Congressional Record, Senate — February 23, 2021, S802
Summary
This is S802 of the Congressional Record, Senate, February 23, 2021, with interleaved columns. The page opens mid-speech, in remarks that thank Texans and staff after a storm and urge the President to withdraw Neera Tanden's nomination for the Office of Management and Budget, while supporting Judge Garland as Attorney General. Under the heading Coronavirus, Mr. Durbin speaks about suicides and opioid overdoses during the pandemic, saying that 437 neighbors in Cook County took their lives, and urges passage of the American Rescue Plan, which he says costs $1.9 trillion. A later speaker from Wyoming raises amendments on energy production and the Keystone project, with the views attributed to the speakers.
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“Congressional Record, Senate — February 23, 2021, S802.”
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S802 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 23, 2021
from a Texas county commissioner But I have to say that I am under no ments, I think this nominee faces long
after one particularly terrible accident illusion that he is going to be able to odds, to say the least. My friendly ad-
in West Texas. He said: ‘‘Being a Texan stop the policies of this administra- vice to President Biden is to withdraw
doesn’t describe where you’re from; it tion, some of which I am not going to Neera Tanden’s nomination and select
describes who your family is.’’ agree with, some of which I will fight someone who, at the very least, has not
Well, I am grateful to those countless and try to oppose. promoted wild conspiracy theories and
Texans who supported our commu- I am encouraged by Judge Garland’s openly bashed people on both sides of
nities across our State during this cri- pledge to keep politics out of the Jus- the aisle that she happens to disagree
sis. First responders and 9/11 dis- tice Department, which is a significant with.
patchers have gone above and beyond improvement over the past. I know our If President Biden is truly interested
the call of duty. Healthcare workers, Democratic colleagues like to act like in unifying our country, I would expect
fighting a pandemic already, have now all of the concerns that we had about him to select an OMB nominee with
had to deal with power outages, staff- the Justice Department were just dur- mainstream views and a proven ability
ing shortages, and water disruptions ing the Trump administration, and so I to work respectfully with those who
because of the storm. Utility workers did have to remind them that the have different views from his or hers.
and energy providers have worked, of Obama administration Justice Depart- I yield the floor.
course, around the clock in dangerous ment had a few problems of their own. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
conditions to restore power and safe Nevertheless, Judge Garland, while The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
drinking water to Texans. And millions we don’t agree on everything—and it is clerk will call the roll.
of unsung heroes have helped their fel- true of other nominees of the President The bill clerk proceeded to call the
low Texans get through these dark that I have supported—I don’t think roll.
days: checking on an elderly neighbor, that is the standard by which I should Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask
helping drivers whose vehicles were unanimous consent that the order for
provide my consent as a Senator. But I
stuck in the snow, welcoming people the quorum call be rescinded.
do believe he has the right experience
into their homes, donating supplies to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
and character to serve.
those in need, and so much more. objection, it is so ordered.
Unfortunately I can’t offer that sort
I would like to offer a special thank-
you to members of my staff in Texas of full-throated, enthusiastic support CORONAVIRUS
who continued working throughout for the President’s nominee to lead the Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, ‘‘More
this crisis while battling power and Office of Management and Budget. The deaths in 2020 than in any year in over
water outages themselves. Because of announcement of Neera Tanden’s nomi- a decade.’’ That is what the Chicago
their diligence, my office has con- nation managed to do something in- Sun-Times headline read last week.
nected Texans in need with local re- creasingly rare these days, and that is But this wasn’t a story about the
sources to provide shelter, food, and to put conservatives and progressives coronavirus. It was an article about
water. We have stayed in contact with on the same side of the argument. suicide. There were more suicides by
State and local emergency officials Ms. Tanden has repeatedly made Black residents of Cook County, IL, in
about the ongoing crisis, and we have combative, insulting, and flat-out false 2020 than over the past 10 years. All
assisted local critical care facilities in statements against both Democrats told, 437 of our neighbors in Cook
need, including a large COVID testing and Republicans. She has referred to County took their lives.
lab in Austin. We helped connect it Republicans as ‘‘evil’’ and ‘‘monsters.’’ At the same time, more than 600
with local resources to receive addi- She has villainized Leader MCCONNELL Cook County residents died from opioid
tional fuel for its generators so mil- and called Senator COTTON a ‘‘fraud’’ overdoses between January and June
lions of dollars of COVID testing mate- and Senator COLLINS ‘‘the worst.’’ She 2020 alone—double the number from a
rials and pathology tests would not go has gone toe-to-toe with Senator BER- year earlier.
to waste. NIE SANDERS, who accused her and her While the human suffering of COVID–
The past year has dealt us a tough progressive organization of ‘‘maligning 19 has captured our attention, as it
hand. I would say that is true for [his] staff and supporters and belittling should, two other deadly epidemics in
America. But I have faith that we will progressive ideas.’’ America still rage on: opioids and the
come through this crisis just as we al- She has even peddled a completely mental health crises.
ways have before—together. I continue false conspiracy theory that Russian Even before the virus took its toll,
to say a prayer for those impacted by hackers changed votes in 2016 to help we had been in the midst of the worst
the storm and assure my constituents, President Trump. In short, Ms. Tanden drug overdose crisis in our Nation’s
my friends and neighbors in Texas, has consistently made comments that history, and we are witnessing sky-
that I will continue to do everything in stand in stark contrast to the Biden rocketing rates of suicide. But COVID–
my power to help our State recover and administration’s top goals of pro- 19 has deepened these epidemics, which
rebuild. moting the facts and unifying our sadly feed on isolation and despair.
NOMINATIONS country. With the convergence of coronavirus
Mr. President, on another matter, Last Friday, the Senator from West emergencies, we are failing those most
the Senate will continue to evaluate Virginia, Senator MANCHIN, announced vulnerable to addiction and mental
President Biden’s nominees for critical he will not support Ms. Tanden’s nomi- health challenges. And like the
positions throughout the Federal Gov- nation because of her inflammatory coronavirus, mental health challenges
ernment. Yesterday and today the Sen- rhetoric that would, he said, have a and addiction can occur with any one
ate Judiciary Committee, on which I ‘‘toxic and detrimental impact’’ on of us in any family, in any neighbor-
am privileged to serve, heard from Congress’s relationship with the Office hood.
Judge Merrick Garland and others who of Management and Budget. Yesterday, Earlier this month, the New York
have testified in connection with his Senator COLLINS, who is known for Times profiled three American mothers
nomination. Of course, Judge Garland working across party lines, said she on the brink of chaos and crisis. The
has been nominated to serve as the won’t support this toxic nomination. story chronicled the relentless stress
next Attorney General. I agree with our friends from West and burdens of working mothers over
I have said before publicly that Judge Virginia and Maine, and I think these 11 months of this panic—struggling to
Garland is highly qualified for the job. announcements create a nearly impos- balance remote learning duties for
He is a widely respected judge with the sible path to confirmation for this their kids, keeping their families safe
right experience and credentials and nominee. In order to be confirmed, she and healthy, keeping food on the table,
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
the right temperament to lead the De- would need the support of at least one paying the bills, and knowing that
partment and manage its many critical Republican Senator—and more, if there every morning they have to get up and
missions. I was struck by Judge Gar- are additional Democrats who share do it all over again that day and the
land’s humility and his humanity. I be- the views of Senator MANCHIN. next day, with no end in sight.
lieve he is a good man and a good per- Based on her well-documented his- One of the mothers described the
son for this job. tory of divisive and misleading com- struggle this way. She said:
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February 23, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S803
We are holding together with the same experienced its largest 1-month spike ized it as an emergency response, a spe-
tape that we have been using since March. in overdose deaths. cial response, a temporary fix to go
The tape is barely working, but we are still A new survey conducted by the CDC into the system and pay for unemploy-
here.
also found that one in four young ment benefits and many other things—
She speaks for millions of mothers. adults had considered suicide in the $900 billion, a substantial sum of
Experts and advocates warn that past month—one in four. This should money. And it passed here with 92 af-
COVID–19 has created a perfect storm set off alarm bells in every direction. firmative votes: 96 on the first, 92 on
for a surge in mental health and addic- There is no vaccine against despair the second. Still, amazing rollcalls in a
tion. Isolation, fear, grief, financial and addiction, but there are programs politically divided Chamber like the
hardship all come together and can feel and treatments and strategies. We U.S. Senate.
overwhelming. must give communities and healthcare Then came the new President. I
At the same time, the pandemic has providers the support they need now won’t put in all the other chapters that
made it more difficult for many to con- more than ever. occurred that seemed like an endless
nect with lifesaving care and social The American Rescue Plan proposed novel, but it was serious. But this
services. Peer recovery meetings have by President Biden provides those re- President came in—President Biden
moved to Zoom; routine human con- sources. The House is expected to vote came in and faced the reality of what
nections have been lost; and treatment on the President’s plan this week. The we have in America today. Last night,
access restricted. It is trauma on the Senate has to show the same sense of he did it as well. He and the First
brain and body, and it fuels the alarm- commitment and urgency. Lady, as well as Vice President HARRIS
ing spikes in addiction, overdose, and The American Rescue Plan includes and the First Gentleman, stood in si-
suicide. nearly $4 billion in addiction and men- lent prayer for the half million Ameri-
Last week, I spoke with advocates tal health treatments for healthcare cans we have lost. Not ignoring the
from the Illinois Society of Addiction providers. It has $7.6 billion for Com- problem but facing the problem, Presi-
Medicine and a group called Live4Lali, munity Health Centers to address be- dent Biden said: Come together, Amer-
a community organization focusing on havioral health disparities. ica, unite, and let’s, with common pur-
recovery and harm reduction. These It includes a plan that I crafted with pose, address this pandemic and the
community leaders provide lifesaving Senator RUBIO to increase the avail- problems it has created.
care through recovery programs, street ability of healthcare, including behav- It is a much different approach in his
medicine, handing out fentanyl test ioral health treatment, by providing Presidency. To me, it is honest. It is
strips, and distributing the overdose scholarship and loan repayment awards refreshing. It is hopeful. But he has
reversal drug naloxone. to build the pipeline of health profes- turned to this Congress and asked this
The statistics they shared with me sionals who agree to serve in needy Congress to pass the American Rescue
on Chicago-area opioid overdose deaths areas. Plan. It is a measure that costs $1.9
during this pandemic are devastating. Special efforts were made to recruit trillion. It is huge. It has to be. Consid-
In the last year, opioid deaths have more people of color into these healing ering what we face in America, we need
soared: 23 percent in Lake County, 37 professions, which can help tackle dis- nothing less. Maybe we will not need to
percent in DuPage County, and a stag- parities. The President’s Rescue Plan spend every penny. I hope we don’t. But
gering 64 percent in McHenry County. also expands health insurance coverage we better be prepared to pay for it if we
Every morning, we look at the post- through the Affordable Care Act and are—money for more vaccine and dis-
ing on CNN of the deaths in America Medicaid. This money will save lives. tribution of that vaccine; money for
from the coronavirus. Heartbreaking. America has arrived at the heart- cash payments to families who need a
Over a half a million people dead. But breaking milestone: half a million helping hand; money for unemploy-
we are not posting the increase in COVID deaths. As we work to expand ment benefits that are supposed to run
deaths from opioids during the same vaccinations and end COVID–19, we out in just 2 short weeks, on March 14;
periods of time. cannot ignore the lethal epidemics of money for rental assistance for people
Addiction is an equal opportunity addiction and suicide, which are soar- who are facing eviction; money for
killer. But like COVID, the opioid epi- ing in the cold shadows of this pan- schools so that they can prepare the
demic strikes communities of color demic. classrooms for teachers and students to
with a disproportionate ferocity. In Every day we wait, more people, in return safely. The list goes on, and it is
Chicago, Black residents are dying every ZIP code in America, struggle. an important and valuable list and, as
from overdoses at seven times the rate More families grieve. More lives are I mentioned, money for mental health
of White residents. lost. We need to get help to the people treatment and addiction treatment
Let me tell you about one person who who need it now. that is still a very real challenge in
sought help from Live4Lali, a woman Mr. President, you and I are veterans America today.
named Tonya, who recently moved to of Congress. We have been doing this The difference is this. In the CARES
Lake County. When the pandemic hit, for a few years. Some things happen Act, with 96 to 0, and in the December
the recovery meetings for her sub- that give you hope. A year ago, we bill, which we passed with 92 affirma-
stance abuse disorder shifted to Zoom, passed the CARES Act. It was nothing tive votes, those were under the Trump
and the weight of the challenge left short of amazing, but we did it at a mo- administration, and there was a strong
Tonya to struggle. She knew her recov- ment of real fear. We just saw this pan- bipartisan support of that legislation,
ery was in danger. demic starting to rise. We saw busi- as you can tell from the numbers. The
For days, she called for treatment nesses starting to close. We moved rollcalls tell the story.
programs, but no beds were available. quickly, decisively, with the biggest Now comes President Biden, asking
Desperate, she called 9–1-1 emergency spending bill in the history of the for another rescue package for Amer-
care at a hospital. Tonya was evalu- United States, more than $2 trillion for ica, which is still languishing, fighting
ated and sent home. Feeling hopeless the CARES Act. And it passed this this pandemic. We don’t hear the same
and ashamed, she decided to take all of Senate, in this hopelessly politically calls for bipartisanship or at least we
the pills in her mother’s bottle of blood divided America, by a vote of 96 to 0— don’t hear the same responses to the
thinner medication. She was taken un- the CARES Act. calls for bipartisanship. Why? What is
conscious back to the hospital and pro- Well, it took us a while to come back different? The only thing different is
nounced dead. with a reprise or an answer to what we have a different President.
Too many like Tonya are being left happened after it passed. The pandemic When it was a Republican President
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
alone in their darkest hours. And it is raged through America. The economy named Trump, Democrats, like myself
not just in the Chicagoland area. Ac- floundered. Millions were unemployed. and virtually all others, stood by and
cording to the CDC, emergency room And in December, just a few short said: Let’s do it together. We can dis-
visits for suicides and overdoses spiked weeks ago, we passed the second bill, agree on everything under the Sun, but
nationally once the pandemic gripped the December relief bill, $900 billion, a when it comes to this pandemic and
our Nation. By May, the country had sizable investment. And we character- what it is doing to America, we are
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S804 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 23, 2021
going to stand together, both political You know, those projects are a major this proposal to give money to States:
parties. But when President Biden source of jobs in my home State. They New York, Illinois, California—that
makes the same proposal, we don’t fund our schools, our roads, our the States have to give the American
hear the chorus of support from across bridges, our teachers, our students, and people accurate data about the
the aisle that we once did. That is dis- additional services for working fami- coronavirus and specifically in their
heartening to me. lies. nursing homes. People want to know
The problem is real. Sure, there are My amendment would provide fund- the answers about the coronavirus and
ways any legislator could perhaps ing for our public schools—schools that the impact on nursing homes because
write the bill better, but let’s get that have been punished by this ban an- there is a real problem there.
done, and let’s respond, as the Presi- nounced by President Biden. That New York now admits that it gave
dent has called, with the resources amendment on this floor received 98 the public false information. The num-
America needs to get back on its feet. votes out of 100. It got the support of bers were not just wrong; they were
That is where we are today. every single Democrat in the U.S. Sen- nearly off by half. The Governor’s top
The House is going to pass their ate, so I am grateful for my colleagues aide in New York said they were afraid
measure this week. And in the next for that support of the amendment to of being investigated by Bill Barr’s
couple of weeks, the Senate will get its protect our students and our schools Justice Department. They were afraid
chance. It is time for us to stand up and our teachers. Yet I have to say that President Trump would make it a
and do something. The American peo- that by voting for my amendment, the ‘‘political football.’’
ple didn’t send us here to squabble or 98 people in this body—specifically the Don’t the people of New York have a
to find reasons for differences but rath- Democrats—are admitting that there is right to know the truth about what is
er to come together in a bipartisan way a problem created by the actions of happening in the nursing homes in that
and solve the problems facing this President Biden. They are admitting State when people are losing parents
country. that President Biden’s Executive order, and grandparents and when people with
The President believes, and I share signed on the day he was inaugurated, the coronavirus are being moved from
that belief, that a united America with is hurting families all across the coun- the hospital back into those nursing
the resources can conquer this chal- try. homes to spread the disease to others?
lenge as it has so many in the past. We So, to my Democratic colleagues, The Governor of New York wanted to
can do that, but we need to do it by keep working with us to address the cover it up. People would agree it
coming together. needs of the Nation. Stand up to these sounds like a coverup, so Senator
I yield the floor. overreaching, radical proposals by the SCOTT and I came to the floor and said
I suggest the absence of a quorum. Biden administration. On issue after that it was unacceptable, that States
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The issue, that really has not yet happened. have to tell the truth. Every Repub-
clerk will call the roll. Many of my Republican colleagues, lican voted yes. Every single Democrat
The bill clerk proceeded to call the on this side of the aisle, offered good voted no. Every Senate Democrat
roll. ideas that the Democrats refused to voted to protect Governor Cuomo in-
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask support. Senator BLUNT introduced an stead of telling the truth to the Amer-
unanimous consent that the order for amendment to reopen America’s ican people.
the quorum call be rescinded. schools. Now, that is an idea that During the budget debate, there were
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without science has supported for months. some good ideas that some Democrats
objection, it is so ordered. Every Republican voted yes. Every supported. Yet, even then, in the wee
BUDGET Democrat voted no. I have yet to hear hours of the morning, a number of the
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I one of my Democratic colleagues make Democrats who had voted for those
come to the floor to talk about the $1.9 the case for keeping the schools closed; amendments flip-flopped on a later
trillion spending bill that is under con- yet that is how they voted when it vote to head the other way. What they
sideration before this Congress. came to the budget. Just like President did is they had another amendment to
As President Biden has said repeat- Biden, they are trying to have it both strip out the amendments that had
edly, if you want to know someone’s ways. They say they want the schools been put on.
values, look at one’s budget. Well, that open; yet they don’t do what needs to For example, Senator YOUNG of Indi-
is what we are doing, because I believe be done. ana had an amendment so that money
that President Biden is right. If the President Biden has claimed time in the bill would go to American citi-
American people want to know the and again he wants the schools open; zens, not to illegal immigrants. Eight
Democrats’ values, all we need to do is yet his Chief of Staff says there is no Democrats voted in agreement with
look at the budget. The Democrats are money to reopen them. Well, that is that. They said you shouldn’t be send-
making clear what they stand for. It absolutely wrong. Last year, President ing checks to illegal immigrants. A few
seems that they are standing for teach- Trump signed into law $68 billion for hours later, they voted to strip it out.
ers unions and job-crushing mandates our schools, specifically tied to So every Democrat in the Senate is
on American businesses. The Repub- coronavirus relief. Only $5 billion of now on the record. Every Democrat in
licans stand for ending the pandemic, that money has been spent. That leaves the Senate has voted in favor of taking
for getting people back to work, and $63 billion still available. In the Demo- people’s hard-earned taxpayer dollars
for getting kids back to school. The crats’ budget being proposed right now, and giving it to people who are in the
differences could not be more clear. almost all of the money for schools is country illegally.
The Senate has debated the Demo- not even for this year. Ninety-five per- Senator DAINES brought up an
cratic budget—we did it a couple of cent of the money is for the years 2022 amendment on a different topic. He
weeks ago—and we voted on many through 2028—after the coronavirus said we should proceed with the Key-
amendments. Every Senator had a will be behind us. stone Pipeline. Remember, President
chance to propose and make some The Democrats are still putting the Biden, with an Executive order on the
changes to the budget that was brought teachers unions ahead of students. Joe day he was inaugurated, stopped work
forth. Every single Senator went on Biden has surrendered to the teachers on the Keystone Pipeline, resulting in
record on a number of amendments and unions. They have written to him a the loss of hundreds and hundreds and
items related to the budget for the ransom note, and he has been happy to likely thousands of jobs. Several
United States of America. Now we pay it. Teachers are putting politics Democrats voted and said we should re-
know where we stand. ahead of science, and so is this admin- open the pipeline. Let it go. Let it
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
I introduced an amendment that had istration. work. A few hours later, in the wee
to do with energy production in my I joined with Senator SCOTT of South hours of the morning, they reversed
home State of Wyoming. Wyoming Carolina to introduce another amend- themselves and voted to strip it out.
feels like we are being targeted by ment to the budget bill of the Demo- Senator BRAUN of Indiana introduced
President Biden because of his ban on crats. It said that if we give money to an amendment to prevent President
oil and gas exploration on public lands. States—and there is a lot of money in Biden from banning fracking. Now, this
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