March 19, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 53 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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CORONAVIRUS; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 53
(Senate - March 19, 2020)
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[Pages S1822-S1823] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CORONAVIRUS Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, over the last few weeks, given the nature of this unprecedented virus, Members of Congress have been able to come together during divided times to support our country's response. [[Page S1823]] First, we passed an emergency funding bill to bolster our response in the critical early stages of community spread. Since it was signed into law nearly 2 weeks ago, it has provided funding for the personal protective equipment our healthcare professionals rely on and has supported our community health centers and State and local health departments. It has also bolstered our resources in the race to develop a vaccine, possible treatments, and more tests. It has been a strong start, but we have known all along that it would just be the first step. As the scope of this virus continues to grow and challenge our country in new ways, we are working as quickly as possible to respond in realtime. As we know, more and more Americans are staying home and practicing a new term, a new phrase--social distancing. It is one that I really had not heard of before this virus. While that is a sign of progress in our fight to slow the spread of the coronavirus, it is handicapping millions of businesses and workers. As travel plans are abandoned, as public events are canceled, and as restaurants and shops are closing their doors or scaling back their operations, many people are losing their jobs and their livelihoods. A recent poll found that nearly one in five American households has experienced a layoff or reduced work hours, and those who work in the service or hospitality industry are particularly hard hit. Think about the waiter at your favorite local restaurant, the person who cuts your hair, the individual who sweeps the aisles after a basketball game, the housekeeper who cleans rooms at a hotel. They are among the millions of workers across the country who are trying to survive this new reality. Here in the Senate, we are working as quickly as possible to support them. Yesterday, we passed a bill to help individuals and families who face economic fallout from this outbreak. We improved paid sick leave for those who have been impacted by the coronavirus, and we have strengthened our food security for Americans of all ages. We also made coronavirus testing free for all Americans. No one should be afraid to get tested because of the cost. For all of the benefits this legislation will deliver, it will not address every problem. We knew that it would just be the second step in a journey of undetermined length. Yet, rather than holding that bill up and doing nothing, in order to include additional measures we would like to see, we worked as quickly as possible to put that second phase into action, and we then moved on to phase 3. In building on the first two steps we have taken, it is time to make bold moves to support our economy. We need to be sure it can survive this pandemic in the short term and thrive in the long term. The American people are resilient. We have been through national disasters, like 9/11 and the huge economic meltdown and great recession of 2008, but in my experience, we have never had anything quite like the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the American people have always maintained their good attitudes and worked through these crises and have come out stronger and better in the end. As I mentioned, the shift in our daily routines is having a serious impact on the businesses we are used to supporting every day in our local communities. Sadly, those small businesses that employ about half of all U.S. workers are among the hardest hit. Here is the thing. They bear no responsibility for the economic conditions they find themselves in. This is something totally beyond our control. The restaurants, the hardware stores, the salons, the gyms, and the countless other small businesses that are operated by our neighbors are facing tough decisions. Over the last couple of days, I have talked about a number of my constituents, fellow Texans, who are experiencing hardship--one whose revenue is down about 60 percent, one who is rotating her employees so each can at least get some work, and one who is terrified that this could sink the business he has worked on for 25 years. As we continue working on this third phase of the coronavirus response and recovery, my top priority is to support these small business owners and their employees, who have been left with no way to collect paychecks, no way to provide for their families, and no way to provide for the necessities of life. Yesterday, Senate Republicans met with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and discussed wide-ranging proposals to provide relief to workers and small businesses. There is one thing we all agreed on. We need to take immediate action to put money directly into the hands of these displaced workers. Work opportunities may be disappearing for some workers, but the expenses don't go away. People need money to buy groceries, to pay their bills, and to stay afloat until things normalize. There are ongoing discussions about the most efficient and most effective way to get money into the hands of those who have been the most negatively impacted, but I want to assure all Texans we are working as quickly as possible to find the best solution. The centerpiece of the phase 3 deal will be that of direct aid to American workers who have been displaced, but it must also include additional actions to protect the integrity of our healthcare system. As more and more people are being tested and diagnosed, our hospitals and healthcare providers are needing additional support so they can continue to serve patients. We are working to get our healthcare providers the resources and equipment they need so they can continue fighting this virus on the frontlines. I thank the majority leader, Senator McConnell, for publicly committing to keep the Senate here in session until we pass legislation that meets these high demands--a decision that I fully support. While the Senate's work continues, I know many Americans are feeling some helplessness and uncertainty at a time when the best thing you can do may be to just stay home. While older Americans face a higher risk if they come into contact with the virus, every one of us has a role we can play in beating this virus. I reiterate remarks made earlier this week by Dr. Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House Coronavirus Task Force. She continues to stress the importance of millennials--one of the largest generation cohorts--in saying that this is the core group who will stop this virus. We all know young people feel bulletproof and that their lives will be eternal. Many a time, they don't understand that they are just as mortal as the rest of us. Because these younger individuals are at a lower risk of contracting the virus, they think it is fine to continue with their normal routines as long as they aren't experiencing symptoms. Yet, if they are infected, they can still transmit the virus to others, especially to the older, more vulnerable people in their communities. Dr. Birx has pointed out that we often talk about the ``greatest generation,'' which is the World War II generation--people like my mom and dad and those who answered the call to serve and fought for our freedoms. Yet now is the time for the younger generation, the millennials, to answer a different call and take the necessary precautions to protect that ``greatest generation,'' which is among the most vulnerable. I am proud of the fact that, when Texas faces a crisis, whether it be hurricanes or tornadoes that have devastated our State in recent years, Texans come together and support one another. The truth is, this is also how I would describe Americans when they react to an attack, whether it be 9/11, the great recession of 2008, or now this coronavirus. This is not a time for us to engage in business as usual. This is a time for us to come together in a new and very important but different way. Stay home, and take this seriously. We will get through this together. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. BLUNT. Mr. 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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