Here on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal god, your words are true. Guide our lawmakers with your precepts. Give them a passion for whatever is just, worthy, and honorable. Guide them to cultivate such reverence for your providence that they will repeatedly pray for your will to be done. Remind them that if they faint under pressure, then their strength is too small. Help them, therefore, to look to you, for you are able to doi am measurably, abundantly above all that they can ask or imagine, according to your power working in and through them. We pray in your powerful name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Grassley madam president. The presiding officer the senator from iowa is recognized. Mr. Grassley i would like to speak for one minute in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley despite the hardships and headaches and heartaches that so many families are experiencing right now, theres countless acts of kindness that show humanitarian goodness taking place in the entire country, but i notice them across my state of iowa. From rain bow art decorating windows to inspirational chalk messages on sidewalks, iowans are donating their time, talent, and tremendous sure to support and treasure to support local businesses and grab and go meals for students. Thats just one example, the residents of a Retirement Community are sewing 35 to 40 masks per day for professionals at the university of iowas hospitals and clinics. They are also providing local food banks and others who need them in the community. The iowa senior the iowa city senior threaders are among the countless Silver Linings that are lighting americas path to recovery. I yield the floor. The presiding officer the majority leader is recognized. Mr. Mcconnell its been a little more than 100 days since the first case of covid19 was reported in the United States. Since then our nation has come facetoface with this fullscale pandemic. Families have hunkered down, changed their routines, bustling main streets have literally come to a halt. Essential workers have taken new precautions to keep supply chains running. And of course brave Health Care Providers have stretched the limits of their supplies and their stamina to care for patients. All the while, even with the entire country doing its best to fight this disease, it has stolen the lives of nearly 70,000 of our fellow americans. So, madam president , our nation is facing the most severe pandemic since 1918 and quite possibly the worst economic shock since the great depression. And were facing them at the same time. This is an historic challenge, and the senate is helping the country meet it. In early march we passed an initial response to help communities handle the outbreak. We spent billions of dollars to enhance our Public Health response to promote development of vaccines and treatments and help the Health Care Providers and Small Businesses in places that have been bearing the brunt of the virus. Just days later we delivered billions more in phase two. It sought to expand access to testing and to health workers. And then we built the historic cares act, the largest rescue package in american history, and then passed it without a single vote in opposition. It sent more than 2 trillion in direct money to american households, support for employees paychecks, stability for major employers and resources for the health care fight itself. Predictably, these huge historic efforts have encountered some challenges along the way. Theres no way the federal government could make years worth of Small Business loans in a few weeks or rapidly cut checks to most american households without any hiccups at all. But on the whole its been encouraging to see congress, the administration, the federal government and the American People, all of us leap into action together to help our country. And our work is making a difference. But ultimately we know theres no policy congress could pass nor any amount of money we could spend that could keep the entire economy glued together if these blunt shutdowns continue indefinitely. So while our legislation has rightly poured money into shortterm help for the economy, we have also made sure to invest in the tools and tactics we will need to contain and beat the virus so our country can step back toward normalcy. Testing, tracking, treatments, and the race for a vaccine. So, madam president , our task in the weeks ahead will be to keep seeking Thoughtful Solutions that are not just for the very short term, but will help pivot toward a phased reopening and recovery. We will need to not only ask how we endure each week, but how we foster recovery on the other side. Early february feels like it was about two years ago, but the truth is it was just 12 weeks ago. American workers and families were in one of the most prosperous economic moments in our history. Wages were growing. Unemployment was near a 50year low. Formerly discouraged americans were being drawn off the sidelines. The country was buzzing, literally buzzing from coast to coast. The American People built that. Its our job to help them build it again. As we carefully consider what may come in the weeks ahead, well need smart, targeted policies to help jumpstart our economic engine, not unrelated to identify i dont see ideological items that will gum it up further. The country will need progrowth, procertainty policies. Progrowth, procertainty policies. The last thing we need is for the political left to view this National Crisis as an exploitable opportunity to achieve other goals theyve wanted for a very long time. That is how, for example, former Vice President biden has repeatedly described the pandemic. Heres what he had to say. An Incredible Opportunity to fundamentally transform the country. An Incredible Opportunity to fundamentally transform the country. This cannot be about ideological transformation. It needs to be about what will actually work for the American People. Heres just one example of a commonsense policy republicans will insist on, even as the entire country is rallying behind Health Care Workers and Small Businesses, travelers are already looking for ways to line their pockets by suing the very people were bending over backwards to help. As one recent Washington Post column put it, fear of covid19 lawsuits is not some mere republicanreflex. Washington post cluj, fear fear column, fear of covid19 lawsuits is not some republican reflex. On the list are all sorts of lawsuits already pouring in. This kind of hostile climate will create another head wind we cannot afford. So republicans will be insisting on strong Legal Protections for the front lines. We wont let our historic Recovery Efforts be diverted so that taxpayers foot the bill for the biggest trial lawyer bonanza in our history. Madam president , our discussions in the weeks ahead do not need to be partisan or contentious. Theres nothing partisan about the coronavirus, and theres nothing partisan about the inspiring examples being set by citizens all across our country. In my home state of kentucky, we are proud of a fatherdaughter duo. They both came down with the virus. They both beat it, and they turned right around and started donating plasma to the race for new medicine. Were proud of the Family Resource coordinators of Fayette County Public Schools who are collected donated household supplies to add to weekly food deliveries for thousands of students and families. These stories only scratch the surface in the bluegrass, and i know every one of my colleagues has stories of their own to tell. So were all in this together. We stepped up to meet the challenge. Lets continue to stand together for our country. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the following nomination which the clerk will report. The clerk nomination. Office of the director of National Intelligence. William r. Evanina of pennsylvania to be director of the National Counter intelligence and security center. Mr. Mcconnell i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer madam president. The presiding officer the minority leader is recognized. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer well, thank you, madam president. Now, the republican leader has called the senate back into session during a time when there are significant risks to the health of members of this chamber and the staff who make this place function. Now, this is a time of national emergency. We should be working to provide our country with the relief and support it so direly needs, but this is only the second day of business since leader mcconnell called the senate back into session, and there will be no votes here on the floor. Not one vote. And so far, there is no plan, no plan at all to consider covidrelated legislation on the floor in the near future. If were going to be here in session with an elevated health risk, why doesnt leader mcconnell have us work on issues that are directly related to covid19 . Last night, we confirmed a noncontroversial nominee to the Nuclear Regulatory commission. The next nominee on the floor is for a counterintelligence post. No doubt important, but unrelated to covid. And his nomination has been delayed by a hold by a republican senator. So when the republican leader reasons we must process nominees on the floor this week because of a previous democratic obstruction, he should check his notes and his facts first. We could be using our time here to address a number of urgent priorities, whether its rescuing our Ailing Health system, increasing testing capacity, assisting Small Businesses, renters, and homeowners, providing vigorous oversight of legislation we have already passed would have been a better use of the senates time. But instead of coming together to work on these pressing matters, were talking about nominations and rightwing judges, including a former protege of the republican leader who was rated unqualified by the american bar association, a man who argued against the constitutionality of our Health Care Law in the midst of a Public Health crisis, someone who probably 80 or 90 of americans would reject if they knew his views, but he is a protege as a leader. We are rushing him through. Were not paying attention to covid. Now, the Senate Intelligence committee is holding a virtual hearing on the nomination of representative ratcliffe to serve as the next director of National Intelligence. This is an extremely important post that demands a candidate with deep experience, credibility on both sides of the aisle, and above all the ability to speak truth to power. Representative ratcliffe meets none of this criteria. He is a deeply partisan cheerleader for the president. A yes man in the worst sense of the phrase. Someone who doesnt speak truth to power to the president of the United States. He tells the president what he wants to hear. Doesnt this sound familiar . Right now, were living with the consequences of a president who doesnt want to hear the truth about the coronavirus, who doesnt want to believe its as bad as it truly is, who wants to cling to quack medicines that wont work, and who runs away from the fact that his administration bears responsibility for the inadequacy of our national response. A president who still doesnt have a testing plan when we desperately need tests to get this country open again. The president doesnt like hearing the truth. Its that simple. That has hurt us dearly when it comes to coronavirus. This crisis is partly the result of an administration who did not take covid19 seriously enough, early enough and refused to heed the warnings of Public Health officials and scientists. The same phenomenon, the president not wanting to hear the truth, will hurt us dearly when it comes to National Security as well. If the director of National Intelligence cant stand up and tell the president whats really happening, even when the president doesnt want to hear it, our country will be dramatically less safe, the same thing that has happened during the coronavirus crisis. We will repeat if we move ratcliffe and pass him, we will make the same mistake the president has may on covid19 made on covid19, not hearing the truth, not listening to the truth, listening to flattery and not much else that we did on covid, we will repeat it on National Security. Now, i think many of my republican colleagues actually notice this is not the first time that President Trump has floated ratcliffes name. Its the second. Because on the first time, republicans balked. many republicans whispered he has no experience. Some republicans said to one another and so some of us you dont need someone in the d. N. I. Who is just a cheerleader for the president. You need someone who knows intelligence and will speak the truth. There is no new evidence that mr. Ratcliffe will act with the necessary independence. Nothing has changed about ratcliffes qualifications since it was shot down by republican senators saying he is the wrong man for the job. But sometimes all too often in this senate, to the detriment of this country, even when my republican colleagues know the president is wrong, they go blindly along with him anyway. That happened with covid and will now happen with our intelligence agency. I hope its not the case. I hope mr. Ratcliffes nomination will be roundly rejected, as it should. Now, the second hearing this morning is in the Senate Banking committee on brian miller to be the special Inspector General of the pandemic relief efforts. Having an independent, experienced and strong i. G. To oversee the administrations use of taxpayer funds in this pandemic is critically important. Under President Trump, who has been firing i. G. s left and right, simply because they tell the truth, under President Trump who believes that he is accountable to no one, selecting a truly independent watchdog is essential and urgent. As someone who currently works directly for President Trump as a member of his White House Counsels Office, mr. Millers independence from the president is very much in doubt. We need a strong, tough i. G. Billions of dollars are being spent. We dont want someone who has in his mind ive got to please the president. Mr. Miller needs to explain why the senate should confirm him to a position that requires genuine independence. In particular, he must answer specific questions from the Banking Committee about his role in the White House Counsels Office and what issues he has worked on. Its not acceptable to hide behind vague assertions that he cant answer those questions. Its too important. The burden on miller is to demonstrate that he can be a truly strong and independent Inspector General. There are serious questions about the fitness of both these nominees, mr. Ratcliffe and mr. Miller, but more broadly the republican leader has made a mistake by choosing to dedicate this session to nominations only instead of urgent legislative business, covid19. We could and should be focused on issues like testing. The first diagnosed case of covid19 was diagnosed here in the United States over just over 100 days ago. We still dont have a National Testing strategy that is adequate. In early march, President Trump said, quote, anybody who needs a test gets a test. We it should enter the pantheon of president ial lies along with i am not a crook and read my lips, no new taxes. It wasnt true then and it still isnt true now. We dont have a situation now where everyone who needs a test and wants a test gets one. As nations around the world like south korea and canada flatten the curve with rigorous National Testing programs, the United States, this great United States, usually the leader of the world, is lagging so far behind. So today, 42 Senate Democrats are sending a letter demanding that the Trump Administration fulfill its responsibility to produce a comprehensive National Strategic plan of action by may 24. Congress provided 25 billion in the last round of covid legislation to help build up our testing capacity. The Administration Needs to take those resources and producer results. We have given them the money and the wherewithal. Where are they . The strategy they must come up with must include a strategy for managing supply chains, for making sure resources are equitably allocated, and that we use all available tools like the defense production act to make sure we reach the level of testing that will manage this disease, save lives, and get our economy moving again. Until we have a vaccine, the most important tool we have at our disposal for tracking the disease, limiting its spread, and understanding where we can safely open is testing, testing, testing. We await the president s response to our letter and want to work with the administration to make sure we can end its embarrassment, its embarrassment of inadequate testing, which frankly is far more than an embarrassment. Its crucial. Its life and death. Finally, Small Business lending transparency. Over the past several months, congress provided historic levels of funding to help Small Businesses retain employees, meet payroll, and stay afloat during these turbulent times. Because of the depth of this crisis, we have dedicated trillions not billions, but trillions to this effort. We must absolutely make sure these relief programs are implemented properly. With so much taxpayer money at stake, overnight, transparency, and accountability is a must. Now issues with the Small Business lending programs cropped up almost as soon as the administration began implementing them. Truly, Small Businesses had a difficult time securing a loan while larger businesses that had standing relationships with big banks had a much easier time. Minorityowned businesses, womenowned businesses, other unbank businesses, the proverbial small restaurant owner, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, they have been left out to a large degree. We have tried to rectify some of these problems, particularly in covid 3. 5, but more must be done. And as Justice Brandeis said, sunlight is the best disinfectant. Transparency around these programs is the order of the day. So this afternoon, senator cardin and i will ask the senate to pass legislation to mandate new Disclosure Requirements for the Paycheck Protection Program and other Disaster Relief accounts. Our bill is very simple. It would require daily and weekly reporting of the p. P. P. , the Economic Injury disaster loan, and debt relief programs, broken down in each case by geography, demographics, and industry. The data would need to be downloadable and would include the names of the entities and the loans and the loans or grant amounts. It would need to detail whether the programs are reaching underserved communities. This is hardly a controversial idea. Theres nothing partisan about it. Our legislation would simply require the basic transparency we expect from any federal program, certainly one of this size and importance. Its my hope that my republican colleagues dont block our requests simply because it comes from this side of the aisle. I would hope that on a day when the republican leader has scheduled literally no business on the floor of the senate, that we could come together to pass this very simple bill to make sure we know how taxpayer dollars are being spent. I yield the floor. Mr. Durbin madam president . The presiding officer the senator from illinois is recognized. Mr. Durbin thank you, madam president. Madam president , to date more than one Million People have contracted core reason know virus in the United States. 61,000 in the state of illinois. Sadly, we are quickly approaching a death toll of 100,000 americans. While more people continue to contract and succumb to the virus, another alarming trend has come to light. The coronavirus disproportionately affects minority communities. Black illinoisans make up less than 15 of the states overall population. However, they account for 34 of all coronavirus deaths. In Chicago Black residents account for 52 of the total coronavirus deaths despite comprising only 30 of the citys population. Madam president , recently, a survey of latinos in illinois who make up 17 of our states population surpassed black illinoisans in confirmed cases of coronavirus. Now latino illinoisans account for 23 of confirmed cases in the state, the most cases of any race or ethnicity. On a call with the Illinois Community Health Centers last week, i learned of the 34,000 African Americans who had been tested in illinois, 36 were positive for coronavirus. Of the 24,000 latinos tested, 62 tested positive. 62 . Compare that to the 73,000 white illinoisans tested for coronavirus were 18 tested positive. Latino and black populations in illinois and across the nation are bearing the brunt of this pandemic. As we continue to hit new grim milestones during this Public Health crisis, these disparities are a sobering reminder of the historical inequities in our Health Care System in our country. Nationwide black and latino americans are more likely to have chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and are less likely to have Health Insurance than white americans. These health caps are the result of historic and structural inequality, including exposure to trauma, racism, stigma, and food this pandemic magnifies the need to immediately address them. Black and latino americans are also more likely to hold frontline jobs deemed essential. In the food, retail, and service industries, that increases their risk of contracting the coronavirus while reporting for work. Ive spoken with Many Community organizations, such as the First Ladies Health Initiative and west side united as well as the Illinois Community Health Centers that have all stepped up to help illinoisans find solutions to these challenges. But we cant just talk about the problem. We need to put solutions on the table. Congress needs to step up. Im working with the illinois congressional delegation to improve our nations coronavirus data correction effort collection efforts so we can better understand and address these Racial Disparities. It is unacceptable that not all states are currently reporting coronavirus incidents and death by race. We need these Vital Statistics to help the federal government as well as state and local governments develop plans to protect our most vulnerable populations. A few moments ago on the floor, the republican leader, the senator from kentucky, senator mcconnell, kind of warned us about the next stage of the debate when it comes to this coronavirus. He warned those of us on this side of the aisle not to see this crisis as the basis for fundamentally transforming our country. Well, i want to say to my colleague from kentucky and all other colleagues, if we dont learn from this crisis, the weaknesses of this great nation when it comes to health care, if we dont understand the inequities of this great nation when it comes to health care, and if we dont resolve to do something about it, shame on us. If at the end of this crisis we breathe a sigh of relief and say now well go back to business as usual, where Health Disparities are accepted in this country, shame on this senate. Yes, i want to see our way through this crisis with the fewest number of infections and fewest number of deaths. Thats our immediate goal, to protect america and to restore the economy. But when its over, if we dont step back and take a look at what we have learned from this crisis and vow to make america stronger, fairer, and more just when it comes to health care in this country, shame on us. And there were those who voted against every aspect of the Affordable Care act, socalled obamacare. Ten years ago i remember it well. Not a single senator from the other side of the aisle would support our effort to reduce the number of uninsured people in america dramatically. We passed it, barely passed it by one vote in the United States senate with senator harry reid as the majority leader at the time. Without any help, without any votes from the other side of the aisle. And what happened . In my state the number of uninsured was cut in half by this socalled obamacare. Proudly i call it obamacare, the Affordable Care act. Since then the other side of the aisle has been resolute in its determination to repeal it. Not it replace it with anything thats better. They dont even have a relaysment. Replacement. But to repeal it and to give up on our quest to make sure that every american has the peace of mind of the protection of Health Insurance, affordable, quality Health Insurance. So at the end of this health crisis, are we still going to hear the other side of the aisle argue that we shouldnt dedicate ourselves to reducing the number of uninsured . I hope theyll take the time as i have to talk to administrators and hospitals about whats happening in their Emergency Rooms and in their surgical suites, other places where theyve had to address this crisis firsthand. One Major Hospital in chicago said that half of the people in that hospital who have died from coronavirusrelated disease had no Health Insurance. Coincidence . No. Its a pattern. Without Health Insurance and with gross disparities in the delivery of health care, we know that there are groups of americans who will suffer and many will die. So i would just say to the republican leader, yes, i hope that our experience from this coronavirus makes us al all to truly change america for the better when it comes to health care and health protection. Thats a must. Last week i had the opportunity to speak with several illinoi illinoisfocused Community Development and financial institutions. These organizations do amazing work. By offering Lending Services to Small Businesses and populations typically overlooked by the big banks. They were grateful for the work that weve done so far and the legislation we passed but they had suggestions on how to improve the Small Business administration Paycheck Protection Program to ensure the Financial Relief is making it to minority, women, and veteranowned Small Businesses. In addition im working with my colleagues to help ensure that vaccine and drug trials related to covid19 include diverse populations and are widely available and affordable. Ive cosponsored the covid19 racial and Ethnic Disparities Task force act with senator harris. It would create a task force comprised of health care, economic, and government leaders to provide recommendations about how to best allocate resources to address Racial Disparities in our Health Care System. When the senator from kentucky, the jr. Leader, comes to the minority leader comes to the floor and warns those of us on this side of the aisle dont use this Health Care Crisis as an excuse or an opportunity to transform america, is he wetted to the racial inequality that we see in our system and warns us to try not to address it . I hope not. I hope we can have a bipartisan approach to making this system fair and reaching more people. This week im introducing the Health Heroes act of 2020. Heres what is behind it. As we all put up signs in our windows and yards across america thanking Health Care Workers for risking their lives, we understand that these doctors and nurses and lab technicians, these people working in Nursing Homes who are taking care of the elderly folks as well as cleaning up, providing food, they are all Health Care Workers risking their lives to do their work. I thank them. We all should thank them day in and day out. But what are we going to do about the work that theyve done to recognize it. First i think we ought to compensate them for a job well done. Senator bob casey has legislation on that subject which im happy to support. But beyond that, what are we going to do about our Health Care Workforce . Why is it in the United States of america that the best and brightest get great grades in high school, go through college taking the tough courses and getting good grades, get accepted to medical school, and after working hard for four years or more there, go through residencies which are backbreaking exercises in actually learning the clinical practice of medicine and then just before we tell them that their licensed doctors ready to practice in america, we give them the bad news, the news that they must be carrying a debt from medical school, a student debt of between 200,000 and 240,000 on average. What are we thinking . These women and men are critical to our future and our own health care. Why do we burden them with this sort of awesome debt that they have to Carry Forward and build their career around . Thats why this bill really seeks to look at this from a new angle and says that we ought to reward those medical students who are willing to practice in areas of greatest need, minority students as well, and provide with them scholarships to defray the cost of medical school so they dont end up graduating with this incredible financial burden. This legislation would help provide doctors, nurses, Mental Health professionals, dentists, and others to communities with shortages which often contribute to health disparitities i described earlier. Inner city areas, rural america, small town america. Studies show that having doctors who reflect the communities thee treat actually improves health outcomes. So my bill would help to expand the representation of minorities in the workforce. Last week in a letter to the c. D. C. , center for Disease Control and prevention, i urged the agency to support local efforts to build up our Community Health workforce capacity. Communities of color across america are suffering at disproportionate rates during this pandemic, and we have to step up to help protect all americans against the threat of coronavirus. It is unacceptable but sadly not surprising that communities of color are bearing the burden of this dangerous virus. I stand here to continue fighting with my colleagues in the senate to try and solve these inequities happening in communities across the nation. There arent many red lines that have been drawn publicly so far as weve considered coronavirus legislation. We passed the original cares act 2. 2 trillion with 96 votes on the floor of the senate. No dissenting votes. The next bill, coronavirus 3. 5 as it was characterized passed in the United States senate by a voice vote adding 484 billion to the effort. More will obviously be needed. Not just for Small Business loans but also for Unemployment Insurance and certainly to make sure that our months that our hospitals large and small can survive this crisis as we all hope america will and were certain that it will. But we have to be prepared to do that. Yet this morning the republican leader came forward and said hes drawing a red line, that the republicans will not move forward when it comes to dealing with these challenges without addressing one issue. And that was the issue of legal liability. I wont describe in detail what the senator from kentucky is proposing because we havent seen it. But what hes suggesting is that our greatest fear shouldnt be the coronavirus. It should be trial lawyers. Trial lawyers. Hes fearful that were going to see covid19 lawsuits. Well, let me tell you, there could easily be covid19 lawsuits, and some i think most americans would agree should be filed. Is a covid19 lawsuit if someone is profiteering with protective equipment raising the prices way beyond reach because they have this moment of opportunity with a crisis that were facing . One downstate hospital in illinois talked about surgical gowns that cost 22 cents a piece and now cost between 11 and 20 a piece. Clearly theres price gouging and profiteering. If we can should we hold those responsible for profiteering liable . I would say yes. Is that a covid19 lawsuit . I think it is related to covid19 but it relates to it in a way that most americans would agree there should be legal action. If there are scams and profiteering, the people responsible for it should be held legally responsible in a lawsuit if necessary. If people are promulgating phony tests and making representatio representations, fraud on the public, should they be held accountable . Well of course. Is that a covid19 lawsuit . Could be. What about those who are talking about the protection of workers . If workers are not protected on the job, they may be turning to Workers Compensation for any of the injuries or illnesses that result. We want to stop those as covid19 lawsuits going too far . Nursesare suing in some situations because theyre not being given quality protective equipment. Do we want to stop that litigation as well . Is that what the senator from kentucky is suggesting . Meatpacking workers right now theres an interesting situation. I know a little bit a little more than some senators. When i was working my way through college, i spent 12 months working in a meatpacking plant in east st. Louis, illinois, paid 3. 65 an hour. But it was hard, had work. I saw what it was like then. Ive gone back to see meatpacking today. Its not much different. People stand literally elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder as the conveyor belts bring through hundreds and hundreds of pounds of meat and poultry that have to be acted on immediately to keep up with the line. Its tough, hard work, and now it turns out to be an extraordinarily dangerous line of work as well. We are learning that disproportionate numbers of workers in this industry are coming down with covid virus infection. United food and commercial workers, which represents many of these plant workers, estimate that at least 5,000 have already reported infected and anywhere from 10 to 20 have died. Now the president issues an executive order mandating that these Companies Open for business. Well, i can say to the president yes, they should open. But only if they dedicate themselves to the health and safety of their workforce as the highest priority. Lets make that workplace safe before we talk about making it a mandatory opening. In my state of illinois, several of the companies that have been affected have reached out to us and they are in fact determined to make their workplace safe. And i salute them for taking that approach. Theyre talking about testing and making sure that workers on the job have necessary distancing and protective equipment. Thats the right approach. But, in the meantime, those companies that ignore that responsibility, should they bear some liability for the illnesses or injuries that result . Well, under Workers Compensation law, they certainly would. Is the senator from kentucky calling calling that a covid19 lawsuit . It could be related to covid19 for sure. Should they have their day in court . I certainly think so. This notion of drawing a red line on legal liability, unfortunately, takes fails to take into account that system of justice in america which weve turn to in good times and bad to make sure justice is meted out to those who have no other recourse than to consider lawsuits in court. Lets take this issue seriously, carefully. Lets not squander the opportunity of protecting the people who are risking their lives every day in essential workplaces and believe that they, too, should be protected by our system of justice. Im going to stand with them, and i hope that other members of the senate will join me. Madam president , i yield the floor. Mr. Thune madam president . The presiding officer the majority whip is recognized. Mr. Thune is the senate in a quorum call . The presiding officer we are not. Mr. Thune p in, after a few weeks of working remotely to help flatten the coronavirus curve, were back in washington to continue our Coronavirus Response and address other important issues. Its been a couple of incredibly difficult months. Thousands have died. Our economy has taken a huge hit. Millions of americans are out of work and businesses are struggling to stay afloat. And americans are worried. Theyre worried about their own health. Theyre worried about the health of their families and their loved ones. And theyre worried about their finances. My colleagues and i know that americans are suffering and our overriding priority has been responding to the coronavirus crisis. We passed several major response bills and provided substantially more than 2 trillion in assistance. We have funded testing, medical care, personal protective equipment for front line medical personnel, vaccine and treatment development, paid sick leave, unemployment benefits, direct relief payments to american citizens, forgivable loans for Small Businesses, and much more. Our goal has been to provide a comprehensive response addressing not just the medical priorities but also the Economic Impact this virus has had on so Many American families. And theres more work to be done. Right now a big part of that work is monitoring the implementation of the legislation weve already passed. We provided a tremendous amount of money, and we need to make sure that its getting where it needs to go as quickly as possible and is being spent in the most effective way. Monitoring the implementation of the legislation weve already passed is also crucial for informing any future legislation. As i said, weve provided a tremendous amount of money for coronavirus, equal to almost 50 of the entire federal budget for 2020. And its important that any future funding be carefully targeted. We need to make sure that federal dollars are going only to real coronavirus priorities. Our children and grandchildren, madam president , will be footing the bill for the money that were adding to the national debt. As a case in point, the debt to g. D. P. , which was scheduled to be 79 this year, is now expected to be in the year 2020101 . In the year 20, 101 . That jump from 79 to 101 is the largest jump im told literally since 1943 in the middle of world war ii. So, madam president , its essential that the we spend wisely. In addition to overseeing the implementation of the coronavirus legislation we passed and gathering data to inform any future bills, we has have a number of coronavirusrelated nominations to consider, something that is a role thats unique to the United States senate under the constitution. When it comes to judicial nominations, nominations to the executive branch, the senate has the responsibility to ensure that we conduct the research, investigate nominees, hold confirmation hearings, and ultimately vote to put people into key positions in the administration and on the courts. So the question about why were here this week, madam president , i think is a fairly easy one to answer. That is, that there are lots of very important positions that are key not only to the Health Care Crisis were facing but to our ongoing National Security priorities as well as to the economic challenges that we are facing through this crisis. In fact, this week, the Senate Banking committee will be holding a hearing on the nomination of brian d. Miller to be the special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery at the treasury department. It is a key role created by the legislation that we passed here in the congress, critically important to the implementation, making sure that everything is done in the right way. As we all know, inspectors general play a key oversight role in federal departments helping to root out waste, fraud, and other misuses of federal dollars. He will be part of ensuring that the trillions that we provided for Coronavirus Relief are spent properly. Committees are doing other essential coronavirus work this week as well. The senate health, education, labor, and Pensions Committee is holding a hearing on an initiative senators blunt and alexander worked to get included in the coronavirus legislation. This initiative is designed to spur innovation, publicsector collaboration with a goal of dramatically increasing our coronavirus testing capabilities. Thats going on in the health, education, labor, and Pensions Committee. The Senate Commerce committee will be holding a hearing looking at the impact of covid19 on the airline industry, something we know an industry that we know is being profoundly impacted by whats happening in the virus. And next week the health, education, labor, and Pensions Committee will be hearing directly from the leaders of the fight against the coronavirus. Dr. Fauci and add mir giroir. It is good to have committees meet here in washington, d. C. While the pandemic will continue to be our priority in the coming weeks and months, there is other essential work that we have to do for the American People. Appropriations bills, nominations to essential administration posts and critical National Security legislation are just some of the other items on our agenda over the next couple of months. This week the Senate Armed Services committee and the Senate Intelligence committee are Holding Hearings on nominations for key National Security positions, including the director of National Intelligence and secretary of the navy. Madam president , Senate Republicans are committed toest going our country through this to getting our country through this country and helping our nations businesses and communities deal with the impact. We will be discussing a the lot of ideas from tax and regulatory relief to ways to spur job creation and shield responsible businesses from frivolous litigation once the economy is opened up again. As i said, well continue to focus on making sure that the money weve provided gets where it is needed as fast as possible. Madam president , the United States undoubtedly has more tough days ahead, but we are going to get through them. And were going to come out tougher on the other side. In the meantime, weve got work to do here in the United States senate. There are people across this country who are hurting, who are struggling, and there are many priorities that need to be addressed. And so im pleased that the senate is open for business. Were going to be working the next few months, as i mentioned, on the National Defense authorization bill, a piece of legislation that we have to do on an annual basis that deals with all our critical National Security priorities and making sure that the men and women who defend this country, the American People and our interests around the world have the training, the equipment, the resources to do their jobs to keep americans safe. Weve got a critical Water Infrastructure bill that will be marked up by the environment and public works committee, also a piece of legislation that is important to the economy and this country, madam president. So if you look at the long list of things and priorities that we need to deal with here in the United States senate, its important that we be about the peoples business. And i know i can speak from personal experience that over the past several weeks, like my colleagues, weve worked really hard to stay connected. I worked really hard to stay in touch with the people across south dakota, using technology, platforms and apps that i didnt know had not had much experience to using in the past, from zoom to skype, shindig. There are all types of apps that many of us became acquainted with, stayed connected with our constituents to find out whats working, whats not working, getting feedback about what we can be doing even better to respond to the crisis that is out there. But there is no substitute, madam president , when it comes to doing the nations business to being here, for committees to work, to meet, for us to be able to vote, for us to be able to deal with the important nominations that under the constitution we have the obligation, the responsibility the senate does of advise and consent. Whether thats a key position as per trains to the National Security and the virus, there are lots of priority items for which the United States senate has a key and principal responsibility and we need to be about that business. I hope in the days and weeks ahead, as we take on those challenges that we can Work Together in a way that provides maximum safety for the people who work here but also gives the important priority to the items and the issues that are critical to americans. At this point in the middle of this crisis, and hopefully when we get on the other side of it, those important, critical National Security priorities, economic priorities, and other business that the American People need us to deal with on a daily basis. So, madam president , i thank you for the time and look forward to working with my colleagues, albeit in different circumstances than weve had to deal with in the past. But nevertheless, to have the United States senate, the peoples representatives, here doing the important work that the American People expect us to do. Madam president , i yield the floor. I suggest the absence i yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from texas is recognized. Mr. Cornyn madam president , let me join my friend. Let me join our friend and my friend, the senator from south dakota, and say im glad to be back in this chamber doing the work of the 29 million texans. And i see the presiding officer, my partner, my fellow senator from texas, joining us as well. And i was listening closely to the senator from south dakotas recitation of all the things that we have to do. There is no shortage of work for us to do, and there is no reason for us to continue to curl up in a fetal position in some undisclosed location and be afraid to go outdoors, because the fact is the experts at the centers for Disease Control, people like dr. Fauci, dr. Birx, they tell us what we need to do in order to function safely. Its the same thing that our grocery clerks and our doctors and our nurses, and, frankly, our Law Enforcement personnel are doing. We know how to do this and how to do it safely. At the same time we simply cannot hide out and not show up for work. What kind of message does that send to the American People . We know this is an extraordinary crisis, an unprecedented crisis, and weve done some things that we would never consider doing under normal times. Appropriating more than 3 trillion at warp speed. I frankly think its a good time for us to tap the brakes and to consider what it is weve already done and where we need to make some corrections. Any time you do anything this big and this fast, youre going to make some mistakes, and weve seen that, and there have been corrections both in terms of the way the treasury is administering the program, but also weve heard about gaps. For example, ive done a number of video conferences with our chambers of commerce around the country, and they asked me why did you leave the chambers out of the support under the Paycheck Protection Program for nonprofits . I frankly dont have a good answer for that. I said thats something we need to go back and fix. If we cant do it by treasury guidance, we need to do it by future legislation. And i have no doubt we will continue to legislate. But we need to do it smartly. We need to be here in person so we can have the interaction and deliberation and debates that are so important to coming up with a good product. We have done some pretty extraordinary work in the last six weeks or so. Both chambers have come together and quickly passed four separate pieces of legislation to strengthen our response to the coronavirus. We sent vital funding to our hospitals. Ironically at a time when our hospitals were the front line of defense dealing with people with be covid19, many of them were laying off employees because we had asked them to forego elective surgery, which is one of the ways that they end up paying the bills. And then we learned in the global competition for personal protective equipment, literally every mayor, every governor, every president , every leader of every country around the world was in a global rush to try to come up with the personal protective equipment. And one of the things ive told my constituents and friends that i think weve learned is we cant depend on china and on these uncertain supply chains for things as important as personal protective equipment, or pharmaceuticals, for that matter. These are some of the lessons, some of the feedback weve gotten as we interact with our constituents. We know that testing has gotten much more widespread, and weve made tremendous advances in terms of treatment, and with all the Clinical Trials that are underway, well over 70 of them, and now the hope of a vaccine, hopefully sooner rather than later. Once we get a vaccine, then hopefully this will be relegated to the same status as the seasonal flu for which we typically do have a vaccine, so that particularly vulnerable individuals the elderly, people with underlying chronic disease can be protected first and foremost. We also sent funding to state and local governments, 150 billion. Weve all talked to our mayors and our county judges in texas. Thats what we call our county leaders. And obviously the sales tax revenue has fallen like a cliff, because theres not much business going on in retail stores, to be sure. Although there is a lot going on online with deliveries and those sorts of orders. But we know our state and local government provide for Law Enforcement and other essential services. So we felt it was important to throw them a lifeline too to help them meet their budgets and maintain those vital services. Perhaps the most ambitious and the most popular thing we did is to try to help our Small Businesses stay afloat through the Paycheck Protection Program. Obviously this was successful and certainly popular in that 350 billion was spent in two weeks, and then we had to come back and replenish that with another 320 billion. But we know that money is flying out of our local Community Banks and Credit Unions helping Small Businesses keep their employees on the payroll. If they do that, then they willn will turn into a grant. And the goal of course is once we defeat this virus, as we will, that we will then be in a position for those businesses to bring their employees back if theyve furloughed them. But to help us build out of this recession in which we are currently involved. We also provided critical funding for our farmers and ranchers and other producers so they can keep our country fed. Weve taken unprecedented steps to minimize the impact of this virus on the American People and on our economy and try to provide some modicum of certainty amidst so much uncertainty. I dont think theres a single event in my lifetime that rivals the breadth and depth of the crisis weve reached. Certainly 9 11 was a different type of crisis. The 2008 Great Recession with a meltdown of the banks on wall street and the Great Recession, those were significant events to be sure, but nothing quite has rivaled what the coronavirus has done to our Public Health and to our economy. The cascading consequences of this virus have reached every community, every sector of our economy, and every corner of the globe. Every single american has experienced some sort of shift in their daily routine as a result of the virus. And maybe shift is too tentative a word. Actually many of us have had our lives turned on their head. For some, the changes were very significant. Think about those who contracted the virus, the loved ones who couldnt be at their side, the Health Care Workers who were there and are helping them, those who are sick. Then there are millions of americans who have lost their jobs, Small Business owners wondering whether they are going to cease to exist and whether they can survive this current crisis. And then the farmers seeing a glut of supply and reduced demand. Many people have been able to safely work from home, and thats wonderful. But often they end up pulling double duty as a teacher for their children with the schools having been closed. And others have continued heading out to work every day to keep the cogs of our society running, socalled essential workers. By the way, i really dont like that designation between essential and nonessential. I think really what we ought to call it is safe and unsafe, because all workers are, i believe, essential. In ways big and small, this virus has affected everybody in this country. While we must continue working to slow the spread and reduce the Economic Impact, we cannot ignore the profound human impact it has had. Many people have been isolated under very difficult circumstances, not knowing whether they will still have a job to go back to. Many know that living with the uncertainty of this pandemic perhaps in a crowded house or apartment with children, maybe elderly parents and others, cut off from the rest of society. Its no secret that this pandemic is taking a toll on americas Mental Health. Last weekend the family of a new york city emergency room doctor p releas released devastating news. Dr. Laura had been in the trenches for many week. She was working many hours as many of our Health Care Providers are and told her family about the devastation she was seeing every day. She contracted covid19 and took a week and a half off to recover, but then she went back to work eager to help where she could. Shortly after dr. Breens family intervened and brought her home to charlotte, virginia, to rest and to spend a little time with her family and for r and r. Sadly, tragically, the struggleses dr. Breen was facing felt untenable. After overcoming covid19, she ultimately took her own life by suicide. Dr. Breen was a hero who devoted her entire life to caring for others, to putting others before herself. And while her tragic death cannot be reversed, it should serve as a warning signal about the broader impact of this virus. In a recent poll by the Kaiser Family foundation, nearly half of americans reported the coronavirus is having a negative impact on their Mental Health. One half. Thats up from onethird in march. And the number of texts to the federal disaster distress hotline skyrocketed in april, more than a 1,000 increase. As we continue to discuss what future coronavirus legislation could look like, we cannot ignore the Mental Health impact. Nationwide, we rely on the Community Mental Health Centers and Community Behavioral Health Organizations to support those battling Mental Health and Substance Abuse disorders. But as need for these services has increased resources has actually decreased. More than 90 of the Community Behavioral Health Organizations nationwide have been forced to reduce their operations. Reduce their operations at a time of increased need and demand. And more than 60 of Behavioral Health organizations project they cant survive financially for more than threel three months under the current covid19 conditions. Congress tried to do something to help. We provided 175 billion for the Public Health and social Services Emergency fund to support Health Care Providers on the front lines of this crisis. As this funding is being distributed, Mental Health providers cannot be forgotten. Along with 24 of our colleagues, senator stabenow and i have sent a letter to secretary azar and administrator verma encouraging them to quickly allocate this funding and ensure that these Mental Health organizations are included. Not only do they provide vital care and support for individuals struggling with Mental Health issues, they also are key to fighting addiction and Substance Abuse. Those struggling to overcome addiction are often living in a fragile state, fighting each day to stay the course. But the current circumstances have made those daily battles much more difficult. Theyre isolated from their friends and loved ones and theyre dealing with the anxiety caused by the virus and possibly, probably facing financial struggles. The new stress brought on by this virus are compounded by reduced capacity for treatment. Inperson support meetings are canceled. Treatment clinics and counselors are curtailing appointments and the barriers to overcoming addiction loom even larger. For those individuals, treatment cannot simply be delayed. Our country has made serious inroads in our battle against the opioid epidemic. In 2018, Overdose Deaths were down 4 from the previous year, the first decrease in nearly three decades. We cant let the coronavirus derail the progress we have fought so hard to make. Now, the cares act, im glad to say, does expand access to telehealth, and i think Many Americans are experiencing the benefits of telehealth, and i predict at some point this will change a lot of the ways that we receive consultation by Health Care Providers, not having to drive our car, make appointments, pay for parking, spend a lot of time out of our day. We can simply do it through videoconference conveniently and effectively. But more must be done to support those battling addiction and Mental Health challenges. For those who are transitioning from the criminal Justice System, the need for Additional Resources and support is especially dire. Earlier this year, senator blumenthal and i introduced the crisis stabilization and Community Reentry act to support those who have been a part of the criminal Justice System and to provide stable treatment for those with mental illness. Most prisoners who are receiving treatment for Mental Health or Substance Abuse disorder are released without a plan to keep them on their regimen. This often leads to higher recidivism rates, un unsurprisingly, which could be avoided. It also means that Law Enforcement is all too often left to be the First Responders for those suffering with a Mental Health crisis, which can escalate those confrontations and put both the officer and the individual in that crisis at risk. This bill creates grants to connect Law Enforcement state and local and Community Resources to help individuals who are either engaged in the criminal Justice System or have been released from prison and made it possible for them to access the resources they need to have a successful reentry into civilized society. These grants connect those services to make sure that people suffering from an acute episode can access treatment without the risk of being reincarcerated. Were facing a battle unlike any we have seen in my lifetime, and the stress and the anxiety that come with it is taking a tremendous toll on the American People. Its not just the virus and the threat of catching the virus that is taking the toll. We need to look at this holistically and realize if you were a victim of Domestic Violence and youre forced to be confined with your abuser and have nowhere else to go and maybe no money coming in the front door, only to have your abuser abusing alcohol and perhaps becoming even more violent. We have a whole catalog of problems associated with this virus and the virus itself and the risk of infection being just one, and we need to look at this holistically. As our discussions continue this week on how to support the American People during this unprecedented time, resources for Mental Health and Substance Abuse treatment providers cannot fall by the wayside. Mr. President , i would now ask unanimous consent that the Senate Recess until 2 15 p. M. Today. The presiding officer without objection. The Senate Stands in recess the Senate Stands in recess before you today is the president nominee to be the next director of National Intelligence here before you begin id like to notice the efforts of the committee staff, my own staff as well as many officers at the office of the director of National Intelligence who helped get us here today. I appreciate their dedication in making today possible. I would also like to share a few thoughts on the challenging times we face today. The covid19 pandemic has cut short
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