March 17, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 51 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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CORONAVIRUS; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 51
(Senate - March 17, 2020)
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[Pages S1766-S1768] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CORONAVIRUS Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, yesterday, the President of the United States and the Centers for Disease Control contacted us individually and at least through the media to advise us to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. It is a reflection of the national emergency we face and the public health crisis that America is facing head-on, as it should. This morning, as we opened the Senate, there were 18 people gathered on the floor of the Senate--3 Senators and 15 staff people. As those who follow all the Senate can tell, our staffers come to work, as they are expected to, but come under circumstances that are more challenging than they were just a few weeks ago. I want to thank each and every one of them here on the floor, as well as the many who you don't see, behind the scenes, who are necessary for the opening of this Capitol and for the protection of everyone who works here. There are policemen and there are people engaged in basic activities here who keep this magnificent structure functioning, and they come here now in the midst of a public health challenge, where most every American has been told to stay home: If you can possibly stay home, do it; for social distancing, make certain that you stay a certain distance between yourself and some other person. Yet they come here, and we thank them for it. The obvious question is, Why are we here under these circumstances? We were called back into a week of legislative activity, which had been scheduled to be a week where we were back home in our individual States. There is a lot for me to do back home, and I am sure that is true for every Senator, from the crises which we had at O'Hare Airport--I was working on that on Saturday and Sunday night--to the issue of closing schools and feeding children, and all of the other issues that are part of this coronavirus challenge. But we were told to come back here this week, to make a trip back, to fly back from wherever, to come to the U.S. Capitol for two reasons. We were told we had to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization because it expired as of last weekend. It turns out that we have found a way to avoid a necessary vote at the last minute. The Senate Republican leader agreed last night, just a few minutes before the scheduled vote, to accept a proposal that had been made to him by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah last Thursday. The Senate Republican leader did not accept it then. He accepted it last night. The net result was we didn't have to be present. We didn't have to make the journey for that purpose. The second part of our return is equally important and maybe more so in light of this public health crisis, and that was to consider the measure that was taken up by the House of Representatives and passed in the early-morning hours of Saturday. This measure, known as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, is the second piece of legislation we have considered and, I am sure, not the last. We are already talking about the coronavirus 3 act, which is likely to be debated and voted on soon. The point I am making is this measure, which was physically sent to us last night with technical corrections, [[Page S1767]] could have been considered as early as last Saturday. By unanimous consent, the Senate can take up a measure before it physically arrives from the House. It has happened many times before. It is not extraordinary. The physical presence of the document is not necessary for this debate or for a vote to consider it. We acknowledge the fact that sometimes the movement of paperwork from the House may take a little longer than the actual time when we physically can take possession of it through other means. So the argument that was made this morning that it wasn't until we received the document last night that we could consider it is not accurate. Under the Senate rules, by unanimous consent, we could have considered it as soon as it was enacted by the House. The question before us now is, What are we waiting for? There was a technical correction bill that was added to it yesterday, after the House overcame the objections of a Republican Congressman. After his objections were set aside or satisfied, they moved forward with the technical corrections. We have the package. It is before us now. The obvious question is, Why aren't we passing this measure immediately? We should because contained in this measure are important changes in the law that will help American families respond to this coronavirus crisis--fundamental questions: Will we provide, for many American workers, medical leave if they decide that they don't feel well and want to keep themselves, their family, their coworkers, and the public safe by staying home? They are afraid that if they don't get a paycheck, they won't be able to meet the needs of their families. So this bill extends the medical leave coverage to more workers across America. I am unhappy that it doesn't go further, and perhaps we can extend it further with the third iteration of our coronavirus legislative package. But there is no reason not to pass this and to pass it now and not to wait a day or two or three before we get around to it. Let's do it. Let's get it done. In addition, we have changes in unemployment compensation. If someone literally loses their job because of this public health crisis, we want to make sure they have something coming in to help their families as quickly as possible. That is a measure I am sure all of us agree on--to change the unemployment compensation laws to help these families through very difficult times. Why would we wait to pass that? We should pass this by unanimous consent today and do it quickly. That is something I hope the Senate Republican leader will consider. There is just no reason for the delay. There are so many other things involved in this. The basic issue of feeding America is now in question. Who is going to feed these students whose schools have been closed across Illinois and across the United States? It is a practical challenge in Springfield, IL, as well as in Chicago. Well, we have issues that are raised by this coronavirus legislation that is before us that will change and strengthen food assistance at this time of public health crisis. Why wait? Let's get this done by unanimous consent. We should be doing it and doing it right now. In addition to that, we provide additional Medicaid benefits to the States to deal with the obvious health challenges. We want to make sure that the healthcare workers--and God bless them for risking their lives for us--are paid. We want to make sure the equipment that is needed by hospitals and clinics comes on board as quickly as possible. In my State of Illinois, we have challenges, from the city of Chicago to rural and small towns. They need help. The Medicaid assistance in this bill will provide help for them immediately. Why wait? Let's pass this and do it this morning. We also have free testing for coronavirus that is set out in the law. Whether you have insurance, whether you are covered by Medicare or Medicaid, you are going to be able to be tested--when the tests are available, I might quickly add--without cost to you. And that is the way it should be. These are things that are basic. They were agreed to not just by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, but by the Trump White House, Mr. Mnuchin. The Secretary came forward and negotiated all the changes I have just described. So they are bipartisan in nature. There is no reason for us to delay this in any way. We should move on it quickly. Putting this off for a day or two or whatever the plan is with the Republican leadership is totally unnecessary and unfortunately requires staff to wait around here when they have been advised they should be home, there should be social distance, and they should be in a circumstance where they are not endangering themselves in terms of their health or anyone else's. Let's get this done. The third issue I want to raise is one which is critically important but I believe is timely. We have to think anew about the way the Senate does business. If we are telling people to do their work from home when possible, teleconferencing as opposed to being physically present at work, what are we doing to achieve the same thing? There has been speculation, conjecture about a coronavirus aid package--the third one in the series. I totally support it. On the Democratic side, we have a long list of particulars of things that we think will be helpful to get this economy back on its feet by starting with families and workers and expanding it to small businesses. It is a long list, it is a comprehensive list, and I am sure there are even more suggestions that could come before us. How are we going to consider those? Are we going to meet as committees as we ordinarily do, in the same room, when we have been advised that is not a good idea from a public health viewpoint, or are we going to do it by teleconferencing and Skyping and using modern technology? It is time for the Senate to wake up to the 21st century and to make sure we are using technology that allows us to communicate with one another without any danger or risk to public health. In addition to that, there is a more difficult question about how we can vote in the U.S. Senate if we are not physically present. I know that is being considered. Senator Klobuchar and I have discussed it. I know she is thinking about it from a Senate rules perspective. Senator Schatz of Hawaii has raised the same question. Others have too. Let's get into this. Let's find a way to do this that protects the integrity of our voting procedure but acknowledges the reality that our physical presence on the floor may not be required to be actually present under the rules of the Senate--at least for the sake of counting our votes. We ought to be discussing that this week and make sure we have a task force that is working on coming up with answers to that as quickly as possible. Finally, I think it is time for us to start meeting as committees by this teleconferencing and Skyping and talking about this coronavirus 3 package--the one that really stretches us beyond where we are. Let's take a look at the first two measures. With coronavirus 1, which was a supplemental appropriation, the President asked for about $2 billion. We came up, on a bipartisan basis in just 2 short weeks, with $8 billion, primarily focusing on healthcare resources, on research, and on developing vaccines. That was a must, and we did it on a bipartisan basis. The second package talks about families and workers and small businesses and how they should respond and how we can help them. The third package I think will take a look at the original two to see if they need to be changed in any way but to expand our reach even more. Let's do it in the context that we are preaching to America. As we hold the press conferences in Washington and tell Americans ``Avoid going to work physically if you can,'' let's try to find ways to make the Senate work without putting anyone's health at risk. We can do that, but we need to do that together. Let me also say that the Senator from Kentucky said that the Senate will not recess until significant new measures beyond what the House has passed are considered. If there is a plan for that, please let us know. Those of us who are here and worried about whether there will be transportation back home to our families at some point would like to know what the schedule is going to be. If the Senate [[Page S1768]] leader, the Republican leader, has a plan, please share it with us too. All of us are waiting and anxious to know what our circumstances will be for the days ahead. I want to stay here and get the work done, but let's do it in an orderly, safe, and nonrisky way. Let's try to abide by the same guidelines we are preaching to the rest of America. Let's use new technology. Let's use our best thinking and come up with bipartisan answers. That, to me, is the way to manage the Senate in the midst of this national emergency. We shouldn't be returning, as we have this week, and facing situations like last night where our vote was not even necessary. Many of us came here ready to vote and found that there had been an agreement that made such a vote unnecessary. It is time for a greater spirit of cooperation and communication. Just to have the Republican side come up with their list and we come up with ours, without dialogue, doesn't lead us to where we need to be. Let's have that dialogue and do it in a safe and thoughtful way. I yield the floor. 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. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________
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