Joint Session of Congress (Cong. Rec., April 29, 2021)

Summary

Congressional Record, Thursday, April 29, 2021. The House is not in session, and the Senate meets at 10 a.m. Under the heading Joint Session of Congress, Schumer discusses President Biden's address to the joint session the night before, saying the economy grew by 6.4 percent over the first quarter, that jobless claims hit a new pandemic low for the third straight week, and that the United States administered more than 200 million shots in less than 100 days. The Senate also receives a cloture motion under rule XXII.

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“Joint Session of Congress (Cong. Rec., April 29, 2021).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-04-29-crec-2021-04-29-pt1-pgs2311-5-b743b79f0f/, SHA-256 f35d56787d6ec49e7a8af0dd9cc78a6e730d7a8665b1cba12ff51613622f622a.

Full text

Congressional Record
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117 th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE

Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 No. 74

House of Representatives
The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 9 a.m.

Senate
THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I dent’s first hundred days in American
called to order by the President pro ask unanimous consent that the order history. And just this morning, we
tempore (Mr. LEAHY). for the quorum call be rescinded. learned that jobless claims hit a new
f The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without pandemic low for the third straight
objection, it is so ordered. week. Today’s numbers are an indica-
PRAYER tion that our economy is back on track
f
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- and should be going full throttle.
fered the following prayer: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY America is turning the corner. America
Let us pray. LEADER is turning the corner.
Eternal God, in times of trouble, You The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Over the first quarter, the American
hear us. We call to You, and You pro- Democratic leader is recognized. economy grew by 6.4 percent—6.4 per-
vide answers. As our lawmakers seek cent. Under President Biden and Demo-
to follow Your precepts, guide them in f cratic majorities in Congress, America
their challenging work. JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS is turning the corner—6.4 percent
Lord, strengthen our Senators to growth, wow. That shows you that
trust You completely. Provide them Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, America is back, and that shows you
with the powers of wisdom, discipline, last night, before a joint session of that the kind of strong, active pro-
and discernment. Congress, President Biden laid out a posals that we Democrats have made
You have promised that in every- comprehensive, thoughtful vision for are the right direction for the country
thing You are working for the good of the country. and have the support throughout the
those who love You, who are called ac- First, he spoke about what we have country of Democrats, Independents,
cording to Your purpose. accomplished so far, and on that front, Republicans because it is the right
Let Your Kingdom come. Let Your there was plenty to talk about. thing to do—the right thing to do.
will be done on Earth as it is in Heav- The Democratic majority in Congress The story of the first hundred days is
en. passed the most sweeping Federal re- a story about shots going into arms,
We pray in Your sacred Name. Amen. covery effort in a new generation, the checks going into pockets, life getting
f
American Rescue Plan, accelerating back to normal, and the economy pick-
the pace of vaccinations and our eco- ing up a lot of steam. After one of the
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE nomic rebound. As a result, the United most difficult years in history, we have
The President pro tempore led the States administered more than 200 mil- made extraordinary progress.
Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: lion shots in less than 100 days. More President Biden spoke last night
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the than half of American adults have got- about how and where we can build on
United States of America, and to the Repub- ten at least one shot, and two-thirds of that strong foundation. We can’t rest.
lic for which it stands, one nation under God, American seniors are vaccinated. We have a lot more to do. We want to
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Eighty-five percent of all Americans keep this country going at a strong
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. have received a stimulus check of $1,400 rate of growth, creating new jobs, mak-
ROSEN). The Senator from Vermont. through the American Rescue Plan. ing America healthier. We want to con-
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I sug- More than 160 million relief checks tinue to do that. We are not just going
gest the absence of a quorum. have been delivered. to stop with the ARP. We can’t.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Our economic recovery continues President Biden proposed common-
clerk will call the roll. apace. The United States created more sense investments and policies that
The senior assistant legislative clerk than a million jobs over the past 3 will provide a pathway to success for
proceeded to call the roll. months—the most new jobs in a Presi- working people and for America as a

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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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S2312 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 29, 2021
whole. In particular, the President’s the comprehensive America COM- Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
focus on jobs, middle-class incomes, PETES Act when we come back next move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
and helping families and workers suc- week. nation of Executive Calendar No. 69, Andrea
So the bottom line is very simple: We Joan Palm, of Wisconsin, to be Deputy Sec-
ceed in a 21st-century economy was
retary of Health and Human Services.
very much welcomed. are moving forward wherever we can in Charles E. Schumer, Patty Murray, Mi-
America is breathing a sigh of relief a bipartisan way. chael F. Bennet, Jack Reed, Jeanne
to see Joe Biden in that chair and not I expect the Senate will pass the Shaheen, Patrick J. Leahy, Martin
the previous President, who just all too water infrastructure bill with a re- Heinrich, Catherine Cortez Masto,
often, even in those speeches where he sounding bipartisan vote after the Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Christopher Mur-
was supposed to rise to the occasion, amendments are debated. So let it be a phy, Christopher A. Coons, Tammy
appealed to the worst instincts of peo- signal to our Republican colleagues Baldwin, Tammy Duckworth, Chris
ple. that Senate Democrats want to work Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Thomas R.
Carper, Amy Klobuchar, Margaret
The President’s plan—President together on infrastructure when and
Wood Hassan.
Biden’s plan—will help restore that where we can.
once innate American optimism that Certainly, the water bill is not the f
has really been shaken for the last 4 only example of bipartisan legislation LEGISLATIVE SESSION
years. Now the Congress must act. And, this Congress. As I mentioned, a few
as majority leader, I intend for the weeks ago, nearly the entire Senate Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
Senate to take up legislation to make stood together to pass legislation to move to proceed to legislative session.
President Biden’s vision a reality. combat the recent surge in hate The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Truthfully, a lot of what President crimes, particularly against Americans question is on agreeing to the motion.
Biden proposed last night should be bi- of Asian descent, 94 to 1—94 to 1. The motion was agreed to.
partisan. Just because a Democratic And just yesterday, the Senate f
President proposed a jobs and infra- passed, with bipartisan support, a
measure to reinstate critical rules to EXECUTIVE SESSION
structure plan doesn’t mean jobs and
infrastructure are Democratic issues. reduce the emissions of methane into
Just because a Democratic President our atmosphere. It was the first signifi-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
proposed a comprehensive plan to ad- cant action the Senate has taken to
dress childcare and education and combat climate change in at least a Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
workforce training doesn’t mean those decade, probably much more. move to proceed to executive session to
are just Democratic issues. My Repub- Even though our two parties have consider Calendar No. 65.
lican colleagues, in one way or an- been divided in the past on the subject The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
other, have joined Democrats on legis- of climate change, we can no longer af- question is on agreeing to the motion.
lation in those subject areas for years. ford to have those differences foil our The motion was agreed to.
President Biden spoke at length progress. The methane CRA must be The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
about the need to outcompete China. the first—the first of many steps we clerk will report the nomination.
That is something our two parties have take to tackle climate change. The senior assistant legislative clerk
long agreed on and a topic the Senate So these past few months have pro- read the nomination of Cynthia Mi-
will address in the next work period. vided a great example of what the Sen- nette Marten, of California, to be Dep-
Even on the very difficult subjects ate can do. The American people de- uty Secretary of Education.
like police reform, gun safety, immi- serve a Congress that works and pro- CLOTURE MOTION
gration, bipartisan compromise— duces the kinds of change that Ameri- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
strong bipartisan compromise, strong cans are demanding. President Biden send a cloture motion to the desk.
legislation coming out of bipartisan pointed the way. He pointed the way The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo-
compromise—is never out of reach. forward on a number of issues last ture motion having been presented
Senator MURPHY continues to discuss night. Now it is up to us, here in the under rule XXII, the Chair directs the
bipartisan safety measures with Sen- Senate and in the Congress, to make clerk to read the motion.
ator CORNYN and others. Senators progress, the progress for the American The senior assistant legislative clerk
BOOKER and DURBIN continue to discuss people, a reality. read as follows:
bipartisan policing reform with Sen- f CLOTURE MOTION
ator SCOTT, KAREN BASS, Congress- EXECUTIVE SESSION We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
woman SHEILA JACKSON LEE, and many ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
others. Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
Just this morning, I met with George EXECUTIVE CALENDAR move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
Floyd’s brother, Eric Garner’s mother, nation of Executive Calendar No. 65, Cynthia
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I Minette Marten, of California, to be Deputy
and Mr. Ben Crump, the lawyer for the move to proceed to executive session to
family of George Floyd, and I told Secretary of Education.
consider Calendar No. 69. Charles E. Schumer, Patty Murray, Mi-
them that we are committed to getting The PRESIDING OFFICER. The chael F. Bennet, Jack Reed, Jeanne
meaningful, strong reform done—hope- question is on agreeing to the motion. Shaheen, Patrick J. Leahy, Martin
fully, in a bipartisan way, if we can. The motion was agreed to. Heinrich, Catherine Cortez Masto,
Here on the Senate floor, we are The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Christopher Mur-
proving that our two parties can work clerk will report the nomination. phy, Christopher A. Coons, Tammy
together on legislation, including on The senior assistant legislative clerk Baldwin, Tammy Duckworth, Chris
some of the issues that President Biden read the nomination of Andrea Joan Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Thomas R.
mentioned. Today’s vote offers a great Carper, Amy Klobuchar, Margaret
Palm, of Wisconsin, to be Deputy Sec-
example. This afternoon, the Senate is Wood Hassan.
retary of Health and Human Services.
going to vote on a bipartisan water in- CLOTURE MOTION
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, fi-
frastructure bill. We have agreed with Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I nally, I ask unanimous consent that
the Republican minority to consider send a cloture motion to the desk. the mandatory quorum calls for the
several amendments first, including The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- cloture motions filed today, April 29,
three Republican amendments. I prom- ture motion having been presented be waived.
ised my caucus and the country that under rule XXII, the Chair directs the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

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we would try to do things in a more clerk to read the motion. objection, it is so ordered.
open way, where amendments would be The senior assistant legislative clerk f
debated on the floor. We did that last read as follows:
week on the anti-Asian hate crimes CLOTURE MOTION
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
legislation. We are doing it today on We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I
the water bill, and we hope to do it on ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the move to proceed to legislative session.

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