangerous for resenting the Trump administration.
HARRIS—now our Vice President- you to be open now. And they did that So in the last number of months, we
elect—and Senator MARKEY that because that is what the public health have had major proposals of $3.4 tril-
would, during the course of this eco- experts said was the right thing to do lion, $2.2 trillion, $1.8 trillion, and from
nomic crisis, provide $2,000 a month— in order to control this horrific pan- Majority Leader MCCONNELL, $1.1 tril-
$2,000 a month—to every working-class demic. lion. Yet today, right now, after
person in this country. And, frankly, But what the government has not months of negotiating by the so-called
that is exactly what we should be done is provide the workers who lost Gang of 8, we are now down to just $908
doing. But, unfortunately, given the their jobs and lost their incomes as a billion in legislation, and that includes

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conservative nature of the Senate, I result of those shutdowns with the help $560 billion in offsets, in unused money,
understand that is not going to happen. that they need in order to pay their from the CARES Act.
Yet, at a time of massive income and bills and to survive economically. So what we are talking about now is
wealth inequality, as Senator SCHUMER The $600 a week in supplemental un- going from an original House bill
just indicated, at a time when huge employment benefits that Congress passed in May calling for $3.4 trillion in
corporations were making record- passed unanimously in March expired new money, down to today $348 billion

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December 18, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7697
in new money—roughly 10 percent of few weeks in July and those conference often. The Senator from Vermont has
what Democrats thought was origi- calls in August was, before we author- offered a few numbers, but let me quote
nally needed. In my view, the $348 bil- ize any more money, before we further a couple. Let me just kind of lay it out.
lion in new money that is included in mortgage our children’s future, why I didn’t have enough time to do a
the proposal now being discussed is to- don’t we first repurpose and redirect chart, so I will try and go through this
tally inadequate given the nature of what we already passed because what slowly, but I think it is important to
the unprecedented crises that we face. we passed, we passed very quickly be- put this all in perspective.
The American people cannot wait cause we had to. We had to do some- Prior to the COVID recession, we had
any longer. They need economic relief thing massively, and we did something a record number of Americans em-
right now. Their kids are going hungry. massively so that markets wouldn’t ployed at the end of December 2019.
They are being evicted from their seize, so that the people—the individ- Just under 159 million Americans were
homes. They can’t go to the doctor. uals who were out of work through no employed. By April, 2 months into the
They need help, and they need it now. fault of their own and the businesses pandemic, 3 months into the pandemic,
Every working-class American needs that were shut down through no fault employment had dropped to 133 mil-
$1,200 at least, $2,400 for couples, and of their own could get financial relief. lion. That is a loss of over 25 million
$500 for children. So we came together unanimously, jobs—25 million—which is why we
Let me be clear to emphasize a point and we did that, but doing it fast, acted, why we acted in a bipartisan
that Senator SCHUMER made, and that doing it massively—I certainly knew it fashion to provide relief for those peo-
is, what I am talking about now is was going to be far from perfect. We ple—25 million—who had lost their
money that must not be taken from found out the Federal Government ac- jobs.
other important priorities like 16 tually has a hard time spending $3 tril- Now, the good news: It is hard to
weeks of supplemental unemployment lion because, over the course of a num- keep the American economy down
benefits; aid for small business, nutri- ber of months, they didn’t spend it all. when you don’t overtax, when you
tion, housing, education; and the other They couldn’t even obligate it. don’t overregulate. So in November—
important provisions in this bill. We So what Republicans did during the the latest figures we have—there are
need adequate funding to address the August recess—because we couldn’t now just shy of 150 million Americans
unprecedented crises that we face. We come to an agreement by the end of employed again. I realize some are un-
should not and cannot and must not July—was we worked long and hard on deremployed, but still you have 150
take from Peter to pay Paul. We can- a targeted bill, more than $600 billion, million Americans employed—down
not cut unemployment benefits in $300-plus of it for people on unemploy- about 9 million jobs from that record
order to help small business. We have ment, $260 billion for small businesses, high when unemployment was only 3.5
to do it all, right now. $100 billion for education, and tens of percent. We had a record economy be-
So, Madam President, as if in legisla- billions of dollars for vaccines and test- cause we stopped overregulating and
tive session, I ask unanimous consent ing and agriculture and childcare. We we had a competitive tax system. Now
that the Senate proceed to the imme- offered that on the floor, and 52 Repub- the unemployment rate is 6.7 percent.
diate consideration of S. 5063, which I licans voted to proceed to that bill. In the CARES Act, which I supported
introduced earlier today, which would Democrats just said no. because I want to help people, part of
I felt it was a crisis, an emergency,
provide a $1,200 direct payment to that was the economic impact pay-
and we shouldn’t have been turning our
every working-class adult, $2,400 for ments—basically what the Senator
backs on these people who are suffering
couples, and $500 for their children; and from Vermont is proposing here in this
in September. Democrats said no. All
that the bill be considered read three bill he wants to pass by unanimous
they had to do was say yes. They
times and passed and the motion to re- consent. It spent $274 billion. It was
couldn’t take yes for an answer.
consider be considered made and laid Madam President, I often use this paid to just under 166 million Ameri-
upon the table. analogy: I go up to you, because I know cans, for an average check of about
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. MUR- you are a generous person, and say: $1,673 per person.
KOWSKI). Is there objection?
Madam President, give me 200 bucks. You can break that down into house-
The Senator from Wisconsin. And you kind of look at me with a lit- holds because, according to the Federal
Mr. JOHNSON. Reserving the right tle shock and say: Well, I won’t give Reserve Bank of New York, the average
to object, the Senator from Vermont you 200, but I will give you 100. Then I check per household was $2,400. That is
made a couple of statements that I go stomping off and say: No; it is $200 115 million households that got a
would just like to repeat the words: or nothing. check—115 million. Now, remember, at
that we are in a crisis; this is an emer- That is what the Democrats did to the low point, 25 million Americans
gency; we can’t turn our backs on the over $600 billion in needed and nec- had lost their jobs. We sent checks to
suffering. essary relief for the crisis, for the 115 million households—41⁄2 times the
I agree. I have agreed for months. emergency, for the people we don’t number of people who had lost their
But he also said something that is want to turn our backs on because they jobs.
completely incorrect. You might call it are suffering. If they were really seri- My problem with the CARES Act,
a lie. He said that Republicans have ous and they actually wanted a result, with the first four packages, is it was a
done nothing. That is not true. if they wanted to relieve the suffering, shotgun approach. We just spent
I was on daily calls during the Au- wouldn’t the logical thing have been to money. We just opened up the spigot,
gust recess after we had attempted and say yes, take $600 billion, pocket it, get and we just sent it all over the place.
were debating internally a trillion-dol- that relief flowing in September, and We didn’t have time to target it to
lar package at the tail end of July be- then come back and argue for more? those who really needed it. As a re-
fore the August recess, recognizing— But they said no. They were cynical. sult—and we are seeing today—busi-
and I was one of the ones pointing They played politics with it. And that nesses that needed it, business owners,
out—the fact that we had already is what they are doing here today. small business owners, have been wiped
passed, as the good Senator from I am sure, to paraphrase a widely out of their life savings. They didn’t
Vermont said, over $3 trillion in four known saying, that the road to total get relief.
different COVID relief financial pack- national bankruptcy is paved with It wasn’t well designed. It wasn’t
ages early in the pandemic. At that good intentions. I am sure that is true. well targeted. And we probably spent
point in time, there was $1.2 trillion of I don’t question the good intentions of hundreds of billions of dollars and sent
that unspent. A big chunk of that any Member of this body. We all want it to people who didn’t need it.

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wasn’t even obligated. Today, as we to provide the relief. We all want to re- We are $27.4 trillion in debt today.
stand here debating this now, we still lieve suffering. We all want to help fel- That is 128 percent of the size of last
have a little under $600 billion unspent low Americans who are hurting year’s economy. If this bipartisan deal
and unobligated. through no fault of their own. goes through, about $1 trillion, we will
So the point I was making to my Re- But we talk about suffering. We use be at $28.4 trillion in debt—132 percent
publican colleagues during those last words. We don’t look at numbers very of our GDP.

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S7698 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 18, 2020
I remember the good old days when I 2009, we had the great recession. Let The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob-
first got here. I ran because we were me quote some employment figures jection is heard.
mortgaging our kids’ future. We were a from that. The Senator from Vermont.
little over $14 trillion in debt, and In January 2008, we had 146 million Mr. SANDERS. Madam President,
when the economy was over $15 tril- Americans employed. Remember, the Senator from Wisconsin talks
lion, we were under 100 percent debt-to- today we have 149 million. Our record about Democrats not taking yes for an
GDP ratio. was 159 million, but there were about answer. Let me tell you what we did
What the Senator from Vermont is 146 million before the great recession. not take for an answer. We did not
proposing is basically duplicating, By December 2009, it had dropped, hit take for an answer the Republican bill,
without any reforms that I know of, the low point of 138 million people which did not have a nickel for unem-
those economic impact payments from working; 8 million people had lost their ployment benefits. We did not take yes
the CARES Act, another $275 billion, jobs. for an answer for a bill that did not
for a total of $550 billion—a half a tril- In January, 2009, President Obama have a nickel for direct payments.
lion dollars sent out again to 115 mil- was inaugurated, had total control of The Senator from Wisconsin talks
lion households when right now we government, a filibuster-proof Senate, about the deficit. Yet the Senator from
have only—not ‘‘only,’’ this is tragic. control of the House. He could pass Wisconsin voted for over $1 trillion in
Every job lost is a tragedy. But we anything he wanted, and they did. tax breaks for billionaires and large,
have 9 million jobs less than we had They passed the $787 billion American profitable corporations. That is OK.
when we had a record level of employ- Recovery and Reinvestment Act of The Senator from Wisconsin voted
ment before the recession—9 million 2009. They did that in February 2009. At for a bloated military budget, $740 bil-
jobs lost, 115 million households. That that point, there were 141.6 million lion. That is OK.
is 12.6 times the number of jobs that Americans working—141.6 million The Senator from Wisconsin supports
have been lost. Americans. The unemployment rate hundreds and hundreds of billions of
I think the question needs to be, if was 8.3 percent. Again, throughout dollars in corporate welfare. The Sen-
we are going do this again, is there any 2009, that stimulus didn’t work too well ator from Wisconsin threw out some
sense, any information in terms of how because unemployment fell to 138 mil- numbers. Let me throw out some other
the $275 billion is spent? Well, we have lion Americans. It took 3 years—3 numbers. Half of the people in this
an answer from the Federal Reserve years—until January 2012, because of country are living paycheck to pay-
Bank of New York. They do a monthly overregulation and overtaxation, to re- check. Millions of workers are trying
internet-based survey called the Sur- turn to February 2009 levels of 141.6 to survive on starvation wages of 10 or
vey of Consumer Expectation. They did million Americans working—3 years. 12 bucks an hour. Ninety million people
two special surveys, one in June and That is what we call a slow, non- are uninsured or underinsured, can’t
one in August. The June survey took a existent recovery. afford to go to a doctor. Nineteen mil-
look at how those households spent the Oh, a quick aside: The Senator from lion families are spending half of their
$2,400 checks. Here are the results: 18 Vermont is talking about how we need limited incomes on housing.
percent of those checks were spent on the $600 plus-up for the unemployed be- Today, we have the most severe hun-
essential consumption—essential; 8 cause they are suffering. President ger crisis in America that we have had
percent was on nonessential, the fun Obama, with Speaker PELOSI and Ma- in decades. Children in this country are
stuff, I guess; 3 percent on donations— jority Leader Reid, with a filibuster- going hungry while half a million peo-
Americans are still generous—for a proof Senate—they provided a $25-per- ple are homeless and many millions
total of 29 percent spent on consump- week plus-up to State unemployment more fear eviction.
tion. The marginal propensity to con- when they had total control. Now they Today, as a result of the pandemic,
sume was 29 percent. For the remain- are demanding $600. I know that is not not only do we have the worst
der, 71 percent, half of it was put to part of what the Senator from Vermont healthcare crisis in 100 years but the
savings—spent on increasing savings— is asking for in terms of a unanimous worst economic crisis since the Great
and the other half was paying off debt. consent request. I thought it was just Depression.
They also studied how the unemploy- somewhat noteworthy. I say to my colleague from Wis-
ment plus-up was spent. It had pretty Again, I am not heartless. I want to consin, yes—I will not support pro-
similar results: 24 percent of those dol- help people. I voted to help people. I posals that do not provide a nickel in
lars went for essential consumer goods; voted for the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, unemployment benefits, not a nickel in
4 percent, non-essential; 1 percent, do- but I also am concerned about our chil- direct relief to tens of millions of low-
nations. Again, a total of 29 percent dren’s future and the fact that we are income and middle-income families.
was consumed; 71 percent was either mortgaging it. We do not have an un- I would hope very much that this
saved or used for debt reduction. limited checking account. We have to Congress appreciates the pain that is
They did another special survey in be concerned about these things. out there and that instead of worrying
August, asking those same 1,300 house- My complaint about the Senator about tax breaks for billionaires or cor-
holds that they surveyed: How would from Vermont’s bill—and, quite hon- porate welfare, let’s pay attention to
you spend a $1,500 check? Not $2,400— estly, the bipartisan effort—we have the needs of working families, and let
$1,500. The response was that 14 percent $600 billion unspent, unobligated. Let’s us pass legislation which includes
would be spent on essential items, 7 work long and hard. Let’s look at eco- $1,200 direct payments to working class
percent on nonessential, 3 percent on nomic data. Let’s target it properly. families, as we did in the CARES Act,
donations. But only 24 percent of a new Let’s not just shotgun it out to the 500 bucks to their kids, and certainly
check would actually be spent on con- economy again, wasting tens, if not not taking a nickel away from unem-
sumption; 76 percent would either be hundreds of billions of dollars. Let’s ployment and the other important pro-
saved or pay off debt. focus on that. Let’s pretend it is like visions that are currently being nego-
That is not very good economic stim- real money—like it is our money—and tiated.
ulus. Again, the numbers are without spend it well. We don’t need to mort- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
any reforms, without trying to target gage our children’s future by another ator from Ohio.
the dollars to people who really need $300 or $400 billion. We don’t need to do Mr. PORTMAN. Madam President, to
it. I would want to do that. I would like that. my colleague from Vermont, my under-
to work with anybody to try and get We can alleviate suffering. We can standing is that in a room somewhere
that relief flowing as quickly as pos- help our fellow Americans. We could near here right now, those negotiations
sible to get it to the individuals who have done it in September, but the are ongoing, and there certainly better

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
need it. I am sure the need is still good Senator from Vermont and all of be unemployment insurance. That was
great. It is greater than 9 million. I un- his colleagues on the Democratic side in our bipartisan framework that I
derstand that. But let’s look at some simply won’t take yes for an answer, worked with the Presiding Officer on.
figures. and my guess is, they are taking that And there certainly better be not just
I do want to point out a past stim- same stance today. So, Madam Presi- an extension of the existing Federal as-
ulus in terms of its effectiveness. In dent, I object. sistance for self-employed workers and

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December 18, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7699
gig economy workers and for those who should never have these shutdowns. is that there has been a massive, high-
are now benefiting from the Federal They don’t make any sense. By the ly sophisticated, and ongoing cyber at-
extension, the 13-week extension, but way, to my Republican friends who tack that has compromised the net-
also additional funding. My under- think these shutdowns are good be- works of multiple Federal agencies and
standing is direct payments are also in cause you shut down a lot of govern- the private sector.
the mix. ment, and it seems like you would save According to reports, for months
I just wish they would get their work money—we never save money. The tax- now—months—hackers—our intel-
done. It has been 9 months since the payers always pay more. You go back ligence experts think they are most
CARES Act was done. I just hope we and provide backpay even for services likely connected with the Russian Gov-
can figure out a way to get through the that aren’t provided. ernment in some way. That is what
hurdles that remain. I have spent much I think we have to figure out a way, they tell us. But these hackers have
of the day—as have my colleagues, I when we can’t get our work done here— engaged in an espionage effort to ac-
am sure—talking to colleagues, trying and that is why this is happening. We cess information in some of our biggest
to figure out how to fix the last couple have not gotten our spending bills, ap- Federal agencies that hold some of our
of issues that apparently are out there. propriations done here. Therefore, we most sensitive data and our most sen-
But my hope is that even if it is not a are facing a government shutdown sitive and important national security
perfect bill for me—and it won’t be. I again. At midnight, we turn into pump- secrets.
know it won’t be. We spent 3 or 4 weeks kins. It means the government starts Also, again, many U.S. private com-
working on legislation that is bipar- to get shut down. panies were hacked, as well. These
tisan that isn’t what any of us would By the way, it creates confusion and hackers are smart. They targeted some
have crafted individually, but it pro- uncertainty for Federal workers, of of these agencies that do handle things
vides that needed help right now. We course, who are wondering, are they like national security—the State De-
need it both for the economic crisis going to have their job and are they partment, for instance, the Depart-
that has been caused by this virus but going to get paid, but also confusion ment of Homeland Security, the De-
also the healthcare crisis, which, un- and uncertainty for a lot of citizens partment of Energy and its Nuclear Se-
fortunately, is getting worse in my who are depending on the services that curity Administration.
home State of Ohio and not better. would otherwise be provided. It is so This is scary stuff. Others, like the
The vaccine is on its way. That is inefficient. If you believe in the effi- National Institutes of Health, were
very exciting. I believe that the vac- ciency of government and you believe hacked. Of course, they are closely in-
cine development and now the distribu- in, you know, not wasting money, you volved with our work to respond to the
tion are actually quite impressive. I shouldn’t want these government shut- COVID–19 pandemic, so also a lot of im-
think the administration deserves downs. portant, sensitive information could
credit for that, as do so many hard- My hope is that we do pass a con- have been hacked. They are a treasure
working scientists who have been tinuing resolution at least to kick us trove of information. These are agen-
sleeping in their offices, making sure into the next couple of days so that we cies that protect our homeland, pro-
that we have this vaccine available. don’t have a shutdown tonight. That mote our freedom abroad, and are on
But there is going to be a bridge here. would be such a disaster for so many the frontlines battling this pandemic.
There is a time period between now and people. And it could last a long time, But what we know today may be just
March and April when it is not going to by the way, as these shutdowns did the tip of the iceberg, we are told. Ex-
be readily available to everybody we over the last couple of years. It doesn’t perts expect the number of agencies as
represent. During that time period, we just mean it is a few days. Let’s just well as a number of private companies
need a bridge. We have needed it for a not go into shutdown at all. victimized by this attack will only con-
while, so my hope is we will get that I have introduced legislation called tinue to grow.
done tonight. End Government Shutdowns for 10 The main IT monitoring platform be-
TRIBUTE TO TERESA SIMMS years now. I have introduced it in five lieved to have been hacked was used
Madam President, I also want to different Congresses. We have 33 co- across the government and by 33,000
mention briefly, I just came in on the sponsors. I think it has more cospon- private companies. Shockingly, we also
underground subway from the offices sors than any other bill like it, but know that FireEye, the preeminent
and ran into a woman who has spent 41 there are other ideas out there, and I cyber incident response firm, was also
years working here for us—one of those am open to them—just some way to get breached. So think about this. FireEye,
selfless, hard-working employees of the away from these shutdowns. Our bill which is a company that people call
United States Capitol. Her name is Te- says you just can’t shut it down. When when they are hacked, was hacked.
resa Simms. Many of you know Teresa. you are going for a shutdown, instead, We are still learning the details
She always has a smile on her face. She you just do a continuing funding from about this attack, but what we know is
is always optimistic. She always has a the previous year. And then, by the chilling. Federal investigators from
focus on providing the best service to way, over time, you reduce that by 1 the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
all of us—staff, other employees, Mem- percent every 90 days and every 60 days Security Agency, CISA, under the De-
bers. She started in the cafeteria. She to get the attention of the appropri- partment of Homeland Security, the
then went to the night cleaning crew, ators to get them back to work. Other FBI, and also the Office of National In-
cleaning offices here in this place at people have other ideas. Our bill has telligence, the ODNI, are all working
night. And then she was promoted to been bipartisan in the past. I don’t be- to determine how this happened, what
being one of the drivers of the subway. lieve it is today, but it does have 33 co- the extent of it is.
For 41 years, again, she has done that sponsors. But it looks like the main vulnera-
job dutifully, with great commitment. My hope is that we can figure out a bility was through a SolarWinds’ plat-
She is going to retire and spend more way to end these government shut- form, which is an IT monitoring plat-
time with her family and, particularly, downs with simple legislation that form widely, again, widely used by the
take care of her mom, who is ill. To- says: Let’s just not do it. I don’t think government and the private sector to
night we want to offer our thanks and it provides healthy leverage. I think it oversee the operation of other com-
gratitude to her and our best wishes to provides, again, uncertainty and confu- puter networks.
her in retirement. sion. The hackers disguised their entry
GOVERNMENT FUNDING CYBER SECURITY into these Federal agencies and com-
The other thing that is going on to- Madam President, 2020 has been a pany systems in a troubling and clever

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
night—I will say, I guess it is obvious— tough year, let’s face it. And, unfortu- way. They exploited a vulnerability in
is that we are about to hit the govern- nately, it looks like the challenges a security patch sent out by
ment shutdown time period again. I haven’t ended. I came to the floor to- SolarWinds to update its software. I
mean, we are only about 61⁄2 half hours night, primarily, to talk about some want to emphasize that—the security
from another government shutdown. shocking and disturbing news we just patches that we all advocate to be in-
That is totally unacceptable. We heard over the last few days, and that stalled as soon as possible to protect

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