American Rescue Plan and January 6 Commission — Congressional Record, Senate, February 24, 2021
Summary
Page S837 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for February 24, 2021, in interleaved columns, with remarks on the American Rescue Plan and a January 6 commission. One speaker calls the relief bill partisan and poorly targeted and says a proposed commission would let a partisan panel decide which incidents are relevant, which is that speaker's view. Another speaker notes health officials' warning that a variant could become the dominant strain by the end of March and that tests suggest the two major vaccines in use work against it. A further passage discusses allowing employers to make tax-free payments on employees' student loans, and a last speaker calls the crisis a national challenge.
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“American Rescue Plan and January 6 Commission — Congressional Record, Senate, February 24, 2021.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-02-24-crec-2021-02-24-pt1-pgs837-2-857333f458/
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February 24, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S837
of this are poorly targeted. Liberal vestigation into the specific security They said, by the end of March, which
economists and the Washington Post’s failures that occurred here at the Cap- is not that far away—4 weeks plus—it
editorial board are saying Americans itol. It sets the stage for a somewhat will be the dominant strain of
deserve more bang for their buck—a broader inquiry into ‘‘domestic violent coronavirus in the United States. I was
predictably chilly reception for a par- extremism’’ beyond just that day, but taken aback by that to think that a
tisan bill that started with an out- the partisan panel would get to decide variant could become that dominant
dated, ideological wish list instead of which other incidents are and are not that quickly, but it was fair warning
the current needs of American fami- ‘‘relevant.’’ that it was about to occur. Then they
lies. Rioting and political violence are ab- talked about the South African vari-
PROTESTS horrent and unacceptable no matter ant, which is just starting to appear.
Now, Mr. President, on a completely what cause the mob is advancing. The good news is they have done
different matter, I have been out- These are not forms of political speech. enough testing to believe that both of
spoken and clear about the crimes that For almost a year now, we have seen the major vaccines we are now using
were committed here on January 6. In political violence and riots become an across America, which are Moderna
my discussions with Judge Garland, increasingly normalized phenomenon and Pfizer—I have Pfizer, and my wife
the President’s nominee to be Attorney across our national life. None of us has Moderna—are effective against the
General, I specifically raised the need should accept that. UK, United Kingdom, variant. The jury
to continue investigating and pros- January 6 was uniquely grave be- is still out when it comes to the South
ecuting anyone who broke the law that cause the intent was to interrupt the African variant. There is a third vari-
day. I am glad he has repeatedly em- constitutional duty of Congress, but if ant, and I won’t venture into trying to
phasized this would remain a priority. this new commission is to go beyond a remember exactly what that was
Everyone agrees that day’s events targeted, after-action analysis of the about, but I remember it had some ori-
must occasion a serious and thorough security failures here at the Capitol gin in South America.
review of the specific institutions and complex and if Congress is going to at- I heard that news, and I thought to
security procedures within Congress tempt some broader analysis of toxic myself, this is an ongoing battle. We
that proved so insufficient. That proc- political violence across the country, haven’t run up any kind of score
ess is already underway as we saw with then, in that case, we cannot have an against this coronavirus. We can’t sit
the joint hearing conducted yesterday artificial cherry-picking of which ter- back and relax. We are in a very busy
by two Senate committees. rible behavior does and which terrible third quarter in trying to vaccinate
The Speaker of the House proposes behavior does not deserve scrutiny. We America and in watching for each and
even more investigation through a new could do something narrow that looks every new threat.
commission. She cites the precedent of at the Capitol or we could potentially So, in that circumstance, if you were
the 9/11 Commission, but her draft bill do something broader to analyze the the President of the United States,
fails to track with that precedent in full scope of the political violence here what would you do?
key ways. in our country. We cannot land at some
Well, Joe Biden, President Joe Biden,
The 9/11 Commission was inten- artificial, politicized halfway point.
Don’t take it from me. Take it from decided that we needed to be aggres-
tionally built to be bipartisan. The 50–
the Democratic and Republican leaders sive, that we needed to face reality, not
50 bipartisan split of the commis-
of the 9/11 Commission. An inquiry only with regard to the half a million
sioners was a key feature. It both
with a hard-wired partisan slant would Americans who have died but that we
helped the effectiveness of the inves-
never be legitimate in the eyes of the need to put together the tools to fight
tigation itself and helped give the
American people. An undertaking that this coronavirus as we know it and as
whole country confidence in its work
is uneven or unjust would not help our it is likely to evolve. He needs an army
and its recommendations. This time,
country. to do that. It is that big a war. He
however, Speaker PELOSI started by
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- came to us with a proposal to start
proposing a commission that would be
pore. The assistant majority leader. that effort, in a substantial way, under
partisan by design—seven appoint-
CORONAVIRUS
his leadership. He calls it the American
ments for Democrats, just four for Re-
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, last Rescue Plan. I hear my colleagues
publicans. The 9/11 Commission also
week, I was home, as most Members of come to the floor and really raise the
built consensus by requiring bipartisan
the Senate were, but I was asked to question as to whether this is needed,
support for subpoenas. The Speaker’s
participate in a Zoom call with two and I just heard the speech of the mi-
bill would vest subpoena power in one
people I highly respect, Dr. Anthony nority leader, Senator MCCONNELL.
appointee chosen by the Democrats.
Both the Democratic and Republican Fauci and Dr. Collins, with the Na- What President Biden wants to do to
leaders of the 9/11 Commission are tional Institutes of Health. While sit- deal with this pandemic, as we know it
speaking out against this bizarrely par- ting at my dining room table in and as it is likely to evolve, is to pro-
tisan concept. Let me say that again. Springfield, IL, there were about a vide $20 billion more for our vaccina-
The leaders of the 9/11 Commission— dozen Senators who had access to tion program. Does anyone doubt the
one Republican, one Democrat—are Zoom to be a part of that conversation. need for that? I don’t. I think it is the
speaking out against the way this pro- I felt like I was privileged to really key to getting America back to busi-
posal is crafted by the Speaker. hear some information which most ness.
Lee Hamilton, the Democratic Vice Americans wanted to hear, and I knew He provides $50 billion for testing, lab
Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, says: it had to be important for them to ask capacity improvements, and genomic
That does not sound to me like a good for a briefing in the middle of the sequencing of this virus mutation.
start; it sounds like a partisan beginning. week. Again, I am not an expert in science,
That was the Democratic Vice Chair- What they were talking about during but it seems perfectly reasonable to
man of the 9/11 Commission. the course of that hour were variants, me, after listening to Drs. Fauci and
Tom Kean, the Republican Chairman, what is happening to this coronavirus Collins, to make that investment right
pointed out what should be obvious: as it replicates over and over and over now.
Unless you have equal representation . . . again millions of times. What they told President Biden wants to invest in
the report won’t have as much confidence us—and I am a liberal arts lawyer, so I 100,000 community health workers to
from the American people. don’t profess any sort of medical exper- help with the vaccinations and contact
Any undertaking along these lines tise here—was that there were domi- tracing—100,000. It seems like a lot, but
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
needs to be fair and needs to be even- nant variants that were starting to in a nation of 350 million, I am not sure
handed. That really shouldn’t be con- emerge, and they told us the shorthand it is that overwhelming a number. He
troversial, and it goes beyond just a description that they used in the lab- wants to fund the community health
makeup of the panel. oratories. centers so that they will be able to
For example, the Speaker’s proposal I just remember that the first one tackle this issue and particularly ad-
imagines something more than an in- was the UK, United Kingdom, variant. dress the issue of health disparities;
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S838 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 24, 2021
use the Defense Production Act to pro- goodness, when we needed it because the table. They spend the money. That
vide $10 billion for America’s manufac- the Nation needed it, and we did it to- is what unemployment is all about.
turer of the key equipment we need to gether—96 in March, 92 Senators in De- So to have the other side question
fight this pandemic and the next one, cember. We stood behind that plan President Biden’s proposal to give un-
God forbid, whenever it may be; and to even though it had the blessing of a employment benefits beyond March 14
expand healthcare coverage for Ameri- President of a different party at a con- really says that they are turning their
cans in this time of pandemic by sub- troversial moment in history. We stood backs on millions of Americans who
sidizing COBRA coverage. What does it behind it because the American people have no place else to go.
mean? If you had health insurance with needed it. Oh, there is a fear on the other side
your job and you lost your job and you Now comes President Joe Biden, 5 or that we just may be paying people too
lost your health insurance, we allow 6 weeks into his Presidency, and says: much. You know, if you give them a
people to buy that health insurance Let me take my leadership opportunity little too much money on unemploy-
that the employer offered, but they and responsibility seriously, and let me ment, they just might sit home and
have to pay for the whole ride, both the come with a $1.9 trillion American Res- binge on Netflix and chocolate-covered
employer’s and employee’s sides of it, cue Plan. Where is the bipartisanship cherries. Well, I suppose that is always
and it turns out to be prohibitive. It that we saw last year? going to happen no matter how you
doesn’t work unless we give a subsidy I do want to dispute the conclusion of write the laws, but I think a lot more
for that coverage to be extended into Senator MCCONNELL when it comes to of American workers. I believe they
your unemployment situation. the state of the economy. I did take a want to get back to work anywhere
And then $4 billion, which sounds few economics courses. I don’t profess near the salaries that they left behind.
small when we are talking trillions, to be an expert. Let’s listen to someone I think they are desperately looking
but $4 billion for community health— who is: Federal Reserve Chairman Je- for those opportunities, and we ought
pardon me—behavioral health and ad- rome Powell, testifying on Capitol Hill. to help them in the meantime keep
diction services and counseling serv- What did he have to say? Well, he told their families together.
ices. us that we are in a situation that is far Emergency paid leave is still an abso-
I learned the hard way over that from over. We have an economy that is lute necessity in light of this
break as well that we are ignoring the still challenging. coronavirus and the way it deals with
opiate crisis in America, but it is not Here are some things that were left us.
ignoring us. It is dramatically increas- I want to also make a plea here for
out of the rosy analysis by the Senator
the minimum wage, and I know there
ing, primarily because we are not de- from Kentucky:
‘‘There are still 10 million more un- is some controversy associated with it.
voting the resources to it. And the
Mr. President, glad to have you. You
mental health situation of many Amer- employed people than before the pan-
are new to the Senate.
icans is aggravated by isolation and so- demic began.’’ Ten million unemployed Back at that desk there, a fellow
cial distancing, and addiction is even American workers. ‘‘While many parts named Ted Kennedy used to stand. I
worse. of the economy have recovered,’’ Chair- used to love to come to the floor when
So I have just described for you the man Powell said, ‘‘the unemployment Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts
health side of President Biden’s Amer- rate for the lowest-paid quarter of the would give his speeches. When he got
ican Rescue Plan. I would like to hear labor force is probably above 20 per- into it, he was amazing. His booming
any of my colleagues on the other side cent.’’ Above 20 percent. ‘‘There’s a voice could be heard all over the Sen-
of the aisle argue with me—I am ready long way to go,’’ Chairman Powell said. ate Chamber, and I never heard him
to take them on—that that is not need- Economic activity rebounded in the more energized than when he argued
ed. Of course it is needed. It is needed summer after much of the economy re- for increasing the minimum wage.
now, and it needs to be an investment opened from spring shutdowns. But Oftentimes he was a lonely voice—
we make because if we don’t break the that momentum ‘‘slowed substan- there were no proposals before us and
back of this pandemic, we are not tially,’’ in the words of Chairman Pow- none likely to appear—but he never
going to get this economy reopen ell, with sectors that rely on person-to- failed to come to this floor and remind
again, we are not going to get our kids person contact, like hospitality and en- us on a regular basis of how we had
back in school, we are not going to get tertainment, enduring the worst blows. failed year after year after year to in-
to see our grandkids the way we want ‘‘That burden has also largely fallen on crease the minimum wage.
to, our children or grandkids, and we low-wage workers, Black and Hispanic He would tell the story of people in
are not going to see America return to Americans, and other minority America getting up and going to work
what we all desperately want it to re- groups,’’ Powell said. every single day, sometimes two jobs a
turn to. I don’t believe we are out of the day, to try to keep their families to-
The reason I raise that this morning woods yet. I believe we have got a long gether and still qualifying for food
is when I heard the Senator from Ken- way to go. The American people be- stamps and assistance from our govern-
tucky raising skeptical observations lieve that too. ment. He would ask us when we were
about this plan, I thought back. It was President Biden believes it, and when going to give them the dignity of pass-
a year ago on the floor of the Senate— he starts talking about getting us back ing an increase in the minimum wage.
nothing short of a political miracle— on our feet, he is suggesting extending I can still hear him thundering
that the first CARES Act, under Presi- unemployment insurance programs across the Chamber. I wouldn’t want to
dent Donald Trump, the first CARES that expire in just 2 weeks. On March be in the place of arguing a different
Act passed this Senate with an over- 14, unemployment programs will start position than the one he held because
whelming vote of 96 to nothing. That to expire, and he wants us to move he took it over. I don’t have that skill;
doesn’t happen much around here, even quickly to make sure that doesn’t hap- I wish I did. I am glad to have seen him
for resolutions on motherhood. But 96 pen. use that skill so effectively to help
to nothing—bipartisan support for the I support that effort for two reasons. people who were just doing their best
relief bill proposed by President Trump First, it is humane. We are talking to get by and struggling.
and the Congress in March of last year. about fellow Americans out of work How many times do all of us give
It was a good feeling, and we knew we through no choice of their own. Sec- speeches about inequality in America
had to do it. We were in it together, ondly, putting money into unemploy- and why we have to do better for the
and we knew we had a challenge. ment benefits for unemployed workers working people? We do it all the time,
Then came last December, just a few is the single best investment when it and everybody knows it is a fact.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
weeks back, and again under the comes to revitalizing the economy. Wages in America, salaries have not
Trump administration a proposal for a They do not turn to the Wall Street kept up. People at the top have done
$900 billion relief bill for COVID–19. It Journal when they receive those quite well, thank you, but those at the
passed the Senate with 92 votes, 92 out checks; they turn to the mailbox and bottom have struggled to get by.
of 100 Senators. It just showed the bi- try to figure out how they are going to Try to make it on $7.25 an hour. I was
partisanship that we mustered, thank pay the rent and pay for the food on trying to do a calculation earlier on
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February 24, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S839
just what that is. Is that $15,000 a year? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- ernment draws on an unlimited pot of
Is that $1,200 a month? Is that $300 a publican whip. money, but, of course, we know that is
week? Could you make it on $300 a STUDENT LOAN DEBT not true. Government funds aren’t any-
week? I am talking about everything, Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, earlier where close to being unlimited, and
now. I am talking about rent and mort- this month, 16 Democratic Senators in- Government coffers are not filled from
gage and car payment, food, utilities— troduced a resolution calling for Presi- a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
the basics. I couldn’t. I don’t know how dent Biden to forgive $50,000 of Federal They are filled by taxpayer dollars,
anyone can, and most can’t. They fall student loan debt per borrower—$50,000. and, sooner or later, it will be tax-
deeply into debt and into despair. There is no question that student payers who foot the bill for any loan
So when President Biden talks about loan debt is a problem for many Ameri- forgiveness program, including the
us reopening the conversation about cans. College costs have risen to unre- many taxpayers who opted not to at-
our Federal minimum wage, it is long alistically high levels, and many stu- tend college or chose a debt-free way of
overdue—long overdue—and it is an dents or their parents take out unreal- doing so. There are a lot of Americans
easier issue for me than some because istic amounts of debt in response. But out there who saved up to get a degree
our Governor, J. B. Pritzker, when he the answer to this problem is not to or went part-time to avoid incurring
took over the State of Illinois, set us have the President or Congress simply debt. Are they really supposed to foot
on course to reach $15 an hour as a step in and forgive a large chunk of the bill for other Americans’ student
State over the same period of time that student loan debt. loans?
Joe Biden has suggested, by 2025. To start with, Democrats’ plan is in- While you might think that Demo-
I just want to say that those people credibly, fundamentally unfair. Right crats’ plan is largely targeted to low-
who are really struggling with the no- now, there are individuals around this income or disadvantaged individuals,
tion of increasing the minimum wage country who have just paid off the last
that is not actually the case. Under the
in all fairness really ought to think of their student loans. They have been
Democrats’ plan, an American making
about the people out there who are working hard, making payments, some-
$20,000 and an American making
struggling to get by week to week and times for a couple of years, sometimes
$120,000 would receive the same loan re-
month to month. for a couple of decades, as was the case
with me. What happens to these indi- lief. In fact, since more loan dollars are
There is another proposal that is in
viduals if the President steps in and held by those in higher income brack-
this bill that is currently being de-
forgives $50,000 of student debt? Well, I ets, higher income Americans could
bated, and it is the $1,400 addition to
will tell you what happens—nothing. end up benefiting the most. And that
the cash payment for many families. I
These individuals who have worked brings up another thing that we need
put it in the same category in order to
hard for years to pay off their debt will to remember.
restore equity and opportunity to a lot
see no benefit from the Democrats’ Yes, a number of Americans carry a
of people who otherwise wouldn’t have
blanket loan forgiveness. Meanwhile, significant amount of student loan
it. This is the second installment. The
other Americans who have made no debt, but some of those Americans
first was $600 in the bill we passed last
more than a month or two of payments have incurred that debt for a career
December. This $1,400 payment will
will see their student loans entirely that will bring significant financial re-
help many families.
I want to add one element that was disappear. That is incredibly unfair. In wards.
Plus, a substantial portion of student
debated a few weeks ago. Senator TODD addition to being unfair, forgiving stu-
loan debt is not for undergraduate de-
YOUNG of Indiana, whom I respect and dent loan debt does absolutely nothing
is a friend, had offered an amendment grees but for graduate and professional
to address the problems that created
at what was known as a vote-arama as degrees. Under the Democrats’ student
this debt crisis in the first place. In
to who would receive this $600 pay- loan forgiveness proposal, taxpayers
fact, the Democrats’ solution is likely
ment. I think the payment amount has could be subsidizing not just bachelor’s
to make things worse.
been increased in the latest Biden pro- What possible incentive will students degrees but master’s degrees and Ph.D.
posal. have to take the responsible approach degrees, as well as law and medical de-
But the point I tried to make and I to borrowing if they think the Federal grees.
think he and I agree on, although I Government will step in and solve their Instead of putting taxpayers on the
won’t speak for him, is that if a child debt problem? What incentive will col- hook for billions, we should be focused
legally in America, a citizen of this leges have to restrain tuition growth if on exploring ways to drive down edu-
country, with a Social Security num- they think they can rely on the Fed- cation costs and educate students on
ber, lives in a household with parents eral Government to subsidize their stu- the dangers of taking on excessive
who are undocumented—they may be dents’ tuition fees through loan for- debt.
working and paying taxes with some- giveness? We should also be highlighting af-
thing called an ITIN—but that child Forgiving $50,000 in student loans fordable education options like our Na-
should not be discriminated against or would also set a terrible precedent on tion’s community and technical col-
at a disadvantage because of the par- the sanctity of contracts. While it may leges. These colleges, like the out-
ents’ immigration status. If the chil- at times be ill-advised, students freely standing institutions we have in South
dren qualify, the children should be re- enter into the agreements they make Dakota, provide students with associ-
ceiving those payments. I believe the when they take out a loan. Should we ate’s degrees, certificates, apprentice-
House reconciliation bill does that, and really be teaching that agreements and ships, opportunities to learn a trade,
I hope that any measure that we con- contracts mean nothing, that people and more.
sider will do the same. can incur debt and then not have to There are also things we could do to
So let me close. I see the Senator on pay it off? And about that ‘‘not paying help students pay off loans without
the floor asking for an opportunity to it off,’’ the phrase ‘‘student loan for- putting taxpayers on the hook for such
speak. giveness’’ carries with it a suggestion massive amounts of money. In Decem-
Yes, I support the American Rescue that these debts will just disappear, ber, Congress passed a 5-year legisla-
Plan. Is it possible that I would have that $50,000 can be wiped off each tion that I introduced with Senator
written it differently? Yes. Are there American’s slate and vanish into the WARNER to allow employers to help em-
provisions I would change? Yes. But I ether. ployees repay their loans. Our Em-
want to tell you, when we passed the But, of course, we know that is not ployer Participation and Repayment
CARES Act measure last December, the case either. This is money students Act amends the Educational Assistance
that was true as well. have borrowed from the Federal Gov- Program to permit employers to make
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
We are in a time of a national chal- ernment, and if the Government tax-free payments on their employees’
lenge and a national crisis. We have a doesn’t get that money back, the Gov- student loans.
President who is facing it squarely, ernment will be facing an unexpected Previously, employers could make
taking it on, accepting responsibility, debt. tax-free contributions to their employ-
and asking for our help. Can we do any- Now, some people, especially some ees’ tuition if their employees were
thing less? Democrats, tend to talk as if the Gov- currently taking classes, but they
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