Congressional Record — Senate, December 30, 2020, Page S7977
Summary
Page S7977 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for December 30, 2020, in interleaved columns, with an exchange over a unanimous consent request for $2,000 checks. Mr. Sanders says the Senate should allow a free-standing up-or-down vote and that Mr. Cornyn did not answer his question about corporate liability, which is Mr. Sanders's view. Mr. Cornyn objects, saying he has concerns about liability and frivolous litigation. A senator from Ohio says the best way to help workers is to put more money in their pockets, and a speaker criticizes the $1.5 trillion added to the deficit by earlier tax cuts.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, December 30, 2020, Page S7977.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-12-30-crec-2020-12-30-pt1-pgs7977-c745685352/
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December 30, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7977
immediately—you will vote no, and themselves victimized by frivolous liti- Republicans do, they are going to let it
you will explain to the people of Texas gation, then, we have no alternative be.
why you voted that way. That is called but to continue to object to this re- But I get back to my friend—my
democracy. I respect that. But what is quest. friend from Texas, Senator CORNYN. We
your problem with allowing the Senate The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- are asking a simple question. If you
to have a free standing vote? ator from Vermont. want to bring up corporate liability,
There are a number of people on your Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, if you bring it up. If you want to bring up sec-
side, Republicans, who have already listened carefully, you understood that tion 230, bring it up. If you want to
come forward and said yes, they want my friend from Texas did not answer bring up the man in the Moon, bring it
to vote for this $2,000 check. my question. He has a concern about up. But what the American people
Now, if you want to deal with cor- corporate liability. It is a legitimate want now is an up-or-down vote.
porate liability, that is fine. Let’s deal debate. Do you know what? Bring it to Look, you are going to vote against
with it at some point. Bring forward a the floor. Let’s vote it up or down. I it if it comes to the floor. That is fine.
bill, and we can vote on it up or down. will vote against it. You will vote for It is your right. Explain it to the peo-
All that we are asking for is a simple, it. But I asked you a very simple ques- ple of Texas. I will vote for it. But all
up-or-down vote on the issue that tens tion, not about linking things to- that I am asking for is the right, as a
of millions of people are talking about gether—nobody in the real world un- U.S. Senator, to have the vote.
right now: Will they survive economi- derstands that stuff. That is inside-the- Again I ask you: What is your prob-
cally in the midst of this terrible pan- beltway stuff. lem with Members of the U.S. Senate,
demic? What people in the real world know— including a number of Republicans,
I ask my colleague from Texas: What and I want to take a moment to read who have already indicated they would
is the problem with allowing the U.S. some of these statements. We have a like to vote for this? What is your
Senate to vote on the bill passed by the lot of people on our social media, and problem with bringing that up as a sin-
House? we asked the American people, just the gle stand-alone bill, not merged with
I yield to my colleague from Texas. other day: Tell me; what would a $2,000 corporate liability or anything else?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- check mean to you? What is going on What is your problem with that?
ator from Texas. in your life? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I would And in just over 24 hours, I would say ator from Texas.
say to our colleague from Vermont, I to my friend from Texas, nearly 6,000 Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I would
have no problem with providing assist- people responded. Here is just what a say to our colleague from Vermont:
ance, whether it is to public health of- few of them had to say. This is Twitter This money is not targeted to people
ficials who are trying to struggle with stuff. So I don’t have their names here, who have suffered financially.
this pandemic or to provide money for and I wouldn’t use them publicly, any- Mr. SANDERS. Then vote against it.
research for the therapeutics or vac- how. But this is what they say. Mr. CORNYN. It is not targeted to
cines which, fortunately, are now being One person writes: ‘‘$2,000 is the dif- people who have suffered financial
distributed around the country. I have ference between keeping our apartment losses. This money would go to mem-
no objection to direct payments to in- and being evicted.’’ Here is another bers of your own staff if they meet the
dividuals. I voted for the $1,200 direct one: ‘‘$2,000 means I can afford to feed financial requirements and to other
payments contained in the CARES Act. my three kids.’’ Another response: ‘‘It government employees who have suf-
I voted for the additional money that would mean not having to choose be- fered no financial loss during this pan-
is provided for in the most recent tween rent and groceries and not hav- demic.
COVID–19 legislation. But this legisla- ing to ration my partner’s meds.’’ An- We have all suffered in different ways
tion that the Senator from Vermont is other response: ‘‘I am raising my during the pandemic, to be sure, but,
advocating would benefit households grandson with medical needs. I am financially, this money is designed to
with annual incomes of over $350,000. $4,000 behind on utilities. We need elec- help the people who need it the most.
They would get this money. tricity to run his medical equipment.’’ Why would you send money to govern-
I would say that one way to deal with Here is another response: ‘‘$2,000 would ment employees who have been receiv-
this—because, of course, we negotiated mean I wouldn’t have to worry about ing their full paycheck during this pan-
back and forth on the last COVID–19 making my mortgage payment this demic?
bill, and nobody got everything they month, and I could get my medica- Mr. SANDERS. That is a good ques-
wanted—but if our colleagues on the tion.’’ Another response: ‘‘$2,000 would tion. And then I will have to explain
other side of the aisle want an addi- mean paying my rent and getting life- that to the people of the State of
tional financial benefit for people mak- saving treatment because I can’t afford Vermont.
ing up to $350,000, why not couple it the $50 copay through my work insur- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
with liability protection for people who ance just to see my neurologist right ator from Texas has the floor.
are acting in good faith? now’’—and on and on and on. Thou- Mr. SANDERS. He asked me a ques-
This isn’t just about corporations, sands of people responded. tion, as I understood it.
and our colleagues across the aisle So, I want to get back to the point. I The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
know it. This is about schools. This is want to again say to my friend from ator from Texas.
about churches, synagogues, and Texas: If you have a concern about cor- Mr. SANDERS. Did the Senator from
mosques. This is about every business porate liability—good issue—bring it to Texas ask me a question?
that is worried that a game of the floor. Let’s vote on corporate li- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
‘‘gotcha’’ is going to take place and ability. ator from Texas.
they are going to end up paying the I would yield for a question from my Mr. CORNYN. It was more of a rhe-
price. Even if they win the lawsuit, friend from Illinois. torical question.
they will still have to pay for the cost Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I yield Mr. SANDERS. I took you literally.
of defense, potentially losing their for a question through the Chair. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
businesses outright. I have listened to the figures used on ator from Texas.
Clearly, our colleagues across the the floor about families who would f
aisle care more about trial lawyers and qualify for the $2,000. It is my under-
being able to bring litigation against standing that an individual with an in- CORONAVIRUS
businesses that have tried to do their come of $75,000 or less could qualify for Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I want-
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
best and have struggled with the evolv- the $2,000 payment, and for a joint re- ed to come to the floor and talk about
ing public health guidance provided by turn—husband and wife—$2,000 could be what strikes me as something akin to
the CDC and other authorities. Clearly, given to them if their income is under Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day is
if they are not interested in engaging $150,000. Is that your understanding? only the day I was born. It is some-
in a negotiation where people, who Mr. SANDERS. That is my under- thing I feel like we are living through
through no fault of their own, find standing. And I think, you know, as here as we debate the same points over
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S7978 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 30, 2020
and over and over again, forgetting because of things like tax cuts for mil- ulus check under the House-passed bill.
what it is we have already done—the lionaires and billionaires, which had Now, that is not being smart with tax-
good things we have done together on a nothing to do with COVID. payer dollars, and that is not targeted
bipartisan basis. So our Democratic colleagues at the people who actually need it.
We have already appropriated rough- dragged their feet—July, August, Sep- That is a giveaway to people who have
ly $4 trillion in response to this pan- tember, October, November. Months not suffered any financial losses during
demic, and it is appropriate that we went by, and the cases soared, and the this pandemic and clearly not targeted
have done so because this was a true economic squeeze tightened, and our at those who need the most help.
public health crisis. But now this is— Democratic colleagues refused to ac- I mentioned a moment ago that the
we are seeing politics creep back in in cept any sort of compromise. median income for households in Texas
an attempt to send money in an That was until a few weeks ago, when is $60,000 a year, so this family of five
untargeted and wasteful sort of way to they finally changed their tune right is earning nearly six times as much
people who have suffered no financial after the election. I am sure it comes and would still receive a check from
loss. as no surprise that once the holdout taxpayers. That defies all common
These relief packages that we passed agrees to negotiate, things can move sense. Even the Washington Post edi-
together have provided hundreds of bil- pretty quickly, and that is what hap- torial board dubbed this policy as
lions of dollars to support our hospitals pened here after the election. Demo- wasteful because of the huge amounts
and healthcare workers who are on the crats, Republicans, and the administra- destined for what they call ‘‘perfectly
frontlines. I voted for it, and I think we tion agreed to a $900 billion package, comfortable families.’’
were right to do so. which looks very similar to the one Even though Congress has already
We have thrown small businesses and they dubbed pathetic just a few months provided roughly $4 trillion in relief to
their employees a lifeline through the ago. the American people, our Democratic
Paycheck Protection Program, and we In recent days, the President has ex- colleagues are acting as though this is
were right to do so. We have invested pressed an interest in doing more, and the first and only way to help our
in research, development, and manu- I have no doubt that we will do more in country.
facturing of therapeutics and vaccines this area, but Speaker PELOSI’s bill Like I said, for them, every day is
that are currently being adminis- goes far beyond what the President is Groundhog Day. They ignore every-
tered—thank goodness—throughout talking about. For one, it would dra- thing we have done in the past and act
the country and, indeed, around the matically widen the pool of recipients, like this is the only thing we have or
world. And we have sent unprecedented enabling wealthy households to qualify could do. It is just not true.
assistance to workers, families, and in- for relief checks. This is unacceptable This debate isn’t about whether or
dividuals whose livelihoods have been and wasteful. not Congress should help families who
upended by this crisis. When Congress provided the first are struggling. We have. And there is
Thanks to President Trump’s leader- round of direct payments through the no question we will continue to do so
ship, Congress has stepped up and met CARES Act, we did so in a way that where needed. That is why we provided
this unprecedented challenge to deliver sent relief to the hardest hit Ameri- $1,200 in direct payments to the hardest
relief bill after relief bill for the Amer- cans. Individuals who made up to hit Americans through the CARES Act
ican people. If you had told me a year $75,000 received the full $1,200, and the and an additional $600 through the
ago I would have voted this year alone amount gradually declined as income most recent relief bill. That is why
for roughly $4 trillion worth of spend- increased and completely phased out at these bills also bolstered State unem-
ing in this pandemic, I would not have $99,000. We kept the same formula for ployment benefits and expanded them
believed you. But I do believe this is a the $600 payments provided for under to include independent contractors and
domestic equivalent to World War II, the omnibus and further targeted the the self-employed. That is why Con-
where we have to do everything hu- relief. Once again, those who made up gress passed legislation to provide food
manly possible to try to help our fellow to $75,000 will receive the full amount, assistance to families, keep more hard-
man, woman, and child during this and the amount phases out completely working Americans on payroll, and en-
pandemic. at $87,000. sure our economy is on track for a
The latest round of relief came, of Under the CARES Act, a family of strong recovery.
course, just this week, when President four earning up to $150,000 received Again, we did this thanks to the lead-
Trump signed the $900 billion rescue $3,400, and in the most recent rescue ership of President Trump and by
package into law. While I am glad Con- bill, the same family would receive an working together in a bipartisan way.
gress was able to send more relief out additional $2,400. This was the most ef- Countless Texans have told me about
the door at the end of the year, I am fective and targeted way to ensure that the impact of this relief on their busi-
disappointed that it took so long to do assistance goes to those who actually nesses and their families, and we can’t
so. It is amazing the sense of urgency need it while avoiding sending tax- lose sight of the progress that has al-
our Democratic colleagues have today, payer dollars—borrowed, I might add— ready been made. But future relief
since at least three times—maybe four to those who don’t. must be targeted. We need to support
times—they blocked our attempts to The House-passed legislation would those who need it and avoid sending
pass half-trillion-dollar relief bills dur- provide $2,000 payments, but it doesn’t hundreds of billions of dollars, as this
ing the course of the summer. have a similar structure to keep these proposal would, to those who don’t
In July, our colleagues introduced payments targeted. Let me give you an need it.
the HEALS Act, which would have pro- example. Throughout the year, I have been an
vided just under a trillion dollars in re- If this bill were to become law, a per- advocate for an incremental approach
lief, covering the same types of policies son making $100,000 a year would re- to these relief bills because I think it is
included in the most recent relief bill— ceive a $750 check from the Federal hard to spend $3 trillion and know ex-
direct payments, unemployment bene- Government, whether or not they lost actly how that bill is going to work.
fits, funding for schools, vaccines, and income during the pandemic. This isn’t And, indeed, we found out through the
a host of other priorities. someone who used to make that much CARES Act that the mainstream lend-
Our Democratic colleagues not only but was laid off or had a reduction in ing facility, which we funded at rough-
complained about the bill, but they their income. Someone who is cur- ly half a trillion dollars, wasn’t as use-
called it weak, little, pathetic, and rently earning a six-figure salary ful as we would have hoped.
unserious. They refused to engage in would receive an additional $750 from Conversely, the Paycheck Protection
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
the sorts of negotiations that are cus- American taxpayers. Program was more successful than our
tomary around here when you actually For families, the income barrier goes wildest dreams. So I think by seeing
want to solve a problem or consider higher. As I mentioned a moment ago, what works and what doesn’t work, we
anything short of the House’s multi- if you have a family of five with an an- can be better stewards of taxpayer dol-
trillion-dollar bill, which they knew nual household income of $350,000 a lars by spending the money more effi-
had no chance of passing in the Senate year, that family would receive a stim- ciently and in a more targeted way.
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December 30, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7979
This isn’t like highway bills or farm which have eased the financial strains in the bank accounts of the largest cor-
bills or defense spending bills where we on millions of Texans and other Ameri- porations and biggest banks, hoping it
have an idea about what is needed for cans. I will continue to work with our will trickle down. We know it never
individual programs. There was no colleagues to provide assistance as our does. The CEOs just pay themselves in-
precedent for this pandemic, no hand- war on COVID–19 rages on. stead.
book, and no clear way to gauge how I yield the floor. We know that just recently there was
long this crisis would go on or what The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- more good news for American CEOs
would be needed to sustain our re- ator from Ohio. who are able again to do stock
sponse. f buybacks, more dividend distributions.
After the CARES Act passed, we A lot of corporations have made a lot
CORONAVIRUS of money—more power to them—during
knew it made the most sense to hit the
pause button and see what worked Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, we have this pandemic, but those are the cor-
well, what didn’t, and where more help heard a lot of revisionist history this porations that continue to get the big
was needed. As I said, there were cer- afternoon. tax breaks.
tain programs like the Paycheck Pro- Look back in March, when Congress We need, instead, to directly invest
tection Program that almost imme- did the right thing and the Senate in people who make this country work.
diately dried up. If I am not mistaken, voted unanimously. Because of our ef- It helps people pay the bills and stay in
in 2 weeks, roughly $350 billion was ob- forts, 13 million people were kept out their homes and get through this down-
ligated under the Paycheck Protection of poverty—we know that—because we turn. It injects money into local econo-
Program—a strong indication that we provided relatively generous unem- mies that really need it. The more
really hit the sweet spot when it came ployment insurance. We did the direct money people have, the more they
to helping those small businesses. That payments. We helped with small busi- spend in small businesses that are
is why we added more funding in April, ness loans. But then this Senate hurting.
another $320 billion, and we extended thought its work was done for the year. We know this works. It did in the
the program in July and reinvested in We begged Senator MCCONNELL month spring. We came together. We crossed
after month after month to come back the aisle, passed the CARES Act, ex-
the Paycheck Protection Program
and help. panded unemployment, and provided
again in the omnibus.
As I said, there were other places As I said, 13 million people were kept direct stimulus checks, keeping 13 mil-
where the money went unspent. But, out of poverty because of the work this lion people out of poverty. The bill we
fortunately, in the most recent bill we Congress did in March of this year, but passed last week was a good step in
were able to repurpose hundreds of bil- now, since—many of those benefits, es- that direction, but we should make it
pecially the unemployment benefit and stronger.
lions of dollars in unspent funds, again,
the direct payments, were not contin- Back in March, my original plan that
to target it to where the need was
ued, of course. Those benefits expired I tried to negotiate as I sat with Sec-
greatest and where it could help the retary Mnuchin and a handful of other
most. in August, and we have seen 8 million
people drop into poverty in this coun- Senators was $2,000 per person, adults
There is no question that tens of mil-
try since. Yet Senator MCCONNELL re- and children. We called for it to be sent
lions of workers and their families
fuses and refuses and refuses. automatically throughout the year,
have been hurt by this virus. We all
I hear this revisionist history that every quarter, as long as we remained
know that. And I think we have all
Democrats just want to help people in a public health emergency.
acted together, by and large, respon- It is clear now what we could have
sibly, in trying to respond to that. No who are already affluent and give them
done and should have done. No one
one will be left out if we have a means more money. Well, remember back in
could predict how long this crisis
and method of targeting this to those March, the only amendment that we
would last. Today, we still aren’t sure
people—whether it is direct payments, considered, the only amendment that
when everybody will be vaccinated and
enhanced unemployment benefits, in- Senator MCCONNELL allowed on the
when the economy will return to full
centives to their employers to main- floor of the Senate to the CARES Act, strength. We don’t want to sit idly by.
tain them on payroll. And now that we the only amendment was to take away We don’t want to wonder how bad it
have the beginning of the distribution the $600-a-week unemployment insur- could get. We are the strongest, richest
of the vaccine, my hope is that in the ance. The only place Republicans country on Earth. We have the re-
coming months we will get back to, if fought was the $600-a-week unemploy- sources to do something about it; we
not the new normal, whatever the next ment insurance. That more than any just need leadership willing to use
normal will be. single thing we did is why people were every tool we have.
But we are just a few days from kick- kept out of poverty. Now the best we If they refuse to support this $2,000
ing off the new Congress, and I have no could do was $300-a-week unemploy- per person, if they refuse to support
reason to believe that our coronavirus ment insurance—the best we could do. these direct payments, Leader MCCON-
relief work is finished here today. As a In spite of Senator CORNYN’s and oth- NELL and Senate Republicans will
matter of fact, Vice President Biden ers’ comments, Senator MCCONNELL again make it perfectly clear to the
said that he expects to send us an addi- waited, waited, waited, and waited. Fi- American people whose side they are
tional request for help once he assumes nally, we were able to do that. on.
office. The President of the United States Every time there is a fork in the road
Once the legislation we have passed threatened to veto it, causing millions and Senator MCCONNELL and Senate
has a chance to benefit the American of Americans to fall off their unem- Republicans have to make a decision—
people, we will see if more relief is ployment insurance. We know all that. either go with corporate interests or go
needed, and then, if it is needed, we It is just important to remember all with working families—every single
should absolutely do more. that. time, they choose corporate interests.
I still believe in the wisdom of the in- But there is one simple question be- They had no problem pouring money
cremental approach, and I believe our fore the Senate this week: Are we into corporate coffers with their tax
Democratic friends will join us in re- going to put more money into people’s cut and blowing up the deficit.
sponding to the true needs of this crisis pockets? The American people made it Just down the hall here in Senator
without monthlong delays or irrespon- clear on election day that they want a MCCONNELL’s office, I remember lobby-
sible spending. government that is on their side. This ists lining up, looking for those tax
Countless Texans have told me about is our chance to deliver for them, to cuts back 3 years ago, and they got
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
the importance of the relief we have show people whom we serve that we those tax cuts. They didn’t say any-
provided through direct payments, un- can make a real difference in their thing about government deficits back
employment benefits, food assistance, lives, which we did back in March. then—$1.5 trillion added to the deficit.
and other forms of support by the laws It is pretty simple. The best way to They didn’t mind that because that
we passed throughout this year. I was help Ohio workers and families is to was money going into their contribu-
proud to support each of those policies, put more money in their pockets, not tors’ pockets, into big corporate coffers
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