Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Feb. 1, 2021)
Summary
Senate page of the Congressional Record dated February 1, 2021. Remarks address budget reconciliation and the Byrd rule, quote a 2001 statement by Senator Byrd about the intended use of reconciliation, and urge Democrats not to go down this road. Other remarks address reports of a coup in Myanmar and say the Biden administration is providing briefings to the Hill. The Senate is stated to be continuing to confirm President Biden's Cabinet nominees, with the confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security delayed until tomorrow because of winter storms. A later speaker says COVID relief should be the work of both Democrats and Republicans.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., Feb. 1, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-02-01-crec-2021-02-01-pt1-pgs210-5-d938ce3cd5/
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S210 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 1, 2021
any adverse rulings from the Parlia- his ability to reach across the aisle to February 2, at 2:30, with all other pro-
mentarian. Over the last several dec- get things done. This will be his first visions of the agreement remaining in
ades, Senators on both sides have re- test. Will he urge Senate Democrats to effect.
frained from such a dangerous move be- pursue a bipartisan approach to legis- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
cause of the precedent it would set. lating, or will he give up on his single objection, it is so ordered.
Here is another instance where, de- largest campaign promise less than 2 MYANMAR
spite pressure from some in my party, weeks into his administration? Madam President, at the beginning
Leader MCCONNELL refrained from The second option is for our Demo- here, I want to briefly address the
eliminating the legislative filibuster. cratic colleagues to speak up. Senators deeply disturbing reports of a coup in
He knew how detrimental it would be MANCHIN and SINEMA stood up to the Myanmar. We are monitoring the situ-
to the U.S. Senate as an institution. Democratic leader when he threatened ation with great concern, and the
Basically, what we are hearing now to eliminate the filibuster. As I see it, Biden administration is already pro-
about budget reconciliation and consid- this is no less dangerous. viding briefings to the Hill on the state
ering eliminating the Byrd rule is es- Whatever precedent you set or break of affairs. Congress stands ready to
sentially a backdoor method to elimi- when you are on one side will affect work collaboratively with the new ad-
nate the filibuster and push the most you when you are on the other side, ministration to resolve the situation.
partisan, controversial measures which you, inevitably, will ultimately I know this is a region of long-
through with only a simple majority. be. standing concern and interest to the
In 2001, Senator Byrd said: ‘‘Rec- If Democrats destroy the budget rec- Republican leader, so I hope that we
onciliation was never, never, never in- onciliation process now, it will clear can productively work together in a bi-
tended to be used as a shield for con- the way for them to pass a progressive partisan fashion to determine the best
troversial legislation by depriving Sen- agenda with absolutely zero need for course of action for America’s interest
ators of their rights and their duty to Republican votes. That could include and for the people of Myanmar.
debate and amend.’’ But that is pre- everything from Federal funding for NOMINATIONS
cisely what our Democratic colleagues abortions to heavyhanded climate poli- Madam President, next, this week
are reported to be considering now—to cies. And when Republicans ultimately the Senate will continue to confirm
overrule the advice of a nonpartisan find themselves in the majority, all of President Biden’s outstanding Cabinet
adviser to the Senate so they can de- these policies could be eliminated with nominees. We had intended to finish
prive Senators of their duty and ability a party-line vote and replaced with new the confirmation of Alejandro
to debate and amend legislation. laws. Mayorkas to serve as Secretary of
I urge our colleagues not to go down This is a dangerous and unnecessary Homeland Security today, but unfortu-
this road. After all, you would have road to go down, and our Democratic nately, with winter storms hitting
thought they learned a lesson now that colleagues have a duty, I believe, as much of the east coast, Mr. Mayorkas’s
the shoe is on the other foot when it Members of this body, to respect its confirmation will be delayed until to-
comes to nominations and the fili- rules and respect the Senate as an in- morrow to accommodate Members who
buster. stitution. The Senate should not re- are having difficulty getting here.
In 2013, then-Majority Leader Harry place the Byrd rule with Harry’s rule. We will also vote tomorrow on the
Reid went nuclear and eliminated the I would like to once again share some confirmation of former South Bend
60-vote cloture requirement on judicial wise words from our late colleague Mayor Pete Buttigieg to serve as our
nominees—something distinct and dif- Senator Byrd, who was known as a Nation’s next Secretary of Transpor-
ferent from a legislative filibuster but master of the Senate rules and process tation. Mr. Buttigieg is an impressive
applied to nominees. Leader MCCON- and procedure. Not long before his public servant who has already earned
NELL told our colleague from Nevada at death, he spoke in a Senate Rules Com- the respect and confidence of both
the time: ‘‘You’ll regret this, and you mittee hearing about the importance of sides. He was reported out of the com-
may regret this a lot sooner than you protecting minority rights—something mittee last week on an overwhelming
think.’’ And as it turned out, he was the Senate has been known for. Oddly bipartisan vote, and I look forward to
right. enough, the current Democratic leader confirming his nomination tomorrow.
As our colleagues now know very was presiding at the time. Senator Now, as we process these nomina-
well, the Republican-led Senate con- Byrd said: tions on the floor, our Senate commit-
firmed more than 230 judges who were As I have said before, the Senate has been tees are hard at work preparing the
nominated by President Trump, all the last fortress of minority rights and free- next slate of nominees, including Sec-
thanks Harry Reid’s rule change. This dom of speech in this Republic for more than retaries of Agriculture, Energy, Vet-
action cleared the way to eliminate the two centuries. I pray that Senators will erans Affairs, Commerce, Education,
60-vote cloture threshold on Supreme pause and reflect before ignoring that his- Labor, EPA, and more. We have a lot of
Court nominees, which lead to the con- tory and tradition in favor of the political work to do here, but the Senate is
priority of the moment.
firmation of three Supreme Court Jus- going to press forward on these nomi-
tices during the Trump Presidency. I yield the floor. nations as quickly as possible.
There are inherent and perhaps unin- I suggest the absence of a quorum. CORONAVIRUS
tended consequences of changing the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Madam President, at the same time,
rules in a place where your power is clerk will call the roll. the Senate this week will begin the im-
never permanently guaranteed. Chip- The legislative clerk proceeded to portant work of crafting legislation to
ping away at the rights of the minority call the roll. rescue the American people and the
may help you now, but you are sure to Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I American economy from the continued
regret that someday, just as Democrats ask unanimous consent that the order effects of the COVID–19 pandemic.
now regret the day Harry Reid cleared for the quorum call be rescinded. We continue to face a crisis unlike
an easy path for hundreds of conserv- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without any other in our lifetimes. Over the
ative Federal judges. objection, it is so ordered. course of a year, more than 26 million
There are a few ways to stop this RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER Americans contracted the virus and
madness before Democrats head down The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- nearly 450,000 have died—more than the
this dangerous path. The first is for jority leader is recognized. number of Americans who died during
President Biden to intervene and warn
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT—EXECUTIVE World War II. Tens of millions of
Senate Democrats not to break the CALENDAR Americans have lost their jobs, thou-
rules by ignoring decades of precedent. Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, sands of businesses closed their doors
We are less than 2 weeks in a Biden first, I ask unanimous consent that the for good, and the economy has suffered
Presidency, which was won on the 5:30 p.m. confirmation vote on the the worst year of growth, again, since
promise of working together. President nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to World War II.
Biden consistently pointed to his expe- be Secretary of the Department of Our efforts here in Congress over the
rience as a U.S. Senator as evidence of Homeland Security occur on Tuesday, past year have saved scores of small
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February 1, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S211
businesses and kept millions of Ameri- American families are struggling with taries. We need a steady hand, a steady
cans in their home and out of poverty, the rent and utilities in Kentucky as hand like Ali Mayorkas’s, to get us
but our work is far from completed. well as in New York. back on track. After all, he spent 7
As we speak, nearly a million Ameri- We should all be eager to provide our years in leadership roles in the Depart-
cans are filing for unemployment per country the resources it needs to fi- ment of Homeland Security. He under-
week. More than 16 million Americans nally beat this disease and return our stands the challenges. He understands
have reported being thousands of dol- country to normal. To that end, Demo- it is going to take a lot of work. He un-
lars behind on the rent, on mortgage, crats welcome the ideas and input of derstands that we are going to have to
on utilities. Elderly Americans are our Senate Republican colleagues. The bring people together, and he under-
having their heat shut off in the depths only thing we cannot accept is a pack- stands that this job is a 24/7 job. He un-
of winter. Families are having the age that is too small or too narrow to derstands because he has lived it. He
power and internet shut off during pull our country out of this emergency. has the knowledge and the experience
their children’s first year of virtual We cannot repeat the mistake of 2009, to lead our Nation’s Homeland Secu-
kindergarten. Small businesses we and we must act very soon to get this rity today and prepare for the chal-
have done so much to help through the assistance to those so desperately in lenges of tomorrow.
PPP and other bipartisan programs need. Now, it is my understanding that to-
will struggle until we can vaccinate I yield the floor. morrow, at 2:30, we will vote on Ali
enough Americans to get the country I suggest the absence of a quorum. Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland
back to normal. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Security. I would hope that we would
Facing these multifaceted challenges clerk will call the roll. get a strong vote for him out of this
of a scale and scope larger than any The legislative clerk proceeded to body because, quite frankly, after the
event in the past hundred years, Con- call the roll. events of January 6, we have no time
gress must pursue a bold and robust Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I to waste.
course of action. It makes no sense to ask unanimous consent that the order I yield the floor.
pinch pennies when so many Americans for the quorum call be rescinded. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
are struggling. The risk of doing too The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
little is far greater than the risk of DUCKWORTH). Without objection, it is clerk will call the roll.
doing too much. so ordered. The senior assistant legislative clerk
Our history is full of warnings about NOMINATION OF ALEJANDRO NICHOLAS proceeded to call the roll.
the costs of small thinking during MAYORKAS
Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, I
times of great challenge. President Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
Hoover failed to react quickly enough rise to speak about a friend of mine, for the quorum call be rescinded.
to forestall a Great Depression. In the Ali Mayorkas. He is President Biden’s The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
wake of our most recent financial cri- choice to head up the Department of objection, it is so ordered.
sis in 2009, Congress was too timid and Homeland Security. Now, I don’t need
f
constrained, and the ensuing recovery to tell the folks in this Chamber how
was long, slow, and painful. big of a job this is, but let me be clear: LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Treasury Secretary Yellen, who It is our duty to put somebody in this
watched the most recent recovery up role who is up to the task of getting
close, just told us that ‘‘the smartest things done, and I am here to assure MORNING BUSINESS
thing we can do is act big.’’ Let me re- you that Ali Mayorkas is that man. Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, I
peat that. ‘‘The smartest thing we can I worked closely with Ali when he ask unanimous consent that the Sen-
do is act big,’’ according to Treasury was Deputy Secretary of Homeland Se- ate proceed to legislative session and
Secretary Yellen. So that is what the curity in the Obama administration. It be in a period of morning business,
Senate is going to do—act big. is obvious that he has the under- with Senators permitted to speak
Today, Speaker PELOSI and I will file standing of the challenges that this therein for up to 10 minutes each.
a joint budget resolution for fiscal year country is facing—from the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
2021 totaling $1.9 trillion, which is the coronavirus pandemic to immigration, objection, it is so ordered.
first step in giving Congress an addi- to cybersecurity, to threats from our
foreign adversaries and now, more than f
tional legislative tool to quickly pass
the COVID relief legislation. The reso- ever, from our domestic ones. Perhaps, RECOGNIZING THE UTAH
lution, if passed by both Chambers of most importantly, he has dem- NATIONAL GUARD
Congress, will provide instructions for onstrated that he is going to listen and
Mr. LEE. Madam President, I rise
the House and Senate committees to learn about the unique problems facing
today to honor and thank the men and
begin work on a potential budget rec- each State in this Union.
women of the Utah National Guard for
onciliation bill, which will be the vehi- He proved that to me when I brought
their dedication and selfless service in
cle for urgent and necessary COVID re- him to Montana back in 2015. We flew
protecting the U.S. Capitol. Each and
lief. along the Montana-Canada border and
every one of these guardsmen played
Now, I want to be very clear. There is visited the Ports of Piegan and
an important role in our Nation’s Cap-
nothing in this process that will pre- Sweetgrass before hosting a roundtable
ital these last weeks. I truly respect
clude it from being bipartisan. We wel- on human trafficking in Havre, just a
and admire their commitment to serve
come—welcome—Republican input. Let little more than 50 miles from where I
not just the people of Utah but wher-
me say that again. There is nothing in live. We also held listening sessions on
ever they are stationed.
this process—the budget resolution or law enforcement and first responders in
Helena. We met with local businesses 2LT Hyrum Ahlman, CPL Halley Anderson,
reconciliation—that precludes our
CPL Joseph Arvig, SGT Ismael Baires, SPC
work from being bipartisan. In fact, to discuss cross-border trade and even Andrew Bass, PFC Marc Brandt, SSG Trevor
the Senate has used this process no met with union representatives from Brasfield, SFC Joshua Brewer, SSG David
fewer than 17 times to pass bipartisan Customs and Border Protection. He Brizzi, SFC Michael Broadhead, SPC Jose
legislation since 1980, including to cre- traveled thousands of miles to hear Cabero, SFC Cole Carpenter, SGT Sebastian
ate or expand landmark programs like firsthand what Montanans had to say, Castillo, SPC Gregory Caton, MSG Steven
children’s health insurance, the child and because of it, he understood what Cave, SPC Anthony Cox, SPC Casey Cox,
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
tax credit, and the earned income tax our State needed from him in order to SGT Milo Cox, SPC Joshua Curtis, SGT
credit, which together have lifted mil- be successful with our homeland secu- Douglas Davis, SPC Palesala Faleseu, SGT
Marc Flores, SPC Nathanial Forbush, SGT
lions of Americans out of poverty. rity. That, folks, is what leadership Jose Garita, SSG Jason Gerfen, SPC Austin
COVID relief, too, should be the work looks like. Hafen, SGT Jesse Hall, 1LT Jordan Hatch,
of both Democrats and Republicans. Over the past 4 years, we have seen PFC Jaxson Hess, SGT Kasey Hope, SGT
Teachers and firefighters are being laid the Department of Homeland Security James Huntsman, SPC Lance Irons, SPC
off in red States and blue States. in turmoil with six different Secre- Matthew Jackson, SSG Jose Jimenez, SGT
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