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[Pages S5900-S5901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CORONAVIRUS
Mr. McCONNELL. If Senate Democrats were half as concerned as they say
about America's family healthcare, they would not have filibustered a
multihundred-billion-dollar proposal for more coronavirus relief just a
few weeks ago.
A Senate minority that was focused on America's health would have let
us fund more tests, treatments, and vaccine development, like
Republicans tried to do just a few weeks ago. A Senate minority that
was prioritizing wellness would have let us spend more than $100
billion to make schools safe for students, like Republicans tried to do
just a few weeks ago. A Senate minority that sought to protect citizens
with preexisting conditions would have let us reaffirm legal
protections for those Americans, like Republicans had in our bill just
a few weeks ago. A Senate minority that was serious about economic
recovery would have let us fund a second round of the Paycheck
Protection Program and continued the expanded unemployment checks, like
Republicans tried to do just a few weeks ago.
The Senate voted on all of this 3 weeks ago. Three weeks ago, every
single Senator cast a vote on preexisting conditions, money for
testing, money for vaccines, money for safe schools, money for small
businesses, and money for unemployed workers--just 3 weeks ago. Fifty-
two Republicans voted to pass all of these policies and every single
Democrat who showed up voted to filibuster it dead.
The Democratic leader and the Speaker of the House were determined
that American families should not see another dime before the election.
This week, Speaker Pelosi is finally caving to months of pressure from
fellow Democrats who argue that her stonewalling is hurting our
country. House Democrats are trying to save face by introducing yet
another multitrillion-dollar far-left wish list with virtually all the
same non-COVID-related poison pills as their last unserious bill.
Speaker Pelosi's latest offering still does not include a single cent
of new money toward the Paycheck Protection Program to help small
businesses that are going under. It does nothing to help schools,
universities, doctors, nurses, or employers avoid frivolous lawsuits.
But the House did find room to provide special treatment to the
marijuana industry. Their bill mentions the word ``cannabis'' more
times than the words ``job'' or ``jobs.''
They still want to send taxpayer-funded stimulus checks to people in
our country illegally. They still want to hand a massively expensive
tax cut to millionaires and billionaires in places like New York City
and San Francisco, a pet priority of the Speaker and the Democratic
leader that would do nothing to help working families through this
pandemic.
All of these far-left poison pills are still in their recycled bill.
They have no intention of making bipartisan law for American families,
but there are a few changes from the last bill.
So get this. Now that supporting law enforcement has become less than
fashionable on the far left, the Democrats have actually taken out
hundreds of millions of dollars for hiring and assisting police
officers. Let me say that again. In this latest version, there were at
least some changes. Now that supporting law enforcement has become less
than fashionable on the far left, the Democrats have actually taken out
hundreds of millions of dollars for hiring and assisting police
officers. Their so-called sequel to the Heroes Act has decided that
cops are not heroes after all. Apparently, cops are not heroes after
all. The House Democrats couldn't miss a chance to defund the police.
This latest bill from the Speaker is no more serious than any of
their other political stunts going back months. If they continue to
refuse to get serious, then American families will continue to hurt.
Less than a month ago, every single Senator voted on providing hundreds
of billions of dollars for kids, jobs, healthcare, and reaffirming
protections for preexisting conditions. There were 52 Republicans who
voted to advance all of these things, but every single Democrat who
showed up voted to block them.
The American people are still hurting. The layoffs are still
mounting. Families still need more help, and the healthcare fight needs
more resources. One side voted to supply all of that help. The other
side decided to block it.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
[[Page S5901]]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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