Voting (Cong. Rec., Jan. 4, 2022)
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate, January 4, 2022 (beginning at page S20). McConnell offers condolences to the Reid family, then speaks under the heading Coronavirus about the Omicron variant and the Biden administration. Under the heading Voting, McConnell says the 2020 elections saw the highest turnout in more than 100 years and objects to Senate Democrats changing the filibuster. Heinrich asks that the Senate proceed to legislative session and morning business. McConnell then remembers Jerald Combs, who began an optometry practice in Martin, Kentucky, in 1983, and recognizes Owensboro, Kentucky, as the Bluegrass Capital of the World.
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“Voting (Cong. Rec., Jan. 4, 2022).”
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S20 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 4, 2022
all the heat and light, I never doubted lion on a supposedly COVID-related story has totally flipped. Now our de-
that Harry was doing what he ear- spending bill, only 9 percent of it went mocracy is in perfect shape, beyond re-
nestly believed was right for Nevada to the actual fight against COVID–19— proach—except when States that
and for the Nation. just 9 percent of the $1.9 trillion au- Democrats don’t control dare to pass
Elaine and I were grateful to enjoy a thorized last March. mainstream voting laws.
joint friendship with Harry and So this all-Democrat government The political left keeps pitching
Landra, the light of Harry’s life, his be- spent its first year distracted, and the their big lie that mainstream State
loved high school sweetheart. The Sen- country is feeling the consequences. voting laws are somehow ‘‘Jim Crow
ate’s thoughts and prayers continue to BIDEN ADMINISTRATION 2.0’’ if the Governor who signs the bill
be with her and the entire Reid family. Mr. President, on a related matter, happens to be a Republican. The left’s
CORONAVIRUS fortunately for the country, before big lie insults the intelligence of the
Mr. President, on a completely dif- Christmas, one of those far-left distrac- American people. All the facts disprove
ferent matter, as the Senate begins tions was dealt a setback. The Demo- it. In one of the States that triggered
this new year and new session, millions crats’ wasteful spending last spring this meltdown, the new profiles man-
of Americans are yet again having life helped ignite the worst inflation in 40 dated more days—more days—of early
disrupted by a new and surging variant years, but our colleagues spent the rest voting than many Democrat-run States
of the coronavirus. Thus far, there is of 2021 trying to assemble yet another provide today.
cause for optimism. The rapidly even bigger, even more reckless tax- Our democracy is not in crisis. Re-
spreading Omicron variant seems to and-spending spree. Their reaction to peating this rhetoric doesn’t make it
cause milder disease than previous rising prices and family hardships their factual. The 2020 elections saw the
iterations. By now, a huge portion of policies caused was to try to inflate highest turnout in more than 100 years.
our population has some immunity their way out of inflation. Only 33 percent of American adults
through our remarkable safe and effec- The experts say that when you strip think it is too hard for eligible voters
tive vaccines or through prior expo- away the budget gimmick, their pro- to vote. A larger share actually think
sure, and our healthcare providers posal would cost almost $5 trillion. And current rules aren’t strict enough. This
know much more today than they did 2 all of that reckless borrowing and is fake—fake—hysteria ginned up by
years ago. money-printing was for far-left policies partisans, and our citizens actually
Unfortunately, the last few weeks that would hurt American families and know it. They figured it out. Last No-
have also exposed big gaps between the actually help China. vember, even in New York, the State’s
Biden administration’s promises and The supposedly ‘‘green’’ subsidies overwhelmingly Democratic voters re-
the reality under their leadership. In would just dump money in China-domi- jected several left-wing ballot meas-
2020, then-Candidate Biden promised he nated supply chains. America takes on ures to change voting laws.
would ‘‘shut down the virus.’’ That massive debt to ‘‘Build Back Beijing.’’ This big lie that democracy is dying
clearly has not happened. Back when The childcare plan was actually an because Democrats sometimes lose
the virus had killed 220,000 Americans, unworkable and discriminatory toddler elections is a completely astro-turfed
then-Candidate Biden said that ‘‘any- takeover that would drive up daycare sense of crisis. The emperor has no
one who is responsible for that many costs and let woke bureaucrats drive clothes.
deaths should not remain as President out faith-based providers. They even It is even more ironic that on this
of the United States.’’ Now almost four wanted to distort American parents’ most sensitive subject—our democracy
times that many people have died. child tax credit and turn it into an old- itself—some Senate Democrats want to
Look, nobody is solely blaming this school cash welfare program with no drop a procedural nuclear bomb on the
administration for this mutating virus, work requirements at all—now, all of Senate itself to get their way. Our col-
but nobody forced Democrats to cam- this paired with historic, crushing tax leagues have no principled opposition
paign on those promises and attacks. hikes and trillions more dollars to to the filibuster—none at all. This is
They chose to do that, but they haven’t make inflation even worse. not about principle.
governed accordingly. It was a merrier Christmas for Amer- In 2020 alone, Senate Democrats used
It has been nearly a year since Presi- ican families because this awful bill the filibuster repeatedly to block the
dent Biden inherited three vaccines was actually put aside. Working Amer- CARES Act, delaying help at the start
and a distribution operation that was icans need it to actually stay on the of the pandemic. They used it to kill
already putting a million shots in a shelf. Senator TIM SCOTT’s police reform bill.
million arms every day. That was be- VOTING
In 2017, 32 Senate Democrats, includ-
fore this administration took office. Mr. President, on one final matter, ing then-Senator HARRIS, signed an
What new solutions do Democrats have when our colleagues’ reckless taxing- open letter insisting the legislative fil-
to show for a full year in power? Where and-spending spree began to falter, ibuster should not change. A few years
is their 2021 equivalent to our 2020’s Op- some Democrats started saying a to- before that, the current Democratic
eration Warp Speed? What did they tally different issue was actually really leader said this about the prospect of
produce in 11 months besides angry their top priority. If they don’t get to nuking the filibuster. This is from the
speeches about the vaccines they inher- blow $5 trillion on low-quality social- current Democratic leader:
ited? Why does the pandemic in Janu- ism, our colleagues are now demanding The ideologues in the Senate want to turn
ary 2022 feel so eerily similar to the a consolation prize: breaking the Sen- what the Founding Fathers called the ‘‘cool-
pandemic in January of 2021, except ate’s rules in order to give themselves ing saucer of democracy’’ into the
that this administration happened to sweeping control over all 50 States’ rubberstamp of dictatorship.
get lucky with an apparently less-dan- election laws. He went on:
gerous variant? This is what some of our colleagues
They believe if you get 51 percent of the
After a year of this administration, want so desperately. This is what they vote, there should be one party rule.
families are still having trouble track- have sought for years. Even as their
ing down testing for work, school, trav- pretexts and justifications kept shift- He went on:
el, or even peace of mind. This admin- ing, the goal stayed consistent. Most They want to make this country into a ba-
nana republic where if you don’t get your
istration has limited important treat- Washington Democrats want to ap-
way, you change the rules.
ments. They dragged their heels on point themselves a nationwide board of
promising innovations. They have been elections on steroids, and they want to He went on:
inexplicably slow to disburse relief shatter the Senate’s rules and tradi- It will be a doomsday for democracy if we
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funds for hospitals and providers that tions to make it happen. do.
Congress set aside ages ago. They have After Democrats lost the White That is the Senate Democratic leader
used odd, alienating rhetoric around House in 2016, they said this takeover on the possibility of nuking the Sen-
the vaccines they inherited. was necessary because our democracy ate. Some people’s tunes change when
And remember, last spring when our was fundamentally broken. Now that they happen to be in the majority
Democratic colleagues spent $1.9 tril- they have won the White House, the versus the minority, but some Senators
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January 4, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S21
mean what they say. There are Sen- Scholarship gives students of all back- and sought to capitalize on that con-
ators on both sides of the aisle who grounds the ability to study the sub- nection. City officials ushered in the
have had the courage to stand up for ject, providing expertise to those who Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Mu-
these important rules when we have will stay in eastern Kentucky and help seum in downtown Owensboro in 1991,
been in the minority and when we have develop the field further. inviting both tourists and locals to
been in the majority. I don’t have to Throughout his life, Dr. Combs was learn about and enjoy Bluegrass his-
remind the Senate that the previous committed to serving his community tory. The city’s annual ‘‘River of Music
President frequently harangued me to and our Commonwealth and earned Party’’, or ROMP, welcomes more than
nuke the Senate. On every occasion, I many awards for his efforts. The Ken- 20,000 visitors to the banks of the Ohio
had a one-word answer: No. No. tucky Optometric Association lavished River to celebrate Bluegrass artists
There are Senators on both sides who him with praise, granting him both and help sustain this proud Kentucky
understand that any supposedly lim- their Optometrist of the Year Award tradition. And just recently,
ited ‘‘carve-out’’ would bring the whole and Distinguished Service Award Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson signed
house crashing down. There are Sen- twice. He also served as president and a the official proclamation naming his
ators on both sides who understand board member of the association for city the Bluegrass Capital of the
that the entirety of Federal law many years. Outside of optometry, Dr. World, cementing Owensboro’s impor-
shouldn’t go radically boomeranging Combs helped his community through tant place in Bluegrass history.
back and forth every time the Senate the Knott County Youth Foundation, Owensboro’s leaders have also initi-
narrowly changes hands. the Knott County Little League, the ated a strong campaign to educate and
I suggest the absence of a quorum. Kiwanis Club, and the Hazard Lions popularize Bluegrass among the next
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Club. He served on the University of generation of Kentuckians. The Blue-
clerk will call the roll. Pikeville Board of Trustees, steering grass Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The senior legislative assistant clerk the school to success. features rotating exhibits highlighting
proceeded to call the roll. I knew Dr. Combs personally and was key parts of Bluegrass history and
Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I ask saddened to learn of his passing last hosts artists that promote the genre.
unanimous consent that the order for month. Few Kentuckians play as big or The museum offers lessons in musical
the quorum call be rescinded. instrumental of a role in their commu- instruments like the mandolin, banjo,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without nity as he did. While we all mourn his and fiddle, helping ensure the survival
objection, it is so ordered. loss, we can also be confident that his of their unique sounds and style. The
f legacy, expanded access to eye care museum’s Bluegrass in the Schools
among Kentucky’s most vulnerable program has introduced Bluegrass
LEGISLATIVE SESSION communities, will last for many years music to nearly 10,000 elementary stu-
--- into the future. I would like to express dents, including in 24 Owensboro-area
my personal gratitude for Dr. Combs’ schools, connecting young Kentuckians
MORNING BUSINESS
decades of service to the Common- with their State’s culture and history.
Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I ask wealth and encourage my Senate col- Bluegrass music is the soundtrack of
unanimous consent that the Senate leagues to join me in sharing condo- Kentucky. From the first pluck of the
proceed to legislative session and be in lences with the family, friends, and banjo, strum of the guitar, or drone of
a period of morning business, with Sen- colleagues. the fiddle, the genre is immediately
ators permitted to speak therein for up f recognizable. Owensboro’s leaders have
to 10 minutes each. done incredible, extensive work to pre-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without RECOGNIZING OWENSBORO, THE serve and promote this unique Ken-
objection, it is so ordered. ‘‘BLUEGRASS CAPITAL OF THE tucky music and are incredibly deserv-
f
WORLD’’ ing of their city’s recent designation as
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, few Bluegrass Capital of the World.
REMEMBERING DR. JERALD F. Kentucky creations have had as much Mr. President, the Owensboro Mes-
COMBS impact on American culture as Blue- senger-Inquirer highlighted the city’s
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, in grass music. It is the spring from new title in a recent article. I ask
eastern Kentucky, one man has been at which all other country music flows unanimous consent the article be
the center of efforts to expand eye care and one of our State’s most world-re- printed in the RECORD.
for nearly 40 years. Dr. Jerald Combs, nowned exports. Owensboro, KY, has There being no objection, the mate-
who passed away last month, played an played an important role in maintain- rial was ordered to be printed in the
instrumental role in modernizing and ing and promoting Bluegrass history, RECORD, as follows:
extending access to optometric care style, and heritage and, in recognition [From the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer,
across Kentucky’s Appalachian region. of that work, was recently named the Nov. 24, 2021]
Today, I recognize Dr. Combs as an Bluegrass Capital of the World. Today, BLUEGRASS CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
outstanding Kentuckian whose work I honor Owensboro for earning this The City of Owensboro has officially been
made a vast impact on the lives of his title and helping preserve Kentucky’s designated the ‘‘Bluegrass Capital of the
patients. proud Bluegrass culture. World’’ after more than a year of effort by
When Dr. Combs began his practice Owensboro’s deep connection to Blue- the city and the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and
Museum.
in Martin, KY, in 1983, optometry in grass music dates back to the genre’s Mayor Tom Watson officially signed the
eastern Kentucky was an under- earliest days. Bill Monroe, widely rec- proclamation permanently linking
developed practice. Many residents ognized as the ‘‘Father of Bluegrass’’, Owensboro and bluegrass music during a
lacked access to the eye care they was born just outside Owensboro in Nov. 12 ceremony at the Bluegrass Hall of
needed, leaving far too many without Ohio County, KY. His musical group, Fame and Museum.
good vision. Dr. Combs made it his mis- the Blue Grass Boys, adapted the ‘‘About 15 months ago we started talking
sion to change that status quo and im- about this idea, and it has taken a little
unique style of music they found in
while to get it to this point, but we are here
proved many lives in the process. His Scotch-Irish communities in Ken- today to declare the City of Owensboro as
clinic served the entire eastern Ken- tucky’s Appalachian foothills and pop- the Bluegrass Music Capital of the World,’’
tucky region, attracting patients from ularized it for a mainstream audience. Watson said during the event.
far and wide who needed his care. Listeners, entranced by Blue Grass Watson called Chris Joslin, museum execu-
Perhaps Dr. Combs’ greatest legacy Boys’ soaring melodies, jaunty rhythm, tive director, to the stage and asked him to
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
will be his efforts to increase optom- and homespun style, started a craze for turn around so he could officially sign the
etry training opportunities in his com- proclamation on his back, telling him, ‘‘a lot
Bluegrass music that brought national
of this is going to be on your back.’’
munity. Because of his work in this fame to generations of Kentucky art- ‘‘The idea is to create a sustainable struc-
area, the University of Pikeville named ists. ture and utilize our bluegrass music presence
their college of optometry in his honor. Owensboro’s leaders have recognized to build out economic development opportu-
The school’s Jerald F. Combs Endowed their unique role in Bluegrass history nities and increase tourism,’’ Watson said.
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