Congressional Record, Senate — December 30, 2020, S7973

Summary

This is S7973 of the Congressional Record, Senate, December 30, 2020, with interleaved columns. Mr. Schumer discusses efforts to overturn the election results, says Congress will meet on January 6 to formally recognize the electoral college result, and says the Senate will begin the process of overriding the President's veto of the annual Defense bill. Under the heading Unanimous Consent Request on H.R. 9051, he asks that the Senate proceed to H.R. 9051, a bill to increase recovery rebate amounts to $2,000 for individuals, and Mr. McConnell objects. The page then lists Reservation of Leader Time and Morning Business, with Mr. Sanders concurring with what Senator Schumer said. The views are attributed to the speakers.

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“Congressional Record, Senate — December 30, 2020, S7973.” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-30-crec-2020-12-30-pt1-pgs7973-2-45d42cec61/, SHA-256 0773353b26d18b1043a8b08a6b27ce794cef2f9a264cdc5c7b1f9c78b4931ce7.

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December 30, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7973
the Trump campaign and its allies have families. There are only a few days left to the American people or not? Let’s
brought no fewer than 13 lawsuits and in this session, and the Senate should have the vote.
lost every single one, many with Re- consider both issues before adjourning. UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 9051
publican judges ruling. There have There is a very simple solution to I ask unanimous consent that the
been only three individuals—three— this dilemma: Leader MCCONNELL Senate proceed to the immediate con-
charged with voter fraud in Pennsyl- should bring both measures up for a sideration of H.R. 9051, a bill received
vania, and in each case, the person vote and let the chips fall where they from the House, to increase recovery
voted for Trump. may. I believe both measures—the de- rebate amounts to $2,000 for individ-
The effort by the sitting President of fense override and the $2,000 checks to uals; that the bill be read a third time
the United States to overturn the re- American families—will pass, but at and passed; and that the motion to re-
sults is patently undemocratic. The ef- the very least, the Senate deserves the consider be considered made and laid
fort by others to amplify and burnish opportunity for an up-or-down vote on upon the table with no intervening ac-
his ludicrous claims of fraud is equally increasing the individual payments to tion or debate.
revolting. This is America. We have the American people. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
elections. We have results. We make At the end of my remarks, I will ask objection?
arguments based on fact and reason, the Senate to set a time tonight for a Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
not conspiracy and fantasy. vote on the House bill to provide $2,000 object.
On January 6, Congress will meet to checks. The Republican leader objected The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
formally recognize the electoral col- to a similar request I made yesterday, tion is heard.
lege result. There is a very clear proc- and it appears he may be considering a
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
ess to handle and dispense with the ob- different bill that packages stimulus
jections of Members of Congress to the checks with other unrelated and par- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
counting of the result, and that is just tisan policies. the previous order, the leadership time
what we will do—dispense with them. I want to be very clear about one is reserved.
On January 6, Congress will ratify the thing: There is no other game in town f
electoral college’s decision that Joe besides the House bill. The only way to MORNING BUSINESS
Biden will be President and KAMALA get the American people the $2,000
HARRIS will be Vice President. Make no checks they deserve and need is to pass The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
mistake about it—Joe Biden and the House bill and pass it now. The the previous order, the Senate will be
KAMALA HARRIS will be sworn in as House has recessed for the year. Any in a period of morning business, with
President and Vice President on Janu- modification or addition to the House Senators permitted to speak therein
ary 20. bill cannot become law before the end for up to 10 minutes each.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT of this Congress. It is a way to kill the The Senator from Vermont.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now bill. Make no mistake about it: Either f
let me return to the matters at hand. the Senate takes up and passes the
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUESTS—
Today, the Senate will begin the House bill or struggling American fam-
H.R. 9051 AND H.R. 6395
process of overriding the President’s ilies will not get $2,000 checks during
veto on the annual Defense bill. The the worst economic crisis in 75 years. Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I want
House has already overridden the veto Over the past few days, the idea of in- to concur with what Senator SCHUMER
by a comfortable margin. I expect the creasing direct payments to the Amer- said. What he said goes beyond eco-
Senate to follow suit and enact the ican people has united folks from all nomics. It goes beyond the desperation
NDAA into law over President Trump’s points of the political spectrum. I sa- that tens of millions of working fami-
evolving and ridiculous objections. lute the Senator from Vermont for the lies are facing. It goes beyond the
Congress has passed the annual Defense good job he has done in bringing this struggles of the people of Vermont or
bill for 59 years in a row. It is an im- forward to the American people’s at- Kentucky.
portant opportunity to ensure our de- tention. An overwhelming bipartisan Let me just make it clear for the ma-
fense and security policies reflect the majority in the House supports the jority leader that 10 out of the poorest
evolving challenges of our world and $2,000 checks. Senate Democrats 25 counties in the United States of
provide our servicemembers and their strongly support these $2,000 checks, America are located in Kentucky. So
families, as well as Defense Depart- and our unlikely ally, President my colleague the majority leader
ment civilians, the support, resources, Trump, this morning, tweeted: ‘‘$2000 might want to get on the phone and
and training they need. The particular ASAP!’’ For once, the Democrats agree start talking to working families in
legislation includes a pay raise for with something on President Trump’s Kentucky and find out how they feel
troops and provisions that will allow Twitter feed. Let’s send $2,000 ASAP to about the need for immediate help in
the executive branch to be better pos- working Americans who are facing the terms of a $2,000 check per adult. I have
tured to identify and deter breaches to hardest and darkest days of the pan- the strong feeling that the people of
America’s cyber security. In the wake demic. Kentucky will respond no differently
of the SolarWinds hack, that might be After all of the insanity that the than the people of Vermont or New
a good policy to enact. Senate Republicans have tolerated York. The last poll that I saw had 78
Nonetheless, President Trump vetoed from President Trump—his attacks on percent of the American people saying
this legislation because it provides for the rule of law, an independent judici- they wanted and needed that type of
renaming military installations that ary, the conduct that led to his im- help.
honor Confederate military leaders or, peachment—is this where the Senate This discussion, frankly, is not just
maybe, because it doesn’t address an Republicans are going to draw the about the economic struggling of work-
unrelated social media issue. Think line—with $2,000 checks to the Amer- ing families in this country. It is not
about it for a moment. The President ican people? That is a bridge too far? just about the massive levels of income
vetoed a pay raise to living American Please. and wealth inequality. It is about basic
soldiers in order to defend the honor of For the awareness of my colleagues, democracy.
dead Confederate traitors. Well, the we can have this vote tonight and send Now, what we have to do here on the
Senate will soon have an opportunity the bill directly to the President’s desk floor, whether it is Senator SCHUMER or
to override the President’s objection for his signature. We can vote on the Senator MCCONNELL or I, is to talk in
and do right by those brave Americans NDAA bill tonight and finish the Sen- legalese. That is the language of the

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who wear the uniform. ate’s business before the end of the U.S. Senate. The stuff sounds pretty
As I said yesterday, there are two year. All it takes is our Republican col- complicated to the average person, but
major issues before the Senate right leagues to consent to a simple vote on all that Senator SCHUMER and I are
now—the annual Defense bill and the the House bill to provide $2,000 checks asking of the majority leader is very
vital and important effort to send to the American people. Yes or no, up simple: Allow the Members of the U.S.
$2,000 stimulus checks to American or down, do you support sending $2,000 Senate to cast a vote. If you want to

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S7974 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 30, 2020
vote against $2,000 checks for people in together and voted unanimously, I be- There are people who are still suf-
your State, vote against it. I see Sen- lieve, for the most extraordinary aid fering from the economic fallout of
ator TOOMEY here. He has been clear package—financial stimulus bill, how- this terrible COVID crisis. There is no
about it. I suspect he will vote against ever you care to characterize it—in the question about it. We know there are
it. I respect his opinion, but all that we history of the world by far. Remember people who are concentrated in a hand-
are asking for is a vote. What is the where we were. We had closed down the ful of industries, for the most part—not
problem? In the House, over two-thirds economy. To a very large degree, the exclusively—but people who have
of the Members of that body, including American economy had stopped func- worked in the restaurant industry, peo-
44 Republicans, voted to say, in this tioning because State governments ple who work for hotels, travel, enter-
time of economic desperation, working around the country decided they had to tainment. So many of those people are
families deserve help, and they deserve close it down. We can discuss and we still out of work and their prospects of
a $2,000 check. can argue about whether that was a getting their old jobs back are not good
As Senator SCHUMER just indicated, good decision or not, but given the lim- in the short run. I sure hope they will
we have a very unlikely ally in Presi- ited knowledge we had about the na- be good in the medium-term run, if not
dent Trump. Nobody here has disagreed ture of the COVID–19 threat, it was sooner.
with Trump more times than I have; deemed to be the right thing to do. And our bill addressed that. It ad-
yet here is what the leader of the Re- So we were on the verge of having no dressed that problem. How did we do
publican Party writes: ‘‘$2000 ASAP!’’ economy. That has never happened be- that? With a new round of PPP loans,
So, even on this issue, amazingly fore in our history. which are really grants to small busi-
enough, the President of the United So what did we do? We decided this nesses, if they will keep their work-
States is right. calls for extraordinary measures, and force intact; expansion of unemploy-
What all of this comes down to, my we would try to use Federal dollars as ment insurance benefits, so that people
fellow Americans, is not even whether a substitute for the economy—just re- who have historically been ineligible
you agree with Senator SCHUMER and place lost income on a massive, unprec- remain eligible so they can continue to
myself and 78 percent of the American edented scale—and we did. We approved collect unemployment benefits; an in-
people or whether you agree with Sen- almost $3 trillion in that legislation. crease in the amount of unemployment
ator MCCONNELL and, I suspect, Sen- At the time, we included $1,200 per
benefits, a $300-a-week overlay of Fed-
ator TOOMEY. That is fine. It is called person. You could make an argument
eral money on top of whatever their
democracy. We have differences of that that was an extremely inefficient
State program is; $600 per person, re-
opinion. All that I am asking is to give use of that $1,200 per person, but at the
gardless of whether they lost income.
time, given the circumstances, I under-
us a vote. What is the problem? Allow All of that was passed just a few days
stood why we didn’t have many good
the U.S. Senators to cast a vote as to ago, and now we are told we need to
options, and that was something we de-
whether they are for the $2,000 check or come back immediately, right now,
cided to do.
whether they are against it. So where are we now? We are in a and make sure that we are sending
We will need, as I understand it, 60 $2,000 checks to people who had no lost
very different place. Our economy is
votes to win. That is a big hurdle. I income.
not in a free fall. Our economy is in a
don’t know that we are going to win. So for that reason, I object.
recovery mode. We are not back to
There are a number of Republicans, to where we want to end up. We are not The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
their credit, who have said they are back to where we were before March, tion is heard.
ready to vote for it. I suspect there but we have taken big steps in that di- The Senator from Massachusetts.
may be more, when given the oppor- rection. f
tunity, who will vote for it. Maybe I The economy grew at 33 percent last UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—
am wrong. Maybe we will lose. I think quarter—33 percent. That is a tremen- H.R. 9051 AND H.R. 6395
that would be unfortunate. All that I dous recovery that is underway. More
am asking for right now is to give us Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I rise
than half of all the people who lost
the opportunity to vote. What is the their jobs earlier this year have re- to echo the sentiments of the Senator
problem with that? gained their jobs. So we are not fin- from Vermont. He is right. The Repub-
I will now go to Senate legalese. ished yet, but that is a huge step along licans are wrong on this issue. On
I ask unanimous consent that at 11:30 the way. every single part of this debate, Sen-
a.m. on Thursday, December 31, the And now we are being told, after ator SANDERS is right; the Republicans
Senate proceed to the immediate con- passing another extraordinary bill— are wrong.
sideration of H.R. 9051, a bill to provide this one almost $1 trillion and includ- We are in the middle of an unprece-
a $2,000 direct payment to the working ing $600 per person—that that is not dented crisis in our country. We have a
class; that the bill be considered read a enough; we need to do $2,000 per person, healthcare crisis, we have an unem-
third time; and that the Senate vote on despite the fact that we know for sure, ployment crisis, we have a hunger cri-
the passage of the bill, without inter- we know for a fact, that the large ma- sis, we have a housing crisis, we have
vening action or debate; further, that if jority of those checks are going to go an addiction crisis, and we have a
passed, the motion to reconsider be to people who had no lost income. moral crisis in this country.
considered made and laid upon the How does that make any sense at all? The U.S. Government should be re-
table; further, that immediately fol- We know for sure that the majority of sponding to the needs, to the despera-
lowing the vote on H.R. 9051, the Sen- these people had no lost income. They tion of families in our country at this
ate proceed to the immediate consider- didn’t lose their jobs, and yet we are time. There is a crisis of faith that the
ation of the veto message on H.R. 6395 going to send them not $600, not the American people have in its govern-
and that the Senate immediately vote $1,200, but $2,000. ment’s ability to respond to human
on the passage of the bill, the objec- So think about this. A married cou- suffering. Well, this institution has
tions of the President to the contrary ple, who both are working and have 2 been created to respond to human suf-
notwithstanding, with no intervening kids, maybe they work for the Federal fering. That is our job.
action or debate. Government, like 2 million-odd people Tony Fauci has made it very clear
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there do. Maybe they work for a large com- that the worst of the pandemic is
objection? pany, the vast majority of which did ahead of us, not behind us. We know
The Senator from Pennsylvania. not have large numbers of layoffs. So what is coming, and yet we are not re-
Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, in re- this two-child, two-income couple that sponding. We know this is not going

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serving the right to object, let me start makes six figures had no interruption, away soon, and yet we are not respond-
by pointing out that we are not in the no diminishment of their income what- ing.
same place that we were back in soever. They are going to get $8,000 of A program, Operation Warp Speed,
March. Our economy is in nothing like money we don’t have that is going to was created to create a vaccine, but be-
the situation we faced during a mo- be either borrowed or printed. That is cause for 7 months the Republicans
ment in March when this body came what it is all going to come down to. have refused to fund the public health

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