Senate Remarks on Bipartisan Emergency COVID Relief Agreement — Congressional Record, December 21, 2020
Summary
This is S7890 of the Congressional Record, Senate, December 21, 2020, with interleaved columns. The page opens with the end of remarks saying the Senate has considered only 29 amendments in the entire year. Mr. Schumer, under the heading Coronavirus, corrects the record on Leader McConnell's remarks and presents a chart comparing the bipartisan emergency COVID relief agreement with the December 1 GOP proposal. The chart lists enhanced unemployment insurance of $300 per week, direct payments of $600 per individual and $1,200 per married couple, $13 billion for SNAP, $25 billion for rental assistance, and $45 billion for transportation, each shown as zero in the earlier proposal. He says the agreement excludes the corporate immunity provision and a provision limiting the Federal Reserve. The views are attributed to the speakers.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
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“Senate Remarks on Bipartisan Emergency COVID Relief Agreement — Congressional Record, December 21, 2020.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-21-crec-2020-12-21-pt1-pgs7890-2-37f2f86660/
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S7890 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2020
example, we have only considered 29 BIPARTISAN EMERGENCY COVID RELIEF LEGISLATION SIG- delay, said for several months that the
amendments in the entire year in the NIFICANTLY IMPROVES ON McCONNELL’S INADEQUATE Senate should be on pause. As Demo-
Senate, absent the impeachment pro- PROPOSAL crats were demanding more action, the
ceeding. Twenty-nine amendments. Republican leader was unmoved. The
New Bipartisan Relief December 1 GOP
The year before, 2019, there were 22 Item Agreement Proposal Republican leader’s answer was that 20
amendments. That is a waste of talent. Republican Senators wanted to do
Unemployment Insurance .. $300 per week $0 enhanced UI and
The men and women of the Senate enhanced UI and program extensions nothing more at all. When he finally
should come together, hopefully on a other program end on January 31, proposed legislation, it was completely
extensions through 2021
bipartisan basis, but regardless, should March 14, 2021 partisan, insufficient, and littered with
come together to debate the issues and Direct Payments ................ Additional round of $0 poison pills.
payments—$600 I forgot to add one thing that was in
offer their best ideas and, having of- individual, $1,200/
fered them, be given the chance to vote married couple, and the leader’s bill but not in this bill—
$600/child dependent the broad corporate liability immunity
up or down. I think that appetite is Corporate Immunity .......... Excluded McConnell/Cornyn
strong on both sides of the aisle. Corporate Immunity provision, which the Senator from Illi-
‘‘Red Line’’ nois tried to straighten out. Another
On the Democratic side, Senator SNAP .................................. $13 billion $0
MERKLEY of Oregon has been a leader Rental Assistance ............. $25 billion $0 huge difference—a poison pill.
Transportation ................... $45 billion $0 So when the leader finally proposed
in discussing changes in the Senate Support for Small Busi-
rules, and we reached out to Repub- nesses (PPP) ................. $284.5 billion $257.7 billion legislation because of public pressure
Support for Community to do something, it was partisan—no
licans as well to engage in that con- Development Financial
versation. I think we are a better Sen- Institutions and Minority Democratic input, zero—insufficient,
Depository Institutions .. $12 billion $0 much too little in so many areas, as I
ate for it if we do it and a better Na- SBA Grants ........................ $20 billion $0
tion for it if the debate becomes rel- Debt Relief Payments and mentioned, and littered with poison
Enhancements for SBA pills designed to ensure the bill would
evant to the issues of the day from peo- Lending Programs ........ $5.5 billion $0
ple across America who are watching SAMHSA Funding for Men- fail. Most notably was a provision to
tal Health and Sub- give corporations, no matter how egre-
closely to see if we understand what stance Use Disorder ..... $4.25 billion $0
they are struggling with economically NIH COVID Research ......... $1.25 billion $0 gious their behavior, sweeping immu-
Broadband ......................... $7 billion $0 nity from legal accountability. Leader
and politically.
I yield the floor. MCCONNELL said on the floor that for
Mr. SCHUMER. I am just going to
Republicans, corporate immunity was
f read from it, comparing the new, bipar-
a red line.
tisan relief agreement to the December And he blames the Democrats, as he
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY
1 GOP proposal of Leader MCCONNELL. did again today, for why this bill is
LEADER How about direct payments? This bill
being debated now? It is just turning
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The has $600 per individual, $1,200 per mar-
truth on its head. It is like ‘‘Alice in
Democratic leader is recognized. ried couple, $600 child dependent. Many
Wonderland.’’
f of us didn’t think that was enough, but Even in the recent negotiations, the
it is in the bill. Do you know how much Republican majority made an eleventh
CORONAVIRUS was in the Republican leader’s pro- hour demand that had nothing to do
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first, I posal? Zero. with helping people during this pan-
heard the remarks of the Senator from Unemployment insurance. This bill
demic but, rather, sabotaged the in-
Illinois. It is a hope that we can change that we are voting on has $300 per week
coming Biden administration’s recov-
the way the Senate operates and do of enhanced UI and other program ex-
ery effort and restricted the Federal
more amendments and do more debat- tensions through March 14. What does
Reserve’s ability to save jobs and right
ing on the floor. We haven’t seen much the Republican leader’s bill have? Zero
the economy in a time of crisis.
give from some of our colleagues on the enhanced UI. Program extensions end
Thankfully, the agreement we
other side of the aisle, but hopefully January 31.
reached contains neither the leader’s
that could and will happen. This bill has $13 billion in SNAP; the
corporate immunity provision nor Sen-
Now, about remarks here, every day, Republican leader’s bill, zero.
This bill has $25 billion in rental as- ator TOOMEY’s last-minute provision to
it seems, for the past week or so, I have handicap the Fed’s authority to sta-
sistance; the Republican leader’s bill,
come to the floor ready to talk about bilize the economy in a crisis. And it
zero.
the merits of bipartisan legislation we will do a whole lot of good, besides,
This bill has $45 billion in transpor-
have been drafting, not wanting to be some of the programs I mentioned.
tation for airlines and mass transit and
critical at all. Then I listen to the Re- Look, after months of tense and dif-
buses and airports and highways. What
publican leader. The leader’s remarks ficult negotiations, we have this agree-
does the Republican leader’s bill have?
just about every day this week as he ment. It is not as large as Democrats
Zero.
has opened the Senate have been so This bill has, very importantly, want. It is certainly larger than what
nastily partisan and in so many ways money for community development fi- many Republicans want. That is the
false that I have no choice but to cor- nancial institutions and minority in- nature of compromise. It does us no
rect the record as the Democratic lead- stitutions, $12 billion. What does the good to end the year with the kind of
er. Republican leader’s bill have? Zero. bitter, partisan fighting that has de-
The Republican leader’s accusation SBA grants, $20 billion this year; Re- fined too much of the year. In a new
that the blame for this bill’s delay lies publican leader’s bill, zero. session and under a new administra-
totally on one side is just ridiculous. It Debt payments and enhancements for tion, we can and should do better be-
is ‘‘Alice in Wonderland’’ thinking. It SBA. This bill, $5.5 billion; Republican cause our job is far from over.
defies all the facts as to what we have bill, zero. The bill today is a good bill. Today is
seen. Then his comparison—that the SAMHSA funding for mental health a good day, but it is certainly not the
agreement we are voting on today and and substance use disorder. This bill, end of the story. It cannot be the end
the most recent Republican offer are so $4.25 billion; Republican leader’s bill, of the story. Anyone who thinks this
similar—is absurd. The two bills are zero. bill is enough doesn’t know what is
nothing alike, and I had to point that NIH COVID research, $1.25 billion; going on in America. Anyone who
out several times. Republican bill, zero. thinks this bill is enough hasn’t heard
I have a chart here. Broadband so homes can get the desperation in the voices of their
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- broadband. This bill, $7 billion; Repub- constituents, has not looked into the
sent to have this chart printed in the lican leader’s bill, zero. eyes of a small business owner on the
RECORD. The list could go on. There is a com- brink of ruin.
There being no objection, the mate- plete difference between the two bills. By all rights, there should be direct
rial was ordered to be printed in the We all know as well that the Repub- assistance in this bill for State and
RECORD, as follows: lican leader, who blames Democrats for local governments. The checks should
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December 21, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7891
be larger. While this agreement in- Grandchildren, wrapped in protective the verge of retirement, who, for 2
cludes a new and larger forgivable PPP gear, waved goodbye to grandparents straight weeks, worked day shifts at
loan for restaurants, we need to do from across the silence of a hospital the ICU and night shifts at the nearby
much more for restaurants. We have bi- room. hospital before finally succumbing to
partisan legislation to deliver the re- It has been a horrible year—annus the disease himself.
lief that is truly needed, the RES- horribilis. Yet here, at the very end, fi- Last week, the first American—a
TAURANTS Act, which, regrettably, nally, there is hope—not just one, not nurse in Queens—was vaccinated
did not make it into this legislation. just two, but three strong beacons of against COVID–19. Many millions will
We must do all we can to save res- hope. One, soon many Americans will soon follow. Eventually, our businesses
taurants, and I will not stop fighting have the vaccine. Two, Joe Biden will will reopen, our economy will reopen,
until we pass the RESTAURANTS Act become President. He has the experi- and life will reopen. We will travel and
into law. This bill cannot and will not ence and the empathy to handle the worship and send our kids to school
be the final word on congressional re- COVID crisis and will replace a man and see our friends and be together
lief from the coronavirus pandemic. who has shown no capacity or even in- again. It won’t be tomorrow or next
This is an emergency survival package. terest in doing so. And, three, we are week or even next month, but it will
When we come back in January, our on the verge of passing another his- happen, not because we merely waited
No. 1 job will be to fill in the gaps left toric, bipartisan relief bill to deliver long enough, not because we were pa-
by the bill and then get the economy emergency assistance during a time of tient, but because we persevered.
moving with strong Federal input. national emergency. So there are three Our job right now is to help the coun-
Still, the significance of this package beacons of hope: the vaccine, a new ad- try get from this stormy present to
should not be underestimated. It will ministration, and a bill that will help that hopeful future, to survive this
be the second largest bill—the second in an emergency. dark winter until spring thaws the ice.
largest Federal input—in the history of Very soon, our country will close the Our job is to do what is necessary—pass
our country. It will be the second larg- book on the most chaotic President in this bill, pass another stronger bill
est amount of Federal dollars going to recent history. Joe Biden, an experi- next year—whatever it takes to hold
the people ever. The times demand it. enced leader and a person of funda- our country together until we eradi-
Even some of our conservative Repub- mental human decency, will become cate the awful scourge of this disease.
lican friends will vote for it, and it is the 46th President of the United
At the end of this annus horribilis—
good we have it. For much of the year, States. KAMALA HARRIS, my good
this horrible year—let us give the
it looked unlikely that it would ever friend and hard-working colleague, will
American people another reason to
get done, and our success today, our become the first woman, the first
hope.
ability to pass this bill today, should Black person, and the first Asian
American to ascend to the Vice Presi- I yield the floor.
give us confidence we can do more. We
dency of the United States. Together, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma-
can end the year on a rare note of opti-
they will return competency and com- jority whip.
mism.
Now, Queen Elizabeth, every year, passion to our government after 4 long Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I am, like
gives a talk to her subjects about the years of division and demonization, many of my colleagues, very pleased
status of the monarchy and the British which far too many people have toler- that we have reached an agreement on
royal family. In a very challenging ated and gone along with. a final COVID relief package and none
year, she called the year annus Even though this disease has not too soon.
horribilis—a horrible year. Unlike in been vanquished yet, there is light at Last week, we celebrated what will,
1992, which was the year Elizabeth re- the end of the tunnel in the form of a hopefully, be a turning point in the
ferred to the problems with Charles vaccine. Everyone should appreciate COVID fight—the first coronavirus vac-
and Diana, this year has been an annus how miraculous that truly is. It usu- cinations. We need to build on that mo-
horribilis not just for Great Britain ally takes between 5 and 10 years to de- mentum and make sure that vaccine
and the royal family, which she was velop a new vaccine—5 to 10 years. It distribution goes swiftly and smoothly
talking about, but an annus horribilis took American doctors, biochemists, so that we can vaccinate as many
for the entire world. and medical researchers less than 10 Americans as possible as quickly as
The global COVID–19 pandemic has months to produce not one but two via- possible. The COVID relief package will
infected more than 70 million people ble vaccines for the coronavirus. The help us achieve that goal by providing
across the globe. Another 500 million discovery of a vaccine in a single cal- important funding for vaccine distribu-
have gone, likely, undiagnosed. There endar year is the crowning scientific tion. It will also provide critical sup-
are 1.6 million people who have died, 20 achievement of the 21st century—the port to Americans to help them weath-
percent of whom have been Americans, medical Manhattan Project of our er the rest of the pandemic, including a
more than 315,000—more than the en- times. It is a reminder that, when we second round of paycheck protection
tire population of Pittsburgh or St. work together and persevere and sac- funding for the hardest hit small busi-
Louis, more than all of the American rifice for one another, nothing—noth- nesses, money to help schools reopen
combat deaths in World War II. The ing—is beyond our capacity as a na- safely and operate so that our kids
September 11 attacks to my fair city tion. aren’t left behind, and more money for
shaped much of the first decade of this The same resilience and innovation coronavirus treatment and other front-
century. In 2020, our dear country has and fortitude that saw our country line medical priorities.
suffered the equivalent of a 9/11 attack through its darkest hours has emerged I am very pleased that the final pack-
every day for 106 days in a row. once again. COVID–19 has changed our age includes my Paycheck Protection
We have lost so much. We have country, but it has not changed our for Producers Act, which will help
missed holidays and reunions, retire- character. America is the night-shift more farmers and ranchers benefit
ments and graduations, bar mitzvahs nurse fashioning protective equipment from the Paycheck Protection Pro-
and confirmations, weddings and funer- from shoelaces and sheets of vinyl. gram. The bill also includes funding to
als. Trapped in our homes, our compan- America is a restaurant owner who allow the Department of Agriculture to
ions were isolation and loneliness and sent meals to frontline workers for provide additional assistance to farm-
the faint glow of tiny screens. The free. America is the home-stitched ers and ranchers. Ag producers were
image of seeing people on the screen, mask sent to friends and families. It is dealing with a challenging agricultural
watching their loved ones pass away the metallic clang of pots and pans economy even before the pandemic hit,
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
when they couldn’t be with them, will that celebrates essential workers. and the coronavirus has only made
stay with us forever. Doctors had to America is the grocery store clerk and things tougher. I strongly advocated
stack iPads in waiting rooms for end- the busdriver and the plasma donor and for including additional funding for
of-life conversations—how tragic, how the lab technician, late at night, farmers and ranchers in this legisla-
awful. There were cars lined up, bump- poring over the results of a clinical tion, and I am very glad that the final
er to bumper, for food assistance. trial. It is the Brooklyn doctor, 62, on bill includes this support.
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S7892 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 21, 2020
The final package also explicitly floor in September and again in Octo- there, both on the healthcare front and
makes biofuels, like ethanol and bio- ber and voted on here. also on the economic front, and we
diesel, eligible for USDA assistance at The vaccine money—the money that have moved aggressively to address
the discretion of the Secretary of Agri- is out there to help with the vaccines those needs not once, but twice.
culture. Biofuel producers have suf- that are going to be so effective in try- Legislation, a real bill brought to the
fered from a drop in fuel demand dur- ing to get this pandemic under con- floor, which received a majority vote
ing the pandemic, and I hope the Sec- trol—was also in the bill that was on in the U.S. Senate—52 U.S. Senators in
retary will ensure that they are able to the floor both in September and in Oc- September and again in October voted
receive assistance, which will further tober. here on the floor of the U.S. Senate to
help our ag economy recover. The relief for small businesses that do the very things that I just men-
I am very happy that the COVID re- have been hit hard by this pandemic tioned—but it was blocked from even
lief package includes an extension of and have seen their balance sheets and being considered by the Senate Demo-
the Thune-Warner Employer Participa- their income statements get depleted crats.
tion in Repayment Act. The Thune- by its economic impact also would We all know here in the Senate it re-
Warner bill allows employers to make have been funded with additional Pay- quires 60 votes to invoke cloture. It is
tax-free contributions to their employ- check Protection Program relief in the a procedural motion to get on a bill.
ees’ student loans of up to $5,250 per bill that we brought before the Senate The Senate Democrats gave us no sup-
year. This is a win for employees, who both in September and again in Octo- port to even get on the bill.
get help in paying off their student ber. That very assistance is included in So, as a consequence, even though
loans, and it is a win for employers as the legislation that we will vote on there was majority support—52 U.S.
they look to attract and retain tal- today. Senators voting in favor of getting on
ented workers. Our bill was included in Money for schools, as I mentioned and debating the bill—because the
the CARES Act—the major coronavirus earlier, to help them reopen safely— Democrats blocked it, we didn’t even
relief legislation we passed in March— something that was in the legislation have an opportunity to debate—not
but it was scheduled to expire at the that we voted on in September, again even to get on it, let alone offer amend-
end of the year. Under the coronavirus in October—is in the legislation that ments and have a discussion and a con-
relief package, however, our legislation we will vote on today. versation and work on legislation. If
will be extended for an additional 5 The only things that are different, they had objections to it or things they
years. really—substantially different—from wanted to improve or things they
The COVID relief package also in- what we brought up on the floor back wanted to make better, they would
cludes Senator CORNYN’s Small Busi- then are the assistance checks that are have had an opportunity to do that if
ness Expense Protection Act, which I included in this legislation. That is we had simply been able to get on the
cosponsored. This legislation will en- something that was a priority. It was a bill.
sure that small businesses that qualify priority for Members on the Repub- So we are where we are today at this
for forgiveness of their Paycheck Pro- lican side; it was a priority for Mem- late hour in the year—December 21,
tection Program loans can still deduct bers on the Democratic side; it was a Christmas week—doing this now be-
their ordinary business expenses on priority for the White House, so it cause they didn’t want to do it earlier,
their taxes. ended up being included in this and, and some have publicly acknowledged
The relief package also includes leg- hopefully, will provide some much that one of the reasons they didn’t
islation I introduced this summer with needed relief to people across this want to do it earlier is that there was
Senator ENZI that will establish anti- country who have been struggling with a campaign underway, and they had
fraud measures within the Pandemic their personal finances and their fam- hoped that there would be a new Presi-
Unemployment Assistance program so ily finances through the pandemic. dent, an opportunity to do it their way
that we can ensure that beneficiaries So those are all things that we have later.
are truly eligible for the program. discussed and debated previously, and I But, nevertheless, we have before us
We have addressed a lot of would point out that, contrary to the now, finally, at long last, a piece of leg-
coronavirus priorities in this relief assertions made by the Democratic islation that addresses the most crit-
package, and I am very pleased that we leader just now, there were numerous ical needs that are out there, and it is
are finally getting it out the door. Re- attempts to try and move this legisla- very similar in many ways, in terms of
publicans spent months pushing for ad- tion previously. the substance, the content, and the fea-
ditional, targeted coronavirus relief, Now, it is fair to say that the House tures of the bill and the overall
and I am glad the Democrats finally of Representatives did send the Senate pricetag, to what Republicans have
decided that they were ready to work a $3.4 trillion package, which was brought on the floor of the U.S. Senate
with us in a bipartisan way to arrive at bloated and included lots of nonpan- previously.
this legislation. demic, noncoronavirus relief-related So I am glad that we are finally
The Senate Democratic leader was items—things that were on their lib- going to get this done, but I absolutely
just here, once again, attacking Repub- eral wish list. That wasn’t realistic, disagree with the statements that were
licans over their failure—the Demo- and they knew it. That was a campaign made earlier by the Democratic leader,
crats’ failure—to work with us to get a document designed to try and help because they don’t reflect reality. In
coronavirus relief bill sooner. We them, at the time, win an election. fact, they don’t reflect anything close
brought up multiple times on the floor But I am glad they have decided to to reality about what has been hap-
legislation that could have passed if get down and negotiate in a serious pening here in this Chamber over the
there had been a little cooperation way because the number that we are past several months when it comes to
from the Democrats. He pointed out going to be passing today—a little trying to provide much needed relief to
that this bill we are going to be voting under $1 trillion, about $900 billion—is the American people who are suffering
on today looks nothing like the Repub- very close to what Republicans put on from this pandemic.
lican bill, which isn’t the case. There the floor in September and again in Oc- There are a couple of things that I
are a lot of similarities between the tober. would just mention briefly that aren’t
bill that we put on the floor in Sep- It is a far cry from the $3.4 trillion included in the bill, and I wish they
tember and again in October—about bloated bill that the Democrats sent were.
$600 billion in targeted relief that ad- over from the House and the Demo- I have a bill called the Remote and
dresses the most fundamental needs crats here in the Senate tried to ad- Mobile Worker Relief Act, and I am
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
the American people need right now. vance and suggested that that should sorry that was not included in the final
One is an unemployment insurance ex- be what the Senate should vote on. bill.
tension for those who are unemployed. We have said all along that we need This bipartisan legislation would
The very amount that is in the bill to address this in a targeted way, a fis- have prevented unexpected tax bills
that we will vote on today was in the cally responsible way, a way that rec- and tax complications for medical pro-
Republican bill that we brought to the ognizes the most critical needs out fessionals who traveled to other States
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December 21, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7893
to help during the pandemic and for While Officer Robinson is, fortu- and help for our hospitals and help for
Americans who worked from home to nately, expected to make a recovery, our rural areas—housing, rent, small
help slow the virus’s spread. Officer Shuping, tragically, passed businesses, unemployment, the direct
It is unfortunate that opposition away from his injuries. checks.
from a handful of States with aggres- Jason Shuping was an outstanding I think we all know that there is
sive taxation policies—like the Senate police officer who courageously ran to more work to be done, including next
Democratic leader’s home State of New danger to protect residents of Concord. year, including for our cities and our
York—has so far prevented legislation He was also a loving son and a hus- States, but it is so important that we
like mine from getting through Con- band to his wife Haylee. He was active get this done by the end of the year.
gress. But I will continue to fight for in his community since his childhood. I wanted to focus on something that
tax relief for remote and mobile work- He attended East Rowan High School I have worked on for quite a while with
ers. in Salisbury, and he was an honor stu- Senator CORNYN from Texas. We have
It has been a difficult year for our dent and track and field athlete at done this on a bipartisan basis from
country. There are way too many virus UNC-Pembroke. the beginning, and it is the Save Our
infections, way too many hospitaliza- He was a young man with a bright fu- Stages Act.
tions, way too many people who have ture ahead of him, described by those When we first introduced it in July,
lost loved ones from this dreaded virus. who knew him as a ‘‘gentle soul who we knew that it was going to be a long
It has affected people in so many made an impact.’’ road, and we also knew that the only
ways—their health, their confidence, His hometown paper, the Salisbury way we would get this done is by stick-
their economic standing and status, Post, noted: ‘‘Whether it was staying ing together as a team and by working
their mental health. There are just so after practice to provide coaching to a with other Members of Congress from
many—so many—effects of this, and youngster or coming back home from red and blue States. And by the end—
this winter is likely to be very chal- college to play the handbell in his this bill is included in full in this pack-
lenging. church’s ensemble, you could always age—we had 57 Senators who sponsored
But the encouraging news is that count on Jason Shuping.’’ this bill out of 100, with many more
there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is no surprise to see the outpouring supporting it. We had over 200 House
There is a vaccine out there that will of love coming from the community of Members.
get more widely out there, and thanks Concord to honor his life and service. We worked so hard to make this
to the resources that we put into the There have been a candlelight vigil and about America and American music
first coronavirus bill—the CARES Act a touching law enforcement escort that and American theater and American
that passed last March—those vaccines brought many residents and a long line culture.
have been moving forward at record We all know that you can’t go stand
of American flags proudly displayed.
speed—five times faster than any vac- in a mosh pit in the middle of a pan-
As we gather with our families this
cine in history. demic. These live entertainment
Christmas, my thoughts and prayers
Light is at the end of the tunnel. The venues were among the first businesses
will be with the family of Officer
vaccines are coming. They are going to to close, and they will almost certainly
Shuping, as well as the families of
be proven to be very effective, and be among the last to reopen.
Mount Holly Police Officer Tyler Hern- This was about, yes, Nashville and
there is additional funding in this par-
don and Nash County Deputy Sheriff New York, but it was just as much
ticular legislation that we will vote on
Jared Allison, who also lost their lives about the Fargo Theater or a small,
today to make sure that it gets distrib-
this month in the line of duty. small country music venue in Texas.
uted as quickly as possible.
We are going to make it through Those families are going through an
And while we see the light at the end of
this, and I look forward to sending the unimaginable period of grief, but they
tunnel with the vaccines, we know that
additional relief that is included in should know that the people of North
it will be quite a while before these
this legislation that we will move Carolina are forever grateful for the
businesses, which operate on such thin
through the Senate today and put on selfless service of their loved ones, and
margins as it is, can keep going.
the President’s desk, where he can sign I will never forget the ultimate sac- I think we also know the importance
it into law. I look forward to seeing rifice that they made in answering the of the arts and music, not only as a
that additional relief get out to the call to protect others. cultural icon in America but also as an
American people. I yield the floor. economic driver. It is one of our No. 1
I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- exports, when you combine all of it.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. BAR- ator from Minnesota. And the fact that we were able to stick
RASSO). The Senator from North Caro- f together with not only the nitty-gritty
lina. CORONAVIRUS of this bill and this coalition and actu-
f ally add partners as we went along is a
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I
HONORING JASON SHUPING tribute to all the musicians out there,
rise today to thank all of my col-
all the venues, all the lighting opera-
Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I rise leagues who worked so hard on the bill
tors, all the truckers—everyone who
today to honor the life and service of that is coming to the floor today, the
came together and said: We are going
Concord, NC, Police Officer Jason pandemic relief package.
We know all the top priorities in to get this done.
Shuping, who was tragically killed in I know when Senator CORNYN and I
the line of duty this week. there—the vaccine distribution—and I
first introduced this, people kind of
Officer Shuping was only 25 years old want to thank Senator SCHUMER and
patted us on the head and said: Oh, this
and had served the Concord Police De- leaders and those on both sides of the
sounds nice. But I think when people
partment for 11⁄2 years with honor and aisle who put more funding into that.
started to hear the facts and how much
distinction. I want to thank the group who has
this matters to economies and even
Officer Shuping and Officer Kaleb worked so hard on this agreement and
small towns, it made a difference. In
Robinson were responding to a 9–1–1 this negotiation in the Senate for their
the end, to quote Minnesota’s own Bob
call for a car crash and an attempted work, including Senator MANCHIN and
Dylan from ‘‘The Times They Are a-
carjacking. Officers Shuping and Rob- Senator ROMNEY and Senator WARNER
Changin,’’ he says:
inson located the suspect and were pre- and Senator SHAHEEN and Senator HAS-
Come senators, congressmen
pared to bring him to justice. However, SAN and Senator DURBIN, as well as all Please heed the call
when Officer Shuping, Officer Robin- of their Republican colleagues, Senator Don’t stand in the doorway
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
son, and a third ALE officer ap- COLLINS and Senator MURKOWSKI, Sen- Don’t block the hall
proached, the suspect immediately ator CASSIDY, who worked so hard on No one blocked the hall.
began opening fire. this original agreement, with many I want to thank my colleagues, and I
Officers Shuping and Robinson were others who joined in as well. want to especially thank Senator COR-
both shot. Additional officers arrived This bill contains such important NYN. We have led many bills together,
on the scene and took out the suspect. priorities, including unemployment and we had to go back and forth a lot.
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