Biden Administration (Cong. Rec., April 26, 2021)
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate proceedings, Monday, April 26, 2021. The Senate meets at 3 p.m., the Chaplain offers a prayer, and the Senate proceeds to executive session to resume consideration of the nomination of Jason Scott Miller to be Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget. Durbin, under the heading Biden Administration, says daily COVID infections fell from 195,000 to 57,000 and daily COVID deaths from 3,000 to 700, and that 200 million vaccine doses were delivered against a promise of 100 million. A later speech headed American Jobs Plan discusses a Republican counterproposal to President Biden's plan.
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“Biden Administration (Cong. Rec., April 26, 2021).”
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Congressional Record
E PL
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117 th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021 No. 71
Senate
The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was EXECUTIVE SESSION Millions of Americans had lost jobs. We
called to order by the President pro lost 140,000 jobs in December alone.
tempore (Mr. LEAHY). President Biden promised aggressive
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR government action to stop the spread
f The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under of the coronavirus and to stabilize the
the previous order, the Senate will pro- economy, and he and the Democrats in
PRAYER ceed to executive session to resume Congress are making good on those
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- consideration of the following nomina- promises.
fered the following prayer: tion, which the clerk will report. Let’s remember where we came from.
Let us pray. The senior assistant legislative clerk When Joe Biden took office, the United
Eternal God, the center of our joy, read the nomination of Jason Scott States was averaging 195,000 new
give our lawmakers a passionate de- Miller, of Maryland, to be Deputy Di- COVID infections every day, and 3,000
pendence on Your guidance. May they rector for Management, Office of Man- Americans were dying every day.
trust You so completely that they will agement and Budget. Today, we have come down from 195,000
patiently wait for the unfolding of The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The daily infections to 57,000 and from 3,000
Your prevailing providence. As they ac- deputy majority leader. COVID deaths every day to 700—still
knowledge that You direct their steps, BIDEN ADMINISTRATION too many, but dramatic progress was
strengthen them to confidently follow Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, at his made under this new President.
where You lead. May they strive to first official news conference 1 month Remember where we came from.
walk by faith, believing that their ago, President Biden said: When Biden took office, the United
times are in Your hands. Lord, give I got elected to solve problems and the States of America had one of the high-
them pure motives and a commitment most urgent problem was COVID–19 and the est COVID infection rates in the world.
to be faithful to You. Pursue them economic disruption facing millions and mil- Two numbers tell the story of the first
with Your blessings all the days of lions of Americans. year of COVID–19 infection under the
their lives as they seek to do what is If we were to measure President previous President. The United States
right and fair. Biden using only those standards, the of America has about 5 percent of the
We pray in Your righteous Name. first hundred days of the Biden-Harris world’s population, but we had, when
Amen. administration have been a historic Biden took office, 20 percent—20 per-
success. But this new administration cent—of the COVID–19 infections in the
f has done far more in its first hundred world and 20 percent of the deaths. Now
days than just tackle the pandemic; it there is hope. This President listened
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE helped small families and small busi- to the medical experts—he didn’t come
The President pro tempore led the nesses that are hurting financially be- up with his own theories of the case—
Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: cause of the coronavirus. and he expanded vaccine distribution.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the President Biden is reestablishing The day Joe Biden took office, on
United States of America, and to the Repub- America’s role as a leader in the world that day, January 20 of this year, to
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, and repairing alliances that were dam- that day, the United States had admin-
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. aged dangerously under his prede- istered 1.6 million COVID vaccine shots
cessor. Equally important, Joe Biden is total in the Nation, 1.6 million. We are
f restoring credibility and dignity to the now seeing 3 million vaccinations ad-
Office of the President itself. ministered every day.
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME As President Biden prepares to de- President Biden promised to deliver
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under liver his first joint address to Congress 100 million COVID–19 doses in his first
the previous order, the leadership time on Wednesday, it is worth considering hundred days. He didn’t do that; he de-
is reserved. how far we have come in 100 days. livered 200 million doses. Forty percent
President Biden inherited a nation of all Americans, the majority of U.S.
f torn apart by political division, an out- adults, have had at least one dose of
of-control pandemic, and an economy the vaccine. Every American over the
CONCLUSION OF MORNING that was in a deep, deep hole. Hundreds age of 16 is eligible now for the
BUSINESS of thousands of American small busi- coronavirus vaccination free of charge.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Morn- nesses had been closed when he took of- Greatly expanding COVID vaccina-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ing business is closed. fice. The pandemic caused most of this. tions and testing are at the heart of
∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
S2185
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S2186 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 26, 2021
the American Rescue Plan that Presi- the United States against Russia. Once issue that touches every community in
dent Biden proposed and this Congress again, America has a President willing America on a subject we all know—in-
passed last month, sadly without one to defend this Nation against attacks frastructure.
single Senate vote from our Republican by a hostile government. I think I speak for the entire Demo-
colleagues; nor were there any House President Biden is also reasserting cratic caucus in welcoming this effort
Republican votes in favor of it. American leadership in the fight from our friends across the aisle. As I
The American Rescue Plan, exclu- against climate change. On his first mentioned earlier, when it came to the
sively passed with Democratic votes, full day in office, he began the process American Rescue Plan for vaccines and
also included $1,400 emergency stim- to rejoin the Paris Agreement. Remem- vaccinations and cash support for fami-
ulus checks to a majority of Ameri- ber when President Trump withdrew lies and help for small businesses and
cans, assistance for schools, small busi- from the Paris Agreement, making the schools, not a single Republican would
nesses, and State and local govern- United States the only Nation in the join us. It is time for us to come to-
ments. Enhanced unemployment bene- world that hadn’t signed up for this ef- gether and work on a bipartisan basis.
fits, which were scheduled to stop last fort? On Earth Day last week, Presi- Maybe this is a start.
March, will continue until September. dent Biden hosted a virtual summit of After all, infrastructure is what
This is an economic lifeline for mil- leaders from 40 nations and announced should unite us. Whether you live in
lions of Americans who lost their jobs that the United States will cut its car- Laurel, MS, or the Lake View section
during the pandemic. bon emissions by half by 2035. Under of Chicago, our roads, bridges, and our
The American Rescue Plan expanded Joe Biden, America is ready to lead the fiber-optic networks keep us connected
the child tax credit and makes it fully global effort to avoid climate catas- and keep us moving.
refundable so that families who need it trophe and create good, new green jobs As we emerge from this pandemic, it
most can benefit from it now. Amer- and industries of the future. Don’t we is clear that Americans are ready to
ica’s child poverty rate today is one of owe that to our kids and grand- get to work building a stronger coun-
the highest in the developed world. children? try, a healthier country, and a more
President Biden is returning nor- prosperous country. Sadly, though, the
This action taken in President Biden’s
malcy and dignity to the Office of the proposal from my Republican friends
American Rescue Plan could cut child
President. At a townhall meeting in really fails to meet the once-in-a-gen-
poverty in America by 40 percent.
We have been waiting for more than Wisconsin in February, the President eration opportunity test to transform
told the Nation: America and make America a winner
40 years for the benefits of a tax cut for
in the 21st century.
the rich to trickle down and solve The next four years, I want to make sure
all the news is about the American people.
At a time when millions of Ameri-
these problems, to help working fami- cans lack access to reliable, efficient
lies, and to end poverty. It didn’t work. He has replaced ego with empathy, transportation and millions more lack
Income inequality in America grew chaos with competence, and division access to reliable high-speed internet,
under the Republican plan, and now it with decency and unity. we can’t settle for just repaving old
is greater than it was at the start of White House briefings are filled with
roads or filling potholes. We need to in-
the Great Depression. But in less than information, not insults. The @POTUS
vest in this Nation’s future and put
40 days, the American Rescue Plan is Twitter account no longer fires off people back to work building a sustain-
already working. Here are the indica- tweets in the middle of the night that able economic foundation for our chil-
tions: are unsettling to Americans and even dren and grandchildren to grow and
Last month, the number of families our allies. thrive. We need an infrastructure plan
behind in rent fell by 2 million. One of our colleagues on the other
that is a blueprint for the world of to-
The share of adults who say they side of the aisle complained. He re-
morrow, not just a patchwork quilt fo-
don’t have enough to eat fell from 1 in cently bemoaned President Biden’s
cused on yesterday.
7 to 1 in 11. Twitter feed when he said ‘‘unimagi- The way I see it, we are on the cusp
The U.S. economy added 916,000 jobs. nably conventional.’’ He meant that as of a world where America owns the
In December, economic projections a criticism. Most American people find clean energy economy and exports our
from the Federal Reserve had a fore- it a relief. union-made electric trucks and cars
cast of the U.S. economy growing by Polls show that the majority of across the globe. Where workers can
4.2 percent in 2021. After we passed the Americans approve of President get to work easily by bus, train, or
American Rescue Plan, that estimate Biden’s leadership on the coronavirus bike and working parents don’t have to
jumped to a healthy, strong 61⁄2 per- and the economy. A new poll by the worry about finding a safe and afford-
cent. Kennedy School at Harvard finds that able place to leave their kids when
Last month, consumer confidence in among young people between the ages they are working. A world where, rath-
America hit its highest level since the of 18 and 29, 56 percent—a solid major- er than reading about the Mesozoic Era
pandemic shut down the economy a ity—say they are hopeful about Amer- in an outdated textbook, a child can
year ago. ica’s future. That is the highest for any throw on a virtual reality headset in
President Biden is also restoring President in the 21-year history of the the home or classroom and watch in
America’s role as a global leader. He poll. awe as a T. rex swings its massive tail
used his first speech to a global audi- The challenges that President Biden over their head. A world in which
ence at the Munich Security Con- and Vice President Harris inherited America makes and sells the new tech-
ference in February to announce: were historic. They won’t be solved in nologies of the sustainable economy to
‘‘America is back, [and] the trans- a hundred days, maybe not in a hun- the world rather than buying them.
atlantic alliance is back.’’ And ‘‘diplo- dred weeks. But in his first hundred That is a future powered by the infra-
macy is back at the heart of U.S. for- days as President, Joe Biden has kept structure of tomorrow. Under the
eign policy.’’ his promises and has begun to restore American Jobs Plan, it is a future
President Biden is consulting with the most precious commodity of all— made in America. But we need to start
our allies, not insulting them, and he is America’s sense of hope and common building it today because, if we don’t, I
countering authoritarian strongmen purpose. Those qualities built this Na- guarantee you somebody else will.
instead of cozying up to them. Earlier tion, and they will build our future. My friends, take a look across the
this month, the Biden administration (Ms. HIRONO assumed the Chair.) ocean. Do we really believe that China,
announced new sanctions against Rus-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
AMERICAN JOBS PLAN for example, is skimping on investing
sia and expelled Kremlin diplomats Madam President, last week, a few of in its future? Absolutely not. They are
over Russian interference in the 2020 my Republican colleagues introduced already using technologies like artifi-
election. The SolarWinds cyber-espio- their counterproposal to President cial intelligence to ease traffic conges-
nage campaign that targeted impor- Biden’s American Jobs Plan. The sen- tion in cities. They are installing facial
tant U.S. Federal Agencies and For- ior Senator from Mississippi called the recognition systems on their streets to
tune 500 companies and other hostile proposal a ‘‘good-faith effort.’’ He wish- keep tabs on jaywalkers and, sadly,
acts certainly merited that action by es to engage with Democrats on an tabs on ethnic minorities like Uighurs.
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