Congressional Record — Senate, February 22, 2021, Page S757
Summary
Page S757 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for February 22, 2021, with a cloture motion on the nomination of Granholm to be Secretary of Energy, Executive Calendar No. 9, signed by Senators led by Mr. Schumer. One speaker says more than 63 million vaccine doses have been administered, with 1.8 million Americans receiving a shot each day and COVID-related deaths at about half their January high, which is that speaker's view. The speaker also criticizes a Democratic school relief fund because just 5 percent would be spent in fiscal year 2021. Another passage recalls a late leader's essay printed on the day of his funeral.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, February 22, 2021, Page S757.”
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February 22, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S757
CLOTURE MOTION So far, more than 63 million vaccine emergency relief for schools would go
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- doses have been administered, and an- out in fiscal 2022 and beyond.
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the other 1.8 million Americans are now re- Take the economy, experts across the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby ceiving a shot every day. At the same spectrum say that incomes, savings,
move to bring to a close the debate on the time, the rolling average of COVID-re- job opportunities, and industry out-
nomination of Executive Calendar No. 9, Jen- looks are already rebounding. Further
nifer Mulhern Granholm, of Michigan, to be
lated deaths has fallen to barely half
its January high, and mounting evi- aid needs to be smartly targeted so
Secretary of Energy.
Charles E. Schumer, Cory A. Booker, Jon dence suggests our economy is government doesn’t get in the way.
Ossoff, Richard Blumenthal, Richard J. chomping at the bit to rebuild the But Democrats want to double down
Durbin, Alex Padilla, Christopher A. prosperity we lost last year. on bandaid policies like they are plan-
Coons, Margaret Wood Hassan, Sheldon We reached this threshold because, in ning for another year of stagnation, in-
Whitehouse, Robert Menendez, Kirsten part, of the historic bipartisan work stead of trying to set up success.
E. Gillibrand, Tim Kaine, Tammy Bald- Congress built just last year—from the Almost every part of their draft
win, Ron Wyden, Mazie K. Hirono, reads like Democrats took the things
job-saving Paycheck Protection Pro-
Tammy Duckworth. they ideologically wanted to spend
gram to Operation Warp Speed and its
f historically successful sprint toward money on and worked backward, in-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR—Continued vaccines, to cushioning the blow for stead of starting with the actual state
unemployed Americans, and so much of the country, the actual needs of
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I American families, and working toward
now ask unanimous consent that the more.
We spent roughly $4 trillion last that—not terribly surprising. Remem-
Senate resume consideration of the ber, one senior House Democrat told
Thomas-Greenfield nomination as pro- year—the largest peacetime fiscal ex-
pansion in American history by far. everybody last spring the pandemic
vided under the previous order. would be ‘‘a tremendous opportunity to
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- And the five bills that passed the Sen-
ate passed 96 to 1, 90 to 8, 96 to 0, by restructure things to fit our vision.’’
pore. Is there objection? So I guess that is why they have gone
Without objection, it is so ordered. voice vote, and 92 to 6.
That got us to the crossroads, with a heavy on non-COVID-related, liberal
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
truly terrible 12 months behind us but wish list items, like the job-killing
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. minimum wage policy, the environ-
in a better position to move forward
DUCKWORTH). The Republican leader is mental justice grants, the wheel-
than many experts had predicted. Now
recognized. barrows of cash for State and local gov-
the policies that Washington puts for-
KENTUCKY
ward will help determine what kind of ernments, multiple times any serious
Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, year 2021 will be for American families. estimate of remaining need, the at-
families across Kentucky are recov- So are we destined to spend a second tempts to expand taxpayer funding for
ering from a week of punishing winter year in a national defensive crouch? abortions.
weather. As many as 154,000 Kentuck- They go heavy on all of that but light
Are we going to surrender another
ians lost heat and power, particularly on practical solutions to get kids back
school year to the pandemic, another
across the eastern parts of the Com- in school, workers safely back on the
year of elevated unemployment, an-
monwealth. Treacherous road condi- job, and help the American people re-
other year of diminished social and
tions and fallen power lines made it a claim their lives from this microscopic
community life or—or are we going to
challenge to get help to those in need. foreign invader.
plant a flag and say this is the year The American people do not deserve
Over the weekend, we learned that that America comes roaring back? Are
multiple lives were tragically lost in policies that presume 2021 will be just
we going to make this the year we re- like 2020. Our Nation needs this year to
the aftermath of these storms, but as claim our lives and retake our country
they always do, Kentuckians sprang be different.
in a way that is safe and smart but de- If the administration were interested
into action. termined?
Electric co-op linemen, first respond- in policies to make that happen, they
Washington gets a major say on this, would find the same kind of bipartisan
ers, and the Kentucky National Guard but, unfortunately, there seems to be
worked around the clock to clear de- support that every historic COVID–19
some impulse on the Democratic side package has received so far.
bris and to restore power. Crews set up to act as though we are still stuck
warming shelters and performed count- I suggest the absence of a quorum.
back in April of 2020, and we are going The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
less wellness checks. Churches, local to be stuck there for all of 2021. clerk will call the roll.
businesses, and citizens distributed The partisan legislation Democrats The bill clerk proceeded to call the
food, blankets, and other supplies. are preparing to ram through looks roll.
So we are grateful for those who like something you would pass to blunt Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask
joined the response to help their neigh- another year of shutdowns, not to help unanimous consent that the order for
bors and to help them stay safe. guide a smart and proactive recovery. the quorum call be rescinded.
Unfortunately, while temperatures It looks more like another big bandage The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
are climbing above freezing, thousands for a mostly shutdown country rather objection, it is so ordered.
remain without power. My staff and I than a launching pad to help us get The senior Senator from Illinois.
continue to stay in close contact with back on offense. BLACK HISTORY MONTH
local and State officials. Along with Look at schools. All the facts and Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, yes-
the rest of the Kentucky delegation, we hard evidence show that, with simple terday would have been John Lewis’s
are focused and ready to help in the re- safety precautions, K–12 schools can 81st birthday. That a fearless young
covery. and should be reopening safely right man, who was threatened, jailed, beat-
CORONAVIRUS now. Yet the Biden administration is en half to death so many times for the
Now, on an entirely different matter, going out of its way to avoid getting cause of love and justice, actually lived
Madam President, the year just behind kids back in school. They have their to reach the age of 80 seems like a mir-
us will be remembered for the suf- own experts contradicting their own acle.
fering, grief, and sacrifice it forced on recent statements and their own CDC Now, as America celebrates our first
our Nation. backpedaling from the hard science, all Black History Month since his passing,
Today, as our COVID–19 death toll to accommodate Big Labor’s goalpost- we miss him, but we still have the
passes 500,000, millions of Americans moving. moral force of his message. John made
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
are feeling the pain of personal loss, Just look at the proposed money in sure of that. Two days before he died,
but as we mark this terrible milestone, their new partisan bill for K–12 schools. he wrote an essay for the New York
we stand here in early 2021 at what in- They call it an emergency relief fund, Times. He asked the paper to print his
creasingly appears to be a crossroads. but just 5 percent of the money they words on the day of his funeral—of his
Far brighter days ahead appear to be want would be spent in fiscal year 2021. ‘‘homegoing,’’ as he said. It was his
close at hand. Ninety-five percent of this so-called last message to America.
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