Business Before the Senate (Cong. Rec., July 12, 2021)
Summary
Opening pages of the Congressional Record daily edition for Monday, July 12, 2021, Volume 167, No. 121. The House was not in session, with its next meeting set for Tuesday, July 13 at 9 a.m. The Senate met at 3 p.m. with Senator Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii in the Chair, and the Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the prayer. Under the heading Business Before the Senate, Mr. Schumer says Democrats passed the American Rescue Plan six months ago and that millions of Americans have come off the unemployment rolls, which is his view. Another speaker says the Judiciary Committee will vote on five additional judges, including two circuit court nominees.
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“Business Before the Senate (Cong. Rec., July 12, 2021).”
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Congressional Record
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117 th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021 No. 121
House of Representatives
The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 9 a.m.
Senate
MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
The Senate met at 3 p.m. and was U.S. SENATE, RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER
called to order by the Honorable MAZIE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
K. HIRONO, a Senator from the State of Washington, DC, July 12, 2021. pore. The Democratic leader is recog-
To the Senate:
Hawaii. nized.
Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3,
f of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE
PRAYER appoint the Honorable MAZIE K. HIRONO, a Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, 6
Senator from the State of Hawaii, to perform months ago, the Democratic majority
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- the duties of the Chair. began this Congress by aggressively
fered the following prayer: PATRICK J. LEAHY,
confronting the COVID crisis. We
Let us pray. President pro tempore.
passed the American Rescue Plan—one
Eternal God, who alone spreads out Ms. HIRONO thereupon assumed the of the largest Federal stimulus meas-
the heavens and rules the raging of the Chair as Acting President pro tempore. ures in history—to help bring an end to
sea, give our lawmakers wisdom to
f the economic downturn and prime our
draw near to You. May they daily seek
economy to come roaring back. Now,
Your presence as they reflect on Your RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME millions of Americans have come off
sacred Word. Guide them with Your in-
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- the unemployment rolls, and small
structions, keeping them from falling
pore. Under the previous order, the businesses have reopened from coast to
in life’s slippery places. May they
leadership time is reserved. coast. More than 150 million Americans
strive to please and honor You by liv-
have been fully vaccinated. We need, of
ing with integrity. f
course, to keep up the effort to inocu-
Mighty God, since we have You, what
CONCLUSION OF MORNING late the rest of the country, but suffice
else could we possibly want on Earth?
BUSINESS it to say, we are well on our way to
We pray in Your matchless Name.
bringing the country out of chaos, out
Amen. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- of crisis, and back to normal. But the
f pore. Morning business is closed. task is not done.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE f As our country reopens and Ameri-
The Presiding Officer led the Pledge cans return to work, we must turn our
EXECUTIVE SESSION attention to laying a foundation for
of Allegiance, as follows:
the future. This upcoming work period
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the
United States of America, and to the Repub- will focus on exactly that: building a
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR foundation for future American pros-
lic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- perity for years and decades to come
f pore. Under the previous order, the through smart and bold investments in
Senate will proceed to executive ses- our Nation’s infrastructure.
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING sion to resume consideration of the fol- As I have said for weeks, the discus-
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE lowing nomination, which the clerk sions about infrastructure legislation
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The will report. continue along two tracks. On the bi-
clerk will please read a communication The legislative clerk read the nomi- partisan track, our committees are
to the Senate from the President pro nation of Uzra Zeya, of Virginia, to be getting closer to turning the recent
tempore (Mr. LEAHY). an Under Secretary of State (Civilian agreement between the White House
The legislative clerk read the fol- Security, Democracy, and Human and the bipartisan infrastructure group
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lowing letter: Rights). into legislation. I am pleased to report
∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.
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S4810 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 12, 2021
we are making very good progress to- nice Lee—one of the great public de- American kids with a brighter, strong-
ward that goal. On the second track, fenders not only in New York but in er future despite unanimous Repub-
the Senate Budget Committee is close the country whom I am proud to rec- lican opposition. I believe that now we
to finalizing a budget resolution, which ommend to the Second Circuit—and must press on and make these ex-
will allow the Senate to move forward three district court nominees. panded payments a permanent part of
with the remaining parts of the Amer- The Senate has already confirmed our Tax Code.
ican Jobs and Families Plan. The Sen- more circuit and district court judges I yield the floor.
ate must pass the budget resolution before July 4 than during the first year I suggest the absence of a quorum.
and an eventual budget reconciliation of any Presidency in recent history. We The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
bill with or without Republican sup- will continue this critical work in the pore. The clerk will call the roll.
port. months to come and restore balance, The legislative clerk proceeded to
The fact of the matter is, brick-and- much needed balance, to the Federal call the roll.
mortar infrastructure is very impor- judiciary. Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask
tant, but it is no longer the only type CHILD TAX CREDIT unanimous consent that the order for
of infrastructure that matters in the Madam President, on one final mat- the quorum call be rescinded.
21st century. Human infrastructure— ter, the child tax credit—this, the big- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
what many might call family support gest effort in over 50 years to reduce pore. Without objection, it is so or-
as our families come under increasing childhood poverty in America—begins dered.
pressure in this modern society, things on Thursday. Later this week, tens of CORONAVIRUS
like childcare, family leave, education, millions of American families are Mr. DURBIN. Madam President,
healthcare—are just as essential to giv- going to see extra money hit their today is the first day of what could be
ing our citizens opportunity as build- bank accounts when the first payments a productive and maybe even historic
ing roads and bridges and railways. of the newly expanded child tax credit few weeks in the Senate. I hope we can
Both are very important. Twenty-first are disbursed across the country. live up to the challenges we are facing.
century investment in broadband inter- When Senate Democrats passed the July 6 was a historic day in my home
net, the electric grid, and retrofitting American Rescue Plan in March, we in- State of Illinois. For the first time in
our economy to fight climate change in cluded a provision to provide the ma- 476 days, Illinois went 24 hours without
bold ways are just as important as jority of parents $3,600 per year for losing a life to COVID–19. During the
roads and bridges and railways. We every child under 6 and $3,000 for every deadliest days of this pandemic, Illi-
must do both. It is not one or the child between 6 and 17. These pay- nois was losing more than 150 people a
other, and we are going to do both. ments, I am happy to say, are ready to day to COVID. As our Governor, JB
Before the week work period is over, begin this week, which means that, Pritzker, said on the 6th, ‘‘The vac-
it is my intention for the Senate to soon, most families with kids will start cines have done the work. Thank God
hold votes on the bipartisan infrastruc- receiving $300 each month for each for the vaccines.’’ I couldn’t have said
ture bill and a budget resolution. Mem- child under 6 and $250 each month for it better.
bers should prepare for a busier work each child 6 to 17. Seventy percent of eligible Illinois
period than usual, with the possibility I want American families to know, if residents have received at least one
of late-night votes, weekend votes, and you filed your taxes in either 2019 or dose of those lifesaving COVID vac-
changes to the August schedule. It is 2020 or both, you will get these pay- cines, including 90 percent of seniors.
not going to be easy, but it is certainly ments automatically; you will see But we are at a critical moment in Illi-
going to be worth it. them in your bank accounts without nois and across our Nation. With the
The Federal Government has not lifting a finger. For those who for new, more dangerous Delta variant
made a significant stand-alone invest- whatever reason didn’t file taxes in the now spreading rapidly across the Na-
ment in infrastructure in decades. We past 2 years, I strongly urge you to go tion, people who are unvaccinated are
have the world’s largest economy, and online and register at irs.gov/ at greater risk than ever of becoming
yet our infrastructure ranks 13th. childtaxcredit—let me repeat that: sick and even facing death from
America has less generous family sup- irs.gov/childtaxcredit—or contact your COVID. I hope we can stop the division
port policies than so many of our peers representative for assistance. and disinformation and figure out how
who are not as wealthy as we are. It is These payments are going to make to protect the people from this deadly
time to rebuild our infrastructure, cre- an incredible difference to millions and foe.
ate millions of good-paying jobs—par- millions of American families strug- I want to say a word about an issue
ticularly to those who haven’t been gling with the cost of childcare and I read this morning in an article in the
able to get good-paying jobs—and help groceries and housing and healthcare. New York Times. The author of the ar-
American families keep up with rising Recent estimates by the Center on ticle, Tiffany Hsu, titled the article
expenses. If and when we succeed, the Budget and Policy Priorities predict ‘‘Anti-Vaccination Rhetoric Creeps
benefits—the benefits—will reverberate that more than 4 million children—4 From Fringe to Fox Prime Time.’’ It is
across the country for generations to million children—will be lifted out of a lengthy article, and I commend it to
come. poverty. Childhood poverty in America everyone to read it on their own. It
NOMINATIONS cut almost in half—what an amazing raises some important questions.
Madam President, on nominations, thing that is. If our sacred right to free speech can
the Senate will also continue to con- Just this morning, I met with a be limited by the time-honored test of
firm highly qualified nominations to group of parents in New York whose crying ‘‘fire’’ in a crowded theater, is
the Biden administration. lives would dramatically improve there any limit to extreme political
This week, the Senate will confirm thanks to this policy. Listening to rhetoric in the midst of a pandemic?
Uzra Zeya to serve as Under Secretary their stories, I was moved to hear the We know the Republican Party is en-
of State and Julie Su to serve as Dep- relief in their voices that an extra lit- thralled by Donald Trump. They have
uty Secretary of Labor. Both Ms. Zeya tle help is coming their way and the bought the Big Lie. A half to two-
and Ms. Su will add to the expertise, hope in their voices about giving their thirds of Republicans believe that he
dedication, and diversity of President children a better future. actually won the last election, and he
Biden’s administration. As the week This is an example of the difference didn’t. Twenty-nine percent of Repub-
between a Democratic and a Repub- licans believe that Donald Trump will
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progresses, Members should be advised
there will be additional votes, in all lican majority in the Senate. As Lead- be reinstated as President, trium-
likelihood, on additional nominees. er MCCONNELL openly reminds every- phantly returning from exile to take
Judicial appointments remain one of one, not a single Republican voted in over the White House again. Many of
our highest priorities. Later this week, favor of expanding the child tax credit them believe that he will return to
the Judiciary Committee will vote to through the American Rescue Plan. Washington soon.
advance five additional judges: two cir- I am so proud that Democrats found Well, there was an interesting scene
cuit court nominees, including Ms. Eu- a way to help American families, help on the grounds of the Capitol when I
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