Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., March 2, 2021, p. S967)
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated March 2, 2021, at page S967, with remarks by Mr. McConnell under the headings Coronavirus and Iran. He says the CDC reports that one in five adult Americans has received at least one vaccine dose, says less than 9 percent of the Democrats' proposal would go to the core healthcare fight against COVID-19 and less than 1 percent to vaccinations, and objects to $350 billion for State and local governments. On Iran, he says Iran has balked at direct nuclear negotiations with the United States and Europe, describes Houthi attacks in Yemen, and says President Biden is right to authorize strikes against targets belonging to Iranian proxy groups. The page then records the conclusion of morning business and an executive session on the Executive Calendar.
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“Coronavirus (Cong. Rec., March 2, 2021, p. S967).”
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March 2, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S967
New cases, hospitalizations, and deaths Now, this isn’t a recipe to safely re- The regime has kept escalating its
have been declining. The CDC reports open America. To the degree that it support of the Houthi rebels in Yemen,
that one in five adult Americans has even addresses the pandemic, it is more sending in deadlier, longer range weap-
already received at least one vaccine like a plan to keep it shut down. ons, and inciting terrorist threats.
dose. That is 50-plus million people. Mostly, it is just what Democrats The Houthis have escalated attacks
One in 10 has gotten both shots. And promised almost a year ago: taking ad- on Yemen’s neighbors, including in ci-
the supply of vaccines is continuing to vantage of the crisis to check off unre- vilian areas, and launched a military
ramp up with yet another authorized lated liberal policies. offensive that jeopardizes the peace ne-
just last weekend. f gotiations being undertaken by U.N.
Meanwhile, science keeps confirming IRAN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.
it is quite safe to get kids and teachers Just last week, an Israeli civilian
back in the classroom with simple pre- Mr. MCCONNELL. Now, Mr. Presi- shipping vessel pulled into port with
cautions that we can accomplish right dent, on another matter, we recently gaping damage from a missile attack,
now. All indications suggest our econ- learned that Iran has balked at the and Tehran’s pet militias in Iraq have
omy is poised for a roaring comeback prospect of direct nuclear negotiations fired rocket barrages against our own
for workers and for families. with the United States and Europe. American diplomatic and military fa-
This crossroads should give Wash- This sort of resistance and gamesman- cilities. They are communicating to
ington a golden opportunity. We could ship is nothing new. We have seen this the Biden administration in the
get together on a bipartisan basis like before. mullahs’ preferred language: violence.
we did five times last year—five Iran has long flouted international
Like I said over the weekend, Presi-
restrictions on its nuclear program,
times—and pass more targeted policies dent Biden is right to respond to this
played hide-and-seek with U.N. inspec-
to help finish the fight and get the threat by authorizing strikes against
tors, and failed to disclose the full
American people their jobs, their targets belonging to Iranian proxy
scope of its nuclear research. This hap-
schools, their lives, and their country groups—the right decision—and he is
pened before, during, and after the
back. right to recognize the need for new
Obama administration’s Iran deal.
A number of Senate Republicans binding and enforceable constraints on
Now, thanks to the firm approach
went to the White House just days Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but, ulti-
taken by the Republican administra-
after President Biden was sworn in, tion which restored much of the lever- mately, we need a comprehensive ap-
proposing we continue the streak of age President Obama had thrown away, proach to confronting Iran. It must be
overwhelming bipartisanship that has President Biden inherited a much, built on bipartisan foundations to en-
designed the COVID–19 response all much stronger negotiating position. dure for administrations and Con-
this time. Our Democratic colleagues Let me make it clear. Republicans do gresses yet to come.
said no; they wanted to go it alone. not oppose nuclear diplomacy. We hope To get there—to get there, the ad-
And when you look at their partisan the administration will secure a better, ministration must continue to meet
bill, you can certainly see why. stronger, and more lasting deal than Iranian aggression from a position of
Less than 9 percent of their massive President Obama’s, but to do so, Presi- strength and consult closely with Con-
proposal would go to the core dent Biden’s team must avoid the mis- gress for the sake of our own security
healthcare fight against COVID–19. Lis- takes of the JCPOA. and that of our friends and partners in
ten to this: Less than 1 percent goes to Here is how you do that: coordinate the Ayatollah’s backyard.
vaccinations. closely with the partners and allies f
You see, they had to leave room for who are most immediately threatened
all the completely unrelated, leftwing CONCLUSION OF MORNING
by Tehran; treat Congress as a partner
pet priorities, like sending $350 billion BUSINESS
to be consulted, not a problem to be
to bail out long-mismanaged State and managed; and, most importantly, don’t The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
local governments, multiple times the give up any leverage for free. PADILLA). Morning business is closed.
expert estimate of COVID needs; things Of course the mullahs are playing f
like massive expansion and ObamaCare coy. They want concessions before they
subsidies that would disproportion- EXECUTIVE SESSION
even come to the table. In December,
ately benefit wealthier people; things after President Biden was elected,
like handcrafted tweaks to Medicare so Iran’s Parliament reaffirmed their in- EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
it pays more money to just three tent to continue acting out if sanctions
States: Rhode Island, New Jersey, and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
were not eased.
the President’s home State of Dela- Well, I hope it is only the Iranians the previous order, the Senate will pro-
ware. You might call it a special kick- and not the administration’s nego- ceed to executive session to resume
back for the Acela Corridor. tiators who need this reminder: Look, consideration of the following nomina-
They had to make room to bankroll the United States holds all the cards. tion, which the clerk will report.
things like underground rail in Silicon President Biden is the Commander in The legislative clerk read the nomi-
Valley, upgrading a bridge from New Chief of a superpower. There are no cir- nation of Gina Marie Raimondo, of
York to Canada, and giving Planned cumstances—none—in which Iran Rhode Island, to be Secretary of Com-
Parenthood access to taxpayer money should get money for nothing. And merce.
meant to rescue mom-and-pop Main The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
there is no need to rush into the talks.
Street businesses. The administration should take care ator from Wyoming.
Sadly, the parts that actually do re- not to squander our upper hand just to CORONAVIRUS
late to the pandemic aren’t much bet- spite the last administration, nor Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I
ter. At the same time that Democrats should President Biden’s team discount have come to the floor, on several occa-
refuse to follow the science on in-per- the value of the growing regional unity sions now, to talk about this $1.9 tril-
son schooling, they want to pass a mas- against Iran that is embodied in the lion spending bill that will be soon be-
sive new set of deluxe benefits for Fed- new Abraham Accords. fore this body.
eral Government employees, including Every day, headlines remind the I have talked about different parts of
15 weeks of paid vacation for folks world of the threat Iran and its proxies the bill on different occasions. I have
whose children have the option—just talked about the mandates, the bail-
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pose to peace and security. For exam-
the option—of virtual or even hybrid ple, the Iranian journalist, Ruhollah outs, and the billions and billions of
learning. Zam, was lured back to the region from dollars of spending completely unre-
They want to keep schools closed and Europe, kidnapped, and hanged after a lated to coronavirus. Now, these are all
then pay a special bonus only to par- sham trial just in December. reasons enough to oppose this piece of
ents who are Federal employees be- The Lebanese activist, Lokman Slim, legislation.
cause—because their schools are was an outspoken critic of Hezbollah Today, I would like to talk about an-
closed. until he was shot dead in his car. other problem that I see with the bill,
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S968 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 2, 2021
and that is that this bill would now Those are people who ought to be If President Biden would like to
subsidize health insurance far beyond getting their health insurance through know what to cut, let me suggest start-
what was ever imagined when the their job, through work. That is the ing with the bill’s $350 billion slush
House and the Senate passed the best way this works for them, insur- fund for States. Now, there is no ques-
Obama healthcare law—way beyond ance that they can use without these tion that COVID has placed additional
the subsidies ever envisioned in that. extraordinarily high deductibles and pressure on States, which is why Re-
One analysis shows that this bill copays that we see with ObamaCare. publicans supported targeted funding
would give a family of four making The contrast could not be clearer. for States in previous COVID legisla-
close to a quarter million dollars a Republicans are offering the Amer- tion. But at this point, the vast major-
year—family of four making close to a ican people a stronger economy and ity of States are not in crisis.
quarter million dollars a year—up to opening schools. That is what we ought A number of States actually saw
$9,000 in free subsidies for healthcare. to be focusing on. Democrats and the higher tax revenues in 2020. The major-
Now, that is not four times the pov- healthcare law are subsidizing health ity of States, including my home State
erty level; that is almost four times insurance for the rich. It is aston- of South Dakota, have the resources
the average income of a household in ishing. You wouldn’t think it would be they need to weather the rest of the
the United States. that way. It doesn’t make sense. It is pandemic. Even if the Federal Govern-
You know, government aid is sup- not coronavirus relief. ment bailed out those States that are
posed to be for those who need it, peo- People need relief now. They want still struggling—some, at least par-
ple who can’t make it on their own, but their kids back in school. They want to
that has not been the focus of the tially, because of their own mis-
get back to work. They want to put the management—$350 billion far exceeds
Democrats with this legislation. virus behind them. That is not what I
This legislation is not about the amount that would be needed.
see in this $1.9 trillion bill that the Democrats are simply providing a large
coronavirus, not about coronavirus
Senate will soon be considering. and unnecessary giveaway to States
testing and vaccinations. They have al-
I think only 1 dollar out of 11 of this with the distribution formula heavily
ready been paid for, so that someone
$1.9 trillion bill actually goes to help weighted in favor of blue States.
who wants to get a test or get the vac-
get people back to work, kids back to Then there is the bill’s funding for
cine, they get it. It was paid for pre-
school, focuses on the healthcare com- schools. Now, Republicans are com-
viously. The vaccines are free. We don’t
ponents of coronavirus. mitted to getting schools reopened so
need additional money to pay for the
The kids-back-to-school component, our kids can get back to the in-person
shot. We voted on that last year. It is
you say: Well, there is money to put learning that they need. It is why we
the law of the land.
This new proposal, with these addi- kids back to school, but 95 percent of voted for $68 billion in COVID funding
tional subsidies, is just going to get us that money doesn’t even start to get for K–12 schools last year. But right
this much closer to one-size-fits-all, so- spent until 2022. The coronavirus crisis now, schools don’t need additional
cialized medicine. is going to be behind us by 2022. funding. So far K–12 schools have spent
Now, Democrats have realized for We should be working together, tar- just $5 billion of the $68 billion that we
many years that the Obama healthcare geting support for the American people provided them. Yet the Democrats’ bill
law has failed America. They know it who need it the most, not subsidizing would provide nearly $129 billion in ad-
is unaffordable for working families. people who don’t actually need the sub- ditional funding. And despite all that
People understand that the copays are sidies. additional and unnecessary money,
so high, the deductibles are so high I yield the floor. nothing—nothing—in the bill would re-
that people who have been mandated to I suggest the absence of a quorum.
quire schools to actually reopen.
buy it found that they didn’t really get The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Schools could collect this money while
any value for their money. clerk will call the roll.
still depriving students of the benefits
Many people I have talked to said, The legislative clerk proceeded to
of in-person learning.
with ObamaCare, the premiums were so call the roll.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask And another thing, Democrats are
high it was actually higher than their billing this legislation as a COVID re-
mortgage at home. unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded. lief bill and suggesting that it is pro-
Well, Republicans want to lower
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without viding urgently needed funding. Yet 95
healthcare costs, actually the cost of
objection, it is so ordered. percent of the funding for schools—95
care. Democrats seem to just want to
The Republican whip. percent—would be spent after this
raise what government pays.
And Democrats are also trying to Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, Demo- year. That is right. Just 5 percent of
pressure States to expand Medicaid. crats continue to push forward with this ‘‘emergency funding’’ would be
There are about a dozen States that their partisan COVID legislation. The spent in 2021. The rest would be spent
have chosen not to expand Medicaid. House of Representatives passed the between 2022 and 2028. Are we really
Now, I am a doctor. I know the im- Democrats’ $1.9 trillion partisan wish supposed to believe that money that
portance of Medicaid. I know the im- list on Saturday, and the Senate is ex- would be spent in 2028—years after the
portance of providing care for people pected to take it up later this week. pandemic is likely to be over—is some-
who cannot care for themselves. Often, Just weeks after the President ex- how urgently needed COVID relief
that is families, low-income families, pressed his commitment to unity at his funding?
pregnant women, patients with disabil- inauguration, he and his party are forc- Well, I could go on for a while here
ities. You look at the original intent of ing through exclusively partisan legis- with suggestions for what to cut in this
Medicaid—huge value for the American lation despite Republicans’ clear will- bill. I am pretty sure that $100 million
people but not what they have seen ingness to negotiate. When it comes to for a Silicon Valley underground rail
with the ObamaCare expansion. Democrats’ COVID bill, President project doesn’t have a lot to do with
We should work together for these Biden keeps asking, ‘‘What would you getting our country out of the COVID
most vulnerable of individuals so that have me cut?’’—as if there is no way crisis. Or how about the $1.5 million for
they can get the care that they need. anyone could dispute the necessity of a bridge in the Democratic leader’s
Yet it is not what Democrats are doing anything in this legislation. home State?
with this proposal, not with the addi- Well, as I said last week, I have some And then there is the $86 billion bail-
tional subsidies, not with the addi- suggestions because this bill is rife out for multiemployer pension plans,
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tional expansion of Medicaid. They are with unnecessary and problematic pro- billions—billions—for environmental
trying to bribe States—bribe States to visions. Democrats are presenting this policies, and a provision to ensure that
give free care to able-bodied, working as a COVID relief bill, but a lot of this Planned Parenthood and labor unions
adults; not to people who were origi- bill has little to do with responding to can apply for Paycheck Protection
nally intended to be helped by Med- the pandemic. In fact, less than 10 per- Program loans designed to help small
icaid but for able-bodied, working cent of the bill is directly related to businesses—I am not sure how far that
adults. combating the COVID health crisis. will go toward helping our economy,
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March 2, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S969
but it will certainly help build the cof- It is deeply disappointing that Demo- sector experience really means a lot.
fers of some of Democrats’ political al- crats chose to turn their backs on bi- She knows how to invest in new tech-
lies. partisanship. Republicans were ready nologies and things that are going to
If Democrats were really just focused to work with Democrats on additional help us grow jobs for the future, and
on COVID relief, this would be a much targeted relief. she knows how to match up a work-
smaller and targeted bill, but Demo- As I have pointed out before, the pan- force with those job opportunities that
crats’ ambitions were much larger than demic has been an issue on which, at are also so critical as we move forward
just addressing the COVID crisis. As a least up until now, there has been very on many, many different policy issues
Democrat political operative famously much bipartisan support. Last year, that are going to usher in change.
said, ‘‘never allow a good crisis to go to when Republicans were in the major- As Governor, she invested in work-
waste.’’ ity, we did five—five—coronavirus force training and matching workers
Well, Democrats have taken that ad- bills, all bipartisan, all done at the 60- with relevant small business experi-
vice and are using the COVID crisis as vote threshold that governs most legis- ence, called her Rhode Island job ini-
cover for a whole list of partisan prior- lation that moves through the Senate tiative. The program served more than
ities with potentially very negative in a cooperative way. 1,700 employers and 11,000 people
consequences. The Democrats’ COVID In this case, the Democrats are plow- throughout the State. She was able to
bill runs a very real risk of overstimu- ing forward, pushing this legislation in send her State’s unemployment rates
lating the economy, as evidenced by a very partisan way, and I think that is tumbling to a 30-year low simply by
the large increase we have seen in unfortunate given our history on this doing a really focused job of matching
money supply which could, among issue of bipartisanship and the impor- workforce training to the needs of
other things, drive up prices on the tance of making sure that we are doing those industries that were growing in
goods that Americans use every day— the right things on behalf of the Amer- her State. So I certainly appreciate the
in other words, inflation. Even some ican people to help them get through fact that she has that private sector
liberal economists have sounded the this pandemic. experience in knowing where to invest
alarm over the size of the Democrats’ Choosing to pursue a partisan process and bringing people together, and she
coronavirus legislation. allows Democrats to stuff the bill with certainly created successful programs
And then, of course, there is the dan- unnecessary spending and political on matching the workforce for tomor-
ger posed by driving up our debt. We payoffs, but that is not the way to help row.
had to borrow a lot of money last year our country or our economy recover. But make no mistake, the Depart-
to meet the demands of the I yield the floor. ment of Commerce is going to have a
coronavirus crisis, and while it was I suggest the absence of a quorum. very challenging role as we try to deal
money we needed to borrow, we need to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The with the impacts of COVID–19. One of
be very aware of the fact that we added clerk will call the roll. the most important responsibilities, I
a substantial—substantial—amount to The legislative clerk proceeded to believe, will be dealing with the sectors
our already very large national debt. call the roll. most hard hit by the COVID pandemic.
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask I am glad that Governor Raimondo is
We need to be very careful about any
unanimous consent that the order for a Governor of a coastal State because
additional borrowing and ensure that
the quorum call be rescinded. one of the most impacted industries, as
we are only borrowing what is abso-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without we have seen, is the seafood industry,
lutely necessary.
objection, it is so ordered. which has been affected greatly by
I think it goes without saying that
COVID–19 since early January 2020
the more that we borrow, the more NOMINATION OF GINA MARIE RAIMONDO
when the lockdowns in China and
debt we have to retire. If something Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I
around the world impacted the seafood
negative happened on interest rates come to the floor today to urge my col-
sector. U.S. seafood exports to China
and interest rates normalized—went leagues to support President Biden’s
dropped by 31 percent by January of
back to a more normal setting—the in- nominee to be Secretary of Commerce,
2020 and 40 percent by February of 2020.
terest itself on that amount of debt the Governor of Rhode Island, Gina
Lobster, Dungeness crab, shellfish—ev-
would literally dwarf anything else we Raimondo.
erything was experiencing severe de-
do in our budget, including defending Many people know that Governor
clines, and west coast fisheries have
the country. Raimondo was the first woman to serve
seen as much as a 40-percent drop in
And that, I believe, is a very, very in that position in her State, and she
revenue.
real threat, because if you look at what has made tremendous impacts to that Sustainable fisheries are important
is happening right now with the econ- State at a time when it needed impor- economic drivers in coastal commu-
omy and with all the money that we tant leadership. So we are very excited nities. I know that Governor Raimondo
have flooded out there so far and an- that the President has nominated her gets that. She understands that com-
other $2 trillion, if the Democrats have for this position and that she will put mercial fishermen and the impacts
their way in this particular proposal, those same skill sets to work here in they have will impact not just seafood
and all that money out there starts Washington. processors, shipbuilding, and trade, but
pushing up those costs and we start The mission of the Department of also our restaurant economy. Marine
seeing inflation in the economy, it Commerce, at least according to its anglers took in more than 194 million
doesn’t take very long for interest website, is to foster, promote, and de- fishing trips, which fueled our outdoor
rates to go with it. In fact, they al- velop foreign and domestic commerce. recreation and tourism economy.
ready are. If those interest rates start Well, I can tell you that she is going to So I am glad that Governor
pushing up very quickly on the amount inherit a big challenge because obvi- Raimondo, from a coastal State, is
of debt that we are piling up, financing ously our domestic economy is still going to come to oversee some of those
that debt—the amount of interest, the reeling from the impacts of COVID–19, key functions at the Department of
cost of interest on that debt—would be and certainly she needs to think about Commerce, particularly at NOAA, and
absolutely overwhelming and dev- the continuing transition to a digital harness the incredible data and infor-
astating to this country. economy in an information age. The mation that help us manage these
So we need to be very, very careful foreign economy that she also will be economies, that keep them safe and
about any additional borrowing and en- charged with trying to help and impact keep them focused on science. I know
sure that we are only borrowing what as it relates to the United States is
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she understands that, as Secretary, she
is absolutely necessary. That means certainly plagued by the same pan- can use those good scientific Agencies
making sure that anything we do in demic and the impacts of that. within the Department of Commerce to
terms of additional pandemic relief is So we are looking for someone who better understand the impacts of cli-
targeted and fiscally responsible, and can come in and help, with private sec- mate and the impacts of COVID and
that does not include money for a tor experience, to really move the what we can do.
bridge in New York or a taxpayer bail- agenda of this administration forward. We know in the State of Washington
out for mismanaged States. For me, Governor Raimondo’s private that just a little bit of science done at
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