Lives they force us to close schools, shut down restaurants, shut down major events and temporarily shutter businesses across our country. Ne the sacrifices have been necessary for the sake of public health, to help flatten the curve so our medical facilities dont become overwhelmed. Theyve also been disruptive, frustrating, and in some cases scary. Despite the emotional and economic toll this crisis has taken, we have seen countless acts of compassion, generosity, and selflessness all across theam country. Americans has stepped up to help each other despite the new threat. I want to make sure the americany people know that since the very beginning of this crisis, nebraskans have been on the front lines. 113 americans were evacuated from a cruise ship in japan in late february, they were taken to the National Quarantine unit at the university of Nebraska Medical Center in omaha as nations only federal quarantine unit they were also trusted to care for the americans recovering from a ebola in 2014. Beyond treating those exposed to or infected with coronavirus, you and mc is also working to test new for this virus. In late february the National Institute of health said the first countries Clinical Trial for coronavirus therapy had begun at um and c. Our worldclass Medical Center has been active from the very beginning of this crisis the Nebraska National guard, our citizen soldiers have also played an Important Role in our response. They have bendable floyd to distributors, food banks as healthcare workers, assisting with testing and as drivers to where they are most needed. As one of the First State Department evacuation flights out of china brought 57 americans to nebraska for they were corn teed at camp ashland, Nebraska National guard training site. Its easy to forget that these first evacuations happened just back in february. Since that time, we have relied on our amazing healthcare workers and firstor responders. They have been working around the clock to keep us t safe. They get up every day to fight the virushi in hospitals and clinics across the country. I cannot imagine how hard it must be for them to see the effects of this new sickness day in and day out. But i know that we are in good hands. We have also relied on the food heroes. Many from my home state were one in four jobs are tied to production agriculture. If you raise cattle or grow soybeans, you cannot stay inside and work from your couch. If you package beef or pork, you cant work from a laptop. Americans should be incredibly grateful for our essential workers throughout the food supply chain. They are working so that we can continue to live healthy, safe, food on our tables. Nebraskans and all americans are making daily sacrifices to slow the spread of this virus. We have drastically reduced our contact with others, knowing that shortterm sacrifice will lead to longterm public health. But despite our best efforts over 8000 nebraskans have contracted the virus and 96 have died since covid19 arrived in the united states. These people were loved by their families and by their communities. And i grieved for their loved ones. These tragic losses, underscore the seriousness of the virus. That demonstrates to all of us we need to keep up the fight. The changes that we have made in our National Life are necessary have been difficult. They have come at the cost of the Economic Security of many people in the heartland of this nation. We are seeing record numbers of unemployment claims and many people who have never faced unemployment before now find themselves out of work. And to more nebraskas are having Food Insecurity due to unemployment and the effects of covid19. I have been inspired by the work that nonprofits across my state are doing to address this. The local chapter of the Salvation Army in hastings, has started a mobile food unit which they derive from neighborhood to neighborhood and they serve hot meals. The Central Nebraska Community Action partnership has began to box up food and leave it on peoples h doorsteps. This has allowed them to reduce persontoperson contact while helping those who are in need. And the food bank of lincoln, which serves Southeast Nebraska by acting as a Distribution Center for food pantries and 16 counties has seat a huge surge in demand. A been able to keep up with the demand in large part to the innovation of lincoln business, philanthropy and leadership governors who form the lincoln covid19 response fund. These are major problems and there is no easy fix. Even so, it is our job in congress to respond to the National Crisis and do what we can to provide relief. That is why i was proud to support the cares act, the relief package this a body passed at the end of march. Big part of the legislation was the Paycheck Protection Program, which was designed to help americas Small Businesses keep their employees on payroll by offering forgivablens loans. Upon the creation of this program and provide relief, nebraskans hit the ground running by having the Paycheck Protection Program has provided nearly 25000 loans just under 3 billion to nebraska Small Businesses this is enough to cover the nebraska payrolls the highest percentage in the nation. I think it is important to note that none of this would have been possible without nebraskas Community Banks and our credit unions. While some National Banks hesitated, nebraskas local institutions stepped up and they are providing these loans to make sure Small Businesses and their communities receive assistance. To our Community Banks and credit unions, nebraskans applying for these loans are noteo just halfway around the country, the people hurting are their friends, their families, and their neighbors. The people who need their help live just down the street. One of these banks is union Bank Interest in lincoln. This familyowned bank is not in the top 200 banks of assets nationally but after the first 72 hours of the Paycheck Protection Program, they ranked second in the nation for number of loans approved. Like many other lending institutions union bank and trust accomplish this while adjusting to working from home for the first time. The remarkable efforts and those of a nether nebraska institution, Pinnacle Bank covered in a recent post story for leading the way nationally with this program. Its good to see the Paycheck Protection Program working wellin my state and i am pleased that congress came together to further fund this riprogram so more Small Businesses can receive assistance the drive to support one another, help out and deliver relief to others is something we are seeing all across my state. Along with grief, we have seen resilience, along with sadness, we have seen help. I read a story about Young Children in omaha wanted to visit their grandfather they could not go to his nursing home they could not go into his nursing home so they connected a microphone to a speaker inside so they could talk to him and sing to him. I have seen schools that stopped holding in person classes weeks ago still serving their students on top of instituting remote learning, many are also offering free meals. And goering teachers organize an impromptuhb driveby parade to their students neighborhoods. And in hastings, Longfellow Elementary School has converted Old Newspaper vending machines intoin learning materials dispensers. Students walk up to the dispenser for their grade level, theyus take out their weekly learning packets, just as you would a newspaper. In short, i have seen neighbors helping neighbors. I have seen nebraskans helping nebraskans. Madam president , much remains uncertain about our future. We dont know how many more lives will be lost, how long were going to have to wait for a vaccine or how long it will take four main street to open for business once again. I think we may have a long and tough road ahead of us. But i take great pride in the way nebraska has responded to these difficult circumstances. Inspiring stories of kindness and humanity in my state dont come as a surprise to me. I have seen our people respond to other disasters including the widespread flooding that we faced just last year. I have seen nebraskans respond the same way to covid19 as we did with that flood, by putting others first. Its just who we are. Nebraskans will continue to adapt, to help others, and to lead the way in addressing and responding to this crisis. We will get through this, and we will come out stronger than ever before. Thank you madam president. Madam president , we are back for our second week in the senate after spending time remotely to help flatten the coronavirus curve pedro getting used to the temporary new normal getting used to meetings, mass, conference calls, skype calls instead of in person meetings. Lots of handwashing and Hand Sanitizer and many staff working remotely. We are committed to doing the