Congressional Record — Senate, S2346 (April 29, 2021)
Summary
Page S2346 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for April 29, 2021, in interleaved columns. A speaker thanks a Canadian Minister of Transportation and says cooperation will benefit both countries. Under the heading Joint Session of Congress, Mr. Cornyn responds to President Biden's address, saying the three Biden spending proposals cost more in today's dollars than arming and defeating Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, and listing items such as $200 billion for sustainable places to live, $225 billion for paid family leave and $178 billion for electric vehicle chargers, which is his view. Mr. Blumenthal speaks on consumer protection and worker safety, and a remembrance describes the attack on the Oklahoma.
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“Congressional Record — Senate, S2346 (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-pgs2346-fd351154fc/
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S2346 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 29, 2021
friend, the Minister of Transportation, benefits of this in the weeks and vert our country’s World War II spend-
and others in the Canadian Govern- months ahead. ing into today’s dollars, the three
ment to try to make sure we can get With that, Madam President, I yield Biden spending proposals are even
this spirit of cooperation that will ben- the floor. more expensive than what it cost us to
efit both our State, our country, and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- arm and defeat Imperial Japan and
your country. ator from Texas. Nazi Germany.
With that, I yield the floor. JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS But I want to be clear. These aren’t
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, last wartime expenses. These aren’t even
ator from Connecticut. night, the American people heard from necessary expenses, in many cases.
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam Presi- President Biden in his first address to These proposals have absolutely noth-
dent, I just want to make clear after a joint session of Congress. The Amer- ing to do with our current fight against
Senator LEE’s statement, No. 1, that I ican people heard him speak about COVID–19. Two hundred billion dollars
appreciate my colleagues from Alaska many of the same themes he touched to build or retrofit ‘‘sustainable’’
being as cooperative as they have been. on in his inauguration: unifying the places to live; $225 billion for paid fam-
These issues are a matter of vital country, healing the soul of our Na- ily leave; $178 billion on electric vehi-
consumer protection and worker safe- tion, healing the divisions that divide cle chargers—more socialism for rich
ty. We are talking here about us. It sounds great, but those who have people; $400 billion for home-based
defibrillators and a requirement that paid attention to the President’s ac- care. This money adds up pretty quick-
there be certain minimum numbers on tions know that his rhetoric and his ly.
these ships. We are talking about bod- actions don’t line up. I am not saying our country should
ies, tragically, having to be returned if The only legislative achievement so cut off all of our spending altogether.
there is a death on one of these ships. far for President Biden has been an There are necessary expenses and in-
We are talking about some rights for eye-popping $1.9 trillion piece of spend- vestments that need to be made. But
consumers that the industry itself has ing that was branded as COVID–19 re- this is not the time for a spending
approved and that we are just incor- lief. It was so controversial that our binge. We need to make smart finan-
porating into this amendment and ena- Democratic colleagues didn’t bother to cial decisions that will serve the next
bling the Department of Transpor- use the standard legislative procedure. generation, not drive them further and
tation to enforce. So I want to make Instead, they used the budget reconcili- further into debt.
clear that these are reasonable and, in ation process so they could make it a The biggest question here, though, as
fact, in my view, very minimal protec- law without a single Republican vote— with any type of government spending,
tions—a first-step, another step. hardly coming together and unifying is, How are you going to pay for it? For
I appreciate the agreement that we the country. the Biden administration, the answer
have been able to reach with our col- As expected, President Biden had the
is simple: higher taxes. In fact, the
leagues from Alaska on them, and I am audacity to brand this legislation as
President has proposed the largest tax
disappointed that our colleague from the reason why we have made such
hikes in more than half a century.
Utah has objected. But I will do my progress in fighting COVID–19. He tout- Now, economics 101 would teach you
ed the fact that America has provided that tax increases aren’t a clear and
best to work with them in trying to re-
more than 220 million COVID vaccina-
solve Senator LEE’s objection. easy way to boost revenue, especially
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tions during his first 100 days in office.
when your economy is already on a
ator from Alaska. But he didn’t mention the fact that
fragile footing. President Obama ob-
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, less than 1 percent of the funding in his
served as much when we were recov-
to just wrap up this discussion, I really signature legislation actually sup-
ering from the great recession of 2008,
appreciate the comments from my col- ported vaccinations—less than 1 per-
that raising taxes during a recovery
league Senator SULLIVAN because I cent. Less than 10 percent was directly
from a recession is a bad idea. Raising
related to COVID–19 at all.
think you have really keyed in on trillions of dollars in new taxes will
If there were any doubts that this
where we are today. not set us up for a strong recovery; it
liberal spending binge was about to
The Alaska Tourism Restoration Act will simply throw even more wrenches
end, President Biden cleared that up
is such a narrowly defined in scope ini- into our sluggish economic engine.
last night too. He talked about his
tiative to, again, create this very brief Prior to the COVID–19 pandemic, the
more than $2.6 trillion American Jobs
period of time to allow for what is left American economy was on a roll. The
Plan, which relies on a very generous
or what will remain of a tourist season interpretation of the word ‘‘infrastruc- economy was booming. Unemployment
to proceed. But we are faced with big- ture,’’ or should I say Orwellian. He was at a 50-year low. Companies were
ger issues, and these issues clearly discussed the $1.8 trillion American coming back on shore, moving their
evoke great passion and debate, wheth- Families Plan, which includes every- headquarters to the United States, in
er it is consumer protection or to Sen- thing from universal preschool to free part because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs
ator LEE’s concerns that he has raised community college, to mandatory paid Act. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
overall about Jones Act and PVSA. leave policies and tax provisions. set the stage for this recovery.
So those are significant issues that You know, you have to love politi- Instead of building upon what we did
will be debated in committees as we cians when they talk about giving in 2017, the administration now wants
move forward and further debated on away free stuff. The folks back home to repeal those tax provisions in the
the floor. But I think, at this point in know better. Somebody has to pay for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and double down
time, the recognition from our col- it. As my friend Senator TIM SCOTT on the old, tired talking points that
leagues from Connecticut and from said in the Republican response last America can simply tax and spend and
Utah that this effort that we are trying night, these policies could put Wash- regulate itself into prosperity.
to make in Alaska to redeem a small ington even more in the middle of Massive tax hikes are not the way to
segment of our tourist season—those Americans’ lives, from cradle to col- stabilize a shaky recovery, and I worry
who come to us by cruise ship—that lege. how much damage these increases will
just perhaps the strength of coopera- These three proposals total more do if our Democratic colleagues insist
tion you see here today will be that than $6 trillion—an amount so large, it on doing more partisan, party-line leg-
level of encouragement for the ships to is hard for any of us to wrap our head islating.
start coming north in anticipation of around it. That is on top of the money The President did nothing to ease my
clearer and more beneficial guidance, that was spent last year in a bipartisan concern about another looming prob-
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
working with CDC. effort to defeat COVID–19. The pro- lem, and that is the crisis on our bor-
It has been a lot of pieces to knit to- posals equate to a spending rate of $60 der. For months, the President and
gether. It hasn’t been particularly easy billion a day during the President’s members of his administration have
or pretty, but I would like to think first 100 days in office. denied what is a clear and growing cri-
that the folks in southeastern Alaska Six trillion dollars is one-quarter of sis on the border. I hoped he might fi-
and throughout the State will see the our gross domestic product. If you con- nally acknowledge the reality of the
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April 29, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2347
situation in his prime-time address and more than 300,000 that we have seen so Earlier this month, they introduced a
commit to working together with us to far this year—are going to translate $2.3 trillion—yes, trillion with a ‘‘t’’—
solve it, but no such luck. Instead, he into even more numbers next month trillion-dollar infrastructure boon-
talked about the need to provide a so- and next month and next. So the time doggle that would force families and
lution for DACA recipients and under- to deal with this is now, but, like I businesses to rely on a government
take broader immigration reform. said, until the administration acknowl- handout to comply with the mandates
I want to be clear here. I agree that edges that there is a problem and that pulled directly from the Green New
Congress should take action to give we need to work on it together, it is Deal.
DACA recipients the legal certainty going to get nothing but worse. They even rolled out a total election
and stability they deserve. This is a I yield the floor. overhaul that blatantly violates the
priority for folks on both sides of the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Constitution by removing all control
aisle, and I hope we will finally be able ator from Tennessee. from the States and placing it right
to get a bill on the President’s desk to Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- here in Washington, DC—removing
help these young people who have done dent, as I begin my remarks today, I from your local election commission,
nothing wrong. More broadly, there is first want to express my appreciation removing from your State legislature,
no denying our immigration system is to Senator TIM SCOTT for the address and sending the authority to handle
in need of reform. It is outdated and in- that he gave last night following the these elections to Washington, DC.
efficient and simply doesn’t meet the joint address to Congress by the Presi- And last night, during his address to
needs of our country today. But we are dent. a joint session of Congress, President
not ready for those types of conversa- I so appreciated the remarks that he Biden offered a few details on his
tions until we solve the immediate cri- made, how he reminded us of the im- American Families Plan, which, by all
sis at the border. portance of common sense and using estimates—you got it, another big
Last month alone, more than 172,000 that common sense to find common pricetag—$1.8 trillion.
migrants crossed our southern border, ground as we look to address the issues The numbers really are staggering.
and 100,000 crossed in February. Nearly that affect our Nation, the issues that Not counting the cost of S. 1, these ef-
19,000 of those individuals who came affect Tennesseans. That is such a forts will cost the American people a
across last month were unaccompanied timely reminder. I likewise appreciated combined $6 trillion. And we haven’t
children. his comments about the importance of even factored in annual appropriations,
We have seen migration in the past, reconciliation, one to another, and the which will add over $1 trillion to that
surges, but never anything like this importance of redemption as we, each grand total.
and never during a pandemic. There are and every one, go about our work each Let’s put these numbers in context.
serious risks to our law enforcement day, as we seek to help our Nation be- We saw the national debt jump from
officials, our nongovernmental associa- come a more perfect Union. Timely re- $10.6 trillion. Now, that is the number
tions, and, of course, to the migrants minders—well done and greatly appre- where it was when President George
themselves. ciated by many Tennesseans and indi- Bush left office, $10.6 trillion. That is
Something needs to be done now be- viduals who have reached out to say: I all the debt—every penny of Federal
fore the crisis grows even larger. If you was so touched by listening to TIM debt—that had accumulated from
are cooking dinner for your family and SCOTT and his remarks. George Washington to George Bush.
the food in the oven catches on fire, are Many of our Tennesseans have also So $10.6 trillion, that is the debt
you going to keep stirring the pot on expressed their concern with some of total when President Obama took of-
the stove? Are you going to set the the provisions that were there in Presi- fice. And then with the Obama-Biden
table or call your kids to come down- dent Biden’s address. administration, that debt nearly dou-
stairs for dinner? No. You are going to They felt as if this was something bled. When President Obama left of-
put the fire out first. That is what we that kind of doubled down on decades fice—that is right, you are looking
need to do now. Before we can even of failed policies that were seeking to over that 8-year period of time of right
have those necessary conversations prioritize dependence on a welfare at doubling that debt.
about immigration reform, we need to State overlooking at families and com- In his first 2 years in office, deficits
put the fire out and put it out now. munities but pushing that dependence increased so much that Admiral
Once we have taken action on the on a welfare state. Mullen—then-Chairman of the Joint
border crisis, I hope we can have seri- There really wasn’t anything Chiefs of Staff in 2010—declared the na-
ous, bipartisan discussions about immi- groundbreaking that was there in the tional debt to be the Nation’s top na-
gration reform and finally provide remarks, apart from the pricetag, tional security threat, our Nation’s
DACA recipients the certainty they de- which is eye-popping, and really will debt. President Biden is on track to
serve, but that can’t happen until the take your breath away when you stop smash those records.
crisis on the border is addressed. and think about it. And for a long Bear in mind these numbers: George
Like I said, I am disappointed that time, my Democratic colleagues have Washington to George Bush, $10.6 tril-
the President didn’t address this in his championed programs that treat people lion. It nearly doubles as you have the
speech last evening. I was hoping he like individual clients instead of fami- Obama-Biden administration, and now
would be willing to work with a bipar- lies and communities. since January 20, we are talking about
tisan group of Senators and Congress- So, here we are, and we are staring $6 trillion.
men who are eager to take action. down the Biden doctrine, and it is a If your local city commission were
Last week, Senator SINEMA from Ari- commitment to spending trillions and spending money at this rate, you would
zona and I introduced the Bipartisan trillions of dollars—trillions of dollars. be at city hall banging down the doors.
Border Solutions Act, a straight- We are talking about $6 trillion since But my Democratic colleagues are all
forward and commonsense way to ad- January 20. This is astounding. And on board, even though what they have
dress this crisis. The bill already has those dollars are being spent to actually put on paper is nothing but a
the support of Members from both par- incentivize dependence on the Federal series of wish lists they have wanted to
ties and in both Chambers, as well as a Government to supplant the nuclear start checking off since 2010.
number of respected organizations. We family with the Federal Government But those lists have a very important
would be glad to gain the support of and to centralize control here in Wash- purpose. They curated them with so-
the administration as well. But you ington, DC. called free programs and big promises
can’t solve a problem until you first If you don’t believe me, just take a that will serve two purposes: first, to
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
acknowledge that you have a problem, little peek at what the Biden adminis- persuade people to cede authority over
and we have a problem with the crisis tration has done during their first 100 their lives, families, businesses; and,
on the border. days. They started with a $1.9 trillion second, to totally centralize power here
This is not going to get any better. blue-State payday that bailed Demo- in Washington, DC.
We know that much of this migration crat-run cities out of the fiscal holes It is truly stunning, truly stunning
is seasonal, and so the high numbers— that they had made for themselves. what my Democratic colleagues have
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S2348 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 29, 2021
allowed themselves to propose. Last unity. At the same time, he talks bors. When I talk to Tennesseans about
night, the President of the United about eliminating the filibuster and church, I can tell what they really
States directly addressed the American passing legislation to entrench Demo- have as their values: faith, family,
people and said: Don’t think, just give cratic incumbents at the expense of freedom, hope, opportunity. They un-
us control. voters. It is a power grab. derstand that defending one of those
When he unveiled the American Fam- He supported using the budget rec- virtues means defending them all for
ilies Plan, he spent a great deal of time onciliation process to ram his $1.9 bil- everybody. But they also understand
on all of the wish list programs he lion spending package through, and it the danger in allowing the government
hopes will eventually be sent to his appears he may do so again to pass the to step in and replace family and com-
desk for his signature but not a lot of rest of the multitrillion-dollar agenda. munity with a bloated welfare state.
time on how he plans to pay for these Last night’s speech could have been They know it is dangerous to replace
programs. an opportunity for him to seek com- potential with sameness and to sup-
I think it is important to state for mon ground with congressional Repub- plant community with collectivism.
the record that every program Presi- licans. Much of the success of our coun- That is exactly what the Biden ad-
dent Biden asked us to endorse has a try has had with the COVID vaccina- ministration put on the table last
cost. The Committee for a Responsible tion is due, in large part, to Operation night in very vague, poll-tested lan-
Federal Budget estimates that the Warp Speed and previous administra- guage that really said nothing but
American Families Plan alone—this tions, as well as bipartisan efforts in threatened unprecedented levels of
one program—will result in a deficit Congress. There was no mention of government control. But I suppose
impact of $300 billion over a decade— that. from their perspective, you don’t need
massive costs. When the country was thrown into details when all you are really asking
President Biden claimed he can pay the COVID pandemic, Congress and your fellow countrymen to do is to sub-
for all of this with taxes. He said: President Trump passed the CARES mit; just take the deal.
It’s time for corporate America and the Act, bipartisan, and four other major
wealthiest 1% to pay their fair share.
I yield the floor.
bipartisan COVID relief bills—no men- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
And then he said that 55 of the Na- tion of that. ator from Virginia.
tion’s biggest corporations made $40 If we are going to heal, the Biden ad-
billion in profits that can and should f
ministration must recognize the
be taxed. achievements of administrations past LEGISLATIVE SESSION
But here is the problem: Even if they and the serious contributions that con-
were taxed 100 percent of their $40 bil- ---
gressional Republicans are ready and
lion in profits, that would pay for less MORNING BUSINESS
willing to make.
than 1 percent of this administration’s For months now, I have come to the Mr. KAINE. Madam President, I ask
proposed $7 trillion in total spending. floor to ask my Democratic colleagues unanimous consent that the Senate
And yet how did the President describe to take a breath, to take away the wish proceed to legislative session and be in
these programs? Universal pre-K, uni- lists, and to focus on what the Amer- a period of morning business, with Sen-
versal, free community college—free. ican people need—focus on their needs. ators permitted to speak therein for up
Look at this pricetag. Families won’t to 10 minutes each.
The American people—when I am
have to spend a dime, won’t have to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
talking to Tennesseans, you know
spend a dime on childcare. The Amer- objection, it is so ordered.
what they would like? They would like
ican Families Plan will put money in
a little bit more money left at the end f
your pocket.
Now, as I said, universal, free—you of their month and not too much
TRIBUTE TO SCOTT MAGERS
won’t have to spend a dime; it is going month left at the end of their money.
They want the hope that comes from Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President,
to put money in your pocket. It is
opportunity, not the tangles of an eter- one family in Southcentral Kentucky
taken care of. Don’t think. Just take
nal safety net. They are independent. has waited more than 70 years to give
the deal. Do your part.
Where does this money come from? They are independent. They want a their hero a proper tribute. Last year,
Every single penny that comes into the system that will, indeed, help them the Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Federal Treasury comes from the pock- build their lives back better, as our Agency, DPAA, identified the remains
et of a U.S. taxpayer. That is where President would like to say, but all of Navy Seaman 2nd Class Howard
this money comes from. And the debt, that the White House has to offer is a ‘‘Scott’’ Magers from Barren County.
that is going to be there for our chil- plan that will flatten and rebuild the Over Memorial Day weekend, a grate-
dren and our grandchildren that have country and the broken image of failed ful nation will honor this Kentuckian’s
to sort it out long after these programs policies that people have tried, and sacrifice as he finally comes home. I
have outlived their usefulness, long they just didn’t work. would like to take a moment today to
after many of us are gone. What they did do: destroyed our add my personal gratitude for Scott’s
We used to talk about spending mil- healthcare system, pushed tuition at service and his family’s sacrifice.
lions and billions, and now it is tril- public colleges and universities out of Those who knew Scott remembered a
lions. And, to me, I think about my reach for low-income students, and soft-spoken young man with a kind
grandkids, and I think about the fact they currently levy massive tax pen- heart and a winning smile. In January
that they haven’t earned a paycheck alties against working-class families 1941, he enlisted in the Navy at the age
yet. But you know what? With all of who depend on each other and not the of 17. Like millions of other men and
this spending this year, they now have Federal Government. women of the ‘‘greatest generation,’’
$80,000 of U.S. Federal debt that is The Biden administration has set Scott put his own ambitions on pause
their responsibility. some lofty goals for itself. And I have to defend the country he loved. After
And I think it is instructive for us to to admit, the end results look pretty completing his training and making
look at who is it that actually holds tempting on paper; that is, if you don’t one trip home to Kentucky before his
this debt. The biggest holder of our look too close. 18th birthday, Scott was stationed
debt—someone goes to market and There is a reason why the President aboard the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Har-
buys our debt, China. You also have has offered so few details about how his bor on December 7, 1941.
OPEC, the cartel, in the top holders of ideas would work in practice, and it is On that Sunday morning, the Japa-
our debt. because he knows, without a doubt, nese forces rained bombs down on
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
My colleagues, this is an issue—not that if this shows the true cost of sign- unsuspecting American sailors. Tor-
millions, not billions. This is some- ing on the dotted line that the people pedoes pummeled the Oklahoma, tear-
thing—this needs our best efforts and would not be with him in this effort. ing open her hull and igniting an in-
our best attention. Throughout the pandemic, the Amer- ferno inside. Within minutes, the mas-
Since his inauguration, President ican people kept each other safe and sive ship capsized, and more than 400 of
Biden spent a lot of time talking about took care of their friends and neigh- its crew plunged into the water below.
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