Congressional Record, Senate, February 3, 2021 — S. Con. Res. 5 Budget Resolution and S. Res. 27
Summary
The Congressional Record, Volume 167, No. 20, for Wednesday, February 3, 2021, with Senate proceedings beginning at page S273, with Ms. Warren serving as Acting President pro tempore. Mr. Schumer reports that the leadership of both parties has finalized the organizing resolution, discusses the climate crisis and then, under the heading Coronavirus, describes the $1.9 trillion budget resolution as the first step toward a rescue package, citing almost 450,000 Americans killed by the pandemic and the harm to schoolchildren from remote learning. He also pays tribute to Officer Brian Sicknick, who lies in the Rotunda. The Senate resumes consideration of S. Con. Res. 5 and, near the end of the document, agrees to resolutions on Senate procedure including S. Res. 27.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, February 3, 2021 — S. Con. Res. 5 Budget Resolution and S. Res. 27.”
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Congressional Record
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117 th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021 No. 20
Senate
The Senate met at 9 a.m. and was Senator from the Commonwealth of Massa- its committee memberships for the
called to order by the Honorable ELIZA- chusetts, to perform the duties of the Chair. next 2 years. I am confident our Mem-
BETH WARREN, a Senator from the Com- PATRICK J. LEAHY, bers are ready to hit the ground run-
President pro tempore. ning on the most important issues that
monwealth of Massachusetts.
Ms. WARREN thereupon assumed the face our country.
f
Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Senate Democrats are not going to
PRAYER f waste any time taking on the biggest
challenges facing our country and our
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
planet. I have already instructed the
fered the following prayer: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- incoming Democratic chairs of all rel-
Let us pray. pore. Under the previous order, the evant committees to begin holding
Eternal God, the center of our peace, leadership time is reserved. hearings on the climate crisis in prepa-
continue to be a shield for our Nation.
f ration for enacting President Biden’s
Watch over our citizens and give them
CONCLUSION OF MORNING Build Back Better agenda, which in-
Your wisdom.
BUSINESS cludes major climate legislation.
Lord, You alone are our sure founda- It is long past time for the Senate to
tion. Today, may our lawmakers stand The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- take a leading role to combat the exis-
on the rock of Your truth as they seek pore. Morning business is closed. tential threat of our time—climate. As
to do Your will. Use them to transform f we all know, climate change touches
cacophony into harmony. May the virtually every aspect of our economy
words they speak bring healing to our LEGISLATIVE SESSION
and involves virtually every aspect of
land. public policy. So as the Biden Adminis-
And, Lord, comfort those who mourn, SETTING FORTH THE CONGRES- tration prepares a whole-of-govern-
particularly the family of U.S. Capitol SIONAL BUDGET FOR THE ment approach to combating climate
Police Officer Brian Sicknick. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT change, the Democratic majority will
We pray in Your merciful Name. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021—Resumed pursue a whole-of-Senate approach as
Amen. well.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Some of this work has already start-
f
pore. Under the previous order, the ed. Two years ago, Senate Democrats
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Senate will resume consideration of S. established the first-ever Senate Spe-
Con. Res 5, which the clerk will report. cial Committee on the Climate Crisis. I
The Presiding Officer led the Pledge
The legislative clerk read as follows: have promised that any action we take
of Allegiance, as follows:
A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 5) on infrastructure, in particular, will
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the setting forth the congressional budget for
United States of America, and to the Repub- prioritize green infrastructure and the
the United States Government for fiscal year
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budg- creation of green jobs, and create many
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. etary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030. jobs—good-paying jobs—we will.
f RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER
Personally, I have introduced legisla-
tion to speed our country’s transition
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
toward clean cars that has the support
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE pore. The majority leader is recog-
of the environmental community, the
nized.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The labor unions, and some of the car man-
ORGANIZATION RESOLUTION
clerk will please read a communication ufacturers.
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I Make no mistake, in several different
to the Senate from the President pro
am happy to report this morning that ways, this Democratic majority will
tempore (Mr. LEAHY).
the leadership of both parties have fi- compel the Senate to forcefully, relent-
The legislative clerk read the fol-
nalized the organizing resolution for lessly, and urgently address climate
lowing letter:
the Senate. We will pass the resolution change, beginning with work in all of
U.S. SENATE, through the Senate today, which
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE,
the relevant committees.
Washington, DC, February 3, 2021.
means that committees can promptly So as we set up new committee struc-
To the Senate: set up and get to work—with Demo- tures, I look forward to working with
Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, crats holding the gavels. the new Democratic chairs on ways
of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby For the information of the Senate, their committees will address the cli-
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appoint the Honorable ELIZABETH WARREN, a the Democratic caucus has announced mate crisis. I look forward to speaking
∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
S273
.
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S274 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
with my colleagues on the other side of rescue package will extend enhanced protect it. In the face of lawlessness,
the aisle about finding some common unemployment benefits. For parents—I Brian Sicknick paid the ultimate price
ground on this issue. And, most impor- have spoken to so many who are des- to uphold a solemn oath. He gave our
tantly, I look forward to propelling perate for the day they can send their Nation the last full measure of devo-
this Chamber into action on a crisis children back to school safely—this tion.
that concerns not only all of our fu- rescue package will include resources Our democratic Republic was built to
tures but the futures of our children for schools to make that happen endure, but it needs heroes like the of-
and our grandchildren. It is our solemn quicker. For teachers and firefighters ficers of the U.S. Capitol Police to sup-
obligation to leave behind a planet and busdrivers and nurses worried port and defend it. So, today, we mourn
upon which future generations can about the fate of their jobs, this rescue and give thanks for the true patriot
grow and prosper. package will follow through on pro- who lies in the Rotunda. The Senate
CORONAVIRUS viding aid for State and local govern- and the entire country send our deep-
Madam President, now on COVID, ments. For restaurants and bars, for est condolences to Officer Sicknick’s
yesterday afternoon the Senate took theaters and farmers, for small busi- family and all who loved him. His name
the first step in preparing the rescue nesses of every stripe, this rescue pack- will never be forgotten.
package for an economy and a country age will make another round of Federal SCHOOLS
that is still in the throes of crisis. The loans and grants available to you. And Now, Mr. President, on an entirely
$1.9 trillion budget resolution is de- for every American struggling to make different matter, this pandemic has
signed to meet the needs of a country ends meet, who, month by month, has forced Americans to confront numer-
that has been devastated by disease fallen further behind on the rent or ous and compounding tragedies. Al-
and recession for nearly a year. It has mortgage, who has the power or the most 450,000 Americans have been
been such a long time. We need real heat or the water shut off, for every killed; millions of livelihoods have
help. American who has had to choose which been upended; and millions of Amer-
Unlike most crises, which affect one meal they were going to skip that day, ican kids, especially those who attend
particular sector of the economy or an- this rescue package will send direct as- public school, have been robbed of an
other, one part of the country or an- sistance in the form of a check. entire year—and counting—of proper
other, the COVID–19 pandemic affects And, of course, this rescue package school.
the entire country and nearly every as- will support the production and dis- Despite heroic efforts from students,
pect of American life. There is not one tribution of the vaccine that is the key parents, and teachers, so-called remote
person in America, in my judgment, to ending the crisis. The past adminis- learning has proven a poor substitute
whose life hasn’t been significantly tration—in terms of distribution, in for the real thing. Research suggests
changed by this awful crisis. The chal- terms of working with the States to that, even if the average remote-learn-
lenges we must overcome are manifold. get these vaccines out—has been so ing student had gotten back in the
So we must produce a bill that address- classroom last month, they would al-
derelict. It has been one of the greatest
es each of those changes and challenges ready have missed multiple months’
failures of any Presidency. The new
in turn—housing and agriculture and worth of learning compared to a nor-
Biden Administration is focused on
education, help for the unemployed, mal year.
making more vaccines, getting them
small businesses, our healthcare sys- Forty percent of high schoolers in St.
out quickly, getting them out fairly,
tem, and our State and local govern- Paul now have failing grades. In Hous-
and doing it effectively and efficiently.
ments. And we cannot fall short of the ton, it is 40 percent of all students.
We have to help get that done.
needs of each of those areas. So I, alongside the Democratic com- Tampa’s school district has reportedly
History has taught us hard lessons just lost track of thousands of kids al-
mittee chairs responsible for drafting
about the cost of small thinking during
this legislation, will be meeting with together—and this pain isn’t spread
times of big challenge and about the
President Biden at the White House equally. The worst has fallen on the
cost of delay during moments of great
today, a few hours from now. Our cau- most vulnerable, including lower in-
urgency.
Secretary Yellen told the Democratic cus is eager to discuss next steps, and come households, students of color, and
caucus yesterday that it is her belief we are united in our resolve to deliver students with special needs and their
that if Congress fails to dedicate the on a rescue plan that provides the families.
American people the relief they so des- The fallout isn’t just academic. Re-
necessary resources to meet the needs
perately need. placing the structure, friendships, and
of the American people and survive
I yield the floor. activities of school with isolated
this crisis, we will see long-term scar-
ring in our economy and our country I suggest the absence of a quorum. screen time has predictably caused
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- spikes in mental health concerns.
would be mired in the COVID crisis for
pore. The clerk will call the roll. Schools normally keep an eye on kids
years.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the with challenging home lives and are
The income inequality and wealth in-
roll. too often the most reliable sources of
equality that plagues our Nation has
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I hot meals and on and on.
been exacerbated by this crisis because
ask unanimous consent that the order We know with certainty now that K–
it is certainly the lower half of the
for the quorum call be rescinded. 12 schooling cannot move online indefi-
American people who have suffered the
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. nitely, like a white-collar workplace.
most and needs to be remediated. And
LUJÁN). Without objection, it is so or- It is more like routine medical proce-
that is what we aim to do.
We must not—must not—repeat the dered. dures—something that can be post-
mistakes of the past and do too little, RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER poned a few weeks in a pinch but which
too reluctantly, and too late. We will The Republican leader is recognized. our society really cannot do without,
not repeat the mistakes of the past. HONORING OFFICER BRIAN D. SICKNICK and some families aren’t having to.
Our goal is simple: to help the Amer- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, this Many private and parochial schools
ican people and the American economy morning, U.S. Capitol Police Officer have been in person since the fall, and
and do it fast. Over the next 2 days, the Brian Sicknick lies in honor under the many European countries have kept
Senate will be in session for debate on dome of the institution he swore to de- kids in school nearly this whole time,
the budget resolution. There will be an fend—and died defending. but in places across America, where
Four weeks ago, the Rotunda was
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open bipartisan amendment process. public education depends on the whims
We invite participation from both sides strewn with the debris of an insurrec- of powerful public sector unions, the
of the aisle in that process, but I urge tionist mob. Today, it is adorned in best interests of children have often
Members not to lose sight of what this solemn thanksgiving for the sacrifice come dead last.
legislation will mean for the American of a hero. On January 6, those who As the months have rolled by and the
people. sought to obstruct our democracy were data have poured in, it has become
For Americans who have lost their confronted by a sworn officer and mili- clear that schools can open safely. Just
jobs through no fault of their own, this tary veteran who was determined to last week, CDC researchers affirmed:
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S275
‘‘With proper prevention efforts . . . we will be deluding ourselves if we con- dent Biden has made it clear that he
can keep transmission in schools and tinue to accept this pale shadow of intends to reenter the 2015 Iran deal,
educational settings quite low.’’ proper schooling when all of the better known as the JCPOA.
This confirms what scientists were science—all of it—points the other Now, this was something that dis-
observing as far back as October, when way. turbed a lot of people—a lot of Demo-
it was reported: ‘‘Transmission by No more goalpost-moving. States and crats as well as Republicans—back dur-
young children to adults seems to be districts have got to follow the science ing the Obama years, and I want to get
negligible as long as safety measures and get American education back on it on record here to make sure that re-
are in place.’’ track. entering that Iran deal would be a ter-
Dr. Fauci, whose expertise was sup- BUDGET RECONCILIATION rible mistake and that the administra-
posed to guide the Biden administra- Mr. President, on a related matter, in tion would face stiff opposition in Con-
tion’s whole approach, said last week: the past year, Congress has worked to- gress if he tried to go that route. There
‘‘We can keep the children in school gether to pass five major rescue pack- are things that we can do but not reen-
and get them back to school safely.’’ ages on a bipartisan basis. The Demo- tering that one. There can be no return
That is Dr. Fauci. cratic leader spent months saying that to a deal with limitations on Iran’s nu-
An administration that puts facts any pandemic relief should pass with clear program that begin to expire in 4
and science first would be conducting a broad bipartisan support. years or the return to a deal that, ulti-
full-court press to open schools. He said last July: ‘‘Sitting in your mately, allows Iran to enrich enough
Federal funding is not an obstacle. own office, writing a bill, and then de- uranium for a nuclear weapon after
That is more goalpost-moving. Con- manding the other side support it is those limitations.
gress has poured more than $110 billion not anyone’s idea of bipartisanship.’’ Keep in mind that Iran is the country
into making education safe. As of last But, yesterday, less than a day after that is right in the middle of all of the
week, States and local school districts several Senate Republicans spent, lit- terrorist activity, promoting terrorism
had only spent about $4 billion of the erally, 2 hours meeting with President around the world, and to even think
roughly $68 billion we set aside for K– Biden, Senate Democrats plowed ahead about allowing them to keep some kind
12 schools. That leaves $64 billion in with a party-line vote to set the table of a nuclear capability that can be used
the pipeline already. for a partisan jam. The new President as a bomb—it is just unthinkable that
Remember, science tells us that talks a lot about unity, but his White it could happen. We couldn’t return to
schools are largely made safe with sim- House staff and congressional leader- a deal that lifts the sanctions on a gov-
ple precautions. Science is not the ob- ship are working with a different play- ernment that is the leading state spon-
stacle. Federal money is not the obsta- book. sor of terrorism and is targeting U.S.
cle. The obstacle is a lack of willpower We will be discussing the facts on personnel and partners across the Mid-
not among students, not among par- schools, on jobs, and on healthcare in dle East. You don’t need to take my
ents—just among the rich, powerful depth in the days to come, but the word for it. My Democratic colleagues
unions that donate huge sums to rushed budget process that will play warned the Obama administration in
Democrats and get a stranglehold over out this week is exactly the wrong 2015. I was here. I remember when it
education in many communities. path toward making law. Senate Re- happened. They were talking about the
Apparently, Big Labor’s talking publicans will be ready and waiting shortcomings of that deal.
points have already displaced Dr. Fauci with a host of amendments to improve One was the senior Senator from New
as the White House go-to source. The the rushed procedural step that is York, the current majority leader,
President’s Chief of Staff keeps saying being jammed through. CHUCK SCHUMER, who warned that,
we need even more massive Federal We will be getting Senators on the
under the Iran deal, ‘‘inspections are
funding before teachers can go back. record about whether taxpayers should
not ‘anywhere, anytime,’ ’’ and ‘‘the 24-
There is no scientific basis for that, fund checks for illegal immigration,
day delay before we can inspect is trou-
none whatsoever. whether Democrats should raise taxes
bling.’’
The goalpost-moving doesn’t stop on small businesses in the midst of this
with money. In several places, these That would be right. Essentially,
historic crisis, and whether generous
unions sought to elbow toward the what he said was that they can do any-
Federal funding should pour into
front of the line for vaccinations—only thing they want to do for 24 days before
school districts where the unions
to turn around and say: Thanks for we restrict anything that they are
refuse to let schools open, and this is
those vaccinations but don’t think doing. He was right.
just a small taste.
these will necessarily get our folks The American people will see Repub- He further said: ‘‘That delay would
back in the classroom any time soon. licans are focused on smart and respon- enable Iran to escape detection of any
Too often, local officials just roll sible policies to reopen the country, illicit building and improving of pos-
over and submit to these tactics. In my and they will see Democrats who seem sible military dimensions—the tools
hometown of Louisville, KY, the larg- desperate to make their first act in that go into building a bomb but don’t
est school district in the State has a power the same kind of massive, par- emit radioactivity.’’ That door was left
union-funded board of education vice tisan, poorly targeted borrowing spree wide open that this could take place.
chair. He is now saying that, even if all that permanently wounded the last Or listen to the Democratic colleague
school personnel get vaccines, he would Democratic Presidency right out of the from New Jersey, Senator MENENDEZ.
still be reluctant to open schools. In gate. He is the new chairman of the Senate
San Francisco, the 28-year-old board of I suggest the absence of a quorum. Committee on Foreign Relations, and
education president—28 years old—ar- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The he warned that the deal meant ‘‘we are
gued a few days ago that vulnerable clerk will call the roll. now embarked not on preventing nu-
kids aren’t really missing out on learn- The bill clerk proceeded to call the clear proliferation, but on managing or
ing; they are just learning different roll. containing it, which leaves us with a
things, and it is the system’s fault for Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask far less desirable, less secure, and less
not measuring all of the valuable cul- unanimous consent that the order for certain world order.’’
tural experiences they have had while the quorum call be rescinded. Or listen to my Democratic colleague
being stuck at home. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without from West Virginia, Senator MANCHIN.
What nonsense. objection, it is so ordered. He serves with me on the committee
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Families are losing patience—and IRAN that I had chaired for quite some time,
fast. We could not function with re- Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I think the Senate Committee on Armed Serv-
mote police or remote firefighters or there is something that may be coming ices. He warned us. He said: ‘‘Lifting
remote dental surgeons, and we would up that is worth addressing right now sanctions without ensuring that Iran’s
never pretend otherwise. Kids, parents, and addressing early. It has been a con- sponsorship of terrorism is neutralized
and a lot of talented teachers have cern, a bipartisan concern, for a long is dangerous to regional and American
given online learning their all, but we period of time, and that is that Presi- security.’’
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S276 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
I mean, these are no-brainers. These Fourth, the deal has to be trans- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
are things that Democrats and Repub- parent. It has to allow for regular and objection, it is so ordered.
licans alike were warning us about—of unconditional inspections of Iran’s nu- BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
the frailties that were in that proposal clear program, just as the majority Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as we
back in 2015. leader called for 6 years ago. I mean, all have learned, the devastation
Now, my Democratic colleagues were what is wrong with making sure that caused by COVID–19 reaches far beyond
pretty prophetic in what they were we are allowed to make inspections to the health impact of the virus itself.
warning. They were warning three make sure they are doing what they Tens of millions of Americans have lost
things. First of all, we still, after this have agreed to do? There is nothing their jobs or other sources of income.
period of time, do not know the full wrong with that. Countless small businesses no longer
scope of Iran’s nuclear program. Sec- Now, these are things my colleagues exist, and the stress and uncertainty
ondly, Iran’s nuclear production and I agree on. President Biden can surrounding the pandemic has taken a
slowed, but it did not end after that. find bipartisan support here. To repeat, toll on the mental health of every
Third, Iran did, in fact, use its sanc- we want a diplomatic resolution, not American. That is especially true for
tions relief to fund terrorism, and it war, but that means a good resolution. children, whose worlds have been
continues to support groups who target Of course, it is far from clear that
flipped upside down.
Americans for murder. the Iranian regime is ready and willing
Last spring, schools in Texas and
I just wish that then-Vice President to engage in serious negotiations. So I
across the country transitioned from
Biden had listened to my Democratic call on the Biden administration to lay
in-person to virtual instruction in
the groundwork now so that a new deal
colleagues and their warning about the order to help stop the spread of the
has the foundation to succeed when the
Iran deal’s shortcomings then, and I virus. In the beginning, we thought
Iranian regime is ready. You know,
hope that he will listen now that he is this was a short-term measure, a way
that is a logical thing that I think
President. It is more significant, and to keep students, teachers, and their
would encompass a lot of support from
there is simply no good argument for the Republican side and support from families safe from the virus we knew
returning to a bad deal. the House. very little about at the time. I don’t
Too often, supporters of the Iran deal Specifically, this means maintaining think any of us expected that those
have accused the Iran deal’s critics— our leverage with Iran through sanc- closures would last as long as they
talking to me and others, I am sure—of tions and a strong U.S. military pos- have, with many students across the
being opposed to any deal at all. Back ture in the region. It also means open- country coming up on their 1-year an-
in 2015, the Obama administration de- ing discussions with our European al- niversary of virtual learning.
picted the opponents of the Iran deal as lies and our other regional partners to As weeks turned into months, it be-
warmongers. coordinate priorities for the new deal. came clear that online instruction was
Let me just be clear. Nobody wants Most importantly, it means working no replacement for classroom learning.
war with Iran. If anything, I believe with Congress early and often so that We know many families just don’t have
the Obama-era deal makes war more there is a sustainable, bipartisan path the ability either to access broadband
likely by enriching one of the worst forward when the time is right. or they don’t have the supervision at
state sponsors of terrorism and by giv- Along those lines, I was disappointed home of family members to help keep
ing it a clear pathway towards nuclear by President Biden’s decision to ap- children on task when it comes to vir-
weapons capabilities. point someone who negotiated the Iran tual learning. It is a poor substitute, in
I am not making this stuff up. This is deal as his new Iran envoy. A new deal most instances, unless it is just abso-
serious. Calling the people who oppose requires new thinking. Bipartisan co- lutely necessary.
him warmongers couldn’t be further operation won’t be achieved by ele- Last spring, schools in Texas and
from the truth. vating the partisans of the past. If across the country transitioned to vir-
In fact, after killing Iran’s arch-ter- something didn’t work back then, just tual instruction, as I said, to stop the
rorist, Soleimani, last year, President try somebody else. Send new personnel spread of the virus. We thought this
Trump explicitly called for a deal that working on these problems. would be a way to stop the spread, but
makes the world safer and more peace- Moving forward, the Biden adminis- as weeks turned into months, it be-
ful. He was calling for that at that tration should expect difficult con- came clear that many kids were falling
time. firmations for any nominee who was behind, especially in foundational sub-
So we don’t want war, but we also involved in negotiating that deal back jects like math and reading, and the
don’t want a flawed Iran deal. That ter- in 2015. President Biden has an oppor- learning deficit is even greater for stu-
rible deal isn’t and never has been the tunity to correct the Obama adminis- dents of color and those in high pov-
only choice. But we would absolutely tration’s mistakes on Iran. It has a erty communities.
consider supporting a good deal. What chance to build bipartisan congres- One study found that for math, White
would a good deal look like? I want to sional support for a diplomatic resolu- students began this year about 1 to 3
highlight four main principles that we tion that is truly comprehensive, inclu- months behind in their learning, while
would look for, and this is something sive, transparent, and permanent. students of color fell 3 to 5 months be-
the President can do now. A successful Iran deal allows the hind.
First, the deal has to be comprehen- United States to focus more squarely We know that the impact is not pure-
sive. That means addressing all of on the challenges of Russia and China. ly academic. There is also a serious
Iran’s bad behavior: its funding of ter- A return to the Iran deal, however, will mental and emotional toll. The Texas
rorism, terrorist proxies, its ballistic empower the Iranian regime and keep
Tribune recently shared a story of one
missile program, its nuclear program— us mired in the region.
I think everyone knows Iran. It is the student, a boy they refer to as Jordan.
the things my Democratic colleagues He was a student in the Frisco Inde-
world leader in terrorism, and we
were worried about back in 2015. pendent School District, and like kids
should do everything we can to make
Secondly, the deal has to be inclusive across the country, he struggled with
sure they don’t get a nuclear capability
of the views of Israel and our Arab the challenge of virtual learning. This
to develop a nuclear weapon. I can’t
partners. The Obama administration fall, his normal A’s and B’s dropped to
imagine that anyone could argue with
sidestepped their concerns, and Presi- F’s, and the further he fell behind, the
that.
dent Biden should not do the same I yield the floor. harder it was for him to catch up.
now. We should have learned from that. In October, Jordan opened up a
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I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Third, the deal must be permanent. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Google doc and typed an absolutely ag-
The 2015 deal allowed for sunset provi- clerk will call the roll. onizing message. He said ‘‘give me 10
sions that would ultimately allow Iran The bill clerk proceeded to call the GOOD reasons why I shuldnt kill my-
to possess a nuclear weapons capa- roll. self here.’’
bility. And I will be clear: Iran should Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask And when you think that can’t get
never be allowed to have a nuclear ca- unanimous consent that the order for any more heartbreaking, it does. The
pability. the quorum call be rescinded. list was blank. An 11-year-old boy felt
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S277
so lost and defeated, he couldn’t come The President has repeatedly empha- the quality of education that they are
up with a single reason to continue liv- sized his trust in science, so let’s take receiving, as well as the collateral
ing. a look at the science here. Just last damage that is being done by keeping
Well, if there is a bright spot in this week, the Centers for Disease Control them out of the classroom.
otherwise very dark story, it is that and Prevention published a report that The science is clear. If the proper
this incident did not go unnoticed. Jor- found ‘‘there has been little evidence precautions are taken, it is safe for our
dan was using a school-issued com- that schools have contributed mean- schools to reopen. Again, we have pro-
puter, and the school district’s tech- ingfully to increased community trans- vided tens of billions of dollars to sup-
nology department quickly flagged this mission.’’ port safe reopening, including $55 bil-
alarming information for counselors, The lead author of that report af- lion to K–12 schools in the omnibus
who alerted Jordan’s mother. She was firmed that even in places with other- that was signed into law just last De-
able to intervene, thankfully, before wise high infection rates, there is no cember, just about a month ago.
those dark thoughts could be turned evidence that schools will transmit the This funding is helping schools safely
into action and get Jordan the mental virus at a higher rate than the general welcome their students back to the
health treatment he needed. community. classroom, where they can better learn,
While I am glad to report that Jor- In short, it seems that schools are socialize, and build a strong foundation
dan is now back in the classroom where not a breeding ground for COVID–19, for a successful future.
his grades are improving and he is able and as long as commonsense pre- We need our children to be well edu-
to spend time with his friends—an im- cautions are taken, then schools can cated. This is the fundamental right in
portant part of the socializing function reopen safely. I know that has been the our democracy and a necessity in a
of our schools and going to class with case in a lot of the parochial schools self-governing form of government.
others—but, sadly, the pain and suf- where, frankly, if they didn’t have stu- The administration shouldn’t try to
fering this student experienced is not dents showing up for class, they would distance itself from the President’s 100-
unique. The Frisco Independent School be out of business. It is only in the pub- day promise. It should do more to en-
District, where Jordan is a student, has lic schools where you see this phe- courage a safe return. When it comes
already surpassed the number of stu- to reopening schools, President Biden
nomena of extended virtual learning
dents hospitalized for mental health needs to take his own advice and listen
and a refusal of many teachers to re-
concerns from last school year, and the to the science and not the teachers
turn to the classroom.
number of students considering at- I know this has presented a dilemma unions.
tempting or dying by suicide is also on I yield the floor.
for President Biden because in this The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
track to break previous records. The case the science is at odds with a key
pandemic has simply taken a dev- ator from Oregon.
group of his supporters, which are S. CON. RES. 5
astating toll on our children academi- teachers unions.
cally, socially, and emotionally. So I Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, we
Unions in a number of major cities,
am here to add my voice to those who are 11 months into the most severe
like Chicago, have refused to return to
say we need our schools to open and, of healthcare crisis this country or the
school, despite the fact that evidence
course, to do so safely, which I believe world has seen in more than a century.
shows that schools are able to open
they can. And for much of this past year, we
safely—again, if proper precautions are haven’t done anywhere close to enough
In December, the then-President-
taken. And Congress has provided tens to help the millions of Americans who
Elect Biden promised to safely reopen
of billions of dollars to help them do are suffering—suffering not only from
the majority of schools within the first
so, and teachers, like others across the the virus itself but from the economic
hundred days in the White House. He
country are being vaccinated. Teachers implosion created by this pandemic.
said it should be a national priority to
get our kids back into school and to unions demand, in some cases, that The American people are in desperate
keep them in school. I agree. Our chil- schools be closed altogether. need of help. It has been many, many
Just outside of the District of Colum- months since we passed the CARES
dren deserve the quality and the sta-
bia, in Fairfax County, VA, the situa- Act. It was way back in March of last
bility that only in-person instruction
tion is even more bewildering. The year. That is a long time ago—10
can provide, and parents deserve the
school board and teachers union have months ago. Then the House, down this
option to choose the learning model
that works best for their kids. said they will not return to schools hallway, in May—middle of May—
That is why Congress has appro- until all students are vaccinated. As a passed the Heroes Act, saying: Let’s do
priated more than $110 billion to sup- reminder, there is currently no ap- what we need to do for healthcare and
port education, including $67 billion proved vaccine for children under the housing, for education, for creating
specifically for K–12 students. This age of 16 and, likely, won’t be for some good-paying jobs to help America ad-
funding has allowed schools to supply time. Yet even with no return to in- dress both the healthcare side and the
their students with what they need for person learning in sight, teachers are economic side of this pandemic. And
virtual learning where that is required, still receiving the vaccine, which I this Senate said no. This Senate said:
including laptops and hotspots, while think is a good thing. More shots in We are sorry. We spent all of our
also preparing for a safe return to the arms ought to be all of our goal. money on tax breaks for the richest
classroom. Administrators at each But as you can imagine, the Biden Americans. We don’t have the re-
school are able to evaluate their indi- administration is having a tough time sources to help out ordinary Americans
vidual needs and risks, and I am sure explaining this one away—how, on one in the face of this pandemic. We prefer
all of them vary by circumstance to hand, the President said, ‘‘Let’s get to do nothing.
some extent. But they also need to im- children safely back into classrooms,’’ And the prefer-to-do-nothing leader-
plement the necessary precautions to and, on the other hand, many teachers ship of this body proceeded to do noth-
keep, obviously, the students and unions refusing to return. ing in June and July and August and
teachers safe. In a recent television appearance, the September and October, into Novem-
Texas schools have used Federal President’s Chief of Staff was asked ber. Meanwhile, the American people
funding to update their air filtration why the teachers unions are overruling were gearing up for an election, to ba-
systems, purchase personal protective what the studies would otherwise show, sically weigh in on the direction that
equipment, and implement regular dis- and he appeared to come to the defense this country was going, and here the
of the unions’ decision. Well, that is
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
infecting. The results are pretty clear. Senate sat and did nothing in the face
A headline from the Houston Chronicle not a commitment to science, and it is of millions of struggling families
in December read: ‘‘COVID Spread Re- important that all of us listen to the across our country. Finally, after the
mains Minimal in Texas Schools De- science when we make our decisions election, a minimal amount was done
spite State Surge.’’ and that they not be made based on a with the omnibus bill.
The truth is, the virus doesn’t affect political agenda or who is for or Well, the time for playing the fiddle
all of us identically. There are a lot of against the proposition. Our focus while Rome burns or twiddling our
differences according to age. ought to be clearly on the students and thumbs while America suffers is over.
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S278 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
In the campaign, Democrats said: We that kind of pledge to end the delay- need to think of ourselves as all one
will end the inaction of this Senate in and-obstruct tactics of the minority. community. We need to help and part-
addressing the Nation’s challenges, the In the meantime, therefore, we must ner with our States and our counties
families’ struggle across America, if go forward on a double path and say we and our cities and our Tribes. We need
you put us in a place to do so. will prepare to go through the rec- to get them the help they need that
And they did. To the House down the onciliation process, the simple major- has been so fiercely opposed—help to
hall, this Chamber, and the White ity process that comes from the Budget enable them to do basic education im-
House down Pennsylvania Avenue, the Act of 1973—the same process Repub- provements, basic public safety, mak-
American said: Get your act together. licans have used time and time again ing sure that the firefighters and police
Engage in competent, professional, di- to give tax breaks to the richest Amer- officers and teachers are still able to do
rect, bold assistance to these enormous icans. Any process used in that fashion, the work they are called upon to do,
challenges we face. I think, was abused. But using it to and help those Tribal governments pur-
And Joe Biden promised that if elect- help ordinary families get back on chase personal protective equipment
ed President, he would utilize every re- their feet—that honors that process. and have access to telemedicine serv-
source of the Federal Government to Where do we stand now? One in five ices.
take on the COVID pandemic and help renters in America are behind on pay- There are no blue and red commu-
American families get back on their ing their rent because they are strug- nities when it comes to a national cri-
feet. gling financially. Nearly 24 million sis across this country. When it comes
The American people spoke loudly. Americans, 11 percent of all adults, re- to disease, it affects people, regardless
They spoke clearly, and now we intend port not having enough food in their of which party you belong to or what
to deliver on the promises and provide homes. Millions of children are affected part of the country you live in. A bi-
real help to American families and by that shortage of food. Millions of partisan attack on our health should
businesses struggling in these difficult American children are going hungry. involve a bipartisan response in this
times. That is where we are right now. Hun- Chamber, not the obstruction-and-
There are a variety of ways that we dreds of thousands of businesses are delay tactics the majority has come to
can go forward to address this chal- shuttering their doors for good, and view as their core strategy. It must
lenge. Certainly, one is to have a bill hundreds of thousands more are on the end.
on this floor, have it open to amend- verge of doing so. Too many classrooms When hundreds of mayors wrote to us
ments—relevant amendments, germane echo with the sounds of silence rather and said ‘‘We need help; act now,’’ they
amendments—proceed to see what the than the laughter of children. weren’t Democratic mayors; they
majority of this body, 51 Members, This bill is about changing that. We weren’t Republican mayors. They were
would say should be changed in that need to move quickly. Our children are bipartisan mayors from all across this
bill or modified in that bill. But that struggling so hard to do their class country saying: Now is the time. We
tradition has been absolutely squashed work over a computer, over a Zoom. It need help now.
by the leadership in this Senate over is so hard to feel good about life when Yet delay and obstruction was the
the past few years under Republican you don’t have the chance to play and strategy of the minority. They had
leadership. I would like to see it re- interact with other children, so de- spent all their money, they said, giving
stored. I would like to see it restored, pressing when you are trapped in a tax breaks to the richest Americans.
but with it goes not blocking the bill house. There is no room to help ordinary
from leaving this Chamber after thor- Yes, we need to reopen the schools. working Americans.
ough deliberation has occurred. So let’s pass this bill, and let’s pass That philosophy doesn’t belong in a
We know that in the 6 years that this bill quickly, and let’s get those government of, by, and for the people.
President Johnson led this Chamber, $1,400 payments in the hands of adults If you want a government of, by, and
there was not but one—one—blockade and children, stimulating the economy for the powerful, then find a different
to keep bills that had received major- from the foundation up—not Wall Constitution, a different system of gov-
ity support from leaving this Chamber. Street down, the foundation up—help- ernment. But here the people have spo-
But in the 6 years that Harry Reid led ing struggling families, helping strug- ken. They have spoken clearly, and it
this Chamber, there were over 400 gling small businesses—Main Street, is our responsibility to respond.
times that the minority said: No, we not Wall Street—payments that will To those mayors, those bipartisan
will not let this bill leave this Cham- help put food on the table, keep the mayors, across this country: We hear
ber. lights turned on, keep the internet you, and we stand with you. Let’s move
That is exactly—exactly—the type of turned on, make sure that a family promptly and boldly to address this
obstruction and delay that is making doesn’t suffer eviction. crisis.
this Chamber dysfunctional. We have And strengthen the payments for The President has put out a very
already seen it in terms of the orga- those who need it most, the unem- clear plan that addresses every signifi-
nizing resolution. It is still not done— ployed. Now, we are facing a deadline cant area that the mayors and commu-
still not done—because the minority of March 14—March 14—when the Fed- nity leaders across this country have
leader—now-Minority Leader MITCH eral partnership in supporting the un- said they need help in. Let’s be their
MCCONNELL—wants to delay and ob- employment benefits runs out. So we partner in that assistance and put
struct, delay and obstruct, delay and must act before that happens. America back on its feet.
obstruct, delay and obstruct, as he did Those who know the reconciliation The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re-
from the time the House passed the He- process know that it is lightning fast publican whip.
roes Act until the modest bill in De- to do it in a 6-week period, but that is HONORING OFFICER BRIAN D. SICKNICK
cember. what we must do, and we must start Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, a few
I would love to see this bill—this $1.9 now. If, in the meantime, the minority minutes ago, I had the opportunity to
trillion bill—on this floor and let the decides to abandon its dedication to ob- pay my respects to U.S. Capitol Police
majority works its way. Ask if more struction and delay and be full partici- Officer Brian Sicknick, who lies in
money was needed to help children re- pants in helping America, then let’s honor right now in the Capitol Ro-
turn to the classroom—my colleague get that bill on the floor and go that tunda.
from Texas was just addressing that path. I am fine with that, but it cannot By all accounts, Brian Sicknick de-
topic—and more assistance in helping cided early on that he wanted to be a
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
prevent us from acting.
families still unemployed by the melt- We were elected to act. The Amer- police officer. He joined the National
down, more assistance to the small ican people support strong, bold, gen- Guard as a way to achieve this, serving
businesses. Or maybe some Members erous action now to prevent years and our country for 6 years before finally
would like to propose less help here or years of recession ahead, of struggling joining the Capitol Police in 2008.
less help there, but that goes with the ahead. On January 6, 2021, he joined his fel-
ability to move the bill quickly for ac- These are unprecedented times, and low police officers to defend the Cap-
tion. We await that kind of pledge, in unprecedented difficult times we itol from invasion by a violent mob. He
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S279
was attacked by the invaders, pepper- He pledged to be ‘‘a President who Democrats’ move toward a purely
sprayed twice, and reportedly hit in seeks not to divide, but to unify. Who partisan pathway on COVID legislation
the head with a fire extinguisher. He doesn’t see Red and Blue states but a is troubling, but what is even more dis-
later collapsed at his office as a result United States. And who will work with turbing is the noise that Democrats are
of his injuries and was transported to all my heart to win the confidence of making about gutting the Byrd rule,
the hospital, where he died the next the whole people.’’ which was named for and introduced by
day. I was encouraged by his words and Democrat Senator Robert Byrd of West
While reading accounts of Officer hopeful of the potential for a new day Virginia and adopted to prevent abuse
Sicknick’s death, I was particularly in American politics and real bipar- of the budget reconciliation process
struck by reports that he returned to tisan legislative work on the priorities and protect the rights of the minority
his division office after the day that he facing the American people. It is still a in the Senate.
had had. A lot of us, after having been hope I have, but I am discouraged by It limits the proposals that can be
pepper-sprayed twice and hit on the the path that we are on here in Con- considered under budget reconciliation
head, would probably have made a bee- gress. so that the majority party in the Sen-
line for the hospital or for home. Even Yesterday, Senate Democrats voted ate cannot use the budget reconcili-
if, like Officer Sicknick, we weren’t to proceed to a budget resolution de- ation process to push through any leg-
aware of just how badly we had been signed to allow Democrats to pass islation it wants with a bare majority
injured, I am not sure we would have COVID legislation on a purely partisan vote.
returned to the office. But Officer basis. But some Democrats are suggesting
Sicknick did. As I noted a couple of weeks ago, it doing away with the Byrd rule as a way
His family noted that Officer is common to talk about unity at inau- of getting around the legislative fili-
Sicknick had ‘‘an incredible work gurations. I have been to a lot of them, buster, and that is a big problem. Pre-
ethic. He was very serious about show- but all too often that commitment is serving minority rights was a priority
ing up to work on time and refused to quickly forgotten. And, unfortunately, for the Founders. They knew that, in
call out sick unless absolutely nec- we are already seeing signs that Mem- democratic forms of government, ty-
essary.’’ bers of the Democrat leadership are rannical majorities could easily tram-
We saw that dedication on January 6. rapidly abandoning the President’s call ple the rights of the minority, so they
His first thought was not of his injuries for bipartisanship. were determined to put in place a sys-
Democrats’ turn toward budget rec-
but of the job that he was committed tem of checks and balances that would
onciliation—a process that allows cer-
to. protect the rights of the minority.
We are the beneficiaries of the serv- tain legislation to pass the Senate with
One of those checks was the U.S.
ice and dedication of men and women a simple majority instead of 60 votes,
Senate. And as time has gone on, the
which is normal here—would be more
like Brian Sicknick, men and women legislative filibuster is the Senate rule
understandable if Republicans had cat-
who get up every day not knowing that has had perhaps the greatest im-
egorically refused to consider any addi-
what they will face but willing to sac- pact on protecting minority rights in
tional COVID legislation, but that isn’t
rifice up to and including their very the Senate.
even close to being the case.
lives to protect those that need pro- Republicans share Democrats’ com- But the Byrd rule has played a key
tecting. mitment to COVID priorities, like vac- role as well. By limiting Senators’ abil-
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his ity to use budget reconciliation to get
cinating Americans and getting our
disciples, ‘‘Greater love hath no man children back in the classroom. In fact, around the filibuster, the Byrd rule has
than this, that a man lay down his life we passed five—five—COVID relief bills helped ensure that the minority has at
for his friends.’’ so far in Congress, totaling more than least some voice in most legislation
All of us marvel and are moved when passed by the Senate.
$4 trillion, and every single one of
we hear stories of those who have laid In 2017, when Republicans held the
those bills was passed under Repub-
down their lives to protect others: the lican leadership in the Senate, with bi- majority in Congress as well as the
soldier who jumps on a grenade to save partisan cooperation, at the 60-vote White House, there were calls within
his buddies, the mother who leaps in threshold. our party to gut the Byrd rule and to
front of her child to protect her, the Just this week, a group of 10 Repub- abolish the filibuster, but the Repub-
firefighter who dies trying to rescue licans outlined a $600 billion COVID lican majority in the Senate refused.
someone from a burning house. proposal that would fund vaccine dis- We knew that abolishing the legisla-
But Officer Sicknick’s story hits par- tribution, extend enhanced unemploy- tive filibuster, or de facto abolishing it
ticularly sharply because Officer ment benefits, and provide additional by gutting the Byrd rule, would seri-
Sicknick laid down his life for us. He economic support to Americans who ously weaken minority representation
died for us. He died for me, for every need it most. And on Monday night, at in the Senate.
Senator in this Chamber, and for every the same time that Speaker PELOSI re- So for the long-term good of the Sen-
Representative, for every staff mem- leased her budget bill, those 10 Repub- ate and the country, we refused. We
ber, for every cafeteria worker and licans were meeting with President knew that it would be a betrayal of our
maintenance worker and administra- Biden in the Oval Office for 2 hours. obligation to Senators to undermine
tive worker in the Capitol Complex. Republicans are more than ready to the Senate’s key role as a protector of
We were in danger, and he stepped work with Democrats on additional minority rights.
forward to protect us. And he died for COVID relief. Now, I won’t pretend I would just remind Democrats that,
us. Greater love hath no man than this. that we don’t have reservations about back in 2017, they strongly agreed with
There is no repaying such a sacrifice. some of the measures that Democrats our decision. I trust that their opinion
There is no earning it. We can only have proposed. For instance, I don’t has not changed simply because they
honor it and try to live our lives in think an emergency COVID bill is the are now in the majority.
such a way as to be worthy of it. place to push through a change that Minority representation would be im-
Officer Brian Sicknick died as he would more than double the Federal portant even if elections tended to
lived: defending the U.S. Capitol and minimum wage and directly increase break 60–40 or 70–30 in favor of one
all those within it. expenses on businesses that have been party or another across the country.
My thoughts and prayers are with Of- decimated by the pandemic. All Americans deserve to be rep-
ficer Sicknick’s family and with all resented in government, but it is par-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
I also think that sending checks to
those who loved him as they mourn the those who don’t need them and won’t ticularly important when you consider
life of this brave man. spend them is not a good use of tax- that our country and the Senate is
BIPARTISANSHIP payer money. pretty evenly split right down the mid-
Mr. President, in his victory speech But disagreement over aspects of the dle, which means any attempt to dis-
and later in his inauguration address, Democrat proposal does not mean that enfranchise the minority party means
President Biden made it clear that he Republicans are not willing to work disenfranchising half of the entire
intended to govern for all Americans. with Democrats on COVID relief. country.
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S280 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
While the far-left wing of the Demo- them, the objections, in both the House CORONAVIRUS
crat party would like to use this elec- and the Senate. That was the process Mr. President, the headline in last
tion to implement every extreme, pie- that President Donald Trump set out Thursday’s Chicago Sun-Times cap-
in-the-sky, socialist proposal on its to disrupt, so he called a rally of his tured the grim reality of tens of mil-
list, that is not what the American loyal followers. They met on the El- lions of Americans desperately seeking
people voted for in this election. Amer- lipse. He fired up the crowd and sent a COVID vaccine. The headline read:
icans voted for a Presidential can- them to the Capitol Building to stop ‘‘Looking for a vaccine appointment at
didate historically regarded as a mod- the count—as they said in their warped your pharmacy? Get ready for ‘The
erate. logic, ‘‘stop the steal.’’ Hunger Games.’ ’’ For those who don’t
Democrats lost seats in the House of They weren’t permitted to enter the know ‘‘The Hunger Games,’’ it is a fic-
Representatives. And while, thanks to building, and so they broke it down— tional book turned into a movie about
the Vice President, they have a tie- the doors, the windows. We have seen a dystopian future where people are
breaking vote in the Senate, they did the videos over and over. They as- forced to fight one another to the
not actually win a majority of seats in saulted every law enforcement officer death just to survive.
the Senate. who stood in their way. Brian The Chicago Sun-Times assigned two
My point very simply is that if any Sicknick, of course, lost his life, but reporters to try to book COVID–19 vac-
mandate was given in this election, it there were 140 other police officers who cine appointments for relatives older
was a mandate for moderation, for bi- were beaten and maimed and stabbed, than 65 in any one of the major drug-
partisanship, for unity. And I hope that who still suffer from those injuries store chains in the Chicago area. The
Democrats remember that and resist today. The same terrorist mob that results were discouraging. The websites
calls from the far left to gut the Sen- took Brian Sicknick’s life stormed past were hard to navigate, appointments
ate’s rules and fundamentally change everyone who stood in their path. What were scarce to nonexistent, and even
the character of this institution. a day in the history of the United when they searched for appointments
I still believe that we can come to- States of America. in pharmacies as far as 50 miles away,
gether in this Congress to address the Their occupation of the Capitol in- no luck.
challenges facing our country, but it is cluded their occupation of this Cham- Reporters spoke to people who had
going to require a lot more bipartisan- ber. They marched into this Chamber, gone online at 2 in the morning in the
ship than we are seeing from a lot of opening desks, taking photographs of hopes of landing a coveted vaccination
Democrats. documents, posing for pictures at the slot—no luck. They spoke to a Chicago-
I yield the floor. President’s chair. They had a jolly area woman who had been trying for
I suggest the absence of a quorum. days to book a vaccination appoint-
time showing off to their friends that
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ment for her mother, who is 75 years
they could take over the U.S. Senate.
clerk will call the roll. old and battling cancer. That woman
The legislative clerk proceeded to Next week, we begin the impeach-
knew too well what failing to receive a
call the roll. ment trial. The House of Representa-
vaccination could mean. Her mother-
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask tives has accused this President of in-
in-law is recovering from the virus. Her
unanimous consent that the order for stigating an insurrection. When you
85-year-old father died from it 1 week
the quorum call be rescinded. think of it, could there be anything
shy of his first official vaccination.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without more serious than provoking a group
After several frustrating days, she was
objection, it is so ordered. for the violent overthrow of a legiti-
finally able to book an appointment for
HONORING BRIAN D. SICKNICK
mate government process?
her mother to be vaccinated. She is re-
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I just re- Some say we shouldn’t do this im- lieved for her mother. She is worried
turned from the memorial service for peachment. They argue any speech about others who are eligible but can’t
Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. given by the President to his mob was find a vaccination. She said, ‘‘It’s not
It was held in the Rotunda of the U.S. protected by the First Amendment. fair. It’s absolutely ridiculous.’’
Capitol, a place which is reserved on Well, if the First Amendment was de- Earlier this week, Illinois adminis-
such occasions for those who have signed to protect activities to over- tered its one-millionth dose of COVID
brought special honor to the United throw our government, then it was a vaccine—an important milestone—but
States. It was appropriate that Brian recipe for democracy that would die of in my State and nearly every State,
Sicknick receive that honor. its own accord. I think we know better. the process for distributing vaccines or
On January 6, Capitol Police Officer The Founding Fathers expressly in- getting shots in the arm is still too
Brian Sicknick reported for duty and cluded the impeachment clause in the limited, too slow, too confusing. Too
never returned home. A simple red Constitution for a President who would many elderly and other eligible Ameri-
wooden box contained his remains at be so bold as to challenge the very ex- cans are still scrambling to receive the
the service. Tributes were given to istence of our democracy and the vaccination.
him, all deserved, because this man peaceful transition of power. Let me say in defense of the State I
gave his life to protect our Nation, to After the ceremony in the Rotunda, I proudly represent. Under Governor
protect me. went to the Rayburn Room in the Pritzker, we have a pretty good record
It was protection from an enemy— House and met with Officer Sicknick’s of vaccination rates. He is doing his
not foreign enemy but, as we say in our family. We stood and talked for a few best. Unfortunately, the supply is lim-
oath, a domestic enemy, American- minutes. In respect to them, I will not ited and he needs more, and he cer-
born and -bred terrorists who streamed repeat our conversation, but I am tainly has plenty of people anxious for
into this Capitol building on January 6 going to remember it, and I am going it.
at the instigation of President Donald to remember them. And although I This isn’t just a Chicago problem. It
Trump. He had summoned them to didn’t meet him personally, I will re- is a statewide problem. It is a nation-
Washington on that day because the member him next week when this im- wide problem. It reflects that while the
Constitution required that the Con- peachment trial is underway. Trump administration worked quickly
gress meet that day, that we count the For anyone who makes the argument to discover the vaccine, it failed to
electoral votes and announce to Amer- that when it comes to January 6, it is work with the States in implementing
ica who would be the next President of- time for America to ‘‘get over it,’’ I am a plan to vaccinate people.
ficially. We knew the results State by going to remember one Capitol Police When Joe Biden took office, there
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
State. They had been verified over and officer who gave his life to protect me were more COVID–19 vaccines in freez-
over again, challenged and verified and this Capitol. I am also going to re- ers than in the arms of Americans.
again. member his family, the loss that they That was 10 or 12 days ago. The results
But this was the formal ceremony have endured because of a political ex- of those earlier missteps are stag-
which involved calling the States and ercise based on a big lie propagated by gering. Today, the United States, with
the vote counts in the House, and if the former President of the United 5 percent of the world’s population, is
there were objections, considering States. home to more than 20 percent of the
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S281
COVID infections and deaths. As of I am not a scientist. I certainly don’t So the 10 Republicans who met with
Monday, more than 26 million Ameri- have a medical degree. I am not pro- him have said they want to work on a
cans have been infected and nearly fessing any expertise. But we do know bipartisan basis. Well, I know them. I
440,000 Americans have died of COVID– that variations are emerging, and know each and every one of them pret-
19. In my State of Illinois, we have seen shame on us if they don’t spur us to ac- ty well. I sat through those meetings
1.1 million infections and more than tion as quickly as possible. We are in a with them before, when we prepared
19,000 deaths. life-and-death struggle, a race against the last COVID relief bill. They are sin-
Even as the Trump administration the clock to vaccinate Americans cere. They are well prepared. They
tried to conceal the truth and squan- against the variants before they be- argue their cases. Even if I disagree
dered precious time in responding to come dominant. with them, I respect the way they
this crisis, other Americans were work- The cost of the rescue plan that argue.
ing heroically to protect their neigh- President Biden has proposed is $1.9 I would say to them there are two
bors and friends. These heroes included trillion—about the same as the CARES things that are critically important.
doctors and nurses on the frontline, or- plan that the Senate passed a year ago. First, respond quickly. We can’t drag
derlies who kept hospitals and health We passed it with 96 votes a year ago. this out for weeks or months. It is un-
centers clean and safe, even grocery We passed some $900 billion more this
store clerks, truckdrivers, mail car- acceptable. We have deadlines looming
last December. This $1.9 trillion is no in the middle of March when unem-
riers, teachers, and many other essen- small sum, but do you know what
tial workers. They worked around the ployment benefits are going to be cut
would be even more expensive? Con- off for many Americans, and we cer-
clock. They included brilliant sci- tinuing down this path of the pan-
entists and researchers who not only tainly have a vaccination crisis we
demic, watching this deadly virus mu- have to address right now. Secondly,
developed COVID vaccines but watched tate and eat up companies and jobs and
for the variants that were emerging don’t err on the side of stopping the
hope and education for our kids. Doing medicine before you are really pro-
that may or may not be protected. nothing is unacceptable. Doing too lit-
Sadly, their dedication was not tected and well. We need to put the
tle is unacceptable. medicine into the economy. I am talk-
matched by the performance of the pre-
Remember when you took your kids ing about the dollars—the money—into
vious administration. President Biden
to the doctor with that earache or sore the economy to get people back to
is trying to change that. He is trying
throat or whatever it was? He said: I work so that schools can reopen, for
to dramatically increase the produc-
will tell you what I can do, Dad. I am goodness’ sake. Anyone with a child or
tion of vaccine and also the distribu-
going to give you a prescription for a grandchild knows this is
tion. His plan sets some worthy goals:
your little child, and it is for 5 days on unsustainable for these kids to be out
100 million Americans vaccinated in 100
the antibiotic. Now, I have to warn you of the classroom. It is hurting them,
days. Boy, I want him to be right. He
ahead of time that the child is going to and it is holding them back in terms of
even said there may be more if we
start looking better and feeling better their educations. It needs to end and
count to the end of the summer. We
want to get a pace and have a momen- in 2 days and, in 3 days, will want to end quickly.
tum to break the back of this pandemic run outside and play with the other
So, to my Republican friends, thank
once and for all. He calls it the Amer- kids, and you are going to think,
you for joining us, but stick with us for
ican Rescue Plan. It includes necessary ‘‘Fine, that is behind us,’’ but don’t do
a real solution to this. We can’t delay.
assistance for vaccinations first and it. Give that antibiotic all 5 days be-
Every day we wait is another day that
foremost, and it should, but then it cause we know, in many cases, if you
this virus mutates and grows stronger.
speaks to the economic crisis that also stop giving the antibiotic, the illness
Every day we delay, thousands of
devastates this country. returns.
A similar situation faces us with Americans die from this virus; busi-
His plan provides economic assist- nesses close; workers lose jobs; families
ance for small businesses—many just COVID–19. If we don’t put enough into
the vaccination effort, if we don’t put get more desperate. This is terrific dev-
barely hanging on; extends unemploy- astation we have lived through, but it
ment relief for millions of Americans enough into strengthening the econ-
omy, if we don’t put enough into sus- can come out right in the end if we
who lost their jobs; and increases fund- stick together on a bipartisan basis as
ing for food stamps, SNAP benefits, so taining those unemployed and under-
employed—if we don’t put enough into a nation.
that 1 in 10 Americans who right now We are going to soon deal with the
can’t afford to put food on the table this—we will be back again. It may not
be $1.9 trillion then. It may be even budget resolution here on the floor of
have an alternative. The President’s the U.S. Senate and then move to rec-
American Rescue Plan includes funding more. So shouldn’t we take all of our
medicine? Shouldn’t we do it as most onciliation. I have tried my best,
to dramatically ramp up production of though I have been a Member of the
COVID treatment. It includes funding doctors and, in this case, economists
order to make certain that we have a Senate for a number of years, to under-
to help schools and universities reopen
positive impact on the economy? stand reconciliation and, particularly,
safely and stay open. It includes fund-
Now I want to say a word about the to understand the famous Byrd rule. It
ing to help get teachers vaccinated and
10 Republican Senators who met with is named after a man who was a Sen-
key administrators.
The American Rescue Plan rep- the President of the United States the ator for many years, from West Vir-
resents the best thinking of leading day before yesterday. ginia, named Robert C. Byrd. He used
economists and public health experts. I thank the President for the meeting to sit at that desk.
We can debate it if we wish, but we because he was sincere, and I was told When he came to the floor, there was
can’t drag our feet. We can’t waste a by those who attended that he was re- such respect for him and his knowledge
day. People are dying every minute. In sponsive to their questions, and he was of this institution that the standing
fact, every 30 seconds, another Amer- well prepared. When they went in and order was people who were speaking
ican dies from COVID–19. started talking about the different pro- stopped. Senator Byrd is here. Defer
As the virus circulates and replicates grams and how much we should spend your remarks until he is finished. That
and we dither, variants emerge, on each one, one Republican Senator was done over and over again. As a new
mutations emerge, and we wonder if said: He had a sheet of paper in front of Member of the Senate, I thought: Who
our vaccine is ready for them. Sci- him, with a few things written on it, is this man? Well, I came to understand
and for 2 hours, we kept active con- the reputation which he had garnered
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
entists warn that our current COVID
vaccines are less effective with new versation. It was like another Member in the U.S. Senate and he, I suppose—
strains. We could rush through this of the Senate speaking to these 10 Re- maybe others with him—was the au-
double-shot vaccination across Amer- publicans. That to me is gratifying. It thor of the reconciliation process.
ica and perhaps reach our goal sooner is the reason I supported this man to Originally, it may have been in-
rather than later and find that some become our President. I knew he would tended—I underline ‘‘may’’—for deficit
mutant or variant is a new challenge be ready for the job and anxious to try reduction. Now it is something dif-
that requires a booster shot. to bring America back together. ferent. Deficit reduction is not the goal
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S282 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
per se. Instead, there have to be meas- The Biden administration and my speaking about the unsustainable U.S.
urable revenues and losses involved in Democratic colleagues in the Senate debt and said: ‘‘If I had a magic wand,
any proposal within reconciliation. lasted 10 days before they ditched any I would raise taxes.’’ How is that good
Holding to the Byrd rule is going to attempt at real compromise. Now, in- for an American family?
be a matter of interpretation by the stead of working together to provide Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the new
Senate Parliamentarian and a decision targeted relief to those who are hurt- Transportation Secretary, said he is
by the Senate as to whether that inter- ing from the coronavirus pandemic, the open to raising the gas tax on Amer-
pretation will be respected. There Democrats are moving forward with a ican families. How is that good for an
could be items that are objected to by reconciliation process to pass a nearly American family?
the Parliamentarian and others that $2 trillion spending bill. Neera Tanden, tapped to run the Of-
will be accepted. I think it is too early Reconciliation is a process that was fice of Management and Budget, has
to speculate on that, but it is one of created to make quick changes related been a vocal supporter of the Green
the more arcane elements of the Sen- to budget and spending that were as- New Deal—a $93 trillion disaster that
ate rule process; yet it has a massive sumed to have gotten bipartisan sup- would devastate our economy and kill
impact. port. It was never meant to be a tool to jobs. How is that good for an American
Years ago, when the Republicans pass major legislation, but the Demo- family?
were in similar positions as the Demo- crats know they can’t pass their harm- These are the people who are going to
crats, they used reconciliation for tax ful policies through legislation, so they get our economy on track and provide
cuts. Some who believed that reconcili- are looking for any tool they can find opportunities for American families? I
ation dealt with deficit reduction could to ram them through the process. don’t think so.
never understand how a tax cut Senators SCHUMER and SANDERS keep My concern about the future of our
wouldn’t add to the deficit. They ar- pushing forward, without Republican country cannot be understated. In Au-
gued the other way. They prevailed. support, to get the changes they need gust, Congress will have to deal with
Reconciliation was used for a tax cut. no matter what—no matter that the the expiration of the debt ceiling. This
Now we come up with a proposal, the spending package includes a number of is a critically important issue, but, for
American Rescue Plan, which either, in liberal policies that have nothing to do years, Congress has ignored it. The
part or in whole, is going to be offered with the coronavirus; no matter that debt ceiling has been suspended for
in reconciliation, and the question is the spending package has a bailout of more than 2 years, allowing the Fed-
whether each category of that plan wasteful liberal States for their dec- eral Government to spend out of con-
that is included in reconciliation is eli- ades of mismanagement even though trol and rack up insane debt on the
gible under the Senate rules. the latest data show that States across Federal credit card, and we have to pay
I will say there is one fundamental the country are reporting positive in- interest on this debt. Right now, inter-
difference which one of my colleagues come growth; no matter that the $2 est rates are at historic lows—less than
raised earlier. Instead of talking about trillion would throw our Nation even 1.5 percent—and we are still paying
tax cuts for the wealthiest, we are pro- deeper into unsustainable debt, hurting nearly $350 billion in interest on our
posing changes in the reconciliation for American families. debt each year. Think about it. We get
the American Rescue package by Presi- We need to be very clear about this: no return on any of these dollars.
dent Biden which are really designed to America is in a debt crisis, and we need
Here is a chart. Look at this.
help working families and those who to start talking about it and taking de-
are struggling in our economy. This is the $345 billion we are going
cisive action to reverse course.
For instance, the tax changes that In 2020 alone, the Federal Govern- to spend in interest for 2020. Look at
are proposed in the American Rescue ment increased its debt by more than these programs: Medicare, 862; Med-
Plan, if they are included in reconcili- $4 trillion. To date, it sits at a mas- icaid; defense; Social Security. Look at
ation, will include additional assist- sive—an unsustainable—$27 trillion. the deficit we are running of $3.3 tril-
ance to families with children. There That is why, every time I am faced lion. If this interest rate goes up—and
will be substantial tax relief and tax with a question of spending taxpayer we were already running a big deficit
credits—refundable tax credits—to dollars, I ask myself some simple yet even before COVID, and we are going to
those in poverty, raising children. We important questions: What is the plan have a deficit this year of over $1 tril-
have economists who tell us that, if the to pay for it? What is the return on in- lion—what program does somebody an-
Biden proposal on these tax benefits for vestment for American families? Does ticipate cutting, and what taxes do
families with children are enacted into the proposal include measures to pre- people believe we ought to increase?
law, we will cut child poverty in half in vent waste and fraud and ensure ac- Of the $350 billion we are going to
America. Think about that—a dra- countability? spend on interest, we will get no re-
matic change. Asking these questions isn’t a novel turn. There is no family that gets any
We hear so many conversations about idea. It is the same process I went benefit out of this interest expense un-
the state of the economy, of those who through every day when I was the Gov- less you are holding treasuries. It is in-
are being left behind, and whether or ernor of Florida, and it is what most sane, but it is not the scariest part. If
not income inequality is going to be Americans go through when making fi- interest rates increase to the 50-year
addressed. Starting with the children, I nancial decisions at home or for their average of 6.2 percent—that is the 50-
will say to President Biden, is the right businesses. No family would needlessly year average—we will be obligated to
starting point. It would be wonderful if spend money without a plan, and no pay $1 trillion more in interest every
we had bipartisan support for helping business can afford to not get a return year. So look at this. If the interest
these kids. I can tell you this: The on its investment. rates go to the 50-year average, we are
money it costs for these tax cuts and Spending without consequence isn’t going to go from a little less than $350
credits is far less than the expense that how things work in the real world, and billion to over $1 trillion in interest ex-
would be incurred by America as a na- it is not how things should work in pense.
tion if these kids don’t have an oppor- government. Congress’s decades of fail- So if we have $1 trillion in interest
tunity to grow up healthy, educated, ure to think and act responsibly has expense, how are we going to fund all
and productive. So I am watching care- led to enormous deficits—insurmount- these programs when we are already
fully as this debate continues. able debt—and out-of-control spending, running deficits? And that is if the
I yield the floor. but instead of getting serious about debt stops growing.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- this debt and its inevitable con- Every additional dollar in debt we
ator from Florida. sequences, the Democrats are focused hold increases the dollars in interest
BUDGET RECONCILIATION on more government, more spending, we owe. It is an awful cycle that has
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, higher taxes, and no accountability. disastrous consequences for American
we are just weeks into a new adminis- Biden’s nominees are no different. families.
tration, and all hopes and promise of In 2018, Janet Yellen, Biden’s new That is why we cannot allow the debt
bipartisanship have been rejected. Treasury Secretary, was quoted as ceiling to simply be suspended again.
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S283
We cannot allow a radical liberal agen- trillion on their priorities that have no Roxie was a pioneer in Virginia gov-
da to destroy America’s chance to ever bipartisan support, we have to say no. ernment, making opportunities for Af-
get out of this hole. We have to make sure that every dollar rican Americans to get hired in key po-
As we recover from the pandemic, in- is spent strategically on things that sitions—a civil rights leader in the
flation will rise from its 2020 low of 1.4 actually help struggling families and State.
percent to nearly 2.3 percent or more. businesses. My wife and I and our whole neigh-
That is a 60-percent increase in infla- When Democrats want to raise taxes borhood are just absolutely devastated
tion. to pay for government’s wastefulness, by the loss. My wife and I were talking
But if Congress continues to reck- we have to say no. about: How old do you think Roxie is?
lessly spend and do nothing about our Short-term solutions aren’t going to We always viewed her as sort of our
growing debt, inflation will increase work anymore. We are in a battle for age because she is so vigorous and fun
higher. There is a direct link between the future of our Nation, and we cannot and lively. She is 20 years older than
the Federal Government’s relent. my wife and me.
unsustainable spending and the rising As I stated after Congress passed the Three days before Roxie Raines
cost of goods and services. CARES Act, once this crisis is over, we Kornegay Allison died, another neigh-
Here is what that means for Amer- must make a plan to cut Federal bor of mine, Sheila Mandt, who was 55
ican families: The price of everyday spending by at least the amount we years old, died of COVID. Sheila was a
goods will rise; gas prices will rise; and spent during this crisis. There is no dynamic activist in the Richmond
rental housing costs will increase. other option. community, with a real heart for non-
Increases in inflation hit America’s In August, Congress will once again profit organizations that focused on
hourly workers and fixed-income fami- confront the expiration of the debt the needs of survivors of domestic vio-
lies the hardest. And these hits are ex- ceiling. It is time to take action. It is lence. She had done pioneering work in
acerbated when liberal politicians, like time to wake up. that area and worked with other orga-
Pete Buttigieg, get their way and raise We can fix this and put our Nation on nizations too, like the Salvation Army
the gas tax and other costs on families. a fiscally responsible path. We fix this and others.
So while politicians in Washington by doing what I did in Florida. We need She was married for a long time to
keep spending money like it is a game, to focus on growing the economy, cut- another friend, Chris Hilbert, who had
American families suffer. Radical ting taxes and burdensome regulations, been a member of the Richmond City
spending and reckless proposals di- and streamlining permitting. We fix Council.
rectly hurt families. this by helping every American get a Three days before Sheila Mandt died
Every dollar we allocate is borrowed good job. And we fix this by getting a of COVID, Patsy Arsenault died of
from taxpayers, and if Congress is irre- return on every taxpayer dollar we COVID in Richmond. Patsy is the
sponsible, it is the taxpayers that suf- spend. mother of my parish priest, Father Jim
fer. I am going to keep talking about this Arsenault. It is a tiny little parish in
Adding insult to injury, a rise in the issue and proposing solutions because Richmond, and Patsy has been very
debt will also either cause or be accom- this is one of the most severe and most much a part of our parish community.
panied by a rise in interest rates. That ignored crises facing our Nation. It is So in 8 days, three people that I
is bad for everyone. not going away, and the harder the know died of COVID. And this morning,
When interest rates increase, every- Democrats push their wasteful, harm- I heard early in the morning that an-
thing from car loans, to student loans, ful proposal, the harder I am going to other dear friend—and I am not going
to mortgages become more expensive push back. This problem is only get- to mention his name, but another dear
for the American people. ting worse. friend of mine—is in the hospital with
And the interest on our debt, which As long as I am a Member of the U.S. COVID and on a ventilator. He is some-
is already the fourth largest expendi- Senate, I will fight to rein in the out- body I know very, very well. I offi-
ture in the Federal budget, will become of-control spending that is putting our ciated at his wedding about 15 years
our largest expenditure. For every 1- children and our grandchildren’s future ago, when I was Governor.
percent increase in interest rate, we at risk. I am a healthy and wealthy and priv-
are going to spend another $2 trillion I will be back on this floor again and ileged person, so if this is happening to
over 10 years. That is more taxpayer again until something gets done. me in my network of friends and fam-
money getting no return. There is I yield the floor. ily, I know it is happening to others. I
nothing. There are no services. There The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. think this now makes nine people I
are no products. There is nothing for HICKENLOOPER). The Senator from Vir- know who have died of COVID.
the American consumer. ginia. I was on the phone yesterday with
For people on fixed incomes, their in- CORONAVIRUS Taiwan’s representative to the United
comes are going to stay the same, Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I rise States—representative is essentially
while the prices of the items they buy today to talk about some friends of their equivalent of the Ambassador.
will go up month after month. For mine. She told me that Taiwan has had nine
hourly workers, wages will never go up Roxie Raines Kornegay Allison. COVID deaths—dozens of miles from
fast enough to cover the ever-increas- Roxie Raines Kornegay Allison, my China. They have had nine COVID
ing cost of goods and services. across-the-street neighbor for nearly 30 deaths. I haven’t gone back to check
I know all of this sounds scary. That years, died of COVID last Thursday that, but my wife and I have nine
is because it is. night at 6 o’clock. Roxie has been kind friends and family, including the moth-
Politicians in Washington are afraid of the matriarch and the pillar of our er-in-law of my brother, who have died
to tell you the truth, so here it is: If little four-block-long neighborhood. of COVID.
you want our country to survive and We have the annual party in the me- We had 3,406 deaths yesterday in the
thrive and continue to be a beacon for dian in October, and Roxie kind of pre- United States to COVID. Basically, be-
freedom, prosperity, and hope around sides. She has been sort of the care- ginning on about December 20, the
the world, we will need to make tough taker, always taking care of a family daily death toll in the United States to
choices after this crisis is over. We will member or a friend. COVID has virtually every day eclipsed
need to do way more with less. We will One of the first persons who reached the number of Americans who were
need to reassert the fundamental prin- out to me when Roxie passed was a city killed on 9/11. We have now eclipsed
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ciple of conservatism that the private councilman in Pasadena, CA, who had 447,000 deaths to COVID.
sector and individuals—not govern- heard instantaneously. He used to be So my own feelings of sadness about
ment—should be the driving forces be- the deputy police chief in Richmond. my friends are just shared in common
hind our economic stability and suc- He said: When I moved to Richmond, I with everybody. Everybody has been
cess. didn’t know anybody. Roxie was the touched by this—knowing somebody
We have to stand up for these values, one who kind of adopted me and who is ill, knowing somebody who has
and when Democrats try to spend $2 showed me the ropes in Richmond. died, maybe having COVID themselves,
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S284 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
maybe having lost a job, maybe having with their parent or their spouse or a you know, Fannie or Freddie, or FHA.
lost a business, maybe having not been child or a sibling. You can’t do that If they have a Federal nexus, we pro-
able to go see a parent or grandparent now. People dying from COVID—be- vide an eviction moratorium.
in a nursing home or not been able to cause of exposure risk, I can’t make OK, that is really important, but
travel to see a brandnew grandchild. this place sort of a sacred place for what about when we get to the end of
This touches everyone. It doesn’t touch family to say a last goodbye, so it is up the moratorium? Families have big ob-
everyone equally. Those getting COVID to me to do it. I have to go in there, ligations that are backed up. Maybe
and those dying of COVID are predomi- and I am wearing a mask; I can’t even they lost jobs or lost income. Can they
nantly minorities. Those losing jobs to smile at the person. I am probably not come current then on their obligations
COVID are predominantly minorities, even supposed to hold their hand, but I when we are done with the morato-
young people working at the lowest do anyway. And then what I do is I rium, or will they then face eviction?
end of the salary scale. bring in my iPad, and I hold it a few After they have gone through the un-
So why do I take the floor to talk inches from the dying person’s face so imaginable of COVID and now we are
about Roxie and Sheila and Patsy and that they can have an end-of-life dis- past it, will they then face eviction be-
my other friend who I just learned this cussion with family members who can’t cause their resources will not be suffi-
morning is on a ventilator in the hos- be there at their bedside and be there cient to catch them up with their back-
pital? I take the floor because this, to with them. due obligations?
me, is just evidence underlined with an The nurses who told me this said this It is not just the residents. What
exclamation point that we have to act is really tough. It is tough to do it day about the landlords? So many land-
promptly to provide a suffering nation after day after day and be the last per- lords of rental properties are small
more COVID relief, and we shouldn’t be son on Earth who so many people are business owners, and they provide
stingy about it. We have to be bold seeing and trying to manage that real- housing to families, and they have to
about it because the amount of suf- ly intimate and important sacred mo- pay off mortgages too. We also want
fering people in this country are under- ment between a dying person and their them to keep the properties up, to keep
going is still so staggering, nearly un- family when they are gasping their last them safe, to keep them habitable, to
precedented. breath. keep them as dignified places where
The scale of the problem is so big, A third nurse then cut in and said: people can live, but if rent isn’t coming
the health scale of the problem—that All those things are true. Let me tell in to them, how can they pay off their
many deaths and millions having had you, for me, what is the hardest for my own obligations? How can they keep up
COVID; the economic scale of the prob- mental well-being in terms of doing the quality of housing where people
lem—we are still down 10 million jobs this every day. I do what the other two live?
from where we were 1 year ago, and have just described, and then I get done I could have talked about the needs
that is with some significant recovery with the shift, and I am just beat, and of the unemployed or the needs of peo-
occasioned by the investments that I don’t want to take that home to my ple who use childcare. At one point in
Congress has been willing to make in family. the summer, 40 percent of childcare in-
the first five bills that we passed. Even I don’t want to take that frustration stitutions in this country were closed
with those having had significant ef- and depression home to my family, so I down. That makes it so hard to open
fect on our States and communities, we drive around for a while until I can our businesses. I could have talked
are still down 10 million jobs. And then kind of clear my head. Invariably, about the tremendous needs of small
we are also down in the intangibles. It when I am driving around, I will go by businesses. Thank goodness it has been
is not just the number of cases, the someplace like a restaurant or a bar, a bipartisan priority in all the bills we
number of deaths, the number of hos- and I will see a whole lot of people did in 2019 to prioritize small business
pitalizations, the number of businesses there with each other without masks assistance. These needs are intense.
that are closed, and the number of peo- on, people who think the mask thing is There are some positive signs. Hos-
ple who have lost jobs; it is the scale of fake or it is a political thing, and they pitalizations and cases are starting to
sadness and unhappiness and the con- are making a statement by not wearing go down even though the death toll re-
sequences that will go on for some sig- a mask and not following basic health mains high, but this challenge—we are
nificant period of time that we are still guidelines. not done with it. We are not near done
living under. After the day that I have gone with it, and that is why we have to go
Here are two examples, and I could through and the challenge to my own big, in my view, and that is why we
give 50, just as any Senator who stood mental health in seeing this, I see that have to do it with a sense of urgency.
on the floor could give 50 examples be- happening, and I am like: You are I want to conclude and just say that
cause we are all hearing this. The men- going to be in the hospital next week. the budget reconciliation tool that was
tal health needs of frontline healthcare Do you know what you are doing to part of the Congressional Budget Act of
workers—I had a Zoom session with yourself? Do you know what you are 1974 is about doing big things with a
doctors and nurses around the State doing to your family? Do you know sense of urgency. I am getting asked
not long ago, and the stories just break what you are doing to me? I am going sometimes by press, as I wander
your heart. to be having to hold that iPad in front around: Should you use reconciliation,
One nurse said: You know, I am used of your face or maybe somebody else or should you try to be bipartisan?
to death. I mean, this is what I do. I you are with as they talk to family. I said: Hold on a second. Reconcili-
have been a nurse for 20 years in this The healthcare needs of our frontline ation isn’t partisan. Reconciliation was
hospital, and I am sort of used to healthcare workers who have been be- a part of the Budget Control Act put in
maybe one death per week on the shifts sieged by this pandemic—they are not place 35 years ago, and budget rec-
that I work. I am not used to three going to go away the day we say we are onciliation has been used for some of
deaths on a shift day after day after past COVID. The challenges people the most bipartisan, positive achieve-
day. have endured to be the heroes we claim ments of Congressmen in recent dec-
Another nurse jumped in from a dif- them to be are not just going to imme- ades. CHIP, the Children’s Health In-
ferent part of the State and said: That diately go away. Part of this COVID re- surance Program, was done with rec-
is right. Let me tell you what the hard- lief bill needs to be about keeping our onciliation. The earned income tax
est thing is for me. own healers healthy. credit was done with reconciliation.
The nurse said this: Maybe the most A second example I will give quickly Reconciliation is a tool. You can use
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
important thing I do as a healthcare is housing. Thank goodness, in the it in a bipartisan way or in a partisan
provider is, when somebody is dying in COVID bills thus far, we have been able way. It has also been used in a partisan
the hospital, I escort their family into to find some bipartisan agreement to way. The effort to undo the Affordable
their room so that they can have some extend evictions—put a moratorium on Care Act was done by reconciliation
last moments together as a family sit- evictions, put a moratorium on fore- with no support on the Democratic side
ting around the bedside and holding closures for properties that have some of the aisle. The tax cut bill in 2017 was
their hand or exchanging memories Federal connection, financed through, done via reconciliation with no support
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S285
on the Democratic side of the aisle. that was there. It was newly created, cally of everybody. That is why I am so
But choosing the path of reconciliation and they were extremely happy to have glad that the administration has come
is not the opposite of bipartisanship. it because before that early childhood with the package that they have to
I so applaud President Biden and center was there, in order to get this floor, $1.9 trillion—$1 trillion of
Vice President HARRIS for their earnest childcare or early childhood education which is direct aid to families and an-
dialogue with our Republican col- for their kids, these moms were having other big piece of which is to support
leagues, and I applaud my Republican to drive through the canyon to Glen- the public health infrastructure in this
colleagues for going to the White wood Springs—about 35 miles away, I country so that we can actually vac-
House and talking about what should guess, or so—and then go to work and cinate people in a timely way, so we
be in this bill because as they share then go back and pick their kid up and can test people in a timely way, so we
their priorities, they are going to shape bring them back. So they were very, can distribute PPE.
this bill. very happy that it was there. It has been shocking to see how poor
Without having seen the bill—I know But at a certain point during the the response has been from the United
no one has—I can make a guarantee conversation, one of the moms looked States, a developed country unable to
about this bill, and I am 100 percent at me, and she said: Michael, I work so contend effectively with this pandemic,
sure I am right about this. When this I can have health insurance. And every and we have lost almost half a million
bill hits the table and the negotiation single dollar I make goes to pay for Americans as a result.
is done and before we have a final pas- this early childhood center so I can So that investment in our public
sage vote on it and we analyze what is work—that triangle that she is trapped health infrastructure—in effect, the
in the bill, we are going to see so many in because of the compression of wages health force, like the one that KIRSTEN
priorities in this bill that are not just in this country that is a story that mil- GILLIBRAND and I have proposed—is
Democratic priorities but that are Re- lions of American families can tell something we desperately need if we
publican priorities, too, things that about an economy that, for 50 years, are going to reopen this economy
were drawn from bills that Republicans has worked really well for the people at quickly and if we are going to reopen
introduced or that Republicans cospon- the very top but not for anybody else. schools and keep them open.
sored with Democrats, things that were Ninety percent of the American peo- There is one other piece of this I
raised by Republican Senators in their ple, basically, for 50 years, have not wanted to mention this morning on the
dialogue with President Biden and with seen a pay increase in this country in floor, and that is the provision in this
us. We are going to see a bill that real terms. That is terrible for them, bill that is based on the work that I
meets the need of Americans who are obviously, because they can’t afford have done for many, many years with
suffering to do something big and to do health care, housing, higher education, Senator SHERROD BROWN from Ohio.
something urgent and includes prior- or early childhood education. They feel One bill is Bennet-Brown, and the
ities that were Republican Senators’ like they can’t live a middle-class life other one is Brown-Bennet. I love both
priorities, that are good for Republican or, if their kids are living in poverty, of them the same, even though the
voters, and that are good for all Ameri- they can’t get their kids out of pov- order is different.
cans. erty. But the President has decided to in-
So this is the second time I have It is a danger to our democracy be- clude these bills in his package. It is a
done a floor speech where I have gone cause democracies do not do well when dramatic increase to the child tax
over the names of people whom I know prosperity is not shared and when you credit, a substantial increase to what
who died of COVID. I don’t want to do have one group of people at the very is called the childless earned-income
a third speech. I don’t want to do a top who are doing extremely well and tax credit, so we will stop taxing work-
third speech. I think it is important to everybody else is struggling to get by, ing people into poverty, which is what
say people’s names so we remember everybody else is struggling to get into we are doing in this country today.
them and we honor them. But the best the middle class or stay in the middle With the passage of the American
way we can honor them is not through class or lift their kids out of poverty. Family Act, this child tax credit alone,
a floor speech; the best way we can That is where we have been as a coun- we will cut childhood poverty in the
honor them is acting in a compas- try for a long time. United States of America by almost 50
sionate and prompt and significant way We have some of the lowest mobility percent. We will cut childhood poverty
to ease the suffering of Americans dur- rates of any industrialized economy in for Latino kids by 60 percent, for Black
ing this most unprecedented time. the world, and it is taking its toll. It is kids by more than 50 percent, for kids
With that, I yield the floor. taking its toll on the American dream, living in Tribes by more than 60 per-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. and that is before COVID. COVID has cent without adding one bureaucrat to
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The made matters much, much worse for the Federal Government, without cre-
clerk will call the roll. families in our State—for families in ating one more program. Just by tak-
The senior assistant legislative clerk urban parts of the State and rural ing the tax credit from $2,000 to $3,000,
proceeded to call the roll. parts of the State. $3,600 for kids under the age of 6, by
Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask Even before COVID hit, when people making it fully refundable, which
unanimous consent that the order for would ask me—I used to be the super- means that the poorest people in Amer-
the quorum call be rescinded. intendent of the Denver Public ica who have been left out of this tax
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Schools—people would say: What has credit—23 or 25 million children—now
objection, it is so ordered. changed in education since you were will have the benefit of the tax credit
Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I want superintendent until now, what I would for the first time, we will cut childhood
to say what a pleasure it is to see the tell people is mental health, mental poverty in this country by almost 50
Presiding Officer in the Chair and to health, mental health. That is what percent. I can’t think of anything that
know that, together, we have the op- teachers talk about in the meetings we could do that would better recog-
portunity, the great privilege, to rep- that I have with them—the mental nize the structural nature of the chal-
resent the greatest State in America— health of their students, the mental lenges that the American people are
the State of Colorado. And welcome to health of their families, and their own facing in this economy before COVID
the Chamber. It is great to have you mental health. It comes up in every but, certainly, in the wake of COVID.
here. single conversation before class size, I hope the proposal will be able to at-
S. CON. RES. 5 before how pitifully we pay teachers in tract bipartisan support in this Cham-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
Mr. President, I want to talk a little this country. We have to confront that ber, and that once we have done it,
bit about our State. The last time I as a country now, too, on top of every- that we will make it permanent, we
was running for office, 2016, I remember thing else. will make it last, and that we will
I went to Rifle, CO, which the Pre- And the economic inequality is imagine that we could live in a country
siding Officer knows well, and I met greater. The folks who have been on in the United States of America that
there with a group of moms who were the frontlines during this pandemic actually has eradicated childhood pov-
showing off the early childhood center have had the toughest time economi- erty because it is no American’s choice
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S286 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
to be born poor. It is no child’s choice Oil and natural gas from Federal annual Super Bowl, they will be tuning
to be born poor. lands accounted for 6.4 percent and 9.2 in to a historic event. I am not speak-
There are many things we can do to percent, respectively, of the Nation’s ing about the impact of the COVID–19
improve economic mobility in this total production. Jobs and economic pandemic on the game or Tom Brady’s
country, and I think that this new ad- opportunity are being carelessly record Super Bowl appearances. In-
ministration is going to create the be- stripped away. stead, I am focused on the history that
ginning of an era that is going to lead And while my State may not be will be made by an exceptional woman
us to a place that, when the economy burned by the Federal leasing ban as from Mississippi, my good friend Sarah
grows, it grows for everybody—not just badly as Wyoming, New Mexico, and Thomas.
for people at the very top—and that other Western States, Mississippi will Sarah Thomas, a native of
families can move themselves up certainly feel the heat from this. Mis- Pascagoula, MS, will go down in sports
through hard work, save something for sissippi has a significant energy infra- history on Sunday as the first woman
retirement, and leave something for structure which provides thousands of to officiate the Super Bowl.
the next generation. jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars Sarah has always had a passion for
That is all anybody in this country in economic output. athletics. She made a name for herself
has ever really wanted, and that hasn’t The Gulf of Mexico is one of the Na- in high school sports. She became an
been true for most Americans for a tion’s most important regions for en- Academic All-American in basketball
very long time. This is the beginning of ergy resources and accounts for a large at the University of Mobile, where she
change in that, and that is why this portion of our crude oil and Federal amassed a career record of 779 points,
bill has my enthusiastic support. offshore natural gas production. 441 rebounds, 108 assists, and 192
With that, I yield the floor. My State is home to the 1,443-mega- steals—accomplishments that illus-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. watt Grand Gulf nuclear power station trate her determination to perform at
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The in Port Gibson, MS, which is the larg- the highest levels.
clerk will call the roll. est reactor in terms of generating ca-
The senior assistant legislative clerk While the news of a female officiant
pacity in the United States. We host a for the Super Bowl is a historic first,
proceeded to call the roll.
Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I large petroleum refinery, a natural gas Sarah is no stranger to making his-
ask unanimous consent that the order processing plant, and a liquefied nat- tory. Following college, Sarah’s atten-
for the quorum call be rescinded. ural gas terminal located along the tion shifted to football—namely, offici-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without State’s Gulf of Mexico coastline. ating games. She quickly earned a rep-
objection, it is so ordered. Additionally, the Red Hills surface utation as an elite referee while offici-
ENERGY POLICY
coal mine provides lignite coal to the ating high school games.
Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I Red Hills Power Plant, creating jobs Sarah became the first woman to of-
rise to discuss the importance of the and generation capacity in North Mis- ficiate a Division 1A high school game
American energy sector and my con- sissippi. Along with these great in Mississippi. Sarah continued to do
cern about President Biden’s Executive sources, Mississippi has growing in- so well in her craft that it caught the
orders regarding domestic energy pol- vestments in natural gas and in solar attention of renowned NFL official
icy. power. Gerry Austin, who invited her to an of-
In the first hours of the Biden admin- Destructive policies that make fuel ficials’ camp. Here again, Sarah’s tal-
istration, the President signed an Ex- sources more difficult to obtain could ents proved impressive, and she soon
ecutive order revoking the Presidential greatly harm economic growth and became the first woman to officiate a
permit of the Keystone XL Pipeline, a raise the cost of energy prices, which college football game and the first
project projected to add 11,000 Amer- will ultimately harm low-income fami- woman to officiate a college bowl
ican jobs this year and pump $1.6 bil- lies and many small businesses, not game.
lion in wages into our economy. The just in Mississippi but across the entire The NFL hired Sarah as its first fe-
new administration’s actions ceased Nation. male official in 2015, and in 2019 she be-
construction work, nullified contracts My concerns are not based on any ob- came the first woman to officiate an
issued last October to hire an esti- jections to green or renewable energy NFL playoff game.
mated 7,000 union construction work- sources. I believe the American people To me and many others, Sarah’s se-
ers, and disappointed our Canadian want balanced national energy policies lection to officiate at Super Bowl LV is
ally. that promote growth and price sta- just a natural progression for a tal-
It is deeply concerning that our na- bility. However, the early actions of ented professional. I can assure you,
tional energy policy should take such a the Biden administration are cause for anyone who knows Sarah as I do will
dramatic turn away from pro-jobs and concern and not a source of unity. not be surprised by her successful ca-
pro-American energy independence. They signal a troubling willingness to reer.
Americans’ unemployment rate is al- sacrifice strategic industries that are Sarah—a mother, a career woman—
ready in a precarious situation due to important to our economy and for the has all the qualities I imagine the NFL
the ongoing global pandemic, and I fail jobs that they provide. wants in a good official: smart, con-
to see how destroying more jobs unifies This body should take into consider- fident, decisive, reliable, and com-
our Nation. ation important legislation such as the mitted.
Mississippians and Americans in the POWER Act and the Conservation My State of Mississippi is extremely
energy industry have worked tirelessly Funding Protection Act, which would proud of Sarah Thomas, and we look
for our Nation, and in 2019 America be- allow Congress to enact responsible en- forward to watching her latest history-
came energy independent for the first ergy policies and move away from poli- making appearance at the Super Bowl.
time in 60 years. It is thanks to our en- cies landed in executive edits. And to Sarah’s children—these pre-
ergy workers that we are no longer During a time when America’s en- cious children: Bridley, Brady, and Bai-
forced to rely on foreign powers who do ergy businesses are seeking recovery ley—congratulations to you on this
not wish America well. from this global pandemic, losing pre- historic achievement, and you can be
Terminating the Keystone XL Pipe- cious jobs that keep the lights on for so proud of your mother.
line was just the start of what we now the constituents and feed their families I yield the floor.
recognize to be a concerted effort to cannot and should not be the route this The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
bring down fossil fuel resources in our administration is taking. ator from Missouri.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
Nation. The administration’s subse- TRIBUTE TO SARAH THOMAS BUDGET RECONCILIATION
quent ban on new oil and gas leases on Mr. President, now on a more posi- Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, this
Federal lands will result in an esti- tive note, I would like to speak on a week, the Senate is engaged in what I
mated $33.5 billion in lost GDP across separate and special matter. personally believe to be a dis-
Western States in President Biden’s As Americans and people around the appointing exercise of, really, partisan
first term and risk over $8.8 billion an- world settle in front of their tele- political power at the expense of Amer-
nually in conservation funding. visions this Sunday to watch the 55th ican taxpayers.
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S287
When it became clear that the Senate schools, even private parochial schools. that done quicker than reconciliation.
was going to be split 50–50—by the way, It doesn’t include the schools that It is going to be several weeks before
it doesn’t get closer than that—there more than any other have done their we can have the vote that we could
was a moment of hope, I think, on both best to stay open during the pandemic. have had to provide part of this money
sides that this would be the oppor- It really breaks a pattern of recent right now. A significant amount of this
tunity that we would all have to really years for all schools and post-World money is agreed to, particularly the
begin to seek ways to find how we War II for higher education to where amount that does relate to vaccine
could work together and not have any public schools was not the defining purchase and vaccine distribution. The
50–50 votes and not keep the Vice Presi- thing. The defining thing was, if you parts that relate to testing, the parts
dent busy in breaking ties on votes. So could qualify for government assist- that relate to getting kids back to
far, that hope appears to be a little bit ance, you were able to take it to any school—that could all be available in a
short-lived. accredited institution that you wanted couple of weeks. But it won’t be a cou-
We are supposedly voting to pass a to. ple of weeks when we go through this
budget right now that expresses the Clean energy is in the COVID relief process of reconciliation that I think
priorities of the Congress on how lim- package. COVID relief is different from my friends on the other side will find
ited tax dollars should be allocated. clean energy. It is certainly a debate out is harder to do than they thought
Now, you don’t have to be a genius to worth having, but let’s not suggest and substantially harder to do in a 50–
figure out that passing a budget—Octo- that it is COVID relief when it is not. 50 Senate than it would be anywhere
ber, November, December—4 months If one-half of the Senate is deter- else.
into the calendar of the budget year mined to impose its will on the other You know, in December, we provided
probably isn’t, technically, just to de- half without even working to find a $82 billion for schools and for edu-
termine how you are going to allocate real path forward, I think that is an cation. Elementary schools that were
limited tax dollars. Frankly, there unfortunate sign. supposed to get almost $70 billion of
seems to be very little discussion in Democrats have said there is an ur- that money to reopen haven’t re-
this budget about limited tax dollars. gent need for this COVID relief—so ur- opened. Many of them haven’t had a
What we are really doing here is pass- gent we can’t wait to have a real de- chance to spend the money. In fact,
ing a budget that allows us to set up bate. You know, we just passed $900 bil- many of the K–12 schools haven’t even
what, I think, is an ill-advised, par- lion in relief. Now we are beginning to spent all the money they got in April.
tisan moment, where one side believes talk about such big numbers here that So money from April not yet being
it can do whatever it wants to without suddenly $900 billion is sort of passed spent, and we are rushing to decide
the other side. away as, well, that is not nearly how much more money they need right
President Biden, when campaigning, enough. But the truth is, the $900 bil- now in these last few weeks of the
said over and over again that he want- lion bill was just signed into law De- school year.
ed to work with Republicans. I actually cember 27. That was 5 weeks ago—$900 Last week, Dr. Fauci said in an inter-
believe that is true. In his inaugural billion. Most of that money remains view that it was the goal of President
address, he said: ‘‘We have never ever, unspent, and suddenly we want to Biden to get K–8 students back to
ever, ever failed in America when we’ve spend another $1.9 trillion. That is an school in the next 100 days, but at an-
acted together.’’ Now, the inaugural aggressive pace even by the standards other event that same day, he said—
address was only a few days ago. Here of some of my friends in the other half maybe as truthfully as you could pos-
we are, 2 weeks later, and the Presi- of this Chamber or the other half of sibly be—it might not work out that
dent and my colleagues on the other Congress. way. We need to be really committed
side of the aisle have decided to go for- It really in so many ways is simply
to getting kids back to school.
ward, and the only way to go forward is too soon to really know exactly what
we need next. We haven’t taken the Now, there are more than a million
to go forward their way. If that hap-
time yet to get the other money out of people who have lost their jobs in edu-
pens to be the way forward, it is going
the door. We haven’t taken the time to cation at the State and local level
to be a long 4 years, and for the major-
see how it is going and whether the since the pandemic started. That is
ity, it might be a pretty quick 2 years
policies we planned are the policies often given as the reason we need more
because I don’t think that this is the
that really work. We haven’t taken the State and local money. But many of
message that people sent on election
time to decide what else we might need that million-person number were the
day—that they wanted one side to be
to do. busdrivers, the cafeteria workers, the
able to do whatever it wanted to do. We
But here is what we have done al- coaches, the support staff who, frank-
have the narrowest House majority in
ready: We have provided $8.75 billion to ly—if you are not going to school, most
about 150 years, and the Senate major-
the Centers for Disease Control and districts have decided they shouldn’t
ity—again, I will say—couldn’t be clos-
Prevention for vaccine distribution. So be paying that staff who is not part of
er than it is.
We haven’t finished taking down the far, they have released $3 billion of what the school is doing right now.
platform from the inauguration, and that money. So we are rushing with Those losses are not about loss of rev-
our colleagues are already forcing a billions more when 5.75 of that 8.75 enue; they are really about the loss of
one-sided endgame. Now, I would sug- amount of money for vaccine distribu- in-person school.
gest that the endgame in this case real- tion hasn’t been released yet. With You know, I have served as the chair-
ly just sets the stage for the rest of the nearly $6 billion left in that fund, how man of the Labor, Health, and Edu-
time we are going to be trying to work do we know exactly how it is working cation Subcommittee in Appropria-
together, and I think we will look back or exactly how much we need? We seem tions. I am now the top Republican in
and find out it didn’t set the stage in a to be sure that what we have isn’t that 50–50 committee. Last year, our
helpful way. enough. I am not sure we even know subcommittee provided funding for
The plan is to muscle through a real- that yet. But I have been an advocate schools that would help them address
ly partisan $1.9 trillion package that in every one of the bills we have done the pandemic and reopen. We provided
claims to be about COVID relief but for money for distribution of the vac- money to develop and distribute vac-
covers really a number of totally unre- cine, and I would love to see how the cines and treatments. We provided
lated things. money that is out there works. money to continue critical funding for
People have talked a lot about the We need to be thinking about what to programs to address substance abuse
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
fact that the minimum wage is there do next, but there was a time when de- and mental health and suicide and
and whether it would meet the stand- bate was part of the Senate. Debate things that have been a real problem
ard of reconciliation. was very much part of the Senate when for an isolated, pandemic-bound popu-
We haven’t talked very much about President Biden served in it. It should lation.
the fact that the education money in be part of the Senate now. We need to do all of those things. I
the proposal that we are looking at for Frankly, if we debated and figured am more than happy to be part of that
reconciliation doesn’t include private out a bipartisan plan, we would get discussion. I want to help meet these
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S288 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
challenges. I have hope the administra- inauguration of our 46th President, Joe Iowa who work hard to grow and
tion understands that. I believe my col- Biden. At a time when divisions run produce clean ethanol and biodiesel
leagues on the other side of the aisle deep within our country, I thought with his recent action to begin
understand that. But we need to be President Biden’s call for unity, where transitioning Federal Government ve-
sure that we know what we are doing he pledged to be a President for all hicles to electric vehicles.
before we commit another $1.9 trillion, Americans, struck just the right tone. Ethanol and biodiesel are actually
as if that money is really—I am hear- As my Democratic colleagues in this cleaner choices of fuel for folks at the
ing occasionally—not nearly enough. body can attest to, I am always willing pump. A recent study found that green-
Two trillion more dollars after five bi- to work with anyone—Republicans, house gas emissions from corn ethanol
partisan bills that produced real re- Democrats and Independents—on issues are 46 percent lower than gasoline. At
sults, just kind of out of hand not near- that will improve the lives of my fel- the same time, renewable fuels provide
ly enough? low Iowans and all Americans. Sadly, for the livelihoods of folks across the
Now, that is easier to say because the actions we have seen in the first heartland.
virtually nobody in this Chamber or in few days of this administration do not It is critical we continue to invest in
the country, including me, really has a seem to honor the promise President our biofuel industry, not move away
concept of how much money $1.9 tril- Biden made to Americans throughout from it. That is why I urge President
lion is. So it is easy to say ‘‘Well, it his campaign and again on Inaugura- Biden not to give in to the misguided
should be 2.9 or 3.9’’ or ‘‘Whatever it is, tion Day. political demands of the left. Change
it is not enough’’ because we really, I In just 2 weeks, the President has al- course and, instead, promote the adop-
don’t think, have a sense of how much ready signed over 25 Executive orders, tion of higher biofuel blends and invest
it is. that is a significantly more amount in expanding biofuel infrastructure.
We have had real success in devel- than any President in recent history in On the same day he got us back into
oping vaccines. We need to have more a short amount of time. Let’s be clear, the Paris climate accord, President
success in getting out those vaccines. folks. He is not just breaking norms, he Biden unilaterally canceled the Key-
I have not seen the administration or is obliterating them. Even the New stone XL Pipeline, destroying thou-
my colleagues on the other side of the York Times editorial board called on sands of jobs during a pandemic when
aisle make the case yet as to why we him to ‘‘Ease up on the Executive Ac- millions of hard-working Americans
need to spend the amount of money tions.’’ And they are not wrong, folks. are already struggling to make ends
they are talking about spending. I have That is something that I don’t say very meet. Even Canada’s Prime Minister,
not seen anyone make the case of why one of our top allies and closest trade
often.
it is good to start off this administra- Now, I fully understand that the partners, expressed his disappointment
tion and this term of Congress in the power of Executive order is often un- in the decision.
Unfortunately, the Green New Deal
most partisan, one-sided way possible popular when your party does not con-
lite is not the only policy of the liberal
before we have really had a chance to trol the White House, but when you set
left the Biden administration has al-
talk this out. out to be a ‘‘unifier-in-chief,’’ which is
There are a lot of things here we ready chosen to implement. As many
something we hoped President Biden
Iowans know, I have long been working
agree on. There are a lot of things here would be, one would hope that the ac- to pass Sarah’s Law, my bill in honor
that could be improved around the tions you take would unify or at least of Sarah Root, a 21-year-old Iowan who
margins, but you have to have the will- be a little more mainstream. was tragically struck and killed by
ingness to talk about that before it The reality is, that has just not been
Edwin Mejia, who entered the country
goes forward. the case. What the new President has
I was glad to see the White House ac- illegally and was driving drunk—three
done in just 2 weeks on the job is show times the legal limit.
cepted the offer of 10 of our Republican us his true colors and his desire to ap- While Mejia was initially detained by
colleagues to at least meet and talk pease the more radical wing of his local law enforcement and faced State
about some bipartisan issues, but the party. It is disheartening for someone charges of motor vehicle homicide, a
unwillingness of the Democratic leader who believes that the way we should be loophole in immigration policy under
here to slow down this process made it working together is a bipartisan path. the Obama-Biden administration al-
clear that, really, there may not be We have already seen disastrous deci- lowed him to post bond, disappear, and
that much interest in really trying to sions harmful to American businesses escape justice.
find a solution, but at least there was and workers—decisions that resemble Sarah’s Law would close that loop-
some interest in talking about trying the likes of the radical Green New hole and require U.S. Customs and Im-
to work together. Deal. migration Enforcement to take cus-
Bipartisanship is not something you Keeping our air and water clean and tody of an illegal immigrant who is
do just for show. Compromise is not protecting our environment for genera- charged with a crime resulting in the
‘‘my way or the highway.’’ Unity is not tions to come are shared concerns of death or serious bodily injury of an-
telling everyone else that the only op- every Iowan and all Americans. But on other person. It is common sense,
tion is to accept your side of the argu- day one, as many predicted he would do folks, and it would prevent tragedies
ment. at some point during his tenure, Presi- like what happened to the Root family
I hope my colleagues think better of dent Biden issued a harsh punishment from ever happening again.
this bipartisan exercise, come to the for American businesses by rejoining The Trump administration was suc-
table, and explain what we really need the Paris climate agreement. This cessful in implementing parts of this
and why we need it. If they don’t, I agreement saddles hard-working folks important legislation. But as many ex-
hope we can still figure out how to re- with overburdensome government reg- pected, the Biden administration is al-
cover and move forward in the only ulations, all while letting one of the ready working to roll back immigra-
way a 50–50 Senate can move forward, world’s biggest polluters, Communist tion enforcement. That is why, last
and that is working every day to find China, completely off the hook. Instead week, I reintroduced Sarah’s Law with
things that more than 50 Members— of inhibiting economic growth, we the support of 19 of my colleagues—
and I would hope substantially more should be focused on reducing our more than ever before—and I am going
than 50 Members—of the U.S. Senate emissions and meeting our energy to keep fighting to get this bill across
agree on and send those to the Presi- needs through market-driven, innova- the finish line.
dent and get our work done.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
tive solutions. If the November elections taught us
I yield the floor. Iowa actually leads the way in cre- anything, it is that the American peo-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. ating renewable energy sources, from ple want us to work together. They
ROSEN). The Senator from Iowa. wind and solar to biodiesel and eth- elected a 50–50 Senate and a slim ma-
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION anol, but we haven’t done it through jority in the House of Representatives.
Ms. ERNST. Madam President, on heavyhanded government mandates. So, Mr. President, it is time the
January 20, I joined my colleagues on The President has also raised con- Biden administration follows its own
the front steps of the Capitol for the cerns for folks in my home State of advice.
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S289
I am an eternal optimist, and I be- Protection Act forward each Congress ground as I can when I am visiting
lieve we can come together and truly in the hopes that protecting our most with a group.
deliver for all Americans, but I need vulnerable from painful death at the 5- But what has struck me recently, and
my colleagues across the aisle and our month mark of pregnancy would be a this was true yesterday, is that the
new President to do the same so that unifying and humanitarian cause. conversation really started to center
his calls for unity don’t fall on deaf Sadly, that has not been the case. We around our national security—pro-
ears. had an estimated 143 babies who died tecting this Nation—and people seem
MARCH FOR LIFE AND ABORTION between 2003 and 2014 after surviving to have defending this country on their
Madam President, on another topic, abortion attempts. This shows the cur- brain—standing up for America.
we did have the March for Life this rent law obviously needs to be Some of the things that come up are
past week. So I want to begin today by strengthened there, which is why Sen- what they have noticed since Novem-
recognizing the grassroots advocates of ator SASSE brought forward the Born ber. You have individuals who are now
our pro-life movement. Alive Abortion Survivors Protection a part of the new administration work-
Last Friday, thousands of Americans Act—but, no, even that bar was too ing hard to try to erase every trace of
and many Iowans joined in this year’s high. the Trump era, even the successes—leg-
virtual March for Life. These folks are Last year, Senator COTTON and I first islation, many times, that moved for-
the ones who actively serve our vulner- introduced a bill that would ensure we ward and things that were done on a bi-
able women and families who need sup- have complete and accurate abortion- partisan basis.
related data from every State. Part of the problem that people are
port in order to choose life. These hard-
Wouldn’t a full picture of the abortion beginning to have is that President
working Americans are the ones who
landscape in our country be knowledge Biden signed off on more day 1 Execu-
are on the ground, changing hearts and
that any lawmaker would want in tive orders and actions than any Presi-
minds all year long.
Even though things looked a lot of order to make informed and respon- dent in recent memory. Indeed, I think
different for this year’s event, I have sible decisions? And when it comes to you would have to go back to the time
ensuring women are treated with dig- of Ronald Reagan and combine all of
no doubt that our grassroots pro-life
nity and respect as patients, I will be those day 1 Executive orders and ac-
movement will continue to grow in
introducing the Informed Consent Act tions to equal what President Biden
communities all across the country,
to solidify this commonsense cause. has done.
thanks to these inspiring folks who un- I have a tendency to say they kind of
derstand that protecting life is not just My colleagues may recall a whistle-
blower report from September 2020, lost the ability to keep track of them
a political issue for debate. because there are so many. They are
In DC, lawmakers and executive claiming that hysterectomies and
numerous—every single day—and this
branch bureaucrats get easily trapped other sterilization procedures were
has people very unsettled. They see
into looking at abortion as just an- being performed on immigrant women
this strategy, and they think this is
other issue. But that mindset, even held at the Irwin County Detention
oddly familiar. Their most powerful
from the pro-life perspective, is a dehu- Center in Georgia without their con-
leaders are treating policymaking like
manized approach. I challenge my sent.
it is some kind of graduate seminar—
friends and colleagues on both sides of As it turns out, a sterilization or
all about theories and not about con-
the aisle to instead approach the sanc- abortion procedure that occurs without
sequences and not about concrete out-
tity of human life as more than just a informed consent from the patient is
comes, at least not as far as Wash-
policy issue. not already established as a crime in
ington is concerned.
Surely, the challenges of 2020 re- our Federal Code. My House colleague, The message flowing from the White
minded us how very precious life is, Congressman CHRIS SMITH, and I are in- House hasn’t helped ease their con-
taking to heart that we must cherish troducing this legislation to strength- cerns. You see, the administration has
life—all life at all stages. If we devalue en the law here. Surely, this is another given the impression that when it
life in the womb, then we are only set- baseline that we can find common comes to national security policy, they
ting the groundwork for diminishing ground on. I welcome my pro-choice are going to exercise strategic patience
human worth and value at every other colleagues to join us in this effort and when engaging with our adversaries.
stage of life. take a step toward unity. And I will tell you this: Tennesseeans
This mindset is why I approach the I believe once you focus the heart back home might not know all the de-
duty to protect life with steadfast de- and mind to approach life as more than tails of what is in store, but they know
termination. And it is why I know pre- just a policy issue, you will find that that the tone has changed, and they
serving life is a cause that can and preserving life promotes unity. don’t like what they are hearing.
should bring us together. If you really look at how our culture When strategic patience failed to
President Biden and his administra- is shifting, life is winning. At the State yield results during the President
tion have clearly stated their goal is to level, nearly 60 life-affirming laws were Obama administration, analysts
unify our country, but the recent pol- enacted across the country in 2019. The dubbed this tactic as strategic pas-
icy changes and Executive actions sur- vast majority of Americans agree that sivity, and I believe that is a very apt
rounding the abortion issue have cer- Federal tax dollars should not be used description because at the heart of
tainly signaled a different message to to support the abortion industry. strategic patience is the belief that the
many Americans. So, folks, we do have common ground status quo, while less than ideal, is bet-
There was a time when the most to stand on going into this new Con- ter than many possible consequences of
basic policy stance was that taxpayer gress. Protecting life brings us to- taking an action.
dollars should not support the abortion gether, so we must stand up for the It is a dangerous posture, especially
industry. It was a bipartisan, non- most vulnerable. We will be a stronger when applied to powerful adversaries
controversial stance—one that many of nation for it. like China that are positioning them-
my Democratic colleagues used to With that, I yield the floor. selves for global dominance. In fact,
hold. But the abortion lobby has moved The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- our regional allies in Japan and the
the goalpost so far down the field by ator from Tennessee. Philippines immediately expressed con-
making commonsense safety regula- BIDEN ADMINISTRATION cern at the idea that the United States
tions on abortion absolutely untouch- Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- of America would embrace such a tac-
able; whereas, my pro-life colleagues dent, yesterday, I had the opportunity
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
tic.
and I have always been willing to meet to speak with a group about the legis- For the past few decades, they have
in the middle. Think about it. lative priorities for this upcoming Con- had a front row seat for the rise of Chi-
I believe life begins long before 5 gress. I know the Presiding Officer and nese influence. They watched as China
months in the womb, but we know I are two Members of the Senate who grew from a struggling regional player
many colleagues feel differently. So like talking to the people we represent into our most significant competitor in
Senator GRAHAM has repeatedly and doing that as much as we possibly every domain. It is important to real-
brought the Pain-Capable Unborn Child can. I always try to cover as much ize that we allowed that evolution in
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S290 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
the hopes that China’s transition into order. The fact is, the concept of stra- doesn’t seem like a partisan statement.
a developed nation would foster within tegic patience simply does not apply to That just seems like good government.
its leaders a sense of global responsi- Beijing. But in the first 10 days of President
bility. This approach failed, and now The CCP’s influence grows by the day Biden’s term, he got rid of that good
China is a major international player and far too quickly to be contained by guidance piece and said: No, Federal
intent—intent—on global domination. a cautious wait-and-see attitude. We agencies can go back to playing hide
I can tell you that officials in Beijing did wait. We tried. It did not work. We and seek with their rules again, and
are not taking a passive approach in know it did not work. We see the en- small business owners will just have to
their effort to surpass us. Through tanglements and the risk of simply figure out where it is. There won’t be
their Belt and Road Initiative, the Chi- poking at those knots and hoping they one place in each agency to find guid-
nese Communist Party has bought or will resolve themselves. Instead, we ance.
extorted control over the economies of need to take a great power competi- Why would you do that, other than
some of the most strategically impor- tion-tailored approach right up to the just, if Trump did it, it must be bad?
tant nations on the planet. Until re- CCP’s front door and craft policy and Listen, we have to find ways to actu-
cently, their grasp on global supply budget priorities to match. ally live unity and to be able to do
chains flew well under the radar. To those who would still embrace the what is best for the American people.
But we can no longer ignore the neg- kind of restraint the White House We live in a constitutional system. We
ative consequences of Beijing’s control seems to have endorsed, I would ask: have more than 300 million people. We
over access to active pharmaceutical What about the status quo looks sus- have great disagreements on policies,
ingredients and prescription drugs to tainable to you when you are dealing but we come together to work them
medical devices, natural resources, with the aggressiveness of the Chinese out.
telecommunications equipment, and, Communist Party? During 2020, in a time of divided gov-
even more, defense materials. Where I yield the floor. ernment, this body, the House of Rep-
they couldn’t buy influence, the Chi- I suggest the absence of a quorum. resentatives, and the White House
nese Communist Party seized it. If The PRESIDING OFFICER. The passed five different COVID relief bills,
they could not buy it, they seized it. clerk will call the roll. all with strong bipartisan majorities.
They took it outright by reducing The senior assistant legislative clerk We passed all 12 appropriation bills
themselves to intellectual property proceeded to call the roll. with strong bipartisan majorities. I
theft and money laundering schemes Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President, I didn’t agree with everything on every
and, more subtly, by installing Confu- ask unanimous consent that the order one of those bills, but we worked to-
cius Institutes in American classrooms for the quorum call be rescinded. gether to be able to resolve it. And
and universities and putting Chinese The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without now, suddenly, it has become a ‘‘we
Communist Party spies on those uni- objection, it is so ordered. don’t want to talk across the aisle any-
versity campuses in research positions. Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President, 2 more,’’ literally 2 weeks after saying:
Beijing is just as brash militarily. weeks ago, I heard these words: Do you know what we need as a coun-
Chinese aggression and violence in the History, faith, and reason show the way, try? Unity.
Indo-Pacific threatens regional sta- the way of unity. We can see each other not Two weeks later it is: How do we
bility in defiance of basic global norms, as adversaries but as neighbors. We can treat
cram through something on a straight
rulings offered by international bodies, each other with dignity and respect. We can
join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the partisan vote? How do we block out all
and showings of strength from Western Republican voices from the entire
military players. The Chinese Com- temperature. For without unity, there is no
peace, only bitterness and fury. country and make sure their voices are
munist Party has leveraged all of this not heard?
against the most powerful nations in President Biden’s inaugural address
had some pretty glowing terms. I am Does that feel like unity, 2 weeks
the Western world, and their bellig-
grateful to hear statements about into a Presidency?
erence has paid off.
Even when, time and again, news unity. The challenge now is to actually Ten of my Republican colleagues sat
breaks of some human rights horror in live that out and see that actually down with President Biden. We appre-
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Inner done, because while those words are ciate his time, and he gave 2 hours of
Mongolia, or Tibet, global leaders hit beautiful, over the past 2 weeks, there his time to listen.
the brakes on their rebuke of human have been almost two dozen He has proposed $1.9 trillion in addi-
rights violations because it could draw hyperpartisan Executive orders that tional spending the very first day on
economic consequences. have come out of the White House, and COVID—$1.9 trillion. This is only a few
The term ‘‘strategic patience’’ had there doesn’t seem to be a push toward weeks after we just passed almost a
been used by now-Secretary Austin actual bipartisan unity here on this trillion-dollar package dealing with
prior to his confirmation. We discussed floor. COVID. Literally, two-thirds of that
that, both privately and during his re- In fact, in the first 10 days of the trillion-dollar package has not even
cent confirmation hearing, and I am Biden administration, he has signed gone out the door yet, has not even
confident he knows how important it is more Executive orders than the last been spent, has not even been allo-
to check Chinese aggression now—right four Presidents combined in their first cated.
now—before it is too late. 10 days. President Clinton signed 2; There are billions and billions of dol-
However, the general language used President Bush signed 2; Donald Trump lars still unallocated for vaccines, for
by the Biden administration officials signed 7; President Obama signed 9; and testing, for schools—all kinds of dif-
in press conferences and other settings Joe Biden, in the first 10 days, signed ferent things that we allocated in De-
reflects former President Obama’s lib- 22 Executive orders—22. And some of cember—and it is already like: That is
eral theories rather than concrete poli- those Executive orders seem to be not enough. We need more.
cies. Now, to be clear, I think I can purely spiteful, just to say: President Literally, the CDC and the NIH have
speak for everyone here when I say Trump put this in, so it must be bad. billions of dollars unallocated right
that we are willing to work with the Let me give you an example. The now from previous bills that have al-
administration on this, but the threat Trump administration required, ready been sent. And when my team
from China isn’t merely theoretical, through an Executive order, every contacted the White House team and
and I hope I have made it clear that we Agency to compile all their guidance said, ‘‘Hey, we see this big proposal;
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
here in the Senate aren’t prepared to documents into one place so that small can you tell me what these dollars are
treat it like it is. business owners and people who work allocated for?’’ their response was: It is
For decades, Chinese Communist in small businesses could find the Fed- an emergency. We need a big package.
Party officials have been successful in eral requirements from each Agency in They literally couldn’t tell us what
using China’s modernized economy to one spot. They didn’t have to hunt all the money would be spent for.
distract from the threat their aggres- over the place to be able to find their Now, I have to tell you, this is not
sive tactics pose to the international Federal requirements. Now, that just a partisan issue for me. I asked the
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S291
exact same thing of the Trump admin- in Connecticut, two high school ath- So while Russia has to mind an
istration. When they made a big pro- letes who were born male, but now agreement, China continues to accel-
posal, I went back to them with the identify as female, won 15 women’s erate. The current status is that China
exact same question: What is this championship titles that were once will double its nuclear stockpile in the
money to be used for? They couldn’t held by girls—in fact, 9 different girls. next decade, but they are not even in
answer it. So I continued to press for Those titles are gone from those girls. this treaty.
months until we got an answer, until Female athletes are losing medals, po- In addition to that, multiple areas
we got a right amount. That seems like dium spots, and chances for scholar- are not even addressed in this New
a reasonable thing for us to do, regard- ships, or chances to play on a team Start Treaty. That is why there was
less of who is in the White House, to with their peers. such a push in the previous administra-
say: This is the American people’s Every person should be respected in tion to renegotiate it, because the New
money. And, in this case, none of it is our Nation, but there is a reason that Start Treaty doesn’t even include Rus-
actually money that is allocated. All of title IX was created. This should de- sian weapons like ‘‘air-delivered bal-
it is borrowed. mand more conversation in this body, listic missiles, nuclear powered under-
So before we spend a dime of money not trying to impose it in an Executive water drones, hypersonic glide vehi-
that we borrow from China, we should order. Americans are not united in this cles,’’ and ‘‘Nonstrategic nuclear weap-
probably know what it is actually for. issue. We are united that people should ons.’’ They were not even included. So
In the $1.9 trillion package proposal, be respected and have every oppor- even under this agreement, Russia can
there is even a section in it that is a tunity, but don’t run over one group to accelerate in those areas and say they
$50 billion fund to spend for needs, how- be able to provide special status to an- are still meeting the agreement. And
ever the administration wanted to fill other group. President Biden just extended it for 5
that blank in—$50 billion. No, thank I was disappointed, but not surprised, more years and said: We are not going
you. We have a basic responsibility to when there was an Executive order to negotiate it for 5 more years. Let’s
that was released on the issue of abor- just keep going.
be able to ask questions on this.
If the reports are accurate, when 10 tion—in fact, multiple Executive or- The shift has moved from stopping
ders—on the week of the 48th anniver- nuclear proliferation to dealing with
Republican Senators sat down with the
sary of Roe v. Wade. climate change. Why can’t we do both?
White House to talk about a different
For unity, President Biden gave the Why can’t we pay attention to the en-
proposal to be more targeted toward
ironically titled ‘‘Memorandum on vironmental issues of our globe but
the actual needs right now, if the re-
Protecting Women’s Health At Home also pay attention to the issue of nu-
ports are correct—I wasn’t there at the
and Abroad’’—once again, message. It clear proliferation? It is not like this is
time, but if the reports are correct—
is a good message, but it falls short of going away. It hasn’t.
every time a proposal came up, some of a standard about unity. President Biden also took several
the President’s team sitting against According to the most recent Marist issues on immigration, specifically bor-
the wall facing the President would poll, 77 percent of Americans oppose der security. Right after the inaugura-
shake their head to signal the answer using taxpayer dollars to support abor- tion, speaking on unity, he puts out an
to President Biden: Say no to that one tion in other countries. Yet under the Executive order with bizarre
as well. guise of unity, we are now spending doublespeak in it that stated this:
We have to find a way to be able to money overseas on promoting and pro- ‘‘The United States is a country with
actually work things out. Why is this viding abortion. At a time when we borders and with laws that must be en-
so difficult when we did it five times have record debts and deficits, the forced.’’ But the order itself after that
with a divided government last year? Biden administration made one of its literally put a 100-day moratorium on
And now the focus is that we can no first priorities in the very first week to all deportations. It is like: We need to
longer talk to Republicans. Where did take some of the dollars that we do enforce our laws. And then the first
the unity go? have and spend it to promote and pro- step of it was that for 100 days we are
Some of these Executive orders re- vide abortion overseas in other coun- not going to actually enforce our laws.
quire a lot more attention and a lot tries. That is our foreign aid now. Now, this is not just some crazy piece
more conversation instead of just im- As if funding abortion providers at here. The 100-day moratorium for de-
posing things on the American people home and abroad wasn’t enough, the portations included individuals who are
because that makes a difficult situa- memo also directs the United States to listed as criminal aliens. It also in-
tion worse. withdraw from the historic Geneva cluded people who had what is called a
On his first day in office, President Consensus Declarations. Thirty-five final order of removal from a court.
Biden dismantled the title IX protec- nations have agreed to four basic pil- That means that they have gone
tions for women and imposed new gen- lars. These are the four pillars that we through every appeal in our court sys-
der identity requirements. Now, I agree just withdrew from: pillar No. 1, better tem here and a court has said: No, you
with President Biden, every person health for women; pillar No. 2, the do not qualify to be here legally. They
should be treated with dignity and re- preservation of human life; pillar No. 3, have ordered them removed from the
spect. But I also believe that extending strengthening of family as the country. President Biden said no, we
respect and dignity means being honest foundational unit of society; and, pillar actually want them to be able to stay,
about scientific and biological realities No. 4, protecting every nation’s na- even after a court order.
of sex and the differences between men tional sovereignty in global politics. There is this great myth that ICE is
and women. That was so controversial that the roaming through cities in America just
All people—all people—should be af- Biden administration withdrew from rounding people up. The fact is, in 92
forded equal opportunity, but that also that with 35 other countries. percent of ICE enforcement and re-
includes women and girls. Title IX was Ironically enough, while President moval operations, those individuals
put into place to make sure that we Biden pulled out of that treaty pro- have a criminal conviction or a pend-
had equal opportunity for women and tecting women’s health, he actually in- ing criminal charge—92 percent. But
girls in all areas. And under the guise stalled us deeper into a treaty with President Biden immediately put a 100-
of ‘‘preventing discrimination,’’ sud- Russia. In his first week in office, day moratorium on it and said: Those
denly now women and girls are being President Biden agreed to a straight individuals don’t need to be deported.
discriminated against. extension for 5 years of the outdated We will think about it for 100 days.
President Biden’s Executive order to
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
New START Treaty with Russia. The Now, thankfully, a Federal court has
‘‘prevent discrimination on the basis of treaty was supposed to manage the already stepped in and stopped that.
sexual orientation and gender iden- proliferation of nuclear weapons be- Their statement was that this morato-
tity’’ is now a mandate to force school tween the United States and Russia, rium has—this is the quote from the
districts to allow biological boys to the two big superpowers, but it was Federal court—‘‘no reasonable jus-
compete against biological girls in written so long ago and is so out of tification.’’ I agree. That is not enforc-
high school sports. You might think: date that it completely leaves out ing our laws. That is not engaging in
What is the big deal about that? Well, other superpowers, like China. bipartisan unity.
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S292 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
The vast majority of Americans want come to a decision on how we are going lative branch, and the judiciary
legal immigration. The vast majority to resolve those. branch; all of the branches of govern-
of Americans also believe that if some- With that, I yield the floor. ment—and, as they say, the legacy will
one has committed a crime in our The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- depend on his ability to hammer out
country and they are not legally in our ator from Wyoming. agreements with Congress.
country, they should be deported. But Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, The problem isn’t just how many Ex-
the message that is being sent out is first I would like to associate myself ecutive orders are being issued, as my
that those individuals won’t. with the remarks of the distinguished friend and colleague from Oklahoma
As odd as it may seem, on January Senator from Oklahoma, who has such said; it is what is in them.
26, President Biden instituted a travel a good insight into the impact of the President Biden has already launched
ban from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Executive orders of the Biden adminis- a full-scale attack on American en-
Ireland, most of the EU, from South tration on his State, very similar to ergy. To me, this is the whole Green
Africa, and said: Those folks can’t my State. The concerns that he heard New Deal dressed up as Executive or-
come because of COVID threat. But at at home over the last 2 weeks are iden- ders. In fact, a Congresswoman from
the same time he said he wants to tical to the ones that I have heard in Michigan who is part of the squad has
evaluate title 42, which may allow peo- Wyoming the last 2 weekends. been actually boasting about it. She
ple to come into the United States It is day 15 today of the Biden admin- said the principles and the values in
from Mexico, and do catch-and-release istration, and on day 1, President the Green New Deal are in the Execu-
again here in the United States. So at Biden—and we listened as he spoke— tive orders by President Biden. She
the same time saying that business promised to usher in a new era of bi- went on to say that the Green New
travelers from all over the world really partisanship, he said, and healing. Deal pushed the President toward a
don’t need to come because of COVID Well, within his inaugural address, he much more aggressive approach.
threat, they are also looking at our said the words: ‘‘With unity, we can do I think her statement is accurate.
southern border and saying: Yeah, but great things.’’ President Biden has already shut down
people coming from South America, The Senator from Oklahoma and I the Keystone Pipeline. He drew a big
Central America, they may be OK to agreed with the President and the target on the back of American energy,
come into the country and then be re- words that he spoke on inaugural day, and then he pulled the trigger, killed
leased while there is still a hearing but here we are just 2 weeks later, and the Keystone Pipeline. Hundreds of
pending. it seems to me it was all just talk. So American workers have already re-
May I remind this body, in the past far, we haven’t seen much bipartisan- ceived pink slips. Thousands more will
year we have lost 21 people from the ship from the Biden administration. do so. And that will be soon. President
Department of Homeland Security President Biden has already issued Biden banned new oil and gas leases on
along our southern border. Twenty-one more than 45 Executive actions, and Federal lands. Half of my State is Fed-
agents and officers have died from that is more Executive actions in the eral land, so we know how this works.
COVID exposure while interacting with first 2 weeks than Presidents Trump, If this President also keeps his promise
people coming from South America and Obama, Bush, and Clinton in their be- to ban fracking, this could lead to a
Central America. ginnings in office. total of millions of Americans losing
Why in the world do you close down It is interesting because, as President jobs over the next couple of years.
the borders to business travelers and Biden was rolling out one Executive At a time when 10 million Americans
then start talking about opening them order after another, even the liberal are already unemployed, these figures
up to people not legally crossing the New York Times, which endorsed are shocking. Yet Democrats aren’t
border? This is not the America we are President Biden, had this lead head- stopping there. Last week, the Demo-
looking for. line. And this was Thursday, January cratic leader came to the floor, and he
I had a lot of people in my State who 28, so this was a full week ago. It says: urged President Biden to go even fur-
were shocked, in the first days of the Ease up on Executive orders. The New ther, to do even more—much more
Biden administration, when he stopped York Times to President Biden: Ease than was criticized by the New York
the Keystone Pipeline and then he up on Executive orders. When the New Times. He said President Biden should
stopped all energy exploration on Fed- York Times has to call President Biden declare a national emergency because
eral lands. Those are jobs in my State. out on Executive overreach, you know of climate change—a national emer-
As President Biden likes to talk about, that President Biden has abandoned gency, he said, the leader of the Demo-
those are union jobs that are all over the promises that he made during the cratic Party, on the floor of the U.S.
the country. campaign and that he made to us on in- Senate. Leader SCHUMER is admitting
Thousands of people lost their jobs augural day. that this radical environmental agenda
on day one of the Biden administration To just kind of go into the editorial doesn’t have bipartisan support. It
with a unilateral declaration: We are and what they wrote, they said: ‘‘Ease doesn’t seem to even have Presidential
not going to do energy exploration, and Up on the Executive actions, Joe.’’ support to that level, but that is what
we are not going to complete this pipe- They said: ‘‘[T]his is no way to make Senator SCHUMER is calling for.
line. law.’’ They said: ‘‘These directives . . . Apparently, Senator SCHUMER isn’t
What does that mean? That means to are a flawed substitute for legislation.’’ just wanting to outsource energy jobs;
the Federal taxpayer, royalties are That is what we see the Biden admin- he seems to want to outsource the
down because they are not gaining roy- istration adopting, a flawed substitute, work of the U.S. Senate as well. That
alties off of the use of that land, so the as they say, for legislation. is not what the American people sent
taxpayer loses. That means jobs are They go on to say that on the cam- us here to do. They didn’t send us here
down all over the country, especially in paign trail, President Biden touted his to stand by and watch a President go
the west. And that means prices will go skills at making compromise. I saw with one Executive order after another,
up for the consumer. that when I served with him in the after another; they sent us here to get
We are not running all on electricity Senate—before the Presiding Officer things done.
right now. We are still running on oil got here, but he and I served together The truth is, despite what Leader
and gas for the vast majority of our ve- in this body. I was on the Senate For- SCHUMER says, there is actually bipar-
hicles. And while I am all for multiple, eign Relations Committee, which he tisan support for action on climate
different types of energy, that is not chaired. He does have a history and a change. Just over a month ago, the
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
what is happening right now. skill at finding compromise. Senate passed a bill called the USE IT
We should address this. We should The New York Times went on to say Act, which I authored with Senator
work for unity. But right now, we are that President ‘‘Biden’s legacy will de- CARPER. It came through the Environ-
not even having dialogue. We are not pend on his ability to hammer out ment and Public Works Committee,
even included in the conversation. If agreements with Congress.’’ That is which I chaired. It was completely bi-
we are going to have unity, we have to why we have three branches of govern- partisan. It came through the com-
talk about the hard issues and actually ment—the executive branch, the legis- mittee unanimously. It doesn’t cost a
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S293
single American a job. It makes a dif- even the Congressional Budget Office what got us out of that slow recovery?
ference with regard to climate. That is has looked at it, and they have come to American energy, which President
what the American people sent us here the same conclusion that I have and Biden is now trying to kill. There are a
to do, to work together to find solu- that the people of Wyoming have: It is lot of lessons to be learned here.
tions that work, that don’t hurt. Un- going to cost jobs. The Congressional So, on Monday, 10 Republican Sen-
fortunately, it is not the Biden ap- Budget Office says it will cost 1,300,000 ators went to the White House and
proach. The Biden approach turns out jobs across America if President Biden made their own proposal on
to be more mandates, less energy pro- has his way and forces a double of the coronavirus relief. I really do hope the
duction, and fewer American jobs. minimum wage on small businesses of President listened because 2 weeks into
Now we see President Biden pushing America. this administration, the President’s in-
a $2 trillion spending bill. He says it is Now, in exchange for that Federal augural address is not something that
to help fight coronavirus. We just mandate, the bill pays off States, big is going to be remembered like John
passed a $900 billion coronavirus relief cities, blue States with a long history Kennedy’s inaugural address was in
bill about a month ago, signed into of bad behavior, to the tune of $350 bil- 1960. This inaugural address is going to
law, and as a result, our economy is ac- lion. A study from JPMorgan just came be remembered for empty rhetoric.
tually doing better than expected. out, and the study shows that State President Biden has been trying to gov-
Now President Biden, with his new tax revenues barely dropped at all in ern using a pen and a phone. Remember
bill, wants to send checks to families 2020 as a result of the coronavirus. that from the Obama administration? I
making in excess of $250,000 a year—a They dropped less than 1 percent. would say to President Biden: Time to
government check, paid for by tax- These States do not need $350 billion of just put down the pen and pick up the
payers, added to the national debt. additional Federal support. If the State phone.
Families making over a quarter of a needs a bailout, it is not because of A Democratic politician famously
million dollars a year getting a check coronavirus; it is because of a long his- said that politicians campaign in po-
from the government when they have etry and govern in prose. President
tory of mismanagement.
never missed a paycheck in the first The Biden administration made this Biden campaigned in moderation, but
place? proposal without any meaningful dis- that is not the way he is governing. He
He also wants to give added bonuses
cussions with Republicans at all. And is governing in partisanship. It is not
for people who are out of work on un-
the administration is even ignoring the what the American people are asking
employment. People who are out of
Democrats. Vice President Harris re- for. It is not what they voted for.
work on unemployment need that un-
cently went on television in West Vir- We have a 50–50 Senate. Democrats
employment but not with the added bo-
ginia and in Arizona. Why? Not to put have a very narrow majority in the
nuses to the level that President Biden
pressure on Republicans; to put pres- House. I would urge the administration
is pointing to. And I hear about it in
sure on Democrats—big story in the to change course. This—if there is a
Wyoming. I heard about it last week.
If we pass what President Biden is New York Times today—putting pres- mandate—is a mandate to move to the
calling for, the average unemployed sure on the two new Senators, Senator middle. I urge my Democratic col-
American would receive a little less SINEMA and—the Senators from Ari- leagues to work with us on real
than $800 a week total from the govern- zona—Senator KELLY, the newest elect- coronavirus relief, on producing more
ment, by their regular unemployment ed Senator from Arizona, put on them American energy, and on creating more
and by the enhanced unemployment. to vote for the bill. She also went to jobs across our country. Let us come
That is equivalent to a job making West Virginia—Senator MANCHIN. Not together and get things done.
$40,000 a year. People would, in many only are they not talking to Repub- I yield the floor.
licans; now they are trying to pressure The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
places, be paid more to not go back to
Democrats. BALDWIN). The junior Senator from
work than they could earn if they went
Let’s face it. The Democrats are try- Texas.
back to work. So the incentive is to
keep them out of work. At the same ing to cram this bill through Congress. REMEMBERING JERRY ELLIG
time, we have ‘‘Help Wanted’’ signs up That is what they are going to do with Mr. CRUZ. Madam President, I rise
around the State of Wyoming. the vote-arama this week. today to honor the life of a dear friend
President Biden’s proposal also in- On Friday there was an article in the and a former colleague of mine, Jerry
cludes billions of dollars in spending Washington Post. The headline is this: Ellig.
unrelated to coronavirus—completely ‘‘Biden, Democrats prepare to move be- Some 2 weeks ago, at just 58 years
unrelated—which is something the yond efforts to woo Republicans.’’ I old, Jerry passed away. Jerry and I met
American people don’t understand. have to ask, what efforts? Haven’t in June of 2001. We were both working
They understand we need to fight reached out in any serious way. As in the George W. Bush administration.
coronavirus. They understand we need some of my colleagues have said, we We were working together at the Fed-
to get people back to work. They un- have proven we can work together with eral Trade Commission. I had just been
derstand we need to get kids back to coronavirus relief. We did it five times hired, at all of 30 years old, to run the
school. But to add extraneous spending in the last year. We passed five dif- Policy Planning Office, and Jerry was
unrelated to coronavirus is something ferent coronavirus relief bills, and the my Deputy.
Americans don’t understand. total relief was $4 trillion. I hadn’t met Jerry. Our boss Tim
Now, this bill includes a mandate The article in the Post goes on and Muris, the Chairman, had brought
from Washington, DC, a mandate to quotes Leader SCHUMER. He says that Jerry in beforehand. It is always a dan-
the small businesses all around the we must not repeat the mistakes of gerous thing when somebody else hires
country—many of them struggling, 2008 and 2009. He is referring to the fis- your Deputy, but in this case, Tim did
many of them having a hard time mak- cal crisis back then. Well, that re- me an enormous favor. Jerry was a col-
ing their payroll—and the Washington sponse was then led by Vice President league of Tim’s from George Mason
mandate is, you will double the Joe Biden. Yes, there were plenty of University, a Ph.D. economist, a bril-
amount of money that you pay right mistakes. Leader SCHUMER seems to liant man, a lover of liberty. And Jerry
now if you are paying the current min- think that the mistake was that it was and I, for the next 2 years, ran the Pol-
imum wage—doubling the national too bipartisan, and that is the wrong icy Planning Office together, and we
minimum wage; a mandate from Wash- lesson. The mistake Congress made became dear friends.
under Vice President Biden in 2009 was I don’t know that I ever saw Jerry
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ington on small business; nothing to do
with coronavirus but a lot to do with to spend huge sums of money, com- without a smile, without a twinkle in
making it that much harder for the pletely unrelated to solving the under- his eye. He always had a joyful spirit,
small businesses in the small towns of lying problem. Yet that is what the a mischievous grin. And he believed in
Wyoming to make their payroll and to Democrats seem to want to do once the power of truth. He became an econ-
stay open. again. The last time the Democrats did omist because, I think, Jerry was born
Now, it makes common sense when that, we had the slowest recovery since to be an economist. I have no doubt
you take a look at that impact—and the Great Depression. Do you know playing with his LEGOs as a child, he
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S294 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
thought about supply and demand and of the witnesses said some variance of with the smile and joy he brought
price elasticity. And he believed in the the following: You know, I have looked every day.
power of free markets. at the anti-competitive restraints in He also made some of his own wine.
One of the things that the Policy these other nine industries, and those For several years, Heidi and I enjoyed
Planning Office did was something are terrible. Those are clearly hurting a bottle of cherry port that Jerry had
called competition advocacy. Now, the consumers, but our industry is dif- made. He wasn’t at risk of suddenly
FTC statutory mandate is to defend ferent. going into the winery business, but it
the competition. There are some 75 One of the industries we looked at was still, nonetheless, an enjoyable
Ph.D. economists on the full-time staff that Jerry took a particular passion bottle of cherry port.
at the FTC. And Jerry and I, together, for was wine. There were, at the time, Another project Jerry undertook at
when various State legislatures or extensive restrictions on direct ship- the FTC was examining education and
State regulatory bodies across the ment of wine—shipment across State school choice. I sat down with Jerry
country were considering a particular lines, shipment to your home. It was and another Ph.D. economist at the
bill that would have potentially anti- heavily, heavily regulated, and the FTC, and we talked about school
competitive effects—if those State leg- wholesalers did not want to see that choice. And I asked the two of them,
islatures or regulators asked for our change. We began studying and work- Jerry and Ken, I said: Let’s examine
input, the FTC would analyze the pro- ing on what would become a wine re- the arguments that are raised against
posed bill, and we would file testimony, port. It is over 100 pages long of empir- school choice. The most significant ar-
written testimony, oral testimony. ical study on what that was doing. We gument raised against school choice is
Both Jerry and I testified multiple concluded that for consumers, it was that school choice will destroy the pub-
places. In fact, I went to my office and driving up costs dramatically, not just lic schools; that it will harm the public
pulled out the binder of all the com- a little bit but dramatically. schools if you give low-income kids ac-
petition advocacy that we filed in our I will tell you, Jerry took great joy cess to scholarships. We sat down and
time together at the FTC on topic after in traveling through Northern Vir- said: All right, let’s treat that argu-
topic after topic. ginia, going to wineries, sampling the ment seriously. Let’s not dismiss that
You know, there are a lot of bad wine—I will say, he enjoyed that proc- out of hand. Let’s treat it seriously be-
ideas that government considers, bad ess of it as well—but collecting empir- cause if it were true, I would oppose
ideas that come from special pleaders— ical price data. school choice. That is a serious reason
someone who will benefit—but the At the time, numerous arguments to oppose it. Let’s find out if it is true.
harm to consumers is usually diffuse, were raised as to why you should not Jerry and Ken, as economists are
harder to see, and much greater. allow the direct shipping of wine. One want to do, they framed the problem
And what the FTC would do in com- was that it would lead to minors drink- more broadly. They said: What is the
petition advocacy is simply quantify ing too much. I have to admit, Jerry impact in a regulated monopoly or oli-
the harm, simply provide truth and and I laughed about that because I gopoly when competition is introduced
light and sunshine. It was incredible don’t know that I have ever known a and, in particular, what is the impact
that when we would be asked to come 15-year-old who wanted a nice, perky on quality for the customers who re-
in and present that testimony over and chardonnay. If you were dealing with main with the incumbent providers,
over and over again, the decision mak- home keg deliveries, that I will con- not the folks who go to the new en-
ers would choose not to adopt bad poli- cede would raise an issue, but wine trants but the customers that just re-
cies, simply when they understood, connoisseurs does not match any teen- main with the incumbent provider?
through careful empirical analysis, agers I have known. They went through and they examined
how that would hurt the consumers. But we decided, well, rather than multiple other industries that had been
One area, in particular, that Jerry argue about it theoretically, let’s find regulated monopolies or oligopolies
and I worked on quite a bit was e-com- out. So we sent a letter to the alcohol and for which there were abundant
merce. We started an e-commerce task control boards in each of the States data.
force. This was 20 years ago. E-com- that allowed direct shipment. We asked They looked at telecom; they looked
merce was in a much more nascent them a very simple question: Have you at airlines; they looked at surface
stage 20 years ago than it is today. We seen any problem? Have you encoun- freight transportation. And as they de-
examined 10 different industries, every tered any problems with underage tailed in each instance, when competi-
one of which there were barriers to drinking as a result of this policy? And tion came in, quality went up. Com-
entry. The existing bricks and mortar lo and behold, they all wrote back and petition was good. They then examined
suppliers would go to their State regu- said: No, we haven’t seen it at all. It every empirical study that had been
lators and seek to erect barriers to hasn’t produced any of that. All that done to date of school choice programs
entry to stop new e-commerce entrants came together in a report detailing the that had been implemented across the
from competing and driving down harm to consumers that came from country. They found that,
prices. these restrictions. unsurprisingly, again, that competi-
Actually, much of the impetus for I will tell you, just a couple of years tion was good—something we have seen
the entire e-commerce task force came later, the U.S. Supreme Court took up in the two decades since; that when
from a white paper that the Presiding a case challenging those restrictions on kids get options and competition is
Officer will be interested to know the interstate sale of wine, striking brought in and scholarships are avail-
where this white paper came from. It them down, so that now you or I, if we able, that the quality of education in
was the Democratic Leadership Coun- want to order a bottle of wine for our struggling public schools gets better
cil, a centrist Democrat group that had home, we can go and do it on our phone and better and better. That article was
written a white paper entitled ‘‘Re- and get it delivered at our home. The published: ‘‘Competition and quality in
venge of the Dissenter Mediated.’’ And Supreme Court decision striking that deregulated industries: Lessons for the
it talked about all these industries down cited that wine report that Jerry education debate.’’ It is another exam-
where e-commerce was benefiting con- and I had done more than a dozen ple of how Jerry recognized that facts,
sumers but entrenched interests were times. As I said, Jerry believed in the that reason can be powerful.
fighting against it. power of truth, the power of facts, sim- When I left the FTC, Jerry went on
Jerry and I, together at the FTC, we ply shining a light: This is hurting peo- to take over the Office of Policy Plan-
convened 3 days of public hearings of 10 ple. ning. He led that office of lawyers and
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
different industries—contact lenses, Jerry also took joy in that project. economists who loved Jerry, loved his
telemedicine, education, funerals and You know, Jerry was a fan of tiki cock- principles, loved his drive, loved his
caskets, wine. tails and mixology and all of tiki cul- warmth, loved his humor. He was a
It was interesting. At the end of the ture, for that matter. He would proudly professor for decades, beloved by his
hearings, we prepared a series of re- wear Hawaiian shirts—loud Hawaiian students.
ports. Every single industry panel—all shirts that his daughter Kat had picked He spent decades at Mercatus study-
10 of the ones who testified—at least 1 out for him. And he would wear them ing regulations, studying the impact of
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S295
overregulation, analyzing it. He just need immediate relief, not half meas- the negative impacts of COVID in their
finished his tenure as the Chief Econo- ures, not delays. communities.
mist at the Federal Communications As the new chairman of the Senate There is also $850 million for the Bu-
Commission. He was a brilliant guy. Committee on Indian Affairs, I urge my reau of Indian Education’s schools, col-
When he passed 2 weeks ago—an un- colleagues to join me in voting for this leges, and universities to address crit-
timely death—talented economists resolution and delivering critical relief ical education infrastructure and to en-
from governments and the academy to all Native Americans—Native Ha- hance distance learning capabilities
mourned Jerry, writing touching waiians, Alaska Natives, and American and, hopefully, bring kids back into the
words. And in Discourse Magazine, pub- Indians. physical classroom. Yet you can’t do
lished by the Mercatus Center, Ajit First, to help slow the spread in Na- that without money. You can’t do that
Pai, Chairman of the FTC, for whom tive communities, we have to invest in without crushing the pandemic. You
Jerry worked as Chief Economist, healthcare, and that is why this resolu- can’t do that without safety. We must
wrote that he would always remember tion includes millions of dollars in crit- make sure that Native students don’t
Jerry’s warm smile. ical resources to support the Native get left behind and that we protect the
Jerry would always start off the conversa- Hawaiian Healthcare Systems and health and safety of students and
tion with a warm smile, which would put ev- more than $6 billion for the Indian teachers.
eryone at ease. He would then explain in a Health Service, which is the primary We all need to work together and
collegial tone how he thought we should pro- vaccine distributor for more than 330 support Native families and commu-
ceed—wisdom that always informed our ulti- Tribes and urban Indian organizations nities across the Nation. I think about
mate decisions. Smiling and speaking gently across the country. the history of the Senate Committee
are small things, perhaps; but at a time These funds are going to help en- on Indian Affairs, and I think of my
when the currency of public policy discourse
hance healthcare services, particularly two predecessors, Senator Daniel K.
is too often pounding the table, Jerry’s ap-
proach was memorable. by improving the IHS’s telehealth in- Inouye and Senator Daniel Kahikina
frastructure. The IHS and Tribal Akaka, and the legacies that they built
He loved his work. He loved econom- healthcare facilities are overwhelm- of bipartisanship.
ics. He loved free markets. And he ingly located in rural and isolated set- I understand we are about to have a
loved his family. Jerry was blessed tings, with little access to specialty fight this week around a very silly
with an incredible wife Sandy, who is a services, like cardiology. So expanding process called vote-arama, but we need
dear friend as well; their daughter Kat, telehealth so that more people can get to remember what this is all about.
whom they adore—an incredible loving, the specialty care they need wherever This is not about a goofy 10-hour or 12-
fun family. You know, when they were they are is a game changer for Native hour or 15-hour process where we stack
on road trips, Jerry would eat grilled communities. Finally, these healthcare amendments and try to set each other
cheese sandwiches made by his daugh- funds will support the medical workers up that will somehow trick someone
ter in a toaster oven in the car because who are on the frontlines every day, into taking a bad position that can be
he loved Kat so much. caring for Native families and fighting turned into a campaign advertisement.
Jerry, like myself, is also a big fan of the virus. That is tomorrow, and it is nonsense,
the movie ‘‘The Princess Bride.’’ Jer- We also need to shore up Tribal gov- and everybody should ignore it if they
ry’s death so early is inconceivable. ernments and Federal programs and can. Do anything to not watch vote-
God bless the memory of Dr. Jerry services that Native people rely on arama. It is boring, and it is the worst
Ellig. God bless the Ellig family. with an infusion of resources. That part of the U.S. Senate, but it is a very
In Heaven, the lion lies down with kind of historic, critical investment is important means to an end.
the lamb and, Jerry, may there be no exactly what President Biden proposes It is a very important means to an
transaction costs and may the Coase to do. Because Tribes are uniquely de- end because we were elected to deliver
theorem fully operate. pendent on their business enterprises COVID relief. Once we get through this
We love you, and we miss you, Jerry. to fund essential government services goofy process tomorrow night—or
God bless you. for their citizens, this budget resolu- maybe it is Friday morning or when-
I yield the floor. tion calls for $20 billion to support ever it is—we are going to be in a posi-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Tribal governments. To put a fine tion to deliver COVID relief. Then we
ator from Hawaii. point on it, the gaming operations are are going to be in a position to talk to
CORONAVIRUS mostly closed, and that is how they our Republican colleagues on and off
Mr. SCHATZ. Madam President, we fund health and education in many in- the committee representing Indian
are 1 year into the worst pandemic in a stances. These funds will enable Tribes Country, representing Alaska Native
century, and it is clear that Native to continue to provide services like communities, and representing Native
Americans have felt some of the most elder care and the deliveries of medi- Hawaiian communities and figure out
severe impacts of COVID. cine and food that are particularly how to make sure that the people who
Here is what we know: The number of critical during the pandemic, and it are suffering the worst during this pan-
confirmed cases per capita among Na- will help us to keep the lights on at demic get the help they need and de-
tive Americans is 31⁄2 times that of their businesses. serve, and that is something we can
White Americans; they are almost There is also $750 million to address come back together on as we move for-
twice as likely to die from COVID than overcrowding in homes and homeless- ward on this legislation.
White Americans when they contract ness—circumstances that dispropor- With that, I yield to the senior Sen-
it; and over a third of all Native Ameri- tionately affect Native Americans be- ator from Nevada, a member of the In-
cans are at high risk of serious COVID– cause housing stock tends to be scarce, dian Affairs Committee, Ms. CORTEZ
19-related complications—the highest and this problem compounds with peo- MASTO.
percentage of any group in the United ple living in tight quarters and being The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
States. Native Americans need help unable to avoid the spread of COVID– ator from Nevada.
now, and it is our job to deliver. 19. Ensuring Native Americans have ac- Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam Presi-
President Biden has proposed a bold cess to safe and affordable housing is dent, I rise to join my good colleague,
plan, one that meets the moment and essential to stopping the spread of the chair of the Senate Indian Affairs
one that helps our most vulnerable COVID and crushing this pandemic. Committee, the Senator from Hawaii,
communities. The President’s plan in- The plan also includes $900 million and I couldn’t agree more with him in
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
cludes more than $28 billion for Native for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to sup- my support of the budget resolution
people, making it the largest invest- port critical programs that keep people that is coming before the committee in
ment in Indian Country in American safe, protect kids, and help to deliver the Senate this week.
history. From Hawaiian homelands to water to Native families. Now, espe- In Nevada and across the country,
villages, pueblos, rancherias, and other cially during this pandemic, the BIA our Tribes are hurting. They are trying
Native communities, our fellow Ameri- should step up, own its fiduciary re- to do too much with far, far too little.
cans who live on or near these lands sponsibility, and help the Tribes fight Some of them are still under lockdown,
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S296 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
desperate to protect elders—often the I support every resource we can get sure that every hospital and clinic has
gatekeepers of rich Native languages for Nevada’s hard-hit Native commu- the staff and supplies to get families
and cultures—from the impact of the nities and our communities across the the care they need.
virus that they see is devastating their country, and that is why I urge my col- Our response to COVID–19 must sup-
communities, and many are struggling leagues to support this budget resolu- port and protect the most vulnerable
to keep business doors open. All of tion that will help these hardest hit among us. Today’s resolution recog-
them are stretched too thin. Sadly, communities. nizes that, and I am proud to support
this isn’t new. Tribes were suffering I yield the floor to my new colleague it.
from unstable funding streams and from the great State of New Mexico. I yield the floor.
budget shortfalls even before the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sen-
coronavirus pandemic affected their ator from New Mexico. ior Senator from Vermont.
economies. Now on shoestring budg- Mr. LUJÁN. Madam President, I rise Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, for
ets—with staffing levels that were in- to speak on the resolution’s invest- more than a year, our country has been
sufficient even before the pandemic ment of $8.6 billion through the Senate in the grip of an unprecedented health
hit—they are trying to address the Committee on Indian Affairs. and economic catastrophe.
myriad urgent needs of their commu- Our Native American brothers and It was January, if we recall, of last
nities. sisters on Tribal lands are four times year when the first confirmed case of
That means administering COVID–19 more likely to contract COVID–19 and COVID–19 was found in our country.
testing and getting vaccines into arms, twice as likely to die from it. The Nav- Since then, more than 444,000 of our fel-
all while providing a whole range of ajo Nation has seen extended families low citizens have died, more than 26
other critical healthcare services like ravaged by disease, families like the million have been infected, millions
behavioral healthcare and primary Muskets, who were careful to protect have lost their jobs, and every day
care. It also means administering af- their elderly parents, Benjamin and there are another thousands more
fordable housing programs, supporting Louise, from the virus. Despite taking deaths.
Tribal businesses, and ensuring the the necessary precautions and having A year ago, former President Trump
safety of the students and teachers in access to electricity and running boasted—just think of this. This is just
Native communities. The needs are im- water—something many of our Navajo a year ago. He said that there were
mense. brothers and sisters still lack—the only 15 COVID–19 cases in this country,
Coronavirus relief for Nevada and the whole family became ill. Because the and he said that soon the number
Nation’s Tribes has to address the dis- overburdened IHS-run medical center would be zero.
parities that have made Natives up to closest to them was unable to treat For months, he told the American
3.5 times more likely to contract Benjamin’s advanced condition, he was people there was nothing to worry
COVID–19, and it has to make sure flown to one of the nearest hospitals in about. Nothing to worry about? Tell
Tribes can build back economically Albuquerque that would have taken the 26 million who have been infected,
after the pandemic ends. To do this, we hours to have gotten there by car. He the nearly half a million who have
have to start by replenishing the died far from his beloved Louise. Five died, because it is obvious to anyone
Coronavirus Relief Fund, the Edu- days later, Louise also passed. paying attention to the country’s pub-
cation Stabilization Fund, and the In New Mexico, community members lic health experts that, unfortunately,
Homeowner Assistance Fund, all of and students are still mourning the he had no idea what he was talking
which have been providing valuable loss of Laura Escalanti, a beloved Tewa about. But, of course, he wasn’t inter-
lifelines to Native communities im- teacher at Pojoaque Valley High ested in what anyone else had to say.
pacted by COVID–19. School, from San Ildefonso Pueblo. All of us can see so many
The Federal Government absolutely ‘‘Ms. Laura,’’ as she was known, im- unforgiveable mistakes, so many
has to do more to support these efforts parted on her students pride in them- missed opportunities in dealing with
and uphold the Federal trust responsi- selves through language. Her funeral this virus that we and the world are
bility. It can help Tribes navigate the procession from Ohkay Owingeh to San now facing a calamity unlike anything
Federal bureaucracy and ensure that Ildefonso Pueblo brought mourners out in modern history.
funds allocated to Tribal priorities ac- from their homes to the roadways to The last administration, rather than
tually get into the hands of those who bid farewell to their teacher of more unite the country against the virus,
need them. than 20 years. Sadly, there are too chastised people for wearing masks.
Congress also needs to make sure many Native American families and They vilified Governors who tried to
that we are meeting our treaty obliga- communities mourning loved ones. stop the spread of the virus. Former
tions to provide healthcare for Amer- This resolution strikes at the heart President Trump said it would dis-
ican Indians and Alaska Natives even of the health disparities and cir- appear ‘‘like magic.’’
when they live in urban areas rather cumstances that make Tribal commu- Over the summer we lost even more
than on Tribal lands. We can start by nities more vulnerable to COVID–19. It time with the inexplicable decision to
passing the Urban Indian Health Parity provides Tribal and public governments take a ‘‘pause’’ and delay further
Act to shore up Medicaid funding for with critical funding to take action COVID relief. That was precious time
urban Indian healthcare facilities and against the deadly virus and the havoc that could have been spent trying to
put them on a level playing field with it has wreaked on their citizens, their get the pandemic under control. Time
Indian Health Services run by the Fed- economies, and the public health infra- was wasted while the virus spread and
eral Government or Tribes on reserva- structure. The budget resolution pro- mutated, and now we are dealing with
tions. vides necessary investments to support multiple variants, some of which are
Looking forward, we also must do Tribal governments that have strug- more easily transmissible and possibly
more to permanently and robustly fund gled to maintain public and social safe- more deadly.
the Indian Health Service. This pan- ty network services. The previous administration’s han-
demic has only shown the risks of It also provides the Indian Health dling of this disease was a monu-
underinvesting in public health in Na- Service, which is the primary vaccine mental, unforgiveable failure of leader-
tive communities, and we have to provider for over 330 Tribal nations and ship. Tens of thousands of Americans
make sure that the IHS is able to pre- urban Indian health organizations, would be alive today if the Trump ad-
pare for emergencies, like this one, far with funding and resources to respond ministration had done their job or, at
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
better in the future. Leaving American to this crisis. the very least, stopped making it im-
Indian and Alaska Native communities Access to nearby hospitals and emer- possible for the people who wanted to
without sustainable funding streams gency services may be dozens, even do their job. Historians are going to
for the health services that they were hundreds of miles away in my State, judge him harshly. That was then. Our
guaranteed by this government is a and we must do everything in our job now is to rally behind a President
violation of our treaty obligations, power here in the Senate, here in the who understands the seriousness and
plain and simple. House, and in Washington, DC, to en- urgency of what we are facing.
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S297
The $1.9 trillion package proposed by as it is spreading in Central America that is on their side. It is our chance to
President Biden is the kind of bold, and Africa and Asia, the virus and deliver for them.
comprehensive proposal we have need- more deadly variants will find their We know we can. As I said, we did it
ed since last spring. I felt privileged to way here. We learned that when we got last spring. We came together across
sit with him this morning, along with together and fought Ebola when it was the aisle. We passed the CARES Act.
other Senators, and discuss it, because only an airplane flight away. Well, We expanded employment insurance,
we know the President’s plan would these strains are popping up all over and we provided direct stimulus
provide the resources to mount a na- the world. We have to work with other checks. We kept—and this is remark-
tional vaccination program, safely countries. able in the midst of a pandemic—13
open our schools, restore American So I am hopeful there may be a bipar- million people in this country out of
global leadership, and provide direct tisan path forward, but I am not going poverty. It gave tens of millions more
support to the people in need. to concede any tools at our disposal peace of mind with a bit of a cushion to
Now, everybody here wants to reopen that can deliver the relief that the weather this crisis.
our economy, but we can’t do that if we American people need—the relief long Think about that. Congress came to-
don’t defeat the virus. President Biden overdue. gether. Government did the right
understands that. He also understands I support the budget resolution that thing, and 13 million people were pre-
that as long as the virus is spreading has been introduced. It put us on a vented from falling into poverty.
anywhere, it threatens people every- path to passing a COVID relief package But then, as you know, what hap-
where. That is why we need a global re- through the budget reconciliation proc- pened is, because we didn’t act in May
sponse. ess, and there is no reason a reconcili- and June, in July and August, that
As incoming chairman of the Senate ation bill can’t be bipartisan. We have help started to fall away, and thou-
Appropriations Committee, I am com- passed at least 17 bipartisan reconcili- sands of people every single day in Mil-
mitted to supporting the President’s ation bills since 1980 on behalf of the waukee and in Cleveland and around
proposal expeditiously. The American American people, and I welcome any this country, in Racine and in Day-
people have endured enough despair, Republican who would like to discuss ton—thousands of people a day fell into
sickness, and death due to the incom- where we could reach a compromise. poverty.
But let us not forget for a moment So my colleagues now say we have
petence of the previous administration.
I also share President Biden’s desire we are in the midst of a public health done enough. Well, tell that to the 92
to make this a bipartisan process. He emergency, and right now the virus is percent of Americans who haven’t got-
and I served together in this body, and winning. We are not winning; the virus ten a vaccine yet. Tell that to the par-
I know he wants to do that. But the is winning. So we can’t waste months, ents who wonder when it will finally be
like we did last year, negotiating a safe for their kids to go back to school.
price of bipartisanship cannot be a
plan that fails to mount an effective Tell that to the laid-off restaurant
package that falls far short of meeting
response to the virus or to fully re- worker in Madison, wondering if she
the needs of the American people.
There were painful consequences for spond to the economic havoc it is caus- will be able to pay rent and pay the
delaying another broad relief package ing. electric bill. Tell that to the busdriver
between April and December of last We need quick action. We need a bold in Columbus, wondering if she is going
and comprehensive plan to fight the to lose her job.
year, even though many of us wanted
virus. We need to get people back to We are the wealthiest country on
to bring it to the floor of the Senate,
work so our economy can recover. That Earth. Doing the bare minimum simply
and now there are reasons why States isn’t good enough.
today don’t have the quantity of vac- is what President Biden proposed.
You know, there is greater danger in Slowly vaccinating people—when we
cines they need, why our schools are know we are facing a new, more con-
doing too little than in doing too
being closed, why millions are out of tagious virus variant—isn’t good
much. Secretary Yellen stated it so
work, and why the virus is spreading enough.
well when she recently stated, ‘‘The
out of control. Valuable time was Letting our economic recovery limp
smartest thing we can do is act big.’’
squandered. Countless people suffered along instead of roaring back isn’t
It has been more than a year since
and died as a result. good enough.
this disease arrived in our country. It
So I certainly cannot accept a piece- Luckily, we have real leaders who
was never going to just ‘‘disappear.’’
meal approach or months of further aren’t willing to settle for less. Presi-
Viruses never do that. So there is no
delay. The clock is ticking. In mid- dent Biden is already doing everything
excuse for dragging our feet. Let’s all
March, key benefits that millions of possible to ramp up vaccine produc-
support the bold package proposed by
Americans are relying on to survive tion, to get new COVID tests on the
President Biden for the American peo-
will begin to lapse. We can’t allow a market. He promised 1 million vaccines
ple. I know I will.
self-inflicted wound to make their lives I see the distinguished Senator from a day for the first hundred days of his
even worse. Ohio on the floor, so I yield to him. Presidency. We are exceeding that
Now, I am glad to see several of my The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- number. It will help keep people in
friends from the other side of the aisle ator from Ohio. their homes. It will help keep workers
bring forth their own plan, but I am Mr. BROWN. Madam President, it is from losing their jobs.
afraid the plan they have shown so far an honor to speak after Senator LEAHY, We need to give the President and
shortchanges America in critical ways. who has served his country and his our leaders in States all over the coun-
It provides little of the resources need- State for over four decades. try every tool we can. Our plan puts
ed to reopen schools. It doesn’t include This debate is really about one sim- money directly into people’s pockets
money for State and local governments ple question: Are we going to do what- with the expanded stimulus checks,
that are on the frontlines fighting this ever it takes—whatever it takes—to with tax cuts for workers and families,
virus. And those State and local gov- get our country through a once-in-a- and through the expanded earned in-
ernments have been forced to lay off generation crisis? come tax credit and child tax credit.
more than 1 million people since We did that in March, a year ago. We As chair of the Banking and Housing
March. It cuts direct payments to haven’t done it since. Now is our oppor- Committee beginning tomorrow, I am
struggling families from $1,400 to tunity. committed to keeping a roof over peo-
$1,000. If you are one of those strug- I joined some of my colleagues today ple’s heads, giving a lifeline to small
gling families, it not only hurts, it can
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
at the White House to talk with Presi- businesses, keeping our buses and sub-
be devastating. dent Biden about the urgency—the ur- ways running, keeping workers on the
And their proposal completely ig- gency—to get this done, to go big, and job, and giving President Biden every
nores what every single public health his plan that will finally start to make tool possible through the Defense Pro-
expert knows: If we don’t help the real progress against the pandemic and duction Act to get more vaccines to
lower income countries protect their make a real difference in people’s lives. more people.
people, we cannot defeat the virus. The American people made it clear in Our plan will help us dramatically
This is a global pandemic, and as long this election: They want a government expand American manufacturing. The
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S298 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
Presiding Officer has led the Senate on Economists estimated that renters Americans elected new leaders now—
‘‘Buy American.’’ We will do more of already owed $57 billion in back rent by last November—because they were
that through the Defense Production the end of January. That is twice the tired of a President and a majority
Act. We will produce vaccines and PPE aid we provided for renters in Decem- leader who refused to treat this war
and more and better tests. We will help ber. So the package that most of us against COVID with the same urgency.
State and local communities and pre- voted for helped a lot in December, but People are really sick and tired all
vent layoffs and service cuts. it is clearly not enough. That is why over this country. They are sick and
Essential workers—and a grocery President Biden, the Senate, and the tired in Dayton and Akron and Canton
store worker in Southwest Ohio told House have to go big. How could we let and Mansfield of a President—of people
me several months ago: You know, millions of families lose the homes or a President saying or then-Majority
they call me an essential worker, but I they love or get trapped in a downward Leader MCCONNELL saying: We can’t do
feel expendable because they don’t pay spiral of debt, all because of a virus far it. We can’t afford it. We have done
me enough and they don’t protect us on beyond any one person’s control? enough.
the job. So I ask my colleagues of both par- Let’s aim higher. Let’s deliver for the
That has to change. Essential work- ties—I just ask this: What do we do? people we serve. Let’s raise the stim-
ers need help. They need buses and sub- Let’s get this done. There is no time ulus checks to $2,000—money that will
ways to get to work, to hospitals and for quibbling over Senate procedure. make a difference for so many families.
grocery stores. We need those transit Working families don’t care about Sen- Let’s cut taxes for working families.
systems running and running safely. ate rules. They care about when they Let’s keep people in their homes. Let’s
We need to keep busdrivers and con- get a vaccine. They care about when keep small businesses open. Let’s give
struction workers on the job and on the their kids get back to school. They every American a vaccine—a vaccine
job safely. care about keeping their jobs. They that will save their lives. That is the
Our plan will give more support to don’t care how we get it done. They decision before this Senate.
small and minority-owned businesses. care about results. Do we just say ‘‘We can’t do very
We know the biggest corporations have The Senate has used these fast-track much. We ought to wait a while. Let’s
done better than ever during this pan- budget measures over and over in times see if the last thing worked’’? Let’s
demic. Amazon, Walmart, Comcast—all far less dire than the ones we face now. come together. Let’s pass this. Let’s
the big guys are doing just fine. They Minority Leader MCCONNELL had no
make a real difference in the American
pretty much always do no matter what problem using these fast-track proce-
people’s lives.
is happening with the rest of the coun- dures that they now oppose to pour I yield the floor.
try. They have paid their shareholders. money into corporations’ coffers with I suggest the absence of a quorum.
They have done stock buybacks. But their tax cuts. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
In fact, the last time—I was at the clerk will call the roll.
we have seen restaurants close in our
White House today with President The bill clerk proceeded to call the
neighborhood, some that have been op-
Biden. The last time I was invited to roll.
erating for decades. We watched corner
the White House was President Trump Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I
stores and drycleaners shut their
inviting a group of us on the tax-writ- ask unanimous consent that the order
doors. Small businesses are hurting.
ing committee to try to sell his big tax for the quorum call be rescinded.
Our plan will not only keep PPP going,
giveaway to corporate America and to The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
it will expand access to capital for the
the richest people in the country. We SMITH). Without objection, it is so or-
small entrepreneurs fighting for their sat around the table in the President’s
dreams now. dered.
Cabinet Room with two, I believe, of
Our plan will keep families from los- S. CON. RES. 5
his billionaire Cabinet members who
ing their homes. It will help them pay Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I
benefited handsomely, as did his fam-
their bills and keep the heat on and the rise today in support of the budget res-
ily, from this tax cut. It was a big, big
lights turned on. In December, 1 in 10 olution and the American rescue plan
giveaway to the largest corporations in
homeowners reported being behind on proposed by President Biden. It is,
this country and a big, big giveaway to
their mortgage. For Black, Latino, and billionaires and the richest people in without question, a necessary next step
Asian homeowners, that number is one the country but so little for the econ- in our fight against the coronavirus
in six. One out of every five renters in omy and so little for workers. pandemic.
this country is behind in their rent. So Senator MCCONNELL, whose office, Just last month, roughly 100,000
For Latino renters, it is one in four. we know, is just down the hall—you Americans lost their lives to COVID.
For African-American renters, it is one often see lobbyists lining up. Back in To date, we have lost more than 430,000
in three. the tax-cutting days, you saw lobbyists Americans to this virus. Included in
Think about the daily stress that lined up out there outside his office this number is over 15,000
puts on people. They go to work every waiting to get in to find out what tax Michiganders. Millions of Americans
day. They are not paid enough. They break they could get. That was then. have become sick as a result of this
are not sure they are safe at work. We used this fast-track procedure to deadly virus, and far too many people
They come home, anxious about pass- get it done as if it were an emergency. in Michigan and across the country are
ing on this virus. They have to worry Now it actually is an emergency. We suffering from the unprecedented eco-
about paying their rent. They have to just can’t wait and negotiate and nego- nomic crisis that this pandemic has
worry about food for their kids. They tiate and negotiate and take forever to caused. Families are struggling to put
have to worry about whether the get this help. food on the table and to put a roof over
schools are open so kids can go there You know, someone came to our their heads and just to pay bills.
while they are trying to balance their Banking and Housing Committee and The relief package that was passed in
workload. We have to do everything we said: You know, before D-day, they December provided important emer-
can to alleviate that stress. didn’t have a meeting at the White gency relief, but it didn’t go nearly far
A moratorium on evictions and on House and with the Congress saying: enough. I had the honor of meeting
foreclosures helps keep people safe in Can we afford this? Can we afford this with President Biden and Vice Presi-
the short-run, but there is simply not war? Can we afford equipping our dent Harris today at the White House
enough for all the people who are be- troops in Normandy? to discuss the need to work together
hind with no way to catch up. Thank- and to act boldly and quickly to deliver
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Of course we could because we had to
fully, we have had moratoriums on win the war. We are in a global crisis urgently needed support.
evictions. They haven’t always worked. now. It is a war. We marshaled all of More than 120 economists are press-
They work most of the time. But every our vast resources and talents to rise ing Congress to pass the sweeping relief
month that moratorium stops you to beat the global crisis in World War package, and the danger is not going
from being evicted is another month II. Then we grew the economy from the big but rather failing to meet the ur-
that you owe rent when the time middle class out. We paid down the gency of the moment. These 120 econo-
comes. We know that. debt with rising wages. mists wrote: ‘‘History shows that what
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S299
our nation cannot afford is inaction or million, were made possible by the and children get the food they need.
timidity in the face of what many con- Federal Pandemic Unemployment As- This multiyear investment in the Spe-
sider to be the greatest economic dis- sistance Program. It is a program that cial Supplemental Nutrition Program
aster since the Great Depression.’’ I helped to establish last year in the for Women, Infants, and Children,
It is clear to me that we must extend CARES Act. known as WIC, is needed to account for
unemployment benefits to those who Pandemic Unemployment Assistance increased enrollment due to growing
are out of work through no fault of is a lifeline to workers who are self-em- hunger and to increase outreach to en-
their own. We must pass an additional ployed yet had their source of income sure that low-income families have ac-
$1,400 in stimulus payments to individ- interrupted by the pandemic, including cess to high-quality nutritious food
uals. We must provide more food assist- gig workers and freelance workers and and nutritional education.
ance to ensure that no child or family small business owners. During this dark, challenging winter,
goes hungry because of this crisis, and I certainly agree with President we must address the hunger crisis in
we must ensure small businesses can Biden that we must continue Federal Michigan and across the country.
stay afloat. unemployment assistance programs Another issue that I hear about con-
We must provide more funding to through September of 2021. Imple- stantly from Michiganders is the addi-
speed up the distribution of vaccines so menting this rescue package means we tional support we must provide to our
that we can get more vaccines in the will not abandon millions of workers small businesses. Many small busi-
arms of Americans quickly, safely, and who otherwise would be ineligible for nesses—the very backbone of Michi-
equitably. And we must provide more assistance or whose benefits would gan’s economy and the economic driver
resources so that schools can reopen have long run out. It would also mean in many of our local communities—
safely under the guidance of public that the level of benefit that they re- have been forced to shutter or are just
health officials and experts. ceive is closer to the amount necessary barely hanging on.
We must deliver relief to commu- for their families to have some meas- Nationally, small business revenue is
nities on the frontlines of COVID-re- ure of financial stability. down 32 percent, and at least 400,000
sponse efforts and make sure that they In Michigan, far too many families firms have permanently closed. Minor-
are not forced to cut essential services are finding it difficult to feed them- ity-owned small businesses and those
for residents or lay off health profes- selves and their children. Michigan had in hard-hit industries, like restaurants
sionals or teachers or firefighters or the sixth highest rate of projected food and hotels and entertainment, have
law enforcement officials. We must re- insecurity in 2020. Nearly 2 million in- suffered disproportionately.
plenish the disaster relief fund, which dividuals lived in food-insecure house- Whether it is a boutique in Plym-
will help give our cash-strapped State holds. That means each day almost one outh, a family-owned farm in Michi-
in five Michiganders worries about gan’s fruit belt, or a restaurant in De-
and local governments the resources
whether or not they or their loved ones troit, these small businesses bring our
they need to pay for personal protec-
are going to get enough to eat that State character, community, and a
tion equipment, aid in vaccine dis-
day. sense of place.
tribution, and provide additional sup- Congress must do everything we can
The number of Michiganders strug-
port services to communities strug- to assist our small businesses, and we
gling with hunger has increased by
gling with overwhelming coronavirus must ensure that COVID–19 small busi-
around 600,000 since the start of the
cases. ness relief assistance is clearly admin-
pandemic, and, sadly, most of this has
We must provide funding to ensure
been as a result of an uptick in child istered and is easy to access. That is
there is strong oversight of how Fed- why I fought for a vital increase in
hunger.
eral taxpayer dollars are actually being Our food banks across Michigan are small business funding, like the Pay-
spent on Federal COVID efforts, ensur- doing all they can to step up to the check Protection Program, which was
ing that resources and support that challenge, but they are experiencing included in the CARES Act and subse-
Congress has authorized is actually unprecedented surges in demand as quent legislation that I was proud to
reaching the people who need it the more families seek assistance. Food as- help pass.
most. sistance is one of the top reasons peo- In Michigan, over 128,000 Paycheck
One of my top priorities and an issue ple contact my State’s emergency hot- Protection Program loans were ap-
I hear about every day from line. The Federal Government must do proved before the program first ex-
Michiganders is the need to extend un- more in providing food assistance to pired, totaling over $16 billion in fund-
employment benefits. Over 3 million these families. ing. And although the PPP brought
Michiganders have claimed unemploy- The American Rescue Plan will ex- hope to many during this crisis, it
ment insurance since the start of this tend the 15-percent Supplemental Nu- alone was simply not enough. We must
pandemic. That is around one-third of trition Assistance Program, or SNAP, continue to expand access to small
the entire population of Michigan. And, benefit, while maintaining an increase business grants and loans for our
unfortunately, we are not out of the through the coming months and Michigan businesses.
tunnel yet. Over half a million of these through the summer, a time when The American Rescue Plan is ambi-
claims are still active. childhood hunger is at its highest level tious, but it is achievable and will help
It is not just impacting one part of due to the lack of school meals. It is a our small businesses survive and help
my State. All 83 Michigan counties are critical backstop against rising food rescue the American economy as we
experiencing higher levels of jobless- insecurity, and this change will help work to recover. It will support com-
ness, a disturbing trend that we have keep hunger at bay for around 40 mil- munities that are struggling in the
seen continue into this year. lion Americans. wake of COVID–19 by providing support
Michiganders want to work, they want The rescue plan also supports these for the hardest hit small businesses, es-
to keep their families safe, and they efforts by providing a one-time emer- pecially small businesses owned by en-
want to put food on the table. In order gency infusion of support for State trepreneurs of color, and protecting
to do all of this, we must first get this anti-hunger and nutrition programs. jobs of the first responders and transit
pandemic under control, while helping This will ensure that benefits quickly workers and other essential workers
families and workers make ends meet. and efficiently get to children and to whom we depend on each and every
They need and must have our contin- those families that are in need. day.
ued help and our support. According to the nonprofit No Kid It will provide grants to more than 1
As the Biden American Rescue Plan million of the hardest hit small busi-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
Hungry campaign, this funding will
recognizes, Federal unemployment as- amount to around $25 more per person nesses—flexible, equitably distributed
sistance programs are essential to bol- per month for those who are currently grants that will help small businesses
stering our State programs, and while struggling. A family of four will get an get back on their feet and put the cur-
1.9 million unemployment claims in extra $100 a month. This is an invest- rent disaster behind them. Addition-
Michigan during 2020 have flowed ment we must certainly make. ally, it will leverage government funds
through the State unemployment pro- The proposal before us will also in- into additional small business lending
gram, nearly just as many claims, 1.7 vest $3 billion to help women, infants, and investment.
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S300 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
By investing in successful State, Essential workers include our dedi- store public trust in our Federal Gov-
local, Tribal, and nonprofit small busi- cated civil servants who work tire- ernment during this coronavirus re-
ness financing programs, Congress will lessly to serve the American people in sponse.
exponentially generate low-interest countless ways—from providing med- So it is clear, we are facing a crisis
loans and venture capital to help our ical care to delivering our mail, to unlike any other in our Nation’s his-
small businesses survive, to create and safeguarding our national security. We tory. We must work together to pass
maintain jobs, and to continue to pro- truly appreciate their continued serv- robust and bold COVID relief package.
vide the essential goods and services ice under incredibly challenging cir- Michiganders and the American people
that our communities depend on. cumstances. are counting on us to do the right
According to an independent analysis To help ensure the health and safety thing, and it is now our time to deliver.
conducted by Moody’s Analytics, the of Federal employees and their commu- I suggest the absence of a quorum.
American Rescue Plan will help create nities, we must provide funding to the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
7.5 million jobs in 2021, double eco- Emergency Federal Employee Leave clerk will call the roll.
nomic growth, and return the United Fund. This fund offers emergency paid
The senior assistant legislative clerk
States to full employment a full year leave, which ensures workers can stay
proceeded to call the roll.
faster. Small businesses in Michigan at home if they are feeling ill, and, by
and across the country need this help, doing so, prevent community spread of Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I ask
and they need it now. COVID–19. unanimous consent that the order for
Passing the American Rescue Plan This provision will also provide much the quorum call be rescinded.
will help us get through this economic needed flexibility to our civil servants The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
crisis and come out stronger on the and their families as they juggle objection, it is so ordered.
other side. And I know we all look for- caregiving for children and other fam- S. CON. RES. 5
ward to the day when we can visit our ily members with their remote public Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I
small businesses. service work. will take this time, as the incoming
I know I am excited to see Our Nation’s postal workers, who chairman of the Small Business and
Michiganders going out to eat in work tirelessly to deliver prescription Entrepreneurship Committee, to just
Greektown before visiting Comerica drugs, essential goods, and even our go over with our colleagues the impor-
Park. They will stroll through down- holiday gifts throughout the pandemic, tance of this budget resolution as it re-
towns like Birmingham and Grand are facing unique challenges. Federal lates to the small business community.
Rapids. They will drive up north and employees who interact directly with I think Members of this Chamber
spend time in small businesses in Tra- the public, like our hard-working post- know that small businesses represent
verse City and Marquette, and just al employees and letter carriers, need the growth engine of America. That is
maybe swing by a local brewery, or better access to workers’ compensation where job creation occurs at the great-
enjoy boating on one of our beautiful benefits if they contract COVID–19 in est numbers. Almost half of the jobs in
Great Lakes. I will never stop fighting the line of duty. America are in small companies. Just
to make sure that when the day comes, The effectiveness of our ongoing re- as importantly, when we look for inno-
Michigan’s small businesses will be up sponse to this pandemic depends on our vation, we see innovation in small
and running. career Federal workforce, and these businesses. They are the ones that fig-
But as we address the economic im- two policies are an important step in ure out how to do things more effi-
pact to this pandemic, we must also ensuring the safety of civil servants, ciently and better, and that has also
use this relief package to address the their families, and their communities. been true during COVID–19.
public health crisis. Finally, we need robust oversight to
Since the outset of the pandemic, make sure relief dollars are spent ap- As we have seen small businesses
FEMA has stepped up to assist in re- propriately and are going to families, around the Nation struggle, we have
sponse to the COVID–19 crisis by co- small businesses, hospitals, and the seen how creativity among small busi-
ordinating medical supply acquisition communities that need them most. ness has saved so many small busi-
and distribution and assisting State When this body considered the nesses in America, where they figure
and local governments with funds for CARES Act, I worked across the aisle out a better way to deal with the food
response activity, such as overtime pay with Senator JOHNSON and the House to service because they can’t have in-res-
for public health officials. And now create two oversight mechanisms to taurant service, in how they have dealt
FEMA is taking on an even larger role provide transparency and account- with the service industries generally,
as we continue this critical phase of re- ability to the American people. in how they have dealt with retail
sponse, which is vaccine distribution. First, we created the Pandemic Re- sales, safety with COVID–19 and deliv-
When I spoke to the President and sponse Accountability Committee, or ery and internet. They have come up
Vice President earlier today, I was PRAC. The PRAC is a new entity made with better ways to do things, and that
pleased to hear their vision for using up of new inspectors general—inde- is why our economy is performing at
FEMA resources and expertise to pro- pendent industry watchdogs—and the level it is—not the level we want it
vide essential staff, supplies, transpor- charged with overseeing the entire to be—because small businesses have
tation, and other resources necessary Federal Government coronavirus re- figured out ways to do things better.
to ensure that every vaccine dose is ac- sponse and all of the associated spend- But there is another characteristic of
tually reaching the arm of an Amer- ing. We also charged the Government small business I think we all under-
ican. Accountability Office—Congress’s stand. They don’t have the same degree
These activities are all supported watchdog—to conduct similarly wide- of resiliency. They don’t have the deep
through FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, ranging oversight. pockets. They don’t have the outside
and we must provide the funding need- In just 10 months, these oversight financiers. So they don’t have the big
ed to ensure that FEMA can have the bodies have published reports on issues reserves. So when we hit a bump in our
maximum flexibility to help our State ranging from vaccine development to economy, small businesses really suf-
and local governments and resources the Paycheck Protection Program, and fer.
needed to deploy COVID–19 vaccines to the PRAC has established a website In every economic downturn, we
combat this pandemic. where anyone can go and see exactly know that small businesses are going
There are so many faces that have where their hard-earned tax dollars are to do worse than larger companies, and
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
been on the frontlines of responding to going. during this pandemic, it was particu-
this unprecedented public health crisis: We must continue to support both larly important for us to respond to
our healthcare workers, delivery work- the PRAC and the GAO so they can help our small businesses so that when
ers, grocery store employees, and so continue this critical work, keeping we get out of this pandemic, when our
many others who have sacrificed so Congress and the American people in- economy returns, the small business
that we can have the care, the goods, formed, ensuring taxpayer dollars are community is healthy and our econ-
and the services that we need to get by. used responsibly, and helping to re- omy can continue to grow.
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S301
This has been made even more chal- year, 6 million loans—forgivable pandemic would be over by last sum-
lenging because we have imposed re- loans—6 million to the small business mer. We learned a lot from that bill
strictions, as government, on the oper- community, representing $595 billion of after it passed.
ations of small businesses during Federal help. That is a significant The lessons learned we need now de-
COVID–19. We have told restaurants amount of funds. ploy in order to finish the job, to make
they couldn’t serve in-restaurant. We But we recognized last March and we sure small businesses are protected
limited the number of people who can have continued to realize that one size through this pandemic. So what were
gather. All that has affected the eco- does not fit all for all small businesses, the lessons learned? Well, we first
nomic strength of small businesses in and where forgivable loans work for learned that the underserved and
America. some small businesses, they don’t work underbanked community had special
So Congress has responded. We have for others. That is why we enhanced needs. This is the minority commu-
responded. We need to do more. Our the Economic Injury Disaster Loan nity. These are businesses located in
first major response was in the CARES Program, the EIDL Program. The low-income communities, businesses
Act. Let me remind the Presiding Offi- EIDL Program consists primarily of that don’t have traditional banking re-
cer and the Senate and all that that disaster loans that are given out dur- lations with a commercial bank. They
bill was passed in mid-March. It was a ing natural disasters. all, in the beginning part of the PPP
bipartisan bill, and it was bold. It was The very first bill we passed after program, were left behind. Why? Be-
a major effort to deal with the pan- COVID–19, for the pandemic, was to cause in order to get the help under the
demic as we understood it in March of make those who were suffering as a re- PPP program, you had to find a com-
sult of COVID–19—those businesses—el-
last year. mercial lender who would make you
So we recognized that the first thing igible for EIDL loans. Normally it is
the loan—100 percent guaranteed by
we had to do if we were going to help natural disasters, but we included this
the government, forgivable, so no real
rebuild our economy, if we were going pandemic. Now, why is that important?
risk to the financial institution, but
to help small businesses, the very first Well, yes, forgivable loans equal to 2
the financial institution wanted to pro-
thing we had to do was get the virus months of your payroll, plus some ad-
tect their existing customers, and they
under control. That is why the CARES ditional expenses, help keep your pay-
wanted to make the larger loans be-
roll, but small businesses need addi-
Act in March had what we called the cause it was more lucrative for them.
tional capital beyond just covering
Marshall Plan for healthcare, to put So the smaller of the small businesses
their payroll and some rent expenses.
money into the development of a vac- and those that did not have a preferred
So the EIDL Program provides much
cine, to put money into protective relationship with bankers had a harder
more flexible funds, a larger amount of
equipment, to put money into testing, time getting that loan, and that
money, so that small businesses can
to put money into public health—be- showed up in the numbers we saw when
get through this economic downturn. It
cause we recognized that, yes, we have the PPP program started last year.
is low-interest, 30-year loans with very
a responsibility as the Federal Govern- Now, it is interesting—Senator SHA-
favorable repayment schedules.
ment to control this pandemic, and by HEEN and I recognized this as we were
The good news about what we did in
the way, it will also help our economic March is that we made the Paycheck crafting the bill, so we put a provision
recovery because we knew that con- Protection Program and the EIDL Pro- in the CARES Act that said that the
sumers could not go out until the gram—you could do both. So you could SBA needed to prioritize loans for un-
virus—in right numbers—until the get the influx to help you with payroll, derserved small businesses. We knew
virus was under control. and you could get the longer term fi- that this was a likely thing to happen,
But we also knew we had to do things nancing. And the numbers are impres- so we asked the SBA to make a special
for small businesses directly, and we sive here. There were 3.7 million loans effort to deal with the underserved
acted in a bold manner. We passed the under the EIDL loan program; $200 bil- community. They didn’t do it. The
Paycheck Protection Program, the lion in loans was given out under SBA IG, in its report, said that the
PPP program, a new program. We did EIDL. But let me point out—as I said, SBA did not fully align to congres-
this in a bipartisan manner. We did it one size does not fit all. Loans work for sional intent the way they imple-
to keep employees on the payroll. some businesses but not all. So we mented the PPP as it relates to the un-
We recognized at that time that, yes, wanted to do a grant program for those derserved community.
you can lay off workers and they can small businesses that are intimidated It is interesting—a group of stake-
collect unemployment, but wouldn’t it by taking out a loan because they said holders, of advocates on behalf of mi-
be better if we could keep them on the they can’t even pay their existing nority businesses, started what is
payroll? And the Paycheck Protection loans; how could they take out more known as the Page 30 Coalition. The
Program was an immediate influx of loans. provision I talked about was on page 30
help for small businesses to keep their So we started a new program, an of the CARES Act. They have been ad-
payrolls strong—and it worked—by EIDL Advance Program, that provided vocating for change ever since.
these forgivable loans that, when used grants up to $10,000 for our most vul- So starting with the replenishment
for that purpose, the entire loan could nerable small businesses. This was a of the PPP program and continuing in
be forgiven. lifesaver for so many small businesses. the omnibus bill we just passed in De-
In mid-March when we passed this, This Advance helped businesses get the cember, we have tried to build up the
we didn’t know the demand. We didn’t resources, the immediate cash, without capacity for the underserved commu-
know how much would be needed, and having to worry about an additional nities. We have done that by putting
we certainly thought that by some- loan on their books. Quite frankly, this money aside for mission lenders. In the
time, we hoped, during the summer of program, along with strengthening the omnibus bill, there is $10 billion that
last year, the pandemic would have existing tools that were very impor- was put aside to build up the capacity
been behind us. Well, we were wrong on tant for small businesses, helped save a of CDFIs and minority repository insti-
both accounts. There wasn’t enough lot of small businesses. tutions. I want to thank my colleague
money in the program, and we needed We also created a debt forgiveness Senator MARK WARNER of Virginia for
to recognize that more help was needed program. For a certain number of his efforts in putting that together.
than what we just did in the CARES months, we would forgive your current That provided greater capacity for mis-
Act. So we replenished money, put 7a loan with the Small Business Ad- sion lenders, who are more likely to
more money into the PPP program. We
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ministration, or 504 loan. Not just the help in the underserved communities,
made it more flexible for small busi- interest payments but the principal to be there with the capital necessary
nesses, recognizing that it was going to payments were forgiven. And we to participate in the SBA programs.
be a longer period of time during the strengthened the Microloan Program, We also decided that we had to do
pandemic. and we reinforced the Community Ad- more than just that. We got set-asides
If you look at the numbers on how vantage 7a Programs. for mission lenders in the act, and we
the Paycheck Protection Program has We did all that. We did this starting had set-asides for the smaller of the
been used, through January of this in mid-March with the hope that this small businesses because the smaller of
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S302 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 3, 2021
the small businesses are the ones that industry. We did that in the previous This budget resolution is a bold ap-
had the greatest need. legislation. In the CARES Act, we proach because the problem is so great.
Lessons learned from what we did, made special provisions in regard to I urge my colleagues to support the
and that was that the EIDL Program the affiliation rules for restaurants. budget resolution for so many reasons,
was not set up as Congress intended. That was the right thing to do. In the but as the incoming chairman of the
When you look at the demographics as omnibus bill, we provided some addi- Small Business and Entrepreneurship
to what type of a company uses the tional help over and above other busi- Committee, on behalf of America’s
EIDL Program as compared to the nesses under the Paycheck Protection small businesses, I urge my colleagues
PPP, the smaller of small businesses, Program’s second round, and that was to support this budget resolution.
the more vulnerable small businesses, right, but we need to do more. I yield the floor.
were more likely to use the EIDL Pro- The National Restaurant Association The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
gram. has informed us that 110,000 res- ator from Pennsylvania.
So we anticipated, as I said, the taurants have either closed tempo- Mr. CASEY. Madam President, it is
EIDL Advance, which was so important rarily or permanently as a result of good to see you in that Chair, and I am
to small businesses that really don’t COVID–19. There are 2.5 million less grateful for this opportunity.
believe they can take out a loan—we jobs in restaurants today than at the I just wanted to raise a couple of
anticipated they would get $10,000. pre-COVID level. And at the worst issues that are relevant to the budget
Guess what. The average grant size, as point, we were down 8 million jobs in resolution that we are going to be
implemented by the Trump adminis- that industry through layoffs and fur- working on over the next few days and
tration, was between $4,000 and $5,000. loughs. So we need to take a look at a beyond. There are so many issues to
The average size of the business that special way to help preserve our res- highlight. I will only mention two
applied for an EIDL Advance was be- taurants because they depend upon issues—two big issues—but I think,
tween four and five workers, the real groups attending. They depend upon most generally, when I consider what
‘‘ma and pa’’ businesses. But they catering. They depend upon the res- we should do, I think it is my belief
needed more than $4,500; they needed taurants being fully filled, and they that we need a substantial, robust bill
$10,000. can’t do that under COVID–19. So we to meet the moment that we are in.
The EIDL loan program by statute need to provide some help, and this That means dealing with the pandemic
could give you a loan up to $2 million, effectively and putting the virus be-
budget resolution will allow us to do
but the SBA, under the Trump admin- hind us by accelerating vaccinations,
that.
istration, put a cap of $150,000 on those In the omnibus bill, we provided making sure that we are taking every
loans. Again, it compromised the effec- money for shuttered venues. These are step possible to open our schools—to
tiveness of those programs. We need to our entertainment venues, our muse- reopen schools, I should say, in some
learn from what we did. ums which have been ordered to be cases.
As I said earlier, more help is needed. Thirdly, to make sure we are helping
closed. They can’t operate because of
The proposal that we are looking at in
COVID–19 and government orders. those who are vulnerable, whether they
this budget resolution will provide that
I will give you one example: are folks without a job or folks who are
additional help, and that is why it is so
Merriweather Post Pavilion located in hungry or their families are hungry—
important to pass this budget resolu-
Howard County, not very far from here. so many other traumas that have been
tion.
Let me just give you a few of the de- One thousand jobs are impacted. heaped upon our families. There is a lot
tails of why it is important to move Merriweather Post has not been able to to do, and that requires a substantial
this budget resolution. First, as I said have live entertainment since COVID– investment, not a limited investment.
in the onset of my remarks, we have to 19 last March. I will just mention two issues today.
get this virus under control. The budg- We passed legislation to provide help. One is home and community-based
et that is before us will provide sub- We need to improve that legislation, services, and the other is childcare and
stantial help for the vaccine distribu- and the budget resolution before us a particular tax credit that is relevant.
tions. will allow us to get that done. Home and community-based services,
I don’t know about what is happening Let’s talk about nonprofits for one as many people know, have a huge im-
in Minnesota, but I can tell you in moment. Johns Hopkins University has pact on both older citizens—seniors
Maryland, people are frustrated that told us we lost a million jobs in the throughout the country—as well as
we don’t have a more efficient system nonprofit sector as a result of COVID– people with disabilities and even has an
on the distribution of vaccines. We 19. We have nonprofits that have not impact upon children. I will focus most
have to answer that. been eligible that should be eligible to of the attention, for purposes of today,
For the supply chain, use the Defense get help under these packages, and this on the impact on seniors and people
Production Act, use that in order to budget resolution gives us an oppor- with disabilities.
get the vaccine distribution done in a tunity to take care of that need. If there is ever a time when a care
way that is fair to the American peo- Then, lastly, let me talk about one of setting that is in the home or in a com-
ple. The budget before us will help us the priorities that President Biden has munity was more beneficial to a senior,
achieve that. It will provide the money talked about, and that is getting the to a person with a disability—if there
for testing and protective equipment, information out so small businesses is ever a time, it is now. We know that
which is desperately needed to get the can take advantage of these programs if someone is living in a congregate
virus under control. because so many have not taken advan- setting, they are more likely to get the
The budget before us will allow us to tage. They are the most vulnerable. He virus. And we know the horrific num-
open schools safely. We need that for has what he calls the community navi- bers. Just about 40 percent of the
American families. We need it for our gators. We know from the Affordable deaths that have occurred because of
children, and we need it for small busi- Care Act how helpful they can be in the pandemic in the United States have
nesses because when schools are closed getting information out, particularly occurred in long-term care settings. It
and children have to stay home, our in hard-served communities, so they is, as of right now, at last count, ap-
small businesses suffer. They suffer understand the tools that are avail- proaching 150,000 Americans who lost
from their workers not being able to able. They can apply for the tools and their lives from the virus who were in
show up to work, and they suffer from get the help that they need. long-term care settings.
We build on the community naviga- I think a lot of seniors—a lot of fam-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
the customers not being able to shop.
But we also need direct help for small tors with our resource partners—our ily members would prefer, often, that
businesses. In this legislation, there is women business centers, our minority their loved one is getting care in a
$50 billion allocated to the Small Busi- business centers. Let’s build on those home or in a community setting. The
ness Administration to deal with the centers—our veterans. Let’s build on same is true, of course, for people with
hardest hit small businesses. our resource partners in order to make disabilities.
Let me just mention where we need sure that the help really is targeted to We have a chance in this legislation
to put our attention: in the hospitality the small businesses of greater need. to finally make an investment in home
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February 3, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S303
and community-based services. Do and leave no alternative. Senators (The resolution is printed in today’s
those services exist right now? They from both sides will be able to offer RECORD under ‘‘Submitted Resolu-
do. How do they exist? Pretty much in amendments. That is how we will oper- tions.’’)
the United States by way of a waiver, ate in the 117th Congress under the new f
so it is not the standard policy; it is Democratic majority.
done by waiver. Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, CONSTITUTING THE MAJORITY
We want to make sure that it is more I appreciate these assurances from the PARTY’S MEMBERSHIP ON CER-
of a standard feature, really, a choice majority leader. The right to offer TAIN COMMITTEES FOR THE ONE
that people have to get the care in the amendments is important to Senators HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CON-
community or in the setting that they on our side as well, and we look for- GRESS
want. It is critically important that we ward to full and vigorous debates, in- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President,
have in the reconciliation instructions cluding amendments, as the Senate pursuant to the provisions of S. Res 27,
a commitment to home and commu- takes up the many important issues be- I ask unanimous consent that the Sen-
nity-based services. We have that now, fore us. On a related note, I have dis- ate proceed to the consideration of S.
and we want to make sure it remains cussed with the majority leader con- Res 28, submitted earlier today.
in the bill in final form. cerns that have been raised about de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
The other benefit or, I should say, bates on motions to proceed. I think clerk will report the resolution by
the other priority here is not simply many times cloture has to be filed on a title.
those receiving the care in home and motion to proceed because Members
A resolution (S. Res. 28) to constitute the
community-based settings; it is those want to ensure they are given the right majority party’s membership on certain
providing the care, those heroic front- to offer amendments. Given the assur- committees for the One Hundred Seven-
line workers who often are not talked ances regarding the ability of Senators teenth Congress, or until their successors are
about enough who provide this care. to debate and amend legislation in this chosen.
Most of the care provided in these set- Congress, that should help in alle- There being no objection, the Senate
tings are provided by low-income viating that practice. Also, when we proceeded to consider the resolution.
women of color who disproportionately are proceeding to bills with broad bi- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
make up the workforce and often are partisan support, it is my hope that we ask unanimous consent that the reso-
making about $12 an hour. They should will not need to have lengthy debates lution be agreed to and that the mo-
have a decent wage. They should have on motions to proceed. tion to reconsider be considered made
benefits, like sick and family medical The resolution provides that the
and laid upon the table with no inter-
leave, and they should have access to committee budgets and office space
vening action or debate.
PPE protection so that they have the will be divided equally, subject to the
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
protection they need to do their job customary set-aside for administrative
objection, it is so ordered.
and to care for those individuals. expenses and nondesignated staff. It is
The resolution (S. Res. 28) was agreed
I see the distinguished majority lead- our expectation that the details of
those arrangements will be negotiated to.
er. (The resolution is printed in today’s
I yield the floor. and agreed to by the respective chair
and ranking member, in consultation RECORD under ‘‘Submitted Resolu-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. HAS- tions.’’)
SAN). The majority leader. with other members of each com-
Mr. SCHUMER. I thank the Senator mittee. f
from Pennsylvania. I won’t be that Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
ELECTING SONCERIA ANN BERRY
long. thank the Republican leader for those
AS SECRETARY OF THE SENATE
ORGANIZING RESOLUTION assurances and for his cooperation in
reaching agreement on the organizing Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
Madam President, in addition to the
resolution and the understandings we ask unanimous consent that the Sen-
organizing resolution to which the Re-
have just described. I look forward to ate proceed to the consideration of S.
publican leader and I have now agreed,
working with him and all Senators to Res 29, submitted earlier today.
Leader MCCONNELL and I would like to
address the many urgent needs con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
engage in a colloquy regarding certain
fronting our Nation. clerk will report the resolution by
understandings we have reached on two
f title.
related issues.
First, I have discussed with the Re- The senior assistant legislative clerk
RELATIVE TO SENATE PROCE- read as follows:
publican leader concerns that have DURE IN THE 117TH CONGRESS
been raised by many Senators about A resolution (S. Res. 29) electing Sonceria
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I Ann Berry as Secretary of the Senate.
the floor procedure known as ‘‘filling
ask unanimous consent that the Sen- There being no objection, the Senate
the amendment tree.’’ At various
ate proceed to the consideration of S. proceeded to consider the resolution.
points over the last several decades,
Res. 27, submitted earlier today. Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous con-
Senators have been prevented from ac- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
tively participating in the legislative sent that the resolution be agreed to
clerk will report the resolution by
process because the ability of Senators and that the motion to reconsider be
title.
to offer and receive votes on amend- considered made and laid upon the
The senior assistant legislative clerk
ments has been severely restricted. I table with no intervening action or de-
read as follows:
appreciate and understand those con- bate.
A resolution (S. Res. 27) relative to Senate
cerns, and I want to assure Senators procedure in the 117th Congress. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
that it is my intention to have active objection, it is so ordered.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
and dynamic debates on the many The resolution (S. Res. 29) was agreed
objection to proceeding to the meas-
issues and crises facing our Nation to.
ure?
today. The 117th Congress will not There being no objection, the Senate (The resolution is printed in today’s
shirk from the important issues; rath- proceeded to consider the resolution. RECORD under ‘‘Submitted Resolu-
er, we will discuss and debate legisla- Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous con- tions.’’)
tive solutions to them. I am a strong sent that the resolution be agreed to f
supporter of the right of Senators to
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
and that the motion to reconsider be
offer amendments and commit to in- AMENDING S. RES. 458 OF THE
considered made and laid upon the
crease dramatically the number of NINETY-EIGHTH CONGRESS
table with no intervening action or de-
Member-initiated amendments offered bate. Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
in the 117th Congress. I am also op- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ask unanimous consent that the Sen-
posed to limiting amendments by ‘‘fill- objection, it is so ordered. ate proceed to the immediate consider-
ing the tree’’ unless dilatory measures The resolution (S. Res. 27) was agreed ation of S. Res. 30, which was sub-
prevent the Senate from taking action to. mitted earlier today.
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