Circumstances for people in terms of wage replacement across the country. It is clear that the 600 that were added to the weekly unemployment benefit has offered some conflict but heres the reality of it. The reality is, you cant quit your job to get an extra 600 a week. But secondly, knowing that the pandemic with 30 million americans having filed for Unemployment Insurance that the contagion of the Health Care System would make its way into the contagion of the Economic System and people would have trouble paying their rent and mortgages. That was what this was about. The wage replacement issue, along with the extra 600, has gone a long way toward ameliorating some of that pressure. The other side knew this was coming. They knew that eventually, despite the procrastination, the argument that they were waiting to see how this would play out, now brings us to the eve of an economic catastrophe if Unemployment Insurance is not extended. You can see that right now that theres great uncertainty that confronts the american system. Again, a Record Number of covid cases. Resurgence of the pandemic, or resurgence of the virus is again causing great economic uncertainty. Its linked to child care. Its linked to a chaotic system states deliver unemployment compensation. But what is important to remember is to this moment the United States senate has refused to act. Complacency would be the worst strategy to adopt right now. I think of all the issues we were able to put together in the cares act including the retention tax credit, Unemployment Insurance, aid for our hospitals. What was really the most successful endeavor was Unemployment Insurance largely because it addressed the issue of liquidity in the system and because people need the sustenance of daytoday life, it also helped create consumer demand. Those were the important considerations. We cant lose the momentum that we developed in the cares act by not getting immediately to the heroes act. We cant they cant say they havent had time to vet this. Two months and 10 days they had to go through this. The evidence was overwhelming about the pandemic. T wasnt getting better. It reached a ceiling for a while, began to slow down, but i would remind all that the governor of connecticut has taken a different position today, the governor of massachusetts is taking a different position now on out of state visitors and this is part of where we find ourselves, whether its in california, texas, or florida. The truth is that the recovery is going to be slow largely because were still in stages of stability and relief. So i think the Unemployment Insurance issue is not only compelling, its overwhelming. And chairman davis has had a great deal to do with this. He has said time and again in our gettogethers, our zoom call, he believes that this is one of the most important things that we did and hes made a big contribution through the subcommittee to help write this. Chairman davis. Mr. Davis thank you, chairman neal. These past months have demonstrated with unblinking charity the impact of systemic racism on every aspect of our society. Im not going to mince words. A republican failure to continue the 600 a week federal unemployment supplement would represent a racially discriminatory action, period. Any way you cut it. Any way you look at it. Africanamericans and latinos make up a disproportionate share of essential workers. Of those hospitalized by the virus. Of those dying from the virus. And of those facing eviction to just simply stay in their home. We cannot allow republicans to take a color blind position on who is harmed by cutting off the 600 supplement for unemployed workers. Unemployed individuals dont work because they cant work. They cant work because its dangerous for them to work. They cant work because there is no work. And they cant work because theres no child care for them no place to take their children. The house passed an extension of the 600 back in may. And the Senate Republicans and president have yet to act while millions of americans teeter on the edge, wondering whats going to happen to them next. Will they be able to make it through the next week . Through the next month . I reject the idea that we could let the 600 supplement expire in just and just give workers some help after the fact. One thing i know is that retroactive benefits are not the same. You cant eat retroactively. You cant afford medicine retroactively. Businesses cant survive retroactively. Now the republicans have decided to push an approach that the administrations own Labor Department rejected as unworkable. So if the republican plan cant work, then the stark reality is that the republican plan remains cutting off the 600. What kind of leader punishes unemployed workers in the midst of a crisis . The harm ofamilies and businesses is not theoretical. And the last in the last recession we let emergency Unemployment Benefits lapse and the harm to individuals and retailers was immediate and substantial. In illinois, if republicans let average xpire, the benefit will be cut by 63 . Hard working americans deserve relief. We must protect workers and families. We must do it now. Theres no time to waste. Theres no time left. Now is the time and we must act immediately. Id like to present representative kildee from michigan. Mr. Kildee thank you, chairman davis. Speaker pelosi. Chairman neal. Joined by mr. Evans and ms. Chu, both of the ways and Means Committee. Appreciate all your efforts. Were here today with one message for the president and for the Senate Majority leader, mr. Mcconnell. Do your job. Millions of americans are at risk of losing everything that theyve worked for and the only Thing Holding them together has been this unemployment benefit. The only thing that prevents them from keeping it is the inaction of this president and of the United States senate. Covid19 is simultaneously an economic crisis and health crisis. 140,000 americans have lost their lives. 40 million American Work verse lost their jobs. These simultaneous crises are far from over. Yesterday for the 18th week in a row, over a Million People filed for Unemployment Benefits. Our Unemployment Rate nationally is over 11 . Worse than the great recession. In my home state, one of the hardest hit states, two million michiganners lost their jobs. We have passed legislation. Were not just having a conversation. Were legislating. Someone once told me a long time ago you cant fund a conversation. We passed a bill that protects these important benefits. And in addition to that, provides other critical support for testing, for frontline workers, for state and local governments, for schools. And extends that 600 a week benefit. For months, republicans have failed to act. They know everything they need to know to make a decision on this question. But the heroes act sits on Mitch Mcconnells desk gathering dust. Why isnt there empathy from these republicans . Millions of americans are about to lose everything theyve worked for. And not be able to put food on the table. Not be able to take care of their families. And the Senate Republicans are literally dining on alligator sausage. And crab bisque. While americans are trying to figure out how to put food on their own tables. Because of their inaction we find ourselves staring down tomorrows deadline where americans will stop getting that essential lifeline. This pandemic is not over. This is no time to tell the American People, youre on your own. So even as we begin to open reopen parts of the economy, in some cases obviously too quickly, but even when the economy does begin to reestablish itself, the jobs wont come back as fast as they were lost. Unemployment will still be a significant problem. He highest levels weve seen and now eclipsing the levels of the great recession. Without this action, 25 million americans, again, could lose everything that theyve worked their lives to create. Every one of these dollars matters to these families. As chairman neal said, this is not just about supporting those families. But this supports the american economy. Imagine taking away this lifeline. It not only put those families in jeopardy, but it takes significant spending power out of the economy. Without this unemployment benefit, unemployment goes up in this country. And the problem gets worse. Ive heard from thousands of my constituents. We were chatting before coming out here. For the most part, the majority of the calls we get have to do with Unemployment Benefits. I just want to i just want to mention a couple of these folks. Rick from bay city, michigan, wrote to me to say, quote, please vote to extend the 600 unemployment. Its been a muchneeded lifeline. It help with basic needs like housing and medicine. We nearly lost our home and everything. We do not know what we are going to do without that extra 600. Stopping these payments seems cruel. Were barely hanging on. Jeffrey from saginaw wrote to me, basically the same story. He said im still making far less than i did but im at least able to get by. Crystal from burton said, i fear my children and i are going to be left homeless and without food. I just dont know what else wed do. Hese are the stakes. These are the stakes. This is about real american lives that are going to be affected permanently. Do we want to create another round of multigenerational poverty . No, we dont. We have acted. The leader in this effort, in all our efforts has been our leader, the speaker, and she has been just dogged in her determination to get this done. Its my pleasure to bring forward our leader, the speaker, specter pelosi. Ms. Pelosi thank you, mr. Kildee. Thank you all for focusing on this very central issue. An issue that goes to the heart of the Kitchen Table concerns of americas working families. We can talk about a number of things. Time. Everything is about time. The time it has taken for the administration to recognize that you should wear a mask. The time it took, 98 days, just at 100 days, to reach one Million People infected in the United States. Half that time to reach two million. 43 days. 27 days to reach three Million People. 16 days to reach four million. Errible. Terrible. Congresswoman chu, chairman davis, thank you congressman evans, mr. Kildee and mr. Chairman neal for bringing us here. We keep say, you want to open the schools, want to open the economy, defeat this virus. And yet and yet and yet, delays, distortions, denial has taken us to a place where we have four Million People. And there are many other concerns that we have of state and local government having to fire people. And the list is a long one of concerns that were trying to address that mr. Davis rightly called really injustices. And how they disproportionately Impact Communities of color. And the rest. Right now, we are focusing on this one subject. The extension of the Unemployment Insurance benefit. This is central to the well being of americas of americans. What do republicans and the white house have against working families in our country . That they would be that they would begrudge them 600 of absolutely necessary sustenance . This is there are other things in here too. Its about paying the rent. Its about buying food. So with this package, we have people on the verge of eviction. We have millions of Children Food insecure in america. We need the food stamps and the rest and they resent that. We had legislation in heroes act and independently to help with rent so people are not evicted. And the e this money Unemployment Benefits. I thank the members of the ways and Means Committee for always recognizing, always recognizing the connection between our policy and the health and livelihood, the lives and livelihood of americas working families. Again, as mr. Kildee said, we hear the calls all the time, people crying on the phone, crying on tv, crying theyre in pain. Theyre its about their dignity and how they meet the needs of their children. And why . Why . Because republicans are derelict in their duty, taking off for the weekend instead of being ready all these months without preparing something to begin with where we had our offer, they make their offer, now two months and eight, 10 days have gone by and where are they . Where is their offer which earlier this week they said we would see in 24, 48 hours. In disarray. And their disarray is causing great, great damage to americas working families. This is an alarm that needs to be sounded. As loudly as possible. About what are we doing here if we are not addressing the needs of people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. As mr. Davis said, they tell them to go to work, go to work, youre an essential worker, you must go to work. When you go to work and there are no protections you have no recourse. And if you dont go to work because youre afraid youre going to bring some bring the infection home to your children you dont get Unemployment Insurance. But mr. Neal, the distinguished chairman, he has always been there for people who need it the most. As countered by the republicans who are there for people who have the most. When they talk about 600, i want to review the fact that they put 2 trillion onto the National Debt to give a tax break to gave 8 of the benefits to the top 1 . Ill close prayerfully quoting st. Augustine, some of you have heard me say this almost every day. St. Awe gus teen, 1,700 years ago. He said any government that is not formed to promote justice is just a bunch of thieves. Lets use our time to remove all doubt that were going to do the right thing by the American People. So they can meet the needs of their families. Everybody wants to talk about being family friendly. Lets not squawk about 600. With that, i yield back to the distinguished chair or whoever is leading the way here. Will you pass a bill to remove a shortterm benefits . We intend next week to hold a hearing on Unemployment Insurance. Ms. Pelosi we have housing in there, what you want money for housing . We have this benefit in there. There is i would be very much averse to separating this out and lose all leverage for all meeting all the other needs. Its a fraudulent tactic and with all due respect to you, an unworthy question when it comes to meeting the needs of americas working families. But we have im glad youre here to keep the spotlight on it. Whats the point they could have done they could have done their job. As you said. Do your job. I mean, this is dereliction of duty and our response and irresponsible to the American People and now youre saying you just bailed them out so they can ignore the needs we have for test, all the needs for state and local government, all the needs we have for food security. All the needs we have for osha benefits. All the needs that we have for vote by mail and other priorities that we have. There are about justice. Are you considering extending these for a month or two while e continue to negotiate . The republicans have every bit of information they need to make the decision. Ms. Pelosi no. But people at home wondering how theyre going to afford ms. Pelosi pass the bill. Pass the bill. Its really a good piece of legislative work. Ms. Pelosi its a tactic in order to not honor our other responsibilities. We will not be a party to their tactics. Lets stay on this subject. Reporter republicans want to keep their bill to 1 trillion. It ends money for education, more money for c. B. P. , etc. When you bring will you bring in the unemployment benefit as 600, do you think its possible to extend that benefit at that level and keep the bill at 1 trillion . Ms. Pelosi what we said to the republicans i want to tell you something. This is deadly serious. Our house is burning down in terms of the Economic Security of americas families. And these people are fiddling wherever they may be this weekend. So when you talk about well, they want to do 1 trillion, how can we do 600 for those in the most need . When theyve got other things they want to do . Thats what the distinguished leaders and i said to them. Put your bill on paper. Put your bill on paper. Then well see. What you have included. And what you have left out. And then the American People will see what you have included and what you have left out. But im telling you, you cant have any more patience. You know, its a wonderful thing i read. Its amazing how much patience people can have with other peoples suffering. We dont have that patience on our side of the aisle. And so for them to say 1 trillion. When they spent 2 trillion to give a tax cut to the rich etc. Richest people in america, 3 of the benefits to the top 1 . Deplorable. Ms. Pelosi and put it on the backs of our children for future generations. Let us see what theyre 1 trillion gets them and what are they excluding . They have nothing for state and local where people working. Health care professionals, food suppliers. Transit workers. Teachers, teachers, teachers. Sanitation workers. People who make our system run. Over a million and a half of them have been fired already because of the needs of coronavirus, the expenses of coronavirus. And the revenue lost because of coronavirus. Take that out. Let those people go. Ok. So now they dont have jobs. They probably have to go on unemployment. Right . So what money have they saved . And then we have test, test, testing. They shut down their cafeteria the minute somebody got infected in the white house complex. They shut it down. Testing and tracing. Why cant they put that money there for the states in a substantial way with a Strategic Plan to do that . What money do they have there for that . Then we have the money for rental assistance and mortgage fore bearance and food stamps as i keep saying. One thing i cant understand is how they could even show their faces say, food stamps . Whoo you want more money for food stamps . Why would we do that. [applause] toip thank you very much. Thank you very much, everybody. Please. This promises to be a very big an very important meeting. So bear with me. Take a little while. But it has to do with a thing called drug pricing and as you know congress has been working on tfo