Hit Us Public Health infrastructure like hospital beds and masks and ventilators must be produced and procured. Testing is still at its proper capacity. And the resulting economic downturn from this virus is already impacting millions of American Families, workers, and businesses, small, medium, large alike. First, on a personaler note, please, americans, take care of yourselves. Avoidur unnecessary contact, evn thoughnt i know that so many of the meetings and gatherings and celebrations that weed had pland must be postponed. Its painful, but not as painful as the continuing spread of this awful virus. And a little advice, and this is not universal but ive heard this a number of medical people that i trust. Take your temperature in the morning and in the evening. Its a good way to check that, whether you have this illness and it is progressing within you. Not all experts agree with that, many do. In my view, it cant hurt. Its something i am doing. I am urging my family to do. I am purging my staff to do it. Now, to our response here in the senate and in the congress. The response to the coronavirus will require a massive mobilization of public resources, federal, state and local, as we have marshaled the before only in wartime. Its going to require congress to work in a bipartisan way and with uncommon speed. And the American People, too, must pull together and sacrifice in ways, small and large, their normal way of life in an effort to combat this disease and live it its spread. All hands must be on deck, because the task before us is daunting. And may get eclipse the pain felt by workers and families during the great recession, at least for many families. Now whats the first order of business here in the senate, is to take up and pass the recent house bill, and do it today. It will provide free coronavirus testing. Thats essential. It would extend paidai sick lea. It would give food assistant, medicaid reimbursement and expanded unemployment insurance. I understand that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle might want to amend the legislation or have it written differently if they were the ones putting it together. But i remind them that leader mcconnell said that he would defer to the agreement between the speaker of the house and secretary mnuchin. The president has said he will sign this bill if the Senate Passes it. So if we change the bill, it will go backye to the house, be delayed, and delayed the aid it contains forpi American Families coping with the impact of the virus. So please, my colleagues, we will have other opportunities to legislate, and the would be a great need for them, lets move this now. Lets move this now. I believe our site of the island will t clear this. I hope the other side will side of the aisle. And it will be on the president s desk today. Let us hope and let us not delete any longer. But theres much more to be done. Once this legislation is sent to the president s desk, covert two, our work is not over, not even close. We must soon moved to other very necessary measures to address the coronavirus and its widening impact of health and wellbeing of the American People. Today im presenting a series of proposals to congressional appropriators that would provide initial infusion of at least 50 our proposal is big, bold it is also targeted. It focuses on those americans in the parts of the Health Sector and the economy most in need now, hospitals and treatment, unemployment, insurance and medicaid, loan forbearance and a too Small Business, childcare and senior citizens. It focuses on those who need help, who dont have income because i have lost their job temporarily. Of those who need help with senior citizens, with children who are not in school, of hospitals who are short o of equipment, and maybe personal. Thats the immediate focus. Thats what we must do right now personnel. Focus on those who need help immediately, and do it in a way that deals with the structural problems in the country that have made the attack of this virus more virulent, more harmful, and worse. Now, by contrast, its reported that the ministry is proposing a massive bailout, federal bailout of industry and a payroll tax cut. If were going to follow up the house bill with another Major Economic stimulus package, which we must, our major focus cannot be based on bailing out airlines, cruises, and other industries. We must first prioritize Economic Solutions that are focused on workers and their families, solutions that would allow us to fixro our broken unemployment system, we built our Public Health system which is overburdened, save small and mediumsize american businesses that have a cash crunch and will go out ofho business even though they were healthy a month ago because no one is buying the products were using their services. Lets remember, corporations are not people. People are people, and when it comes to this cascading crisis we should help our fellow americans first. Even as as a plan and execute policies to protect our economy, the administrations proposal, if that is the sum of it, and massive bailout of industry and a payroll tax cut doesnt do that. It doesnt target at the people who most need the help. And any package that we are going to dod here, which must be passed in a b bipartisan way, mt contain large elements of what im talking about, and maybe other things as well, that help the people who are in need. I will be sending my proposal in a powerpoint slide to everyone of my colleagues shortly. And i hope that they will understand the need for it. I have consulted withn large numbers in our caucus, and with broad support for these proposals, and some others. So again when it comes to this cascading crisis, help fellow americans first. Even as the plan and execute policies that protect our economy. First, we take actions to fight this virus. First, we give lifelines to our workers, our parents, students, seniors, Small Businesses. If your house is on fire, the first thing you worry about is not smoke damage to the roof. You try to put out the fire. Thats what our proposal does. It means first and foremost we work to address the coronavirus itself and the people most impacted. In the midst of a sprawling healthai and economic catastrop, industry bailouts should not be at the top of our priority list. Now, our proposal also does not include a payroll tax cut. That option may be premature and response to the problems we face today. There are much better ways to get money in the hands of the americans who need ity most, in the ways they need it most. Under senator murrays leadership doing more on the sick leave front. If your hours are cut and you suddenly cant pay your mortgage, youre going to lose your home, or are otherwise struggling to make ends meet because you choose to pay your mortgage, but then cant pay other vital expenses, our proposal would let you defer your Mortgage Loans for six months. No penalty fees are impact on your credit and do the same for Student Loans and Small Business loans, a six month moratorium, that helps real people. If youre a working parent and suddenly you have to worry about finding a safe play for your kids to stay during the day, we would provide emergency funding to safely ramp up Child Care Services for heavily impacted parts of the country. If youre a Small Business, suddenly facing cash flow problems, wed allow you to an i ply for low interest loans and other forms of direct Financial Assistance that can offer relief quickly, and allow you to overcome this problem and keep your business going in a healthy way. And these are just a few exampl examples. Our proposal includes much more, but includes what is needed and needed immediately. It includes what governors across the country are calling for, aid to Public Health systems and citizens impact by this crisis and i would say to my republican colleagues, we want to work with you. Youll have different ideas, but our ideas must be contained in a package. The thing the administration has been talking about, if thats true, is not good enough at all. One other thing we need, as more testing becomes available, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases will enhe ha have inevitably increase and the strain on our Health System we need the necessary capacity and infrastructure for all americans that need it and our proposal addresses that as well. So, as we discuss what is to come in the next few weeks, i strongly urge my colleagues on both ends of the capital to review our proposal and organize our next legislative response around these ideas. In conclusion, madam president , this crisis is going to demand more from all of us, from an administration thats far too slow in waking up to the scale of the channels that we face, more from a congress that has to set aside partisan squabbles and Work Together and more from the American People who must diligently follow Public Health guidance and the disruption of their lives. I know my family is, and so are millions and millions and millions of families across america. We have to stick together, be strong, support one another and get through it, we will. We have not faced a Public Health crisis of this global scale in recent times. Were unsure how long the disturbance to our Economic Life will last, but we americans have overcome challenges of this magnitude and greater before and we will again. It will demand determination, cooperation, and sacrifice. It will demand an enormous coordinated effort by the government to the United States at all levels to protect the health and safety of the American People, but overcome this problem, we will. Together, strongly, forcefully, and smartly. Madam speaker, i yield madam president , i yield the floor. Yesterday the president of the United States and the center for Disease Control contacted us individually, at least through the media to advice us to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. Its a reflection of the National Emergency we face and the Public Healthri