In december of 2019, and infection startedhi in china and is spread rapidly through the wilpon region and by january, there were thousands of people affected to the foremost before the most of the world knew it existed and now almost every country in the world has infections. Hundreds of thousands of people that if in contact with this virus. And unfortunately we have lost thousands of people worldwide. In United States numbers continue to increase and the number of people that we can actually test. Fortunately the vast majority of the people get this virus have little to no symptoms. Cold or mild food to them but for a vulnerable population our elderly population, hard to among issues, smokers diabetics, can be a very serious thing. The challenge that we face in our healthcare, is that for every person that walks in and gets tested, the facetoface their healthcare workers especially in rural areas are saved that may be the only healthcare professional for that entire county. And if that person is not been vaccinated as well because there is no vaccine yet, if that person is not able to serve the rest of the population, and health some situation becomes ignored because of that managing care. Ways americans have taken this seriously as we should. We are paying attention. The younger population, spending time trying to get away from other individuals to try to self isolate himself quarantine, to be able to get social distancing is a new term. They find some way to not be close to someone else they dont accidentally pass the virus on because of the virus may be within them, not not personally physically affected much, and effective someone else could be pretty traumatic. So i out of respect to other, trying to manage that distance. In a be attentive to that. And multiple actions from the governments of the past several months but trouble mans is weak know about starting with china now multiple areas in the world, lots of encouragements to be able to limit gatherings percent to 50 and 50 and up to ten. And now its a series of just keeping social distancing to be able to make sure you are aware that. Emergency declarations that have been done. Cms is changed recently as yesterday and dealing with issues like telehealth. Making sure that individuals the may have other care needs, do not have to actually go into a healthcare professional. The fear also sitting in the waiting room they can get access to telehealth and a muchneeded change for the fda has been very aggressive in giving access to different states to be able to do their own testing regimens. Cdc is been active in trying to be able to get to a point where they can get a testing system they can actually getry out to e eentire country. Challenge was early on, many of the countries did testing and develop this with a high positive raid pretty seemed very focused on getting as accurate as they possibly could and then it took longer and we dont have the test. The tests are more accurate but we dont have the testing numbers that we need at the moment that we need to date which was last week. So now are still struggling to be able to catch up on testing all of the country multiple universities and labs were also coming on board and its interesting, multiple other countries are also developing their own testing processes. The days ahead we will be able to catch up on the testing that the american can be tested but for now, it is limited in states like my stay in oklahoma, the virus is beginning its acceleration we were relating to get to the virus to oklahoma but now the virus is there, its accelerating and testing is exceptionally important tomp us. As it is to everyone else. And department of transportation is engaged like waivers four hours of service to allow the moment and goods all of the country dealing with livestock and food. Theres been a big push from just about every retailer in the country to make sure the cleaning facilities more having open and acceptable and doing hours early in the morning for those for the most vulnerable population so they are not shopping with people who may have the virus and not even know it. It is been a shifter on the entire country to encourage people to tell work and were to be able to find ways to be able to separate out in the place of work. All of these things have occurred just in the last few months. Beginning again to say three months ago, none of us knew this term for this virus existed. All of this is happening extremely rapidly. Three weeks ago,en congressman agreed on a proposal of a wide bipartisan proposal bowl. They would deal with additional funding testing and for the vaccine development. Additional funding for state and local department of health, to be m about to make sure they are taking care of that. Man seen oklahoma authorities received along with 7 million to be able to help with testing in our county and we are in desperate need for us to be able to get that done. Vaccine development is already in human trials now. It is in phase one, it will take multiple months to be able to get that done. We have already begin that process. That is important to us. The bill that was on the floor today, multiple things. It expands with people call food stamps but supplemental food nutrition. It is an expansion of that printed also deals with unemployment and Insurance Benefits to make sure those are staying consistent and getting extended out to people who need it because in the past week, that unemployment has dramatically increased all of the country. In the days ahead, we will be able to see the numbers, we will see the difference of what is happening this week versus the week before versus the week before that. The struggle is that my phone has been filled with one other element that is in the bill. And it deals with amended on Small Businesses for sick leave. Twelve businesses in my states are closed. It many real tellers and restaurants and many Small Businesses are really struggling with how they are going to pay for this when they have no income coming in right now. Theyre hearing the promise of a federal reimbursement comingn to them but they dont know window there literally teetering on the edge right now. Their struggle is please dont udo something that pushes us or the edge. We need help. But we note needed bureaucracy thats going to be slow to respond for when its actually going to get us some help with help that comes to us too late. In these terrifying words in of her for multiple employers, i cannot make it. With that structure and i am going to have to lay people off. I hope to be able to hire them back when the sultans. For those families, their laidoff and are on unemployment now, this is a very different day for them in my furious, some of what pushed you some of individuals over the edge into unemployment, was an inch to sync with my dad one more mandate to you at your worst possible economic moment. It in the first principle that reestablishes it, since do no harm. We need tos dip in and help those folks need help. There are lots of ideas being vented to run right on the senate and the house. On both sides of the aisle pretty to try to figure out how we can get help as rapidly as we can to as many people as we can. This is a moment unlike what we have seen before. With helping the economy is crashing because of some Economic Foundation is not there. It is fear and panic that is global. That literally we are struggling with what if and, the cdc in her own government saying to employers, it would be best if you closed for a season. And they being good citizens and Good Neighbors quite frankly are complying with that for fear of their own business and their own employees. I finished my date yesterday late last night, talking to a Small Business owner in oklahoma. They relayed to me when he is going through right now. And the struggles that he is having, keeping the doors open. And quite frankly he was flare fairly but with me to say that the things that are being passed in the bill tomorrow will affect me but my competitors that are big companies, does not affect them. And so is already hard enough for me the Small Business to compete with them and now i have a new mandate on me that is not a mandate on them. And it makes it even harder. I dontak think ill have the ch flow to be able to make this work. And towards the end of the conversation he paused and literally began to cry. And he pulled himself together and said, im having to call people and tell them i dont have hours for you next week. And these are people i care about. We need to take action. We need to take action that helps people keep their jobs. Helps people stay employed. In helps us deal with the dip in the economy right now to help them pull back up. My fear is that we do not do that just now. We mightve just made it worse. There are important things for us to do and many of the things we are working on this week. We have goteo to get help to as many people as we can and as fast as we can. And it is hope come the senate will continue to stay in session as leaders already said w and promised that it would until we actually come to some proposals we have wide bipartisan agreement they can help rapidly to people who need the help the most and those workers, those individuals who are struggling, those folks that are f hourly, e folksinger waiters and waitresses this folks at work that the coffee shops and on the coffee shop. Those folks in Retail Locations that are shut down. They need us to stand with them and this is our moment to do it. Lets do it together. I yield the floor. From massachusetts. It. Thank you printed matter president , i want to start my remarks by saying to the people of massachusetts, and families all across the country. Many of you are making big sacrifices, quarantining yourself, postponing and canceling major events. Dealing with closed schools and daycare. We are grateful. Right now our primary goal needs to be to slow the spread of this virus. And we all share in that responsibility. And so we thank you for everything you are doing to keep your loved ones and everyone elses loved ones safe at this time. We are at war with the coronavirus and we need massive wartime manufacturing elicitation for coronavirus testing kits and personal protective equipment for medical personnel and emergency responders. And that is why last weekend, i was the first to call on President Trump to immediately use existing authorities under the defense of credit protection effect to bring all of the power of the federal government to mobilizing industry to make this crisis. That is why i had offered it the Senate Resolution calling on him to do so pretty and it is why it spoke directly to Vice President pentz yesterday. To purge the ministration to take this critical action. And i am glad that they are doing so printed the defense production act allows the federal government the direct supply the Critical Materials and equipment that are hospitals and First Responders needs and it allows us to mobilize industry to expand production and gives us the power to coordinate industry to respond to this crisis. We need to fully use all of those powers that are provided under this law that is why i am so glad the President Trump tested in both power of the defense take action next to respond to the Coronavirus Crisis in england that he is exercising it. And i am glad after my conversation yesterday with the Vice President and then decided to put this on the agenda for a country this was with Vice President pence. May need to massively increase private production of the lifesaving personal protective equipment medical supplies and devices and diagnostic testing supplies, we need to combat this viral enemy. We need to activate are capable and talented domestic industry and bring the full weight of the federal government behind this effort. We are talking about gowns and gloves and face shields surgical mask respirators ventilators disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers. And we do not have nearly enough of this life saving equipment for instance, the United States department of health and Human Services estimates that the United States could need up to 3. 5 million respirator masks lycee again. Our own department of health and Human Services says that we could need upwards up 3. 5 million respirator masks but are Strategic National stockpi stockpile, the countrys emergency medical supply bag, holds only a tiny fraction of that. Just 12 million respirator masks. Not 3. 5 billion, 12 million. Medical Minute Community falseness ppe, and also stands for a promise to protectp everyone. And this is the promise should make and keep. For Hospital PersonnelFirst Responders and patients. Invoking powers of the defense act will help ensure we can keep this promise to our american heroes who are on the frontlines of battling this epidemic. Other regular contact with the Massachusetts Hospital Association and the Nurses Association about have issued a terrible alarm. Insufficient medical equipmentup and supplies to test and treat affected individuals and protect healthcare workers and First Responders. For example, the berkshire hospital told me and theyve 3500 respiratory masks a day. As 35000 in just ten days for the berkshire hospital at in the least populated part of our state. Just for that one smaller hospital. Yet the entire state of massachusetts recently received only 70000 of these respirator masks is not nearly enough. We do not want our nurses and niour doctors, reusing our rationing masks. Additionally, labs across the nation are kind rampup Testing Capacity but face shortages and test kits and supplies. But we need to dramatically scale up testing and ensure our ability to test internation must be able to contact tenant or hundreds of thousands of tests daily. Ultimately testing millions off people. Over the course of our response. That means smartest which we are now running short of and other testing materials. We have used the defense production act before. During the korea work to mobilize defense infrastructure and during the cold war and make no mistake, we are facing an equally deadly enemy in this virus we need to bring all of our authority and resources to feed it printed all of us, owe a debt of gratitude to her Frontline Health medical care workers printed the does have a roadmap for winds happening right now. It is unprecedented. They just have skills and commitment in the hearts of heroes and mail them the resources they need to be protected in order to do their jobs. Sadly this pandemic is going to get worse, people or gets better and i have been calling while the president to declare a National Emergency which he finally did last week. Wand now, it is done so, we ned massachusetts to get all of the funding that is due. Ive been a regular contact with governor baker and mayor walsh, i will support this request printed their request for federal resources. Ie as the senate works on an Economic Relief package matches the scale of this crisis, we need to assure we put people and Families First no hidden bailouts and giveaways, just the big corporations. Paid sick time for all workers printed and implemented tours for all workers including or tip workers, caseworkers, contractors, home workers, expansion and staff in wiccan School Lunches another printed security programs printed new addictions, no coming off of utilities, no cutting off of wifi, halting all deportations and releasing and detained immigrants who causes no threat to public safety. Provide three or free wifi to low income hassles with students who cannot afford that they b ae going to be a tall because of school closures. So that we dont have a huge homework gap that is now explodes in her country as poor children dont have access to the Wifi Technology home so that they can learn the same base the kids l who just happend to live in wealthier families will have. We cannot allow that to happen. These kids should be able to learn how regardless of their income. We need free wifi for those kids. They have to reimburse our statesng and cities and tribes. They are bearing the brunt of this crisis in n any resources immediately. My commitment to help protect the health pin professionals and families of massachusetts get relief from the impacts of the coronavirus is my number one priority. We have to protect the Small Businesses in our country. Plant make sure that they receive resources which they need. Millions and millions of Small Businesses right now are feeling enormous stress. We have to make it possible for them to be able to receive the relief which they need the help in order to survive. We have to put up first, whatever the capacity is to make sure that they get the resources which they need. Because if that system in our country, 40 percent of all workers are employed, Small Businesses in our country, their living in the margins, and we miare going to have an economic catastrophe by august or september with millions of these Small Businesses will just declare bankruptcy. That is just the bottom line economic act of the matter. He have to give them the help and make sure that we have the resources and by the federal government, the personnel that will ensure that we can deliver that relate to them. So for the people of massachusetts in which even though im here for you and i will help any of you individually need any assistance during this emergency. This moment may call for distancing in isolation. But we cannot and should not sever our basic human connections with one another. Because we are all in this together. , and with the most important reminder. You must continue to listen to the guidance of scientists and medical professions in this pandemic is unprecedented and will require an unprecedented immobilization response at every level of society wee can get through this. But it will require a commitment a every single one of us. We are one big family in the United States. Many families are going to be suffering. Thats going to be our job to make sure that we protect those families. Ass the job of this institution to do so. We are the legislation First Responders. Were the ones that need to provide the resources that that allow the First Responders and the families in every thing across the country to have the resources to help everyone in our society. That is our goal, pandemic should know of no bipartisanship. Lets come together for this big package inou our contract right now so desperately needs. Madam president , without i yelled back. Madam president. Thank youpr very much. This has been a trying and difficult challenging time in our country in my home state of kansas lots of conversations care and compassion going on we can give anybody a these days. We cannot extend a hand. At least literally. But we are extending a hand to all of our friends and our neighbors. Those across our communitys estate and across the country. I am troubled of course by what circumstances americans find themselves in. There are those who are poorly enforced circumstance in which they can recover from the circumstances that we face. Want to make sure that kansas now that we hear the cries when other problems and that were trying to make a difference. There are a couple of examples, and perhaps the overall scale where we are, perhaps dont seem significant enough we can make a difference in individual lives and families will means very successful toh this point in getting to the School Lunch Program available for students who schools are no longer in session. They dont go to the classroom and therefore arent in the School Lunchroom and usda and the schools food program are now available for those who are at home because her School Classes have been canceled as a result of the virus. Were paying a lot of attention as i hope kinsley and snow to the veterans and the veteran communities and weve had success in passing the legislation on the senate floor waiting for house consideration to allow this veterans were no longer an the University Classrooms are Technical College and are now learning by distance education by technology to be able to can receive their g. I. D this required a change in the ld is in the works of those benefits continue even though the student is not is now required, and classroom itself did try to make certain that the department of veteran reese affairs has the resources necessary to meet the needs of the veterans. It is a vulnerable population because of age and existing condition of many of our veterans. And we are in Constant Contact not only with the veteran affairs but the veterans themselves and with our veteran hospitals and clinics and other Healthcare Providers in kansas. Today we are dealing with Economic Relief for those who are losing their jobs careful of them losing a job o lost her jo. Let one of lifes meetings is from a job and it helps put food in a table and provides security for an individual. But it alsos provides meaning ad no one can understand and less they are without a job how devastating that can be. I am pleased by the number of businessmen and women who have called me to tell me the last thing they want to do is lay off anyone who works in their business. The circumstances at home in kansas, we have been through economic difficulties before. We seen the cycle of the economy created the ups and downs a normal flows but this is something totally different than that. The prices of oil and keeping our Gas Producers in kansas is a real challenge. Aviation manufacturers is a an important component in the kakansas economy. The industries, have manufacture aircraft and beechcraft announced that they are furloughing 7000 of the 9000 workers. That is on top of other challenges in the Aviation Industry in which spirit arrow system headquartered in kansas has already laid off 2800 employees. So from the gas industry central and eastern kansas to the manufacturingut hub of wichita d southcentral kansas, the consequences of the coronavirus art real and felt in the pocketbook. Felt in the brain and in the hearts. Our restaurants, our agencies, those who serve others have been in circumstances this week in visiting with person who works at the people who work in a restaurant, the people work at the cafe, the people work washington dc at the cafeteria where i had reckless this morning. Those who have jobs wonder if they will have jobs tomorrow. Those who have already lost jobs one another going to pay bills. Employing the conversation with an optometrist, telling me the circumstances that no longer being able to care for patients except in the emergency setting. That means that the business in the Optometrist Office is an Important Health care provider the business in the dentalha office, that that has been curtailed in the necessity of considering laying off the clinical workers their printed center in the conversation. Its a troublesome situation. It doesnt matter what city or town you live in. If youre a farmer, the cattle prices today significantly depressed. Despite the fact that its still pretty expensive at the grocery store. I think about my hometown and the loss of the business. There arent many businesses in that Rural Communities in kansas. In many businesses dont really earn much of the living or profitst. It could be a family circumstance. He could be that this is what they did. This with their parents did. It could be a service to the community as they learn a lot less because that business is important to a small community. With this kind of challenge is such that if that business closes, the chances are that it does not reopen. The financial circumstances of smalltown american is such that there is little likelihood of recovering and reopening. I hope that the legislation that we passed today, is now in its wake to the president break in included a few things that i was troubled by an think will create significant difficulties for some. Made to continue to work to change those provisions that are troublesome and cause problems. But it was important my view to make certain that the things that were wrong in a bill didnt prevent us from passing something to help those with the things that are right. None of our economic efforts that we make to make certain the people feel more secure economically from award until they feel more secure in the health and wellbeing of themselves and their families. So even though you may get some assistance, person may get some assistance. Family may be relieved of some of the Financial Burdens that they now face. Alayna forearm against Unemployment Benefits. But your mind is always going to be on the issue of your health and wellbeing of your children and your parents and your grandparents. Thus we know in the nursing home of those we know in the nursery. And as t long as we are troubled by what may happen to us in our health, no amount of economic stimulus can overcome the fear of ones wellbeing and particularly the wellbeing of their spouse. And the children and their parents. So clearly Economic Relief in and of itself in my view, is insufficient and we need to make certain that our Healthcare Providers have the necessary tools to meet the healthcare needs of american citizens and front and center in f that regad is testing. And we are locally inadequate and undersupplied with what we need to test the necessary number of indians and americans to know what they face and to know what their circumstances are and to respond in a medically required way. Were working to make sure there are more tests across the country in the making sure that that tests are distributed in a way the kansas Healthcare Providers can access. And most recently we were successful of cdc to undo a problem that kept us from being transferred to the Kansas Department of health and home state i was pleased to see that the fda for example has modified the necessary steps it takes for a manufacturer of these test kits to meet certified to be qualified to manufacture them. In the amount of tests that are test kits that are being produced, not a manufacturing has increased and we are expecting significant improvements in the next couple of weeks. Yes, i wish they were here earlier. But can we fix the problem we face now get them here soon parted immediately. I said in the desk of senator bob dole a predecessor of mine. His name is etched in his desk drawer now known for his bipartisanship and held in Great Respect only to f the home in kansas but across the country. I stand at s the desk that is he in the place of senator john mccain. To feel well and know that things are going to be okay if they dont see leadership and Cooperation Among us. And so, while we today, are preparing for the presentation of new legislation dealing with the challenges that businesses, employers, and employees face, trying to relieve the economic and financial burden that Many Americans are experiencing and more will experience in the future. Could americans please see that me and my colleagues are taking every step, not to make this a political exercise, but to demonstrate our care and concern for those we represent. I mentioned a moment ago about veterans. This is the point in time in which if you take a walk on the national mall, as i have often done, to walk to the lincoln memorial. I will walk by, now the world war ii memorial, i will walk by the vietnam wall in on my return i will walk by the korean wall memorial. We should hold those veterans, those military men and women who are honored in those settings, as our role models. We should do that every day, that could be please do it over the next few weeks and few months, and into the next year as we try to address the challenges that america faces today. No person memorializing those settings thought and sacrifice their lives for a republican or for a democrat. They sacrifice because they believed they could make life better for the folks back at home. Their own family members, neighbors, and people they didnt know. They sacrifice because they believe they can make the world a more safe and secure place. I pledge myself in every way possible to see that i do the things today, tomorrow, and into the future that mean this congress has come together on behalf of the american people. Just like those who served our country did, and now rest in peace. To the democratic colleagues in the senate, please consider me open to their suggestions, into my republican colleagues please know that i am an illini in the things we believe in. But we all may need to give a little so that america can return, americans can be safe, americans can be secure. Our health is protected in our economy flourishing. I would ask god in this circumstance to bless this country, to bring us together, hold us in his arms and away way we cannot do today. And to make certain that this congress, represents the will of the people. Not the will of any political party. Adam president , yield the floor. Mehta president. Saturday from tennessee. I have consensus to speak time i require. I want to congratulate the senator from kansas on his eloquent remarks expressing the feelings that are certainly mine and those i believe are virtually every meer of this body. Here not as democrats or republicans, but to Work Together too do whatever we can to address concerns that are literally unprecedented. This is an unprecedented time in our country. I cannot remember a time in my life or history when the government has literally closed down the country. In order to contain a disease. That is really what were doing, whether its the federal government bites travel restrictions or the State Governments suggesting that schools be closed, or whether it is mayors saying that restaurants must be closed, we are closing down the country, to contain a disease. Mehta president , because the government is doing that on behalf of all of the people, we are going to have to pay the cost of closing down the country to contain this disease. Today, the news is that the Auto Industry across the ercountry is closing down, at least temporarily. There are layoffs. I have watched over the last 40 years as tennessee has gone from almost no auto jobs to proudly calling itself, in many ways, the number one auto state. 140,000 tennesseans working auto jobs in tennessee. Thats one third of all of our manufacturing jobs, they are spread through 88 counties and over these 40 years as textiles and other industries moved away from the United States and out of our state the Auto Companies moved in virtually into every county, and our family incomes went up. So we are in many ways the number one auto states, and we are the number one state to be hurt when the auto plants begin to close. We are also hurt as our citizens in every state when the restaurants shut down. Fifteen millions americans work inra restaurants. One of our Largest Industries if not our largest industry, almost all of those workers are being laid off in tennessee and in many other places in the country. Even more will be. And not all of those affected are working for big Auto Companies or mediumsized restaurants. I received an email yesterday from friends in tennessee who run a kennel. Well, you may say thats not so important, while it is to a lot of us. They say we are suffering a massive drop off in her business as a result of the coronavirus. I feel we may have to close our doors for a month or two, hopefully not that long. As our wonderful customers are forced to curtail travel. I am currently trying to secure around 50000 in loans c supplement our dwindling reserve to see us through till may or june. I am currently applying for an sba disaster relief. This precipitous drop in business comes on the heels of a major flood damage to our fencing caused by the recent floods. Our Flood Insurance refuses to cover that. We are not seeking charity, just a Business Loan for 30 to 50000 to secure our b business until it passes. We always pay our way. This couple has two Young Children and maybe a couple employees in their kennel. They are awfully good people, they are salt of the earth tennesseans. There Many Americans are suddenly confronted with this disease that just came out of the blue. And has caused our government to shut our country down. Now, what shall we do about it . Nd well, couple of weeks ago congress reacted and the president with 8. 3 billion to help beef up our Public Health system. We had the best Public Health system in the world, and we wanted to help you get started. Today, we passed a bill, and some babel of estimated at a hundred billion dollars which includes a whole variety of other steps from democrats and republicans. That includes encouraging more testing, that encourages creates a new system of paid leave for businesses of less than 500 employees, and family leave. And as senator mcconnell said, we are going to stay here this week until we takee. Step three. In step three according to the president s proposal would include direct financial payments to americans, it would include support for east central businesses that need stabilization like the airlines. And it would include loans to Small Businesses so that they could keep their employees working. Perhaps, that proposal would be good for that small kennel i talked about. That is said to cost perhaps another trillion dollars. A trillion dollars is a lot of money, even in the United States. Our Gross Domestic Product is about 22. 3 trillion. We have 25 of all money in the world in this country for just 5 of the people. But the idea we would have to spend a trillion dollars for more, to contain a disease would be unthinkable a few weeks ago. But what we have learned very quickly as we are going to have to pay the cost of containing the disease because the way we are containing it is that the government is shutting down major parts of our economy. And i dont believe what we do today or what we propose to do later in the week, will be enough. Because as i look at the number of people being laid off in this country, our state unemployment agencies are nott. Going to be able to deal with that. In tennessee for example, where unemployment has been very low, and where people have been found it easy to find a job, there were only 2000 applications for Unemployment Insurance last week. But already this week, by 2 00 p. M. On wednesday, in the middle of the week, there were four times that many applications, 9177. And if you are successful in Unemployment Compensation in our state, you get 275. Week for 26 weeks. So we are going to have to do even more than the congress is done. Even more than the president has done. And iis think we have to recognize the president was wise on january 31 when we only had six cases of coronavirus detected in the United States to impose the strictest travel bans on people coming into our country in 50 years. Doctor fauci who everyone respects as if he would not have done that we would have many more cases today. But still, we have a disease that is causing the government the State Government the local government to shut major parts of our economy down. That is why i voted today for the legislation that was phase two of our effort to respond to that. Even though i have significant issues with this sick leave and family leave proposals that are part of it. I believe those provisions, while well intended, by the aadministration and by the house of representatives, will hurt Many Employers and will shortchange many employees. First, to be fair, i want to try to make sure what the treasury intends to do is on the record. I have had several conversations with the secretary of the treasury, and with other officials. To ask him just what they intended to do in the list of problems that i had. This is what they say and what i am doing is characterizing the conversation in the writings we have had. They pointedth out that many businesses have read is in this bill, is what was in the draft of it that the house passed on friday before technical corrections are made overd the weekend. And that the technical corrections greatly improveie the bill from the point of the view of the employers. This is what the Treasury Department says, under the they receive a dollar for dollar refundable tax credit for the covid19 related sick and family leave payments made to their employees. As amended, they made a technical correction of the weekend, the credit is carefully calibrated in the treasurys words to ensure there is no sick or family leave requirement in excess of the credit. Or the legislation now also includes explicit grants of Regulatory Authority to both the secretary of labor and the secretary of treasury to ensure consistency between the lead requirements and the credit provisions. In addition, and this is what the treasury officials have been saying to us over the last few days, a just elation now provides that the second family leave payments are not considered wages for employment tax purposes. The legislation now extends to employer c credit to include costs for maintenance of Health Benefits paid by the employer while employees are on leave. Lastly, the treasury and the Internal Revenue service are considering options to provide an advance payment for the refundable credit to ease any tax flow burden that a small fraction of employers may experience. I have more to say about that in a minute. But what that means in plain english, they are considering a way to make sure that before the employer has to pay this required family leave to an employee, that the federal t government has given the money to the employer. Besides this, the legislation nows includes explicit grant of authority for the secretary of labor to exempt Small Businesses from the longterm leave requirements it contains, those requirements would result in hardship. And then the treasury, and their conversation with me and in the writings that they have sent a out, make the argument that far from imposing special burdens, the net effect of this legislation is to provide important m benefit, given melanie already provides sick leave and many more will need to do so in response to the covid19 outbreak by structuring coverage for paid sick leave as a credit. The legislation ensures that employers generally receive relief immediately, rather than having to wait for a refund. In the event it exceeds a tax liability, the credit is made refundable to ensure the employer is fully compensated for all payments made under the leave requirement. And the treasury goes on to say treasury and irs are working on options to provide advance payment of the credit to get cash in the pockets of Small Businesses and their employees immediately. The intent of the legislation, the treasury argues is to oyfully fund the payments employers make to their employees who experience employment interruptions related to covid19. In summary, the amended legislation does not require employers, according to the department of treasury to make payments in excess of payments with the refundable tax credit nor does it require employers to pay employment taxes on those amounts. To the contrary, it provides in important and immediate benefit to Small Business and their employees for whomck Financial Assistance is needed as quickly as possible. That is the argument of the secretary of the treasury and his subordinates and conversations with many of us over the last few days. That is their intention. Now i read that in detail because in tennessee in many places all across this country, if my figures are right there are about 6 million businesses that could be affected by this mandate that employee 51 million employees. Or at least they did employee 51 million employees until all of the problems created by this virus. Now having tried to be fair and giving you what i understand, the treasurys intention to be, which i think will be useful to the owners of Small Business to their accountants and their lawyers who are trying too figure out what was passed today. Here are my problems with it. Number one, i am not sure the treasury can live up to its promise to make surero the employer has the money from the federal government before the employer has to pay the sick leave to the employee. Now here is my principal. I believe, i think sick leave, family leave, and circumstances is a good idea. I mean if someone is quarantined for two weeks, i think all of us should have to pay the cost of that. And for another ten weeks, some of the cost of the medical and family leave. I buy that, i support that. But i believe if washington d. C. Is w going to require it, washington d. C. Should pay for. If washington d. C. Requires a Small Business, many of which who are struggling, many of which are going out of business, to pay a new mandate, washington should pay for. This is no time to be imposing on Small Businesses and expensive new mandate for unexpected new cost when they cant they dont have the money coming into pay for the normal cost that they have. Now i know it is the goal of the secretary to let it work this way. Because he is told me this he is told all of us this. Ut he said it in the public and he put out in the statement. Under the sickly proposal, every coupley of weeks a businessman will put aside enough money for withholding and Social Security taxes. That adds up to about 15 of salary of an employee. But the treasury is saying is that the employer can use that money, instead of setting it aside for the government it can use it to pay sickly. Well, there are two problems with that. One is i dont like the idea of the employer using the employees tax money. You used to get in trouble for that. If i set aside the senator from the dakotas tax payment, and then i use it for some purpose, you could go to jail for that in some cases. At least its inappropriate so im uncomfortable with that. Which means the business might b only have 7. 5 of salary set aside for that purpose. But even if its 15 , im not sure its enough. Welcome the treasury secretary says we understand that so we will allow advance payment andnd we hope we can cope with the system that will get there immediately. He hasnt promised that it would come in one day, but his objective, im sure if he was here the senate floor he would say had like to get through the same day. Well, wanting to get it there the sameif day and getting it there, are two different things. If i am a Small Business person in tennessee, and i know that i am going to have to cut a t payroll check on monday and that i have no money coming in to pay for, and theres not enough money in my escrow account to pay for, i want my money from the federal c government before i cut the check. And so come most are president , i intend to try to amend the legislation we passed this weekend to say that was sick leave and paid family leave, since washington is requiring it, and washington is paying for,ee then washington will need to make sure the employer has the money before the employer has to pay the check. That is number one. Sunumber two, i want to make sure that the employer doesnt have to pay more on sick leave than the federal government cap. There is a cap, i think its about 132,000 annualized pay on sick leave of an employee and if he makes more than that, that employee is going to have to take a pay cut or he might or she might use the private right of action to sue the employer to say i want you to pay the gap between what had 32000 and whatever i made. But you may say im not too sympathetic to the employee who makes that much money, im not tired but being sympathetic to the employee im being sympathetic to thein employer who may not have any money. Remember, this is a washington mandated washington should pay for. The Treasury Department has amended, through technical changes this past weekend they ussaid so in the information i just read. They have amended the bill to try to make that t, clear. And i hope that is successful. Third, layoffs. I mentioned the Restaurant Industry. There are 15 Million People who work in the Restaurant Industry. If they are not laid off now, they are going to be mostly laid off before very long. And unfortunately, mr. President , none of those men and women who have been glaid off are eligible for the sickly. Because you are going to have to work for 30 days for the Small Business, the company with less than five and employees, in order to be eligible for the paid sick leave. Am afraid is a result of this,ab Many Employers worried about this provision, may have an incentive to lay off more of their employees. Butts, the truth is, they dont need much more incentive because you own a restaurant even told by the local health board to close down, you dont have any money coming in, you cant pay your employees anyway, and so you dont have any choice. But my point is, this is a very limited benefit, in the Restaurant Industry and probably many other industries because it does not help the laid off employee. And finally, theres been a lot said that well, for the smallest companies, those with less than 50, that you can apply the secretary of labor and he will make you exempt from the mandate. Why think thats a good idea, because that is a small momandpop diners that might be the kennel i just talked about that might have three or four employees, they are not accustomed to dealing with all of this washington legalese and requirements and regulations paired they are not geared up for that. But, as i read the language of the t law, it is a much narrower exception than that. And so i am going to attempt to amend the law that passed today to broaden the exception so the secretary of labor has more authority to waive the mandate for businesses with less than 50. So, as i said, mr. President , there are a number of important benefits to the bill we passed today, especially on testing. We have seen a great increase in the number of available test over the last few weeks. Governor of tennessee said yesterday we have sufficient testing. That m is for today, maybe not for tomorrow the next day. One of the greatest steps forward has been to finally allow commercial testing to be used. Why should the mayo clinic be able to go ahead or Cleveland Clinic be able to go ahead and develop a test and move ahead with it . So now they can. But, while we have done a great deal, there is a great deal more that we must to do. I am convinced that even if we do what senator mcconnell is said, and past our phase three legislation this weekend, which would include loans to Small Businesses, direct payments to individuals, stabilizing payments to automobiles to airlines for example and maybe other industries that theres more to do. In my guess is, the next step after l that, lets call it phase four is to look at our state employment compensation systems and make sure they are able to handle a large number of people who are losing their job because the government is shutting down the economy in order to contain the disease. I voted for the johnson amend it today, to the bill that i later voted for because i thought it was headed in the right direction. Rather w then washington issuing mandates, i would rather washington work with the states in existing programs. Make sure states have sufficient funding on top of their d own funds to deal with the large number of autoworkers, restaurant workers, and kennels with two or three employees make sure they have sufficient funds and i believe in addition to that the figure in the weekly fund is going to have to be higher than the 327 that it is in tennessee. This is unprecedented, we are closing down the economy in order to contain the disease, and because we are doing that, the government in all levels were are going to have to pay the bill. I think the president and i yield the floor. Mr. President smack center from dover. The senate of the United States has just acted, is taken upp in past eight roughly wondered or 4 billiondollar package of assistance that is going out to american families, american workers, to our Healthcare System, to our state and our community. And i just want to take a few minutes to talk about this important step we just taken and where we have to go next. The delaware he endsro i have heard from today and this week, this month, or worried. Theyre anxious. They have been up all night, they are trying to figure out how they are going to care for their children her home from school and need support, instruction, and education. How theyre going to care for their parents who are vulnerable and elderly and sick and areon concerned about our hospitals and Healthcare System in its capacity. Theyre anxious because their front line workers, their First Responders, their volunteer firefighters, nurses and orderlies who are exposed every day and concerned. They are just average citizens asking how can i get a test and where . Ive heard from the president s of our major universities, the head of our hospital system, the governor, the colleagues in our congressional delegate we have talked repeatedly to our director of health. Maand ive heard from Business Owners large and small he run everything from coffee shops and diners to restaurants and hotels in our state. There is a lot of anxiety and concern. Re the folks at my state want to know that we here in washington are going to put the partisan bickering aside, find answers and get resources out to deal with the significant Public Health emergency i hope people take some encouragement from todays action, it passed 98 to eight. Very little, mr. President , passes 90 to eight. And i very rarely have seen a bill of this size, scope, and magnet to the goes from an idea to have bill text to enactment in such a short period of time. But this moment demands it. Let me talk there also the priorities that are reflected in the families of first Coronavirus Response act. Because the name reflects the priority. Hubert humphrey was a former leader in the United States and our Political Community once said the moral test of our government, is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, children. Those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly. And those who are in the shadows of life, the sick and needy, and the disabled. And i am pleased that package just passed here in the senate, takes important strides to take care of exactly those folks. Children, home from school who s need support for learning remotely and those in particular who rely on School Lunch Programs for their one good stable healthy meal a day will continue to get School Lunches delivered either through their schools or it home, their significant resources in this bill for that. Those who are on the frontline of this crisis, the individuals who are cleaning offices and cleaning hospital rooms,l and cleaning amtrak cars and public buses. Those who are putting themselves directly at risk by cleaning the spaces we all count on for our society. Front line workers. People who are in our First Responder community, people who are working in her hospital emergency rooms, this provide support for them. And for anyone who is concerned about the cost of access to testing, this bill makes clear, that testing for covid19, for this dreaded disease caused by the novel coronavirus, will have a test for free including those without health insurance. There are some big pieces in this bill that i will briefly mention. Paid emergency leave for workers at companies of below 500 employees for two weeks of sick leave and up to ten weeks of additional paid family and medical leave. We just had a disagreement over exactly how that is going to get paid forward in house going to get compensated and on what timeline. We are going to work out those details. My offices website will have an accessible readable summary of what is in this bill up later tonight. The larger points was that we thought it essential that folks who we want to stay home, but who may be living paycheck to paycheck know that they will get paid sick leave so they can stay home and we can slow the spread of this disease. Theres also an increase in funds from the federal government to state for medicaid. Because a lot of our states are going to see increased costs as folks move to medicaid as the place they get healthcareio as they move toel unemployment. 100million in Additional Resources will go to the state of delaware alone to provide support for those who may be newly dependent on medicaid. And then last, is an expansion of un employment benefits, 26 weeks of Unemployment Benefits including temporary unemployment caused because of covid19. There is more details to how this temporary unemployment l insurance will work, but it will lastnd longer and have a higher level of benefit and be more flexible than previous versions of federal Unemployment Insurance and it is being delivered in partnership with states. So, that is the biggest piece of this bill, its just 104 billion. But the bill we are already hard at work on will be an order of magnitude greater likely more than 1 trillion. And if what weve seen in terms of anxiety and concern from families up and down my state and all over our country is any indication, we must take this up quickly and enact it. Small Business Owners ive heard from today, who want to keep employing the folks who work for them but have lost half their business, since our governors taken the bold and necessary steps of closing our restaurants and bars to all except drive through a delivery service. That is 10 of the folks who liveta in delaware work in restaurants and hospitality. Folks that want to keep their focus on payroll but have no work for them to do, faced a very hard choice. We need to find ways that we can both defer the payments that are necessary, for students, for homeowners, for businesses, those that have outstanding payments on sba loans or federally guaranteed mortgages around t bank loads are allowed to work out some way for temporary relief. And then individual payments that will help students, that ivwill help heads of household, that will help individuals. Therean are a lot of different pieces that are being debated and discussed here in the senate, support for amtrak, a priority for me because i commute by amtrak and it is one of the biggest modes of transportation on east coast. Support for the airline and hospitality because they employ hundreds of thousands of people and have seen their business drop off shortly. Support for longterm structural changes to how we provide access to healthcare, access to skills and training for our workforce. Access to higher education. I have heard very concerning stories, and the folks who lead the most important nonprofit and educational institutions in my state, they are looking to us for bold and decisive leadership. Last, we must not forget those on the margins of our society. People who are homeless, people who are incarcerated, people who are uninsured. People who are undocumented. We want to make sure that would make our country safe. We need to practice not just good hygiene, not just social distancing, that we need to refrain from moral distancing, we need to remember the words tof Hubert Humphrey and we need to be reminded that exactly why people look to this federal government for prompt action, and for significant resources is because they look for us tour be able to make sure we see all americans and that we know we are all in this together. Thank you, mr. President , with that i yield the floor. The house passed coronavirus economic aid package. The bill includes two week paid leave for sick and quarantined workers. It extends state Unemployment Insurance programs and provides