Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Jan. 25, 2021)
Summary
Page S114 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for January 25, 2021, in interleaved columns, under the heading Coronavirus. Mr. McConnell remarks on the impeachment article delivered to the Senate and the schedule for the trial, saying the theory that the Senate cannot try former officials would be a get-out-of-jail-free card, which is his view. Another speaker argues for a pro-job, pro-worker vision and cites a former Treasury Secretary on the economy, and a statement says a bipartisan group introduced legislation to award Officer Goodman a medal.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Jan. 25, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-01-25-crec-2021-01-25-pt1-pgs114-2-858a19edc8/
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S114 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 25, 2021
to the Senate the Article of Impeach- from future office. The theory that the God and their own conscience: Is
ment and will read the article here in Senate cannot try former officials former President Trump guilty of in-
the well of this Chamber. would amount to a constitutional get- citing an insurrection against the
Tomorrow, Senators will be sworn in out-of-jail-free card for any President United States?
as judges and jurors in the impending who commits an impeachable offense. I yield the floor.
trial, and the Senate will issue a sum- Now, it is certainly appropriate for I suggest the absence of a quorum.
mons to former President Trump. After the Senate to take the resignation of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
that, both the House managers and the an official into account. After all, the clerk will call the roll.
former President’s counsel will have a House decided not to impeach Richard The bill clerk proceeded to call the
period of time to draft their legal Nixon because, in that sense, Nixon roll.
briefs, just as they did in previous took some responsibility for his ac- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President,
trials. Once the briefs are drafted, pres- tions. But to state the obvious, Presi- I ask unanimous consent that the order
entations by the parties will commence dent Trump did not resign. He has not for the quorum call be rescinded.
the week of February 8. demonstrated remorse. He has not even The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
I want to thank the Republican lead- acknowledged his role in the events of objection, it is so ordered.
er for working with us to reach this January 6, and he has never disavowed f
agreement, which we believe is fair to the lies that were fed to the American
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY
both sides and will enable the Senate people by him about who actually won
LEADER
to conduct a timely and fair trial on the election.
the Article of Impeachment. The Just to put a final nail into the coffin The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re-
schedule will also allow us to continue of this ridiculous theory, I remind my publican leader is recognized.
the important work of the people, in- colleagues, if a President is convicted f
cluding confirming more members of on an Article of Impeachment, the Sen- CORONAVIRUS
President Biden’s Cabinet. ate holds a separate vote on whether to
I want to be very clear about that bar them from future office. Once a Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President,
last point. The Senate will conduct a President is convicted of an impeach- our Nation has spent nearly a year
timely and fair trial. ment charge, they are removed from locked in this terrible battle with
I want to be very clear about that be- office. In other words, they become a COVID–19. This virus that spread from
cause some of my Republican col- former official. If we are to believe China around the world has taken more
leagues have latched on to a fringe that the Senate can’t hold former offi- than 400,000 American lives. It has ef-
legal theory that the Senate does not cials to account, then the Senate could fectively cost many children an entire
have the constitutional power to hold never proceed to that second vote of school year. It made us slam the
the trial because Donald Trump is no disqualification, which is provided for brakes on one of the best job markets
longer in office. This argument has in the Constitution, even for a sitting in modern history and threw millions
been roundly debunked by constitu- President. of families into financial chaos.
tional scholars from the left, right, and In saying this, I am expressing the But thanks to a lot of hard work in
center. It defies precedent, historic view of legal scholars across the polit- 2020, the dawn of 2021 has brought a
practice, and basic common sense. It ical spectrum. Stephen Vladeck, a turning point. The genius of science
makes no sense whatsoever that a prominent constitutional expert at the and the support of Operation Warp
President—or any official—could com- University of Texas, wrote in the New Speed produced vaccines in record
mit a heinous crime against our coun- York Times that Donald Trump is the time. And in December, after months
try and then defeat Congress’s im- ‘‘poster child’’ for why the conviction of delay, Democrats finally let Con-
peachment powers by simply resigning of an ex-President is not just constitu- gress move ahead with another major
so as to avoid accountability and a tionally permissible but necessary. rescue package. The light at the end of
vote to disqualify them from future of- More than 150 legal scholars signed a the tunnel is getting closer, and both
fice. letter last week forcefully stating that Republicans and Democrats are going
This is not merely a hypothetical sit- an impeachment trial of a former to continue working together to accel-
uation. In 1876, President Grant’s Sec- President is constitutional. Among the erate victory.
retary of War, William Belknap, impli- signatories, one of the cofounders of Curiously, the President’s candidate
cated in a corruption scheme, literally the Federalist Society, as well as one to run the Department of Health and
raced to the White House to tender his of President Reagan’s Solicitors Gen- Human Services is the famously par-
resignation mere minutes before the eral, among other prominent conserv- tisan attorney general of California.
House was set to vote on his impeach- atives. His recent experience in health policies
ment. Then, as a matter of historical It is so obviously wrong to suggest seems largely limited to promoting
record, he burst into tears. Not only that impeaching the President is un- abortion-on-demand and suing groups
did the House move forward with the constitutional—that impeaching a like the Little Sisters of the Poor,
five impeachment articles against him, former President is unconstitutional. which dare to live out their religious
but a trial was then convened in the So why are some suggesting it? convictions.
Senate. Well, there seems to be a desire on In an interview just yesterday, Mr.
Of course, the question came up as to the political right to avoid passing Becerra compared the current state of
whether the Senate could try former judgment, one way or the other, on vaccinations inherited by the Biden ad-
officials, and guess what. The Senate former President Trump and his role in ministration to an airplane in a nose-
voted as a Chamber that Mr. Belknap fomenting the despicable attack on the dive—a disaster. He contrasted the sta-
could be tried ‘‘for acts done as Sec- Capitol on January 6. There seems to tus quo with the new administration’s
retary of War, notwithstanding his res- be some hope that Republicans could stated goal of 1 million vaccinations
ignation of said office.’’ oppose the former President’s impeach- per day, which he called ‘‘ambitious.’’
Those are the words of the Senate ment on process grounds, rather than There is a problem here. Even the
vote in 1876. grappling with his actual awful con- press has repeatedly pointed it out,
Mr. Belknap was ultimately acquit- duct. which said our Nation is already meet-
ted, but the record is clear. The Senate Let me be very clear. This is not ing that very pace—already meeting
has the power to try former officials, going to fly. The trial is going to hap- that very pace. That is not a big new
and the reasons are obvious. A Presi- pen. It is certainly and clearly con- goal. It is exactly what they inherited
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dent or any official, for example, could stitutional, and if the former President from the Trump administration in Op-
wait until their final 2 weeks in office is convicted, there will be a vote to dis- eration Warp Speed.
to betray their country, knowing they qualify him from future office. Inauguration Day, Thursday, and
could escape accountability or merely There is only one question at stake— Friday, each topped 1 million vaccina-
resign moments before the Senate de- only one question that Senators of tions. As of today, we are averaging
cides to convict and disqualify them both parties will have to answer before 1.16 million shots per day over the last
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January 25, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S115
week. They are claiming the exact economy, our multiple rescue packages But the simple fact is that, when the
same number can either be a total ca- have brought American household in- American people elect a President and
tastrophe or a smashing success. I come all the way back to a level that when the President selects qualified
guess it depends on whether Democrats equals or even exceeds what he would and mainstream people for key posts,
are in power. So much for science with- expect if we weren’t in a crisis. the whole Nation deserves for them to
out politics. So, to be clear, nobody thinks our bi- be able to assemble their team.
Here is how the Washington Post put partisan work fighting this pandemic is I will be voting to confirm Dr. Yellen
it: completely finished. Nobody is arguing today. I look forward to working to-
The accelerating speed of the [vaccine] that. And we all understand that over- gether on pro-growth policies that will
program undercuts assertions by some Biden all national statistics do not explain help rebuild the thriving economy for
advisers that they were left no plan by the away the terrible struggles facing American workers that was in place
Trump administration, and suggests they many families. But experts and econo- just 1 year ago.
need only to keep their feet on the pedal to mists from the left to the right agree:
clear the bar they set for themselves. f
Any further action should be smart and
Yesterday, Mr. Becerra was asked targeted, not just an imprecise deluge RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
about increasing vaccinations in the of borrowed money that would direct The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
months ahead. Here is what he said: ‘‘I huge sums toward those who don’t need the previous order, the leadership time
first have to be sworn in to give you a it. is reserved.
timeline.’’ Perhaps that is like the That is why the new administration’s
time the Speaker of the House fa- f
first draft of their sprawling proposal
mously said she had to pass a bill be- misses the mark, and press reports CONCLUSION OF MORNING
fore the public could learn what was in make clear this is not just a Repub- BUSINESS
it. lican view. Multiple Democratic Sen-
The new administration campaigned The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning
ators agree that it is not the right path business is closed.
heavily on having a new master plan to forward.
fight the pandemic. Well, now they are So as the $900 billion package from 5 f
in office, President Biden has said: weeks ago continues to come online EXECUTIVE SESSION
‘‘[T]here’s nothing we can do to change and as the remaining needs continue to
the trajectory of the pandemic in the come into focus, Republicans will be
next several months,’’ and his adminis- ready and eager to continue bipartisan EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
tration is apparently content to main- discussions about smart steps forward
tain the same vaccine pace they actu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
for the American people. Bipartisan ac-
ally inherited. the previous order, the Senate will pro-
tion helped our Nation endure the last
Let’s talk about Congress’s role in ceed to executive session to resume
year. Bipartisan action helped us turn
the pandemic relief. Our Democratic consideration of the following nomina-
the corner, and it will be smart, bipar-
colleagues spent last summer and fall tion, which the clerk will report.
tisan actions that help us finish the
using the legislative filibuster to delay The bill clerk read the nomination of
fight.
the next rescue package until after the Janet Louise Yellen, of California, to
f be Secretary of the Treasury.
election. Now, that would be the same
tool that some Senate Democrats now NOMINATION OF JANET LOUISE The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
suddenly say they oppose, as if they YELLEN the previous order, the time until 5:30
hadn’t leaned on it liberally over the Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, will be equally divided between the two
last 6 years. now on a related matter, this after- leaders or their designees.
But, finally, last month, they let us noon, the Senate will confirm Dr. Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab-
act. We passed another package total- Janet Yellen, the former Chair of the sence of a quorum.
ing nearly $900 billion in urgent relief. Federal Reserve, to serve as President The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
We provided more than $80 billion to Biden’s Secretary of the Treasury. Her clerk will call the roll.
help K–12 schools, $280 billion for the speedy confirmation will contrast The bill clerk proceeded to call the
Paycheck Protection Program, billions sharply with the way the Senate Demo- roll.
more for Federal unemployment insur- cratic minority handled many of the Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I ask
ance supplements, nutrition and rental last President’s key Cabinet nomina- unanimous consent that the order for
assistance, and direct cash aid and tions 4 years ago. the quorum call be rescinded.
massive new investments in purchasing Secretary Mnuchin had to sit The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
and distributing vaccines. Some of that through a stunt where Senate Demo- objection, it is so ordered.
money has already gone out the door. crats literally boycotted his committee TRIBUTE TO CAPITOL CUSTODIAL STAFF
Other portions are still unspent—a hearing. He was not confirmed until Mr. BROWN. Madam President, it is
massive, historic, almost trillion-dol- mid-February. good to see the Senator from Hawaii as
lar package that was passed into law Dr. Yellen came out of committee on the Presiding Officer.
just 5 weeks ago. a unanimous vote and will begin to Madam President, I rise today to
Since last March, Washington, DC, work 5 days after the inauguration. honor workers in this building—some-
has spent a historic amount of money That is even faster than Secretary thing that Senator HIRONO does every
standing up one of the most enormous Geithner’s nomination in 2009 in the day of her life in this job—workers in
policy responses by any government to teeth of a financial crisis. this building who are too often over-
any emergency that the world has ever This certainly isn’t because Dr. looked but whose work is essential to
seen. Nobody thinks the support has Yellen’s or President Biden’s economic the functioning of our government: our
been perfect—far from it—but it has policy views have unanimous support Capitol custodial staff.
been historic and strong. here in the Senate. I expect we will In the days after the January 6 insur-
For example, a nonpartisan study in have no shortage of spirited policy dis- rection, when domestic terrorists
November showed that because of the cussions with Dr. Yellen in the months stormed this building, we rightly hon-
historic emergency legislation passed ahead, especially if some Democrats ored Capitol Police Officer Eugene
through Congress, American personal keep trying to use this historic emer- Goodman and many other Capitol po-
income was actually—listen to this— gency as a pretext—a pretext to push lice officers who put their lives on the
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higher in September than it had been through permanent far-left policy line to protect all of us, to protect our
before the pandemic. changes. democratic process, and, essentially, to
Last month, Larry Summers, Presi- The 50 Senators on our side have protect our democracy.
dent Clinton’s Treasury Secretary and great confidence in our pro-job, pro- Last week, I joined a bipartisan
President Obama’s NEC Director, con- worker vision that helped build the group of colleagues in introducing leg-
firmed that relative to our underlying greatest job market in living memory. islation to award Officer Goodman the
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