Business Before the Senate (Cong. Rec., Feb. 25, 2021)
Summary
This Congressional Record for Thursday, February 25, 2021 (No. 36) covers the Senate, which met at 11 a.m. with a prayer by the Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, who thanks Secretary Julie Adams for her service. The majority leader says Senate Democrats will move forward on the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan as soon as possible, noting over 60 million vaccinations, a country 10 million jobs short of last February, and support from over 150 executives and 400 mayors. Schumer cites polls showing as many as 7 in 10 Americans in favor. Another speaker objects to a pork-barrel earmark for a bridge in New York as unrelated to COVID, then pays tribute to Julie Adams as the outgoing Secretary of the Senate.
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“Business Before the Senate (Cong. Rec., Feb. 25, 2021).”
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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, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021 No. 36
Senate
The Senate met at 11 a.m. and was officials—the U.N. Ambassador and the But what he is telling us is simple: We
called to order by the President pro Secretaries of Agriculture and En- cannot take our foot off the gas. We
tempore (Mr. LEAHY). ergy—and will have set up confirma- cannot slow down before the race is
f tion votes early next week for the Sec- won. We must proceed boldly and deci-
retaries of Education and Commerce sively.
PRAYER and the Chair of the Council of Eco- Senate Democrats will move forward
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- nomic Advisers. on the American Rescue Plan as soon
fered the following prayer: This week, Senate committees also as possible. The bill will erase any
Let us pray. held confirmation hearings on scores of
doubt that the American people, busi-
Righteous God, Your power is unsur- other nominations, including the Presi-
nesses, families, workers will have the
passed. Manifest Your might during dent’s candidates for Attorney General,
resources that they need until we can
this challenging season. Lord, show us HHS Secretary, Interior Secretary, CIA
defeat the virus and our economy
Your strength. Director, Surgeon General, and U.S.
comes roaring back. The American
Use our Senators for Your glory. Pro- Trade Representative.
At the same time, Democrats are pre- people should expect nothing less.
vide them with the wisdom to look
ahead and to count the cost. Inspire paring to proceed with the urgently Just yesterday, over 150 executives
them to desire, above all else, to re- needed President Biden American Res- from the Nation’s business community
main within the circle of Your loving cue Plan, a $1.9 trillion lifeline that said that taking action on the Amer-
and prevailing providence. Lord, give will lay the foundation for economic ican Rescue Plan is the right thing to
them sufficient caution to see the dan- recovery and a return to life as normal. do. The business community is firmly
ger coming and refuse to plunge ahead. We have come a long way in our fight lined up behind this plan. Earlier this
And, Lord, we thank You for the against COVID, but we still have a long month, 400 mayors from both parties,
amazing service of Secretary Julie way to go. Over 60 million vaccinations Democratic and Republican, sent a let-
Adams. have now been administered across the ter to Congress supporting the plan and
We pray in Your holy Name. Amen. country. Death rates are finally, fi- the help it provides to keep teachers
f
nally declining. But while the trends and firefighters and other essential
are headed in the right direction, more public employees on the job.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Americans are still dying per day than In poll after poll, the American pub-
The President pro tempore led the at any point during the worst weeks of lic overwhelmingly supports congres-
Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: last summer. sional action on a bold COVID relief
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the The same goes for our economy. package, a majority of Democrats and
United States of America, and to the Repub- While there are green shoots, our coun- a majority of Republicans. As many as
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, try remains 10 million jobs short of 7 in 10 Americans support the Amer-
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. where we were last February—10 mil- ican Rescue Plan. There is a clear, bi-
f lion jobs short. That is nothing to tri- partisan, nationwide mandate to act,
fle with or pass over. Today’s report on and that is just what the Senate is
RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY new jobless claims was the 49th week
LEADER going to do—a clear, bipartisan, na-
that the number was higher than at
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The tionwide mandate to act, and that is
any point during the great recession.
majority leader is recognized. what we will do.
Let me repeat that. Today’s report
f on the number of Americans filing for Now, from the start, we had hoped
unemployment benefits for the first this effort would be bipartisan. As I
BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE said before, there is nothing about the
time was the 49th week during the
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, COVID pandemic that new unemploy- budget process that precludes biparti-
the Senate is laser-focused on con- ment claims were higher than at any sanship. The same process has been
firming President Biden’s impressive point during the great recession. In the used no fewer than 17 times to produce
Cabinet while paving the way for an- words of Fed Chairman Powell, hardly major bipartisan legislation. But it
other round of urgent COVID relief. a big liberal, ‘‘The economic recovery seems that despite the historic nature
The two tasks will remain the top Sen- remains uneven and far from complete, of the crisis, despite the clear and
ate priorities over the next several and the path ahead is highly uncer- pressing needs of the country, despite
weeks. tain.’’ the support of mayors and Governors
By the end of this week, the Senate That is from a very serious, staid and economists and business leaders
will have confirmed three Cabinet-level man not prone to any hyperbole at all. from across the political spectrum, and
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∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
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S874 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 25, 2021
despite the popularity of the legisla- Ironically, the bridge is located in a people who have been here, and I have
tion with the American people, my Re- district represented in the House by a had the distinct pleasure and honor of
publican colleagues are organizing to Republican. And the request for this serving with so many.
oppose the next round of COVID relief. funding wasn’t made by me or any But let me be personal for a moment.
A report in CNN suggested that Re- Democrat, for that matter. It came On Monday, in my role as President
publican leaders were ‘‘maneuvering’’ from the Trump administration 5 pro tempore, I will administer the oath
to keep every single Republican from months ago. I learned about it being in of office to an amazing person,
supporting the American Rescue Plan, the bill when I read about it in the Sonceria Ann Berry. She will become
an exercise in pure partisanship. We newspaper. the Secretary of the Senate.
have started to hear the same predict- That is how silly the talking points This is a woman who earned her
able objections in almost the same of the other side have gotten. Repub- bachelor’s degree in education from the
exact words that Republicans use in re- licans are not happy about a small pro- University of North Alabama, and she
sponse to nearly every piece of Demo- vision in the bill requested by the pre- has had so much experience in the Sen-
cratic legislation: ‘‘a liberal wish list’’; vious Republican administration, so ate. She first worked for Senator How-
‘‘socialism.’’ they are going to oppose direct checks ell Heflin of Alabama.
One Republican Member said that the to struggling families, another round I had the pleasure of serving with
American Rescue Plan was ‘‘to the left of assistance for small businesses, and Senator Heflin—as I found when I
of Lenin.’’ Seriously, to the left of money for schools and vaccinations. would travel to Alabama with him, he
Lenin? Money for schools, vaccines, di- The argument is absurd and, we know, usually would be greeted with ‘‘Hello,
rect checks to struggling American a total excuse. Judge.’’ He was a man who had an ex-
families—checks that nearly every Look, we Democrats would prefer to traordinary sense of how the Senate
Member of the Senate supported just a work with our colleagues on the other worked but made very clear to me how
few months ago—now it is to the left of side of the aisle to pass this bill. We much he relied on Ann Berry. She
Lenin? had an open, bipartisan amendment worked with other good friends of
This kind of reflexive partisan oppo- process on the budget resolution. We mine: Senator Pat Moynihan, whose of-
sition is not going to wash with the have already included many bipartisan fice was right down the hall from mine,
American people. It wouldn’t wash at amendments the Senate adopted into and Senator Edwards and Senator CAR-
any time, but it especially doesn’t this new reconciliation bill. The first PER. She took time out from her duties
wash during this time of crisis. The amendment we put on the floor for the in my office to help stand up Senator
American people have all heard it be- restaurants was bipartisan, and that JONES’ office.
fore, and they know the country needs was the first amendment I put on the She came to the Leahy office in 2007,
help. floor as majority leader, showing my and she worked with my chief of staff,
All week our Republican colleagues intent to be bipartisan. J.P. Dowd. They gave such leadership
have been raising concerns about But, at the end of the day, we cannot to my office, and I have found that al-
school closures. Well, I will tell you let obstructionism stop us. At the end most daily, I would stick my head into
what, we all want to open schools. We of the day, the American people sent us Ann’s office and say: Here is the situa-
all want them to reopen. We are all here with a job to do. tion; what do you think we should do
concerned, though, about the cost of The bottom line is simple: We are here or there? I knew what a go-to in
remote learning on children and par- still in a historic crisis of the health of the Senate she had been for genera-
ents. So are the teachers. So are the the economy. The American people tions of staffers, a mentor to dozens of
children. So are the parents. know we are in a historic crisis. And young staffers and interns. I have also
But how about we actually give the Senate will soon take action on our said over and over again that we Sen-
schools the funding they need to re- plan to solve this crisis, a plan with ators are merely a constitutional im-
open as quickly and safely as possible? overwhelming public support. Our Re- pediment to our staffs. Well, this im-
That funding is in the American Res- publican colleagues will have to decide pediment was delighted he could go to
cue Plan. While our Republican col- whether they will work with us to ap- Ann Berry and seek help and advice.
leagues are cynically attacking teach- prove the legislation or obstruct it to I think of her and her family—Regi-
ers—something they have done for dec- the bitter end. nald, her wonderful husband, and her
ades—the school districts in their I yield the floor. daughter, Elizabeth, whom I have had a
States are telling them they need more chance to see grow up to become a
funding. Their school districts are tell- f
young woman who is distinguishing
ing them they need more funding to RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME herself working here in the Senate.
hire extra teachers and reduce class I also think of her sayings, like
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
size, to change the infrastructure of ‘‘This, too, shall pass’’ or ‘‘I may have
BOOKER). Under the previous order, the
their schools to increase social been born at night, but I wasn’t born
leadership time is reserved.
distancing, to hire tutors for summer last night.’’ ‘‘There is more than one
school and the fall to help our children f way to skin a cat,’’ or sometimes when
make up for lost time. MORNING BUSINESS we had been here late into the night,
The education commissioner for the she says, ‘‘Nothing good happens after
State of Nebraska, hardly a Demo- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under midnight.’’ But with her, everything
cratic stronghold, put it simply: the previous order, the Senate will be good happened.
‘‘There’s a lot of damage to repair.’’ in a period of morning business, with I think of the Senate and all of us in
Our Republican colleagues want Senators permitted to speak therein it, in a way, as a family. Over my years
schools to reopen. So do we. But what for up to 10 minutes each. here, I have become more and more
about actually doing something to The Senator from Vermont. aware of that. But Ann Berry truly
make that happen as safely and as f was. I don’t know how many times
quickly as possible? somebody working in my office would
It seems my Republican colleagues WELCOMING ANN BERRY have an issue—not just the profes-
have even taken issue with the tiny Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I appre- sionals things; she was always there to
amount of funding in the bill that goes ciate what the leader just said about answer those and give direction. They
to a bridge in New York. They say: COVID. It certainly reflects the feel- would go in and say, ‘‘You know, I have
Look, a pork-barrel earmark from the ings of people in my State that we have had this thing that has been troubling
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
Democratic leader, totally non-COVID- to get going. me’’ and know that they could get
related. The truth is, this is one of the But I am here on a different matter wonderful advice but also advice in
only bridges operated by the Federal today. Since the 1780s, we have had an confidence.
Government. Its revenues for operating extraordinary list of Secretaries of the I will admit that my grandchildren,
expenses have collapsed because of Senate. The outgoing Secretary Julie my wife and I think the world of her.
COVID. No one is using the bridge. Adams is one of those extraordinary We do have one grandchild, now 15, but
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