Unanimous Consent Request—S. 823 (Cong. Rec., March 18, 2021)
Summary
This is S1631 of the Congressional Record, Senate, March 18, 2021, with interleaved columns. The page records a rollcall vote with the result announced as yeas 50, nays 49, Rollcall Vote No. 125 Ex. Under the heading Unanimous Consent Request on S. 823, speakers argue that stimulus relief payments should be protected from predatory debt collectors, saying Senate rules did not allow the protections to be included in the American Rescue Plan. They credit Senator Wyden's work on the bill and say the Senate will either stand for working families or for debt collectors, with the views attributed to the speakers.
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“Unanimous Consent Request—S. 823 (Cong. Rec., March 18, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-03-18-crec-2021-03-18-pt1-pgs1631-2-6021d82526/
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March 18, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1631
Senator SCHATZ and I add up to 22. ican Rescue Plan. We wanted to in- for their cars made at Goodyear in
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a clude them, just like we had done in Akron, OH. Maybe they are looking
sufficient second? the December relief bill, but the prob- forward to throwing a small high
There appears to be a sufficient sec- lem was that Senate rules didn’t allow school graduation party in their back-
ond. Senator BROWN and me to include these yard—after they get their vaccines—
The clerk will call the roll. protections in the American Rescue with a cake and a barbecue from a
The bill clerk called the roll. Plan, just like we had done earlier. local restaurant.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the If the Senate doesn’t pass this bill, That is why we passed these checks,
Senator from Hawaii (Ms. HIRONO) is predatory debt collectors will continue to support families, to support local
necessarily absent. to seize relief payments for everything economies, not to line the pockets of
The result was announced—yeas 50, from credit cards to medical debt. predatory private debt collectors. That
nays 49, as follows: And as we talk about this right now, is why I appreciate Senator WYDEN’s
[Rollcall Vote No. 125 Ex.] I would like to give an example of what work with us on this bill to protect
YEAS—50 this really means. If you have two par- Americans’ stimulus checks from fi-
Baldwin Heinrich Reed
ents who have lost their jobs, through nancial predators.
Bennet Hickenlooper Rosen no fault of their own, and they can’t We know how aggressive private debt
Blumenthal Kaine Sanders pay the rent because their relief check collectors are. They harass people.
Booker Kelly Schatz has been seized to cover a child’s out- They prey on workers trying to make
Brown King Schumer
Cantwell Klobuchar standing hospital bills—that is what is ends meet, and now they want to take
Shaheen
Cardin Leahy Sinema
going to happen if you don’t pass the this money before it even reaches
Carper Luján Smith legislation Senator BROWN and I are Americans’ bank accounts.
Casey Manchin Last year, as Senator WYDEN said, we
Collins Markey
Stabenow advocating.
Coons Menendez
Tester So I think this one is cut and dry. joined colleagues GRASSLEY, a Repub-
Cortez Masto Van Hollen The Senate will either stand today for lican from Iowa, and SCOTT, a Repub-
Merkley
Duckworth Murphy Warner
Warnock
the working families who desperately lican from South Carolina, to pass bi-
Durbin Murray
Feinstein Ossoff Warren need this help, like that couple who are partisan legislation to protect people’s
Gillibrand Padilla Whitehouse hurting, through no fault of their own, money.
Hassan Peters Wyden or the Senate is with private debt col- It shouldn’t be different this time.
NAYS—49 lectors reaching their hands into those We are still in a public health crisis.
Barrasso Grassley Risch
families’ pockets. Whether you voted for or against this
Blackburn Hagerty Romney Now, these protections that we are American Recovery Act is immaterial.
Blunt Hawley Rounds talking about were included in the De- We have a choice. Whose side are you
Boozman Hoeven Rubio cember package, with Republicans on? Are you going to protect workers
Braun Hyde-Smith Sasse
Burr Inhofe fully supporting it. Families’ financial and their families or are you going to
Scott (FL)
Capito Johnson Scott (SC)
situations haven’t changed so I hope side with debt collectors?
Cassidy Kennedy Shelby that Republicans will allow for the pas- I yield my time back to Senator
Cornyn Lankford
Cotton Lee
Sullivan sage of this measure offered by Senator WYDEN.
Thune BROWN and me. It is just common The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Cramer Lummis
Tillis
Crapo Marshall sense. ator from Oregon.
Cruz McConnell Toomey
Tuberville And I am going to yield now—the mi- Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, as in leg-
Daines Moran
Ernst Murkowski Wicker nority is aware—to Senator BROWN. He, islative session, I ask unanimous con-
Fischer Paul Young too, will have short remarks, and then sent that the Senate proceed to the im-
Graham Portman we will engage with our colleague on mediate consideration of S. 823 intro-
NOT VOTING—1 the other side. duced earlier today. The bill would pro-
Hirono
I yield the floor. vide for protection of recovery rebates.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- I further ask that the bill be read a
The nomination was confirmed. ator from Ohio. third time and passed and the motion
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I thank to reconsider be considered made and
SCHATZ). Under previous order, the mo- the senior Senator from Oregon, and I laid upon the table with no intervening
tion to reconsider is considered made thank the Senator from Pennsylvania action or debate.
and laid upon the table, and the Presi- too. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
dent will be immediately notified of We passed the American Rescue Plan, an objection?
the Senate’s action. as Senator WYDEN said, to get shots in The Senator from Pennsylvania.
f people’s arms, money in people’s pock- Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, reserv-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR ets, get kids back in schools, and peo- ing the right to object, my friend, the
ple back in jobs. Stimulus checks are Senator from Oregon, suggested that
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The already going out the door in Hawaii, the Senate rules precluded this provi-
clerk will report the next nomination. in Pennsylvania, in Oregon, and Ohio. sion from being addressed in the re-
The senior assistant legislative clerk More than 100 million checks are al- cently passed bill.
read the nomination of Martin Joseph ready in Americans’ bank accounts. We It is actually a little bit more com-
Walsh, of Massachusetts, to be Sec- promised in campaigns, we promised in plicated than that. So let’s remember
retary of Labor. January we would do this and we would how we got here.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sen- do this quickly. Last year, Republicans and Demo-
ior Senator from Oregon. Five million Ohioans are going to get crats worked together, and we passed
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 823 a check. We know predatory debt col- five bills, adding up to about $4 tril-
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise in lectors are already lining up to try to lion, authorizing another several tril-
support of legislation developed by our take a cut of those checks. We know it lion dollars of loans. It was an extraor-
colleague, Senator BROWN, and me to costs more to be poor in this country. dinary reaction to an extraordinary
protect $1,400 relief payments from So often the debt collectors come after moment, and Republicans and Demo-
being garnished by predatory private you. Just to cash your check, there crats came together time and time
debt collectors. often is a fee and all the bank fees that again.
We know that millions of American they have. As the circumstances were changing,
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families are hanging on by a thread. We passed the rescue plan to put we passed new legislation to reflect
They are counting on these payments money in people’s pockets so they can that—passing a big bill, a trillion-dol-
to make rent and pay for groceries and pay bills and buy groceries and spend lar bill nearly, in December. But as
medicines. money in local businesses. They can soon as our Democratic colleagues had
Now Senator BROWN and I want to in- buy a washer perhaps made by Amer- the ability, they decided they weren’t
clude these protections in the Amer- ican workers in Clyde, OH, or new tires interested in any bipartisan legislation
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S1632 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 18, 2021
anymore. It was going to be strictly trying to struggle to support those nately, with checks still going out—
Democrats using the reconciliation kids, had to go to court and get a court still going out—have decided they are
process, and that is the only reason order that his future income would be for the private debt collectors.
that this provision couldn’t be ad- garnished because he just doesn’t pay. I think it really shows whose side
dressed because it can’t be dealt with Well, he gets this check in the mail, you are on, and Senator BROWN and I
under the reconciliation rules. compliments of the taxpayer, and he and members of our caucus are on the
So now our Democratic colleagues doesn’t have to give her any of that? side of the people who are hurting,
perceive a problem with this legisla- That is so terribly unfair. through no fault of their own, and we
tion, and they would like the Repub- And, you know, in addition to all especially care about them at this time
licans’ consent to fix what might have these direct payments, we have also when checks are still going out.
been resolved with some kind of com- provided massive financial support in I yield the floor.
promise had they pursued the path that all kinds of ways to alleviate expenses Mr. BROWN. I suggest the absence of
we pursued when we were in control. like nutrition assistance, $80 billion; a quorum.
But let’s talk about where we are and housing assistance, $65 billion; increase The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
what we have done for individuals and of Medicaid, $170 billion; not to men- clerk will call the roll.
families. The unprecedented financial tion almost $1 trillion in payroll sup- The senior assistant legislative clerk
support from the Federal Government port so that people could continue to proceeded to call the roll.
has been really amazing. An average work. Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask
family of four has, by now, received When you pay for all of these things unanimous consent that the order for
stimulus checks of $9,200 and child tax and you still give people money on top the quorum call be rescinded.
credit checks of $6,000. That is $15,200. of that, I don’t think it is unreasonable The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
By the way, that has gone to people to ask people to pay their bills, espe- KING). Without objection, it is so or-
who never lost a penny of income. And cially their overdue bills to their dered.
if they did lose their job, as in the hy- former wife or to support their kids. NOMINATION OF MARTIN JOSEPH WALSH
pothetical that the Senator from Or- Here is the other thing. At best, this Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come
egon suggests, then the unemployment is now a political statement because, to the floor today to support the nomi-
benefits, in more than half the cases, as one of many colleagues just alluded nation of Mayor Marty Walsh to serve
paid them more than they made work- to, these payments have already gone as Secretary of Labor.
ing because of the legislation that we out the door—most of them have. The Across the country, working families
passed. We designed it so they would Treasury has already issued probably are really desperate for help. Even be-
pay people more not to work than they over $250 billion in stimulus checks. fore this pandemic, the deck was
would make working, in addition to And to the extent that a person was stacked against workers and especially
these stimulus checks that they got. subject to garnishment, the garnish- against women, workers of color, and
So the result of that is, in the aggre- ment happens automatically. So it has workers with disabilities, thanks to an
gate, personal savings have gone already happened. unlivable Federal minimum wage and
through the roof. It is up by over $1.6 So what does that mean if this bill subminimum wage for tipped workers
trillion. Total consumer credit is down. passed? The legal chaos—I mean, first and workers with disabilities that do
The fact is, we more than replaced lost of all, it would actually allow the dead- leave millions of workers struggling to
income through the series of bills that beat dad I am referring to, to go back make ends meet; a pay gap that makes
were passed. and claim that money back, to claw it getting by even harder for women, in
Now my colleagues want to come back from the account that is meant to particular, women of color; a lack of a
here and block a valid, legal claim support his kids. How is that even pos- national paid family, sick, and medical
from being honored with some of this sibly fair or reasonable? leave policy and quality, affordable
money. And specifically, they want to This is a bad idea, and for these rea- childcare for working families; a fail-
block these stimulus checks from being sons, I object. ure to protect workers from pandemics
subject to garnishment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob- and workplace accidents and harass-
So what is a garnishment? That is jection is heard. ment and discrimination and more; and
just when money is withheld from Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, just a wave of job loss and economic uncer-
someone because they owe something. briefly. I think the key kind of ques- tainty that is upending the lives of
They owe money that they haven’t tion—and the checks are still going workers and retirees across our coun-
paid to someone else, and that someone out, and we want them to get out as try.
else has gone to court, made the case, quickly as possible, but the key issue This pandemic has laid bare the pain-
and it has been adjudicated that, yes, here is the Republicans, back in De- ful fact that while our economy might
this is money that is owed. cember, wanted to help that couple work for the biggest corporations and
So they want to forbid this windfall— that I was talking about, the person wealthiest individuals, it isn’t working
which in many, many cases this is a laid off, through no fault of their own. for working families. And all of these
windfall, let’s be honest. They want to They wanted to help those folks to challenges—unsafe workplaces, lost
prevent it from being available to be make sure their relief check wouldn’t jobs, low wages—are even worse for
used for the conventional way that we be seized to cover a child’s outstanding people of color due to longstanding in-
collect money that is owed. And whom hospital bills. equities that are rooted in systemic
might this affect? So what we heard are discussions racism and are widening due to this
Under this legislation, if it were to about all kinds of, you know, other pandemic.
pass, it would forbid garnishment of issues, but the fact is, in December, Our country cannot fully recover
the alimony payment that a needy just a few weeks ago—just a few weeks from this crisis unless we begin to
former spouse relies on. That is a com- ago—Republicans were supportive of change that by rebuilding a stronger,
mon expense for which garnishment ap- the families Senator BROWN and I are fairer economy. And that starts by
plies. But in this case, the deadbeat seeking to help today. That is what the making sure we have a Secretary of
former husband who is not paying his question is all about. Will the Senate Labor who will actually champion
alimony payments, who forced his today help the folks who are hurting workers and working families.
former wife to go to court to get a that Senator BROWN and I have been As a union leader, a State represent-
court order, he has been so far behind, talking about? ative, and as a mayor, Mayor Marty
now he gets this big check from the In December, Republicans said: You Walsh has done just that. He has a
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government, and she doesn’t even get bet we are going to be there. Now it is clear track record as a collaborative
to catch up on the money that he owes a question, really, of whom the Senate leader who worked across coalitions
her? is for. Senator BROWN and I are for with labor groups and the business
How about the deadbeat dad who is those folks who are hurting, and they community to build up Boston’s middle
not paying his child support? That is have been laid off through no fault of class. Under his leadership, 135,000 new
another situation in which the mom, their own, and Republicans, unfortu- jobs have been created in Boston.
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