Nomination of scott rash for the district of arizona. Live on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal master the father of us all we thank you that through your spirit you have provided our legislative body with the talents and capabilities to fulfill your purposes. May our senators remember that this body has many parts, each making its distinctive contribution to the success of the whole. As our lawmakers acknowledge and honor the value added by each member of this body, unite them with faith, civility, courage, and gratitude. And lord, we pray for the First Responders and Health Care Workers who stand on the front lines during this Global Health crisis. We pray in your unifying 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 mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i ask to speak in morning business for about 45 seconds. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley this time of the year is typically spent celebrating students of all ages as they graduate on to their next endeavor. Most graduations have a different look this year, due to the pandemic. But the occasion has not lost its significance. Graduations are a time to celebrate the hard work and dedication students put into their education. I want to congratulate all iowans graduating this spring as you begin a new chapter in your life. Barbara and i wish you all more years of continued success. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell the covid19 pandemic continues to hold our nation on high alert. More than 1. 4 million americans have been infected. More than 80,000 lives have been tragically lost. And the livelihoods of tens of millions of working families have been turned upside down in what seems like the blink of an eye. Our Nations Health care system has not been stressed by contagion on this scale in over a century. And notre dame has not been this high since the second world war. And unemployment has not been this high since the second world war. From Lab Researchers to Grocery Store workers to custodians and janitors to Community Volunteers have been called up to the front lines to serve their neighbors and our country. So for several weeks now mr. President , the senate has counted ourselves among those ranks of essential workers. They are showing up for our country, so were showing up for them. With respect to the pandemic itself, we are conducting rigorous oversight of the senates historic cares actress cue package and are helping plan the pivot toward reopening. Last week, chairman alexander and the help committee engaged with dr. Fauci dr. Redfield, admiral giroir and other top experts to discuss paths for schools and businesses to reopen. And a number of our colleagues are joining me and senator cornyn in thinking proactively about the issue of legal liability that could crush the recovery on the runway. We need strong Legal Protection to ensure that our historic Recovery Efforts are not drained away from Health Care Workers schools, and university or Small Businesses in order to line the pockets of trial lawyers. At the same time, we have kept our eye on the ball on other significant global challenges. Last week, on a bipartisan basis, the senate reauthorized critical surveillance authorities for our National Security professionals. We also made sure to include important new reforms to begin to address the abuses that marred the 2016 election. The disturbing details of which are continuing to come to light every day. Our action on that subject is not finished. Thanks to the leadership from senator rubio, we will pass legislation to continue ratcheting up the pressure on the Chinese Communist party. In thiscase, our billwillshed new light and impose new consequences for the egregious abuses against the uighur people and other muslim minorities. And we confirmed wellqualified nominees to important roles at the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, the Nuclear Regulatory commission, the department of Homeland Security, and the department of housing and urban development. In other words mr. President we have done more for the American People in two weeks on this side of the capitol than the house of representatives has done in the last two months. In the two months that House Democrats have been away from their duty stations, they seemingly gave themselves just one assignment draft an enormous enormous political messaging bill and brand it as coronavirus relief. But even on this basis, they have failed. The 180page door stop that Speaker Pelosi dropped last week was appropriately greeted as the legislative equivalent of a standup comedy. There were tax hikes on Small Businesses in the midst of a Small Business crisis. There were targeted tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the bluest states. There were two separate taxpayerfunded studies on diversity and inclusion in the market for marijuana. In sum a 3 trillion wish list slapped together in a clumsy effort to never let a good crisis go to waste. Serious work here in the senate. Partisan pointlessness over in the house. Well, the senate will stay on course and continue our serious work at this serious time. Tomorrow morning our colleagues on the Banking Committee will hear from secretary mnuchin and fed chairman powell on the latest status of the cares act implementation efforts. The Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee will meet this week to consider the nomination of brian miller to serve as special Inspector General for the Pandemic Recovery programs. The special committee on aging will be examining the challenges facing american seniors during this pandemic as both the virus itself and the social distancing measures take a heavy toll on older americans. And of course we will continue to uphold our responsibility beyond the scope of covid19. We will consider more nominations to the federal Election Commission and the federal bench. Tomorrow our colleagues on the Intelligence Committee will vote on reporting the nomination of John Ratcliffe to serve as director of national intelligence. This role is essential for monitoring and countering evolving threats from russia to china to terrorist groups and for ensuring the Intelligence Communitys important work is not tainted by partisan bias or political weaponization. We have a busy week ahead of us. This pandemic is not going to defeat itself. A careful reopening will not plan itself, and our nations other challenges are not about to politely step aside in the meantime. All kinds of american heroes across the country are tackling the coronavirus head on. Were going to do all we can to keep them safe and supported while they do it. 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, the judiciary, scott h. Rash of arizona, to be United States district judge for the district of arizona. Mr. Mcconnell i note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer mr. President . The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer now for the third week in a row a republican majority in the senate has no covidrelated business on the agenda. For the third week in a row leader mcconnell has scheduled zero votes on legislation having to do with the crisis. Senate democrats have had to relentlessly pressure our republican colleagues to secure even the most routine oversight hearings on the pandemic. If we hadnt pressured them, i doubt thered be any hearings at all, and theyre feuds and far between. The hearings will be the only work weve done in the senate on covid19 in the entire month of may, and the republican majority had to be pressured into doing even those. There are now more than 35 million americans out of work through no fault of their own. Almost 1. 5 million americans are sick nearly 90,000 have died, and Senate Republicans have decided to take the month off from the coronavirus. The American People may be wondering, what is the Republicanled Senate doing instead of addressing this Urgent National crisis . What could be more pressing . What is the Republican Senate doing in the midst of the crisis . Well, leader mcconnell has scheduled five rightwing judges for the floor of the senate, and the republican chairman of the Homeland Security will be holding a hearing designed to slander the family of the president s political opponent. Is the chairman of Homeland Security calling in fema to find out if our hospitals have enough p. P. E. . No, he wants to echo cremebacked con kremlinbacked conspiracy theories to go on a fishing expedition to smear joe bidens son. Must our republican colleagues gainly follow such an absurd, diversionary and untruthful agenda . I guess so. Its a shame. And even more shameful, the company that the senator from wisconsin wants to issue a subpoena for is voluntarily cooperating and providing relevant documents to the committee. Did you hear that . They want to make a big show of subpoenaing, but the company says itll cooperate. Its a show. Its a sham. It has nothing to do with covid and everything to do with kremlinbacked rumors that they want to use to divert attention from the president s poor showing on covid. The subpoena is just for show. It is not necessary because the company will cooperate. A way to kick up dirt for exclusively partisan purposes. It would be bad enough if they were doing this when covid wasnt raging, but with covid raging to spend time doing this instead of focusing on the way to get relief to people . Unbelievable a low point for that committee. A low point for the senate. So this is what republican this is what is on the Senate Republicans agenda in the midst of historic unemployment and a National Crisis five rightwing judges and the exploitation a show move to concur hearing for partisan a show mock hearing for partisan mudslinging. Senate republicans are rearranging the nations deck chair and trying to put them in a political ahe ssembly. The chairman of the federal reserve, jay powell, appointed by President Trump said last week were looking at the worst recession since world war ii. Yesterday mr. Powell warned that layoffs will continue for several months and employment could reach 20 or even 25 . He said, quote if we let people be out of work for long periods of time, if we let businesses fail unnecessarily waves of them therell be longerterm damage to the economy the recovery will be slower. The good news the good news, he said, is we can avoid that by providing more support now. Mr. Powell went on to encourage policymakers to provide greater assistance to families and implement measures to keep workers in their homes. He pointed out if state and local governments dont receive additional aid theyll be forced to lay off Public Employees and cut back on Public Services at the worst possible time. Mr. Powell is spoton. And tomorrow in the senate Banking Committee my republican colleagues will have a chance to hear this critical message straight from the horses mouth with mr. Mnuchin and mr. Powell set to testify only after Senate Democrats had to push and push and push to have such a hearing. We asked for it three weeks ago. It should have happened two weeks allege. Two weeks ago because the country is calling out for action. Trump appointees are calling out for action. Governors across the country democrat and republican governors, are calling out for action. When will my republican colleagues hear the message . After all theres no shortage of action the senate could take. Millions of americans are having americans of americans are having difficulty receiving the expanded benefits that congress passed. Why arent Senate Republicans holding a hearing on why millions of our citizens arent getting the aid we intended to provide . Instead of these sham political show trial gotcha hearings. Testing continues to be a major problem. A blockbluster report in the Washington Post last night said that quote, we are far short of testing numbers that most independent experts say will be needed to avoid another wave of death and illness unquote. The report describes a concerning shortage of p. P. E. , nasal swabs and reagents in Nursing Homes and other frontline settings. The report underlined another problem a startling lack of awareness in many neighborhood about the need for testing. These are lifeanddeath issues. They relate to Peoples Health and peoples lives and they relate to our economy getting well. Why isnt President Trump leading a nationwide push to increase Testing Capacity and frequency and awareness . President trump is so desperate to reopen the country as quickly as possible, but he refuses to roll up his sleeves and do the work that would allow us to do it safely. There is an anomaly here. He demands people get back to work but doesnt do his work to make sure we have testing to make sure there are guidelines, to make sure this works correctly so we dont have another crisis a few months from now. House democrats have put together a major bill that would provide urgent and necessary relief to the American People. My colleagues on the republican side dont have to like everything in it. They could easily say lets sit down and negotiate. Lets find some Common Ground. But, instead leader mcconnell has said that republicans have, quote, yet to feel the urgency for acting immediately. Herbert hoover redux. Instead, his party is the slowly preparing legislation to give legal immunity to big corporations that put workers in dangersous situations. That the numberone problem on every americans mind . Is that the numberone problem on peoples minds people who are going bankrupt, who cant feed their kids protecting corporations from liability . This Republican Party is so, so out of touch with america. Its so offkilter. It is so in obeisance to the hard right that they cant even focus on a crisis when its right before their eyes. We are confronted with a period of prolonged economic misery for millions of American Workers and families. Americans who for the first time are waiting in staggering lines for food banks americans who for the first time dont know if theyll be able to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table or pay the rent. Just how long will it take how long . How much economic hardship, how much before republicans feel the urgency to act . On another matter, last friday night in the dark of night President Trump fired the Inspector General of the state department mr. Steve linick. Mr. Linick according to reports, had been investigating the misuse of Public Resources by secretary pompeo and the trump administrations arms sales to saudi arabia. Mr. Lynn i can is now the fifth yes the fifth Inspector General to be fired by President Trump from his or her post in the last few months. They all shared one thing in common they had the audacity to do their jobs and speak the truth. They had the audacity to try and drain the swamp. And what is Donald Trumps reaction when he hears the truth . Fire the people who spoke it. What kind of president is that in . During normal times it is bad enough. During a crisis, its awful. The Inspector General of the Intelligence Committee delivered a whistleblower report to congress as required by law. For this, it seems, he was fired. It was through the work of the h. H. S. Inspector general the public learned the extent of the trump administrations failure to provide hospitals and medical workers with testing p. P. E. And necessary personnel in the early days of the pandemic. She has been fired too. The Inspector General for the Defense Department and the Transportation Department have been fired as well, just as they were about to oversee part of the administrations response to covid. Inspectors general are the watchdogs for our federal agencies making sure our government is working for the people. Thats what theyre there to do, hold government accountable. For waste and fraud and abuse. But if they actually do their jobs and say the president is doing something wrong he fires them. The president cant handle the truth and will not tolerate oversight of his administration when truth speakers speak out. No other administration has come close to doing this. This president is so different running almost a rogue administration that defies truth, that defies facts and now five inspectors general have been fired all because they were doing their job telling the truth and trying to clean up the mess in washington. And we know this about President Trump, but where the are my republican colleagues in the senate . My friends on the other side, especially the senior senator from iowa, have long defended and even sought to pass legislation to further empower inspectors general. Well the president has just fired a parade of independent watchdogs and given no legitimate explanation for their dismissals. Is a mild rebuke the most my republican colleagues can muster . A tweet concerned statements . This isnt the first time President Trump has fired an i. G. And failed to provide a sufficient explanation. So what are my republican colleagues going to do about it . Nothing, it seems. Nothing. They are so afraid of President Trump, they so cling almost to his ankles that when they know he is doing wrong when they know he is hiding the truth theyre afraid to say anything. They shudder. Ive never seen anything like it. But when history looks back on this chapter on President Trumps purge of independent watchdogs during a time of National Crisis, it will not give credit to Senate Republicans who let the president off the hook with, at most and only at times a polite slap on the wrist. I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the presiding officer the senator from wyoming. Mr. Barrasso i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call shall vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Barrasso thank you mr. President. Mr. President , i come to the floor today to discuss the House Democrats 3 trillion spending spree. The American People are at a point in our lives where the American People need a life preserver, instead Speaker Pelosi has just thrown them an anchor. Its absurd. Her covid19 proposal is pricey, its a pipe dream. Its a bloated bonanza of her leftwing socialist projects. It weighs in at over 1,800 pages, but theres one glaring omission House Democrats forgot to fight the coronavirus. This is Nancy Pelosis socialist democrat dream, but it is a nightmare for the merchl. Nancy pelosi needs a very American People. Nancy pelosi needs a very serious reality check. It will not pass the senate. The country is trying to recover from the coronavirus. People are stressed, they are struggling, they are sacrificing, they are suffering. They need help to survive the crisis. People have been living through two months of lockdowns to throw the spread of the disease. While the infection rate has started to flatten tragically tens of thousands of measures have already died. More than 36 Million People have lost their jobs. People back home in my state in wyoming, people im sure back home mr. President in your home state of missouri, people all across the country they know what we need to do. We need to get back to business safely. We need the disease behind us. We need our communities back and we need it as soon as possible. Yet, as states reopen, incredibly, the democrats are exploiting and prolonging the nations pain. Why . It seems to me like they are trying to do it for political gain. Joe biden has called this deadly disease, quote, an Incredible Opportunity to fundamentally transform the country. Nancy pelosi debrises, agrees. It is a wonderful opportunity according to the speaker of the house. She cannot let a crisis go to waste many she said she is its interesting. Ive seen the video of Hillary Clinton saying, you dont want a crisis to go to waste. So what is nancy pelosi doing . Shes wasting time on a proposal that doesnt have a chance of becoming law. This is a political payoff to Nancy Pelosis constituencies, her allies. Look at it. Look at the wish list. Topping the House Democrats 3 trillion liberal wish list is the great blue state bailout. Its a trillion dollars more to bail out very badly mismanaged states democrat states, local governments, sanctuary cities. It rescues underwater blue state pension plans. It includes a tax cut for the wealthiest 1 who lives in those specific states, illinois, connecticut, california. And thats not all. The bill provides direct payments to Illegal Immigrants. Apparently they forgot that in the last bill so they have it on this one direct payments to Illegal Immigrants. Astonishly theres not a single dime for paycheck protection funds, not for the Small Businesses that we need to keep workers on the payroll. Even though that payroll protection plan, the Paycheck Protection Program to keep people on payroll has saved 50 million jobs. The bill does want to release prisoners from isis detention from i. C. E. Detention centers but there is no protection for the Small Businesses that we need to get to reopen the country. Its not included in her bill. These are mom and pop businesses in my home state of wyoming who are facing an avalanche of abusive lawsuits as they try to reopen. The wyoming legislature addressed in a special session on friday. We need to address it to the nation. It abolishes state voter i. D. Requirements and overrides state voting laws. Its all part of her ms. Er plan for federal control of state election laws. As attorney general mr. President , you understand clearly the importance of states to have the preeminent role in the election process not the federal government. The pelosi bill bails out the u. S. Postal service and funds something she calls Environmental Justice and does it to the tune of 50 million. How does that help in the fight of coronavirus . The proposal takes good care of the Marijuana Industry, absolutely even though selling pot is still a felony in most states. I dont know how that helps in the fight against the coronavirus. No matter the pelosi plan gives the cannabis business special access to cut rate financing. In fact, her bill reads more like a marijuana package than a pandemic package because it mentions cannabis 68 times more often than mentioning jobs, hiring the important thing to reopen our country and getting our communities back. This socialist christmas list goes on and on. And the asking price 3 trillion. If enacted this pelosi package would be the largest waste of dollars in u. S. History. It is the largest bill every passed in congress. Fortunately it will never become law. Now, nancy pelosi must not realize that families all across america are having a hard time paying their bills feeding their kids, paying the rent. Must not recognize that otherwise why would she put all of these things, these priorities payouts to sanctuary cities, paying out to the Marijuana Industry and money for the environment. Money that has been appropriated has not yet been spent. In march Congress Approved nearly 3 trillion combined coronavirus aid. My state had a special legitimate Legislature Special legislature to spend the 1. 25 billion that has come to so many states. Wyoming got the lowest amount of money. They havent spent it. They are having a special session to decide how to spend it. Some states may need more time to decide how to spend it but nancy pelosi is sending more money to states and cities. Our focus has been helping people through the health and economic crisis, to help the American People weather the storm. But now House Democrats say that nancy pelosi lays down a marker, as she says, for future bipartisan talks. In reality mr. President democrats are only weakening their position by betting big against the American Economic recovery. Thats what they are doing in the bill that they put together. Because the pelosi bill includes specific what i believe are jobkilling proposals not to help more americans work, but making it harder for americans to get back to work. This bill would slow the recovery by keeping millions of americans on the government payroll all the way into 2021. Mr. President , youve been a leader in this fight about the perverse incentives weve seen in some of the legislation thats already passed. Because this bill, this fantasy island that nancy pelosi is on increases Unemployment Benefits so people could make more money by not working than by going back to work. Now that means as much as half of the workforce could earn more by not working than by returning to work all the way into 2021. So the democrat socialists want the businesses who are trying to reopen and people to compete for Unemployment Benefits until 2021. The democrats are proposing that these american businesses, instead of hiring 36 million americans out of work, they want to make it easier for them to hire Illegal Immigrants than the americans who are currently out of work. Thats what she set up in her scheme. The bill also raises taxes on struggling Small Businesses. It mandates paid family leave through the end of 2021 and removes a Small Business tax exemption. It is as if democrats dont want the economy to reopen and people return to work. Thats what i see when i read through the 1,800 pages. Mr. President , before the pandemic hit we had record job growth record low unemployment, and record Consumer Confidence and now unemployment is approaching the great depression. The best way to help the people out of work is to reopen our communities and reopen our country. Its telling that House Democrats 3 trillion bill includes no measures to help americans get back to work, no added support for hardhit Small Businesses and no protections for american jobs. Congress will be considering providing more virus aid in coming months and weeks. Any recovery legislation will have to be targeted, temporary and tailored to address the coronavirus emergency. Covid19 legislation must include reasonable, responsible Liability Protections for Health Care Providers and for employers, for the Small Businesses in our states, and it needs to promote economic jobs and growth. The Senate Republicans are focused on reopening america. The american taxpayer cant be asked to pay for items on Speaker Pelosis 3 trillion socialist christmas list. The American People need us to throw them a life preserver not the anvil that nancy pelosi has thrown their way. Thank you mr. President. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Cornyn madam president. The presiding officer the senator from texas. Mr. Cornyn madam president , i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Cornyn madam president after every natural disaster, after every major emergency there is always a period of response that initial triage to think about search and rescue operations and providing medical care and setting up emergency shelters. Youre moving quickly to complete these timesensitive tasks and minimize the loss of life. At some point though, you begin to transition to recovery, clearing the debris, restoring power, rebuilding and eventually trying to return to life as normal. As always, there will be a period of transition between those periods where you continue to focus on the shortterm response while planning for the longerterm recovery and while were facing a different kind of crisis today the sim principles apply. Our heroic Health Care Workers didnt to respond to this virus on the front lines. Our farmers ranchers, truckers, Grocery Store employees and food banks are ensuring people have food on their table. The mailmen delivery drivers and waste collectors are keeping the cogs of our society running. And, slowly but surely recovery is happening too. In texas and other states across the country businesses are welcoming customers through their doors for the first time in a while. Parks are beginning to reopen and schools are making plans for the fall. Every day the needle is moving in a positive direction but im worried that without some protection for these workers these businesses, these churches and food banks were going to reverse course or stop them dead in their tracks. Were already seeing lawsuits piling up claiming somebody did this or did that in a coronavirusrelated incident. Unfortunately there is an economic incentive to use the virus thats infected some 1. 5 million texans as a cash cow and were setting up for what could be one of the biggest bonanzas in terms of legislation in history. You Better Believe those who could find themselves on the receiving end of lawsuits are taking notice. A recent survey by the National Federation of independent business found that nearly 70 of Small Business owners are concerned about liability claims and hospitals are cautious about resuming procedures like organ transplant or cancer by biopsies. Even if you do everything you should do and accommodate every request that the president governor or mayor has made, you could be sued. Even if youre acting in good faith, they could face a long and expensive lawsuit. They could end up winning that lawsuit but they could also end up going bankrupt in the process because defending a lawsuit is not cheap and at a time when we want people to focus like a laser on reopening their business refilling had these jobs we refilling these jobs, we cant allow that incentive for lawsuit a lawsuit lottery to bleed our Health Workers dry and deter our recovery. Congress needs to take action to prevent these opportunistic lawsuits from using this crisis for to make money at the same time to hurt or economy and hurt our recovery. Leader mcconnell and i and others are working on a proposal that would put commonsense reforms in place and protect those acting in good faith from being sued into oblivion. I want to be clear about the goals of this legislation. There is no effort to pass a blanket immunity or to protect bad actors who put their employees or customers in danger. What we are talking about is a temporary and targeted Liability Protection for those acting in good faith and following all of the relevant Public Health guidelines and direction. First we must protect the Health Care Workers who are on the front line of this crisis. These men and women have made tremendous physical and mental sacrifices while serving during this unprecedented time, and we simply cant allow them to be taken to the clearance by those look cleaners by those looking for a payout. More than a dozen states have already provided protections for Health Care Workers by raising the threshold for medical malpractice lawsuits. The governor of new york, andrew cuomo has an executive Order Granting immunity to Health Care Workers. The democratic governor of new york has issued an executive Order Granting immunity from civil liability to Health Care Workers. Again, this is not blanket immunity, there are exceptions for gross negligence and willful conduct. If limiting liability makes sense in new york, then i certainly think it makes sense elsewhere. We need to provide the same level of protection for Health Care Workers all across the United States so they can operate without fear of having to defend to lawsuit when they were doing their very best in a time of crisis in good faith to follow all of the appropriate guidance. But we cant stop there. We have to provide similar protection for the workers, the businesses, the schools the nonprofits, and other institutions that are critical to our recovery. Think about a Small Business, 70 of whom i know are worried about liability lawsuits according to the National Federation of independent business. Once they receive a green light to open their doors they have to make a very important decision. Is it worth the risk . Lets say your youre a Restaurant Owner whos gone through the c. D. C. Newly released decision tree for restaurants and bars and youre prepared to implement all of the health and safety actions as well as monitor your staff. Well theres nothing stopping the first person who walks through the door from suing you in a few weeks because they believe they contracted the virus at your restaurant. Its not just businesses who are facing these types of decisions. Any Nonprofit Organization or agency serving the public is in a similar position, even if theyve gone at Great Lengths to comply with Public Health recommendations. As our Public Schools colleges, and universities weigh the decision about reopening this fall, Liability Protections are going to play a major factor. Last week the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Liability Protections and one of the witnesses we heard was lee tinner who serves as a general counsel at Texas University in fort worth texas. He called it the quote, cliff problem. He said thats what his university of Virginia Law School professor would describe an uncertain standard of care. A liability cliff is some sort of line that would be catastrophic to cross. If you know where that cliff is, youre able to make good decisions about how far youre willing to go, what kind of risks youre willing to take. If you dont know exactly where it is, then uncertainty will likely lead you to avoiding the area all together. In this in this case, as leroy pointeddous, pointed out we need to walk toward the cliff, not going over it as we need businesses and nonprofits to do the same. We cant ask them to do it blindly or in the dark or without providing the needed clarity so they can manage their risks. I think whats so different about this this pandemic is people get so much contradictory and conflicting information from a variety of sources. Most of us know how to manage risk in our lives but its hard to manage uncertainty and thats what were asking the senate and the congress to do to provide some certainty in the midst of this uncertainty. These workers and institutions are critical to helping our response and recovery move forward and we cant ask or expect them to make decisions without some level of certainty. They need to know, with confidence, that if they are operating in good faith and obeying the Public Health and other government guidelines, that they will not inadvertently step over the edge of that cliff and find themselves in free fall. Madam president , i yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i come to the floor to discuss a piece of legislation that senator booker and i worked on to help Public Safety officers. Since the covid19 pandemic began, over 100 First Responders have lost their lives to that virus. Unlike the rest of us, these brave men and women couldnt, by the very nature of their work, stay home or social distance. In firehouses across the country, firefighters had to continue sharing confined spaces and respond to emergencies and and in cramped trucks. Police officers continued to respond to 911. These calls and also to interact with the public in very close quarters. And while most of us are avoiding covid at all costs state and county e. M. T. Crews are transporting the infected and others to hospitals for emergency care. While im inspired by the bravery of these First Responders im not at all surprised by the actions they take to protect the people they serve. First responders always answer the calls to action selflessly placing others before themselves. So in recognition of the many sacrifices they make, congress established the peace safety officers benefit program a long time ago in 1976. This law provides First Responders with a onetime payment if they die or are totally disabled on the duty. Now, let me be very clear. Nothing can ever put back together a family who has lost a loved one but the Public Safety officers benefit Program Provides some Economic Relief to grieving families and gives peace of mind to the First Responders themselves in knowing that their families wont be left destitute if tragedy were to befall that family. Unfortunately, the Public Safety officers benefit program wasnt designed to deal with a Global Pandemic of this type or magnitude that we have been aware of in the United States since late january. Under existing statute then, to be awarded benefits, a First Responder must be able to prove that they contracted covid on duty and we know how well, at least we dont know if we havent had it, but from the reports we get its kind of hard to tell where you come in contact with it. So the last thing then that a grieving family needs to be worried about after the loss of a loved one is whether or not they will be able to successfully prove that their loved ones contracted covid on the line of duty and qualify for the loss of life under that 1976 law. Almost as soon as the nationwide stayathome order was instituted i began working with senator booker to craft language to create a presumption that would allow families to receive benefits without having to prove that their loved ones contracted a deadly virus on duty. Senator booker and i were determined to get this done as soon as possible because we understood that families who lost loved ones will soon begin filing for benefits, and we know that number is about 100 at this point. Our bill is entitled safeguarding americas First Responder act or sfar, or pronounced as safer for short. The bill was introduced on may 5, one day after the senate returned to session. This bill is the product of several weeks of friendly negotiations and input from fire groups and police groups. The bill garnered a total of 22 bipartisan cosponsors, including the entire new york and new jersey del gaigz. Last thursday, the Senate Unanimously passed our bill, and it now is in the house where we hope it will receive immediate consideration. I know that our colleagues in the house are deeply concerned about our First Responders, and i would expect this to have a successful effort over there. I have been working with congressman pascrell and other forms for the benefit programs. I think it will be received over there by some outstanding people who can carry it to victory. There is no excuse for this bill not to receive a vote as soon as possible. Its the only bill of its kind that has the support of the International Association of firefighters, the International Association of fire chiefs, and several state and federal police groups. It was coauthored by senator booker and features the support of the 11 democrats and ten republican senators as original cosponsors including the Senate Minority leader. Safr this bill, also received the support of the department of justice, which stands ready to pay out the benefits to grieving families but is limited by statute as to what they can do under existing law hence the importance of this legislation. Simply put this bill is a nobrainer. I urge Speaker Pelosi to schedule a vote on safr as soon as the house returns into session. And now its my privilege to thank senator booker and to yield to my colleague from new jersey who worked so hard to get this done as well. Senator booker. Mr. Booker madam president. Let me just say right at the top how grateful i am to stand on the senate floor again with senator Chuck Grassley. He has been one of the great partners i have had in my short time in the senate, and im honored to have gotten a lot of good work done and good law passed. I want to thank him and his entire staff. They were all tremendous to work with and went above and beyond for us to get this done at a very quick pace. I want to thank our colleagues for acting with the urgency that this issue demands and i am excited that this bill was able to pass that will ensure the families of First Responders who lose their lives to the coronavirus are taken care of under the Public Safety officers benefit program. We expect now that over 100 of these death benefit claims can be submitted to the department of justice in the coming days and weeks and we cannot leave these grieving families to fight alone for the benefit that they need and deserve. As senator grassley very pointedly put it, we hope that the house of representatives will pick up this legislation for immediate consideration. While covid19 has changed the daily life across this country for so many of us, im grateful that my colleague and so many of my colleagues understand that our firefighters are firefighters our e. M. T. s, our police officers, and other Emergency Service personnel continue to put their lives on the line to protect our communities, and they have done so at significant and increased risk to themselves and their families. In hardhit areas across our nation we see First Responders stepping up to enormous risk. Being a First Responder during this pandemic is not a job. It is an allconsuming mission and unfortunately a tremendous sacrifice. It is responding to a call knowing that just by stepping inside someones home, you are running a high risk of exposing yourself to the virus. It is wondering whether your personal protective gear or p. P. E. That you have on is enough. It is in many cases wondering whether your p. P. E. Is even real with so many of our First Responders unfortunately using whatever they can scrounge up if it is a means of buying foreign masks not designed for use in the United States or buying them from unknown vendors, they are doing what they can to protect themselves as they go about their urgent message. When they remove their p. P. E. , its the concern that your gloves or your goggles or your gowns, as you take them off piece by piece straining to remember what you have touched washing your hands repeatedly but knowing and wondering and worrying if its enough. Its performing lifesaving procedures like c. P. R. That may aerosolize the virus hoping that your p. P. E. That youre wearing is enough to protect you. These are the daily hourly, momentbymoment concerns that our First Responders have. Senator grassley has worked with First Responders in so many ways and he knows the challenges that this time brings about from having to meticulous ly clean every surface of an ambulance having to clean your squad houses, your police stations knowing that the virus could be lingering there. Its going home and undressing in the basement or garage or even outside of your home, heading trait in the house for a shower but still worrying is it enough to protect your family. And we know that many of these First Responders actually arent going home to their family. They are separating themselves for periods of times because they live in fear of spreading the disease to a spouse, to a child, to a parent. And the emotional stress and strain of responding to a call, doing everything you can to save someone from this virus but we know our First Responders are often seeing death at a rate and a level in areas of our country they have never experienced before. This all adds to fear. This all adds to the anxiety the worry about their families. Worry about their communities. Our First Responders are doing what very few of us will ever have to do. They put their lives their health and often the health of their families on the line to protect their communities. They have always done it, but now in the time of coronavirus their sacrifices are intensified. The very least we can do is to ensure that they dont have to worry about what will happen to their loved ones if something should happen to them. The Public Safety officers benefit program that senator grassley mentioned was created to provide death and disability benefits to families of Law Enforcement officers, firefighters e. M. S. And other First Responders who are killed in the line of duty. Their benefits come in the form of Financial Support as well as educational scholarships for sacrificing spouses and children. And its as senator grassley said it cannot replace the life thats lost but it is something that could give comfort to those families and to even the First Responders who themselves are putting themselves in grave danger. Now, Infectious Diseases are currently covered under the program, and and an officers family or department is required to provide evidence, though, that the disease they contracted they contracted while on duty. Providing that evidence can be straightforward. For instance, demonstrating that the First Responder came in contact with a dirty needle, for example, and was then infected by something that caused them death. But the problem with covid19 is that it presents an entirely different challenge. While the department of Justice Works to make sure that families of those killed by covid are covered, we must eliminate the instances in which families are asked to prove what is unprovable. To prove that somehow they caught this while they were in the hours of their duty. This is why our bill makes urgently needed changes to the psob program to reflect the unique threat that covid19 possesses poses to First Responders putting their lives on the line in this crisis. Many First Responders have already made the ultimate sacrifice. Im so grateful that senator grassley mentioned that. In new jersey alone 29 First Responders have lost their lives to coronavirus just in the past seven weeks and we know this crisis is ongoing in our country. The bill that Chuck Grassley and i and our teams wrote creates a presumption that if a First Responder contracts covid19 during this pandemic and tragically dies, their death will be treated as a line of duty death without the need to affirmatively prove their illness was contracted while on the job. When passed by the house and signed by the senate, this provision would be retroactive from july to january 21, 2020. The bill ensures that the families of First Responders have the support they need and deserve when they face unimaginable loss. 27 years ago new jerseyan john carriccia watched as two e. M. T. s saved his sons life. That same year he became a volunteer e. M. T. So he could pay it forward. Since then hes worked as an e. M. T. And served as the chief and training director of the woodbridge township ambulance and rescue squad in woodbridge, new jersey. John passed away on april 17 after the contracting covid19. John is survived by his children tony, roseanne and john and ten ten grandchildren. Johns loved ones shared in his obituary this quote he will be remembered for his contagious laugh. His big heart greeting you with, hey guy. He loved to spend time with his family and always had had a story to tell. His favorite place to eat was the rio diner. He always chose to bring a chocolate cream pie for his dose desert contribution dessert contribution. His family asked in lieu of flowers that, quote john although hope you perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone in his name. Charles rob roberts joined the new jersey glenn Ridge Police Department in 2000. His wife alist the two of them raid their children right there in glenn ridge. Officer roberts criminalitied officer roberts contracted covid19 in april. He was rushed to Mount Sinai Medical Center after being resuscitated on may 11. Officer roberts passed away at the age of 45. Last week hundreds of residents of his town of glenn ridge stood on their front lawns and sidewalks, paid tribute to officer roberts life, his service, his love of community and family. In the New York Times article published after his passing many of officer roberts colleagues and neighbors shared stories about his kindness, his calm demeanor in the face of challenges. I quote from that, there was a couple that the couple who remember how calm he was when he helped deliver their baby in their kitchen. There was the older woman forever grateful for the gentle way he helped her hand when she broke her hip and they waited for an ambulance. And there was the father who struggled with a difficult son and remembered how roberts looked him in the eye and reassured him that his boy was a good kid. Officer roberts father shared at his memorial that he, quote wanted to make others happy. Israel Izzy Tolentino served in the u. S. Manner corps before becoming a volunteer e. M. T. And then a firefighter for the city of passaic, new jersey. He contracted covid19 in the line of duty and on march 31 passed away at the age of 33. The first new jersey firefighter to be killed by the virus. Israel is survived by his wife maria and their two children daughter aliana, age 9 who izzy called his princess, and his son, israel, age seven who he called his best friend. I would like to share a few words from the newjersey. Com article. Israel tolentino was born to be a firefighter. It wasnt out of love for the uniform, though he beamed with pride every day he walked out wearing the passaic emblem. It was his wife, maria have as questions, who said because he couldnt help but be selfless. She said, it fulfilled his urge to serve others, said his wife of more than ten years. He was so selfless. It drew me closer to him. It drew everyone closer to him. These are among the 29 heroes just from new jersey. Mr. President madam president , there are countless more First Responders across the country whove lost their lives in responding to this crisis. Some of their names we know and some well learn in the weeks and months to come. What we do know is that we owe it we owe it as a nation to their families, to their departments to be there for those families, to be there for those children their families, and the families of all First Responders across the country whove lost loved ones to this virus deserve to be taken care of. For their sake, i hope the house of representatives will act quickly to pass this legislation and that the president will sign it into law. Our First Responders in this unprecedented Global Pandemic, they did not hesitate or equivocate. They did their duty. They stood up. They faced danger. They answered the call, and we now must answer the call. We must have their backs just as they had ours. Madam president i yield the floor. Thank you. Mr. Merkley madam president . The presiding officer the senator from oregon. Mr. Merkley thank you, madam president. At this moment, americans everywhere are confronting unprecedented challenges and uncertainty the as we continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and the associated economic implosion. But thats not all thats going on across the country p. Although some of the challenges we face that are quite severe are just getting drowned out by the daily news about the pandemic. But imagine being a family farmer in the midst of this crisis. Youve already faced any number of challenges in recent years. Low commodity prices, tariff wars only to face the greatest Economic Health disaster any of us have faced in our lifetimes. Then when you thought nothing else could go wrong, Something Else does go wrong. You have to face a severe drought. 1,200 farms in the Klamath Basin in oregon dont have to imagine this situation, madam president. Because theyre living through it as we speak. The Klamath Basin is sometimes havered to as the referred to as the western everglades, an area rich with Agricultural Resources and exceptional populations of wildlife. This basin attracts 80 of the pacific flyways waterfowl. It supports the balanced eagles population and it is home to the most productive salmon rivers systems in the country. It is also home to 1,200 familyowned farms of different sizes encompassing some 200 acres of farmland, irrigated with water from both the tributaries of the Klamath River and klamath lake. Those who are familiar with the basin will know that the water is essential to the health of the river to the health of the lake or the wildlife in the refuge and the economic success of the ranchers and economic success of the farmers. In many ways theres enough water to address all of these goals. But in other years years like this year, 2020, there isnt enough water to go around. So when you have a dry year with less water in the lake and the river, its bad for everyone, bad for the refuge, bad for the river, bad for the lake. Its an horrific challenge for our ranchers and farmers. And this year, 2020, isnt just a dry year; it is quote as difficult of a year as anyone could have imagined, according to Jeff Nettleton manager of the Klamath Basin area. Drought conditions arrived early and have persisted including reduced snowpack, reduced precipitation, minimal stream flow. In other words a perfect storm of challenges. The governor went on to say that the longterm forecast for the region continues for warmerthannormal temperatures and lowerthannormal precipitation. And theres been nothing in the two months since she said that that has reversed that course. As of last friday, snowpack in the klamath region, the natural reservoir that replenishes the lakes and streams providing water for the irrigation system in the summer, was just 28 of normal. You can get some sense of how bad the drought is this year by looking at the historic numbers. This is one way of presenting it. We can see deliveries that are coming to the Upper Klamath Lake project and the blue lines are more normal years but then we have the worst ever drought of 2001. And then we have the terrible drought of 2010. And here we are with this years drought, deliveries forecast to be essentially the same as 2001. You know, in 2001, there was a water war in oregon. Some of you may remember that there was a Bucket Brigade to take water out of the canal ditch or put water into the canal ditch. There were protests. There was great anger and frustration. Since then, in 2010, though, we had worked out partnerships between the competing constituencies. They worked together to try to develop a plan for the region. So that when crises hit, they could be in partnership rather than in conflict. And and so defend didnt 2010 didnt end up being news. Im here tonight to say that part of that is working with the federal government intensely to provide assistance to provide assistance in funding that would help retire or disconnect the use of water rights for a given year and to pump water out of the ground, use groundwater which is very expensive. The cla math Water Association klamath water said that at the beginning of the seasons farmers were told they would get a fraction of that maybe 140,000 acre feet of water. So they went to work with that in mind. They have to charge the canals, get initial water in the canals, prepare for planning, prepare for the water that would come with summer and they used about 25,000 of that 140,000 acre feet. But there was less water even than anticipated. Unexpectedly low inflows from the snowpack. Not enough snow and it melted too fast. And so now its not 140,000 acre feet its 80,000, again putting it on a par with 2001 that generated so much tension and conflict and anxiety. That means that just 55,000 acre feet remain and compare that to the typical 350,000 needed to fully irrigate the basin. So farmers are going to be cut off. Ranchers are going to be cut off. We need, here in congress, to come to their help. The basins 1,200 farmers are in big trouble. The impacts dont just stop with them. It will be felt up and down the economy. No crops to harvest our food chain takes a big hit. The workers who usually harvest these crops arent going to have jobs to go to. Local business that supply things like seed, fertilizer and Farm Equipment well, they are hit hard too. So the farmers and the community, the economic community, need our help and they need it now. The worst thing we can do is stand by and say in these times of trouble we arent here to help. And thats why tomorrow ill be introducing a bill that will give the bureau flexibility and authority to utilize the 10 million a year it has been previously authorized and appropriated to work with the farmers and the basins ranching community. Now, this money as i mentioned has already been authorized. Its already been appropriated so why should i need to introduce a bill . Well, the answer is a lot of bureaucratic red tape. In 2018 senator wyden and i worked here and greg waldon worked on the house side, the congressman who represents this district and we got a concept in the Water ResourcesDevelopment Act bill. That bill passed. It went to the oval office. It had President Trumps support. After the bill was enacted the lawyers at the bureau of reclamations said, were sorry this isnt quite right on further examination and we cant release these funds. And so last year senator wyden and i were able to work again in partnership with congressman waldon and in july 2019 we passed language in the senate to fix this. Well okay, thats great except that bill didnt make it through the house. That technical corrections bill never made it to the oval office. So there is 10 million authorized previously appropriated that needs a technical fix to help out our farmers and ranchers right now. Now im not saying to all of you that this will be enough help in this incredibly horrific drought year. We may well need significantly more. But at least this first step should be taken right away and thats the bill i will be introducing tomorrow, with my full support with my partners in this effort, congressman waldon and senator wyden. The farmers and ranchers need help and they need it now. This is not a silver bullet, but it is something easily within our reach. Lets do these simple things that are within our reach money thats been authorized, moneys thats been appropriated, money that hit a Technical Glitch at the bureau of reclamation lets do this to pump vital water. I thank all my colleagues who helped so much in 2010 when i came to this floor under similar circumstances and we gained unanimous consent for this bill and congressman waldon came down the hallway to vouch for the issues we were facing. So we were here in bipartisan representation of the challenges of of addressing the challenges that our ranchers and farmers in Klamath Basin face. And i ask for every members support to get this done and get it done quickly. Thank you so much, mr. President , and i yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mrs. Blackburn mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from tennessee. Mrs. Blackburn thank you mr. President. I ask that the quorum call be suspended. The presiding officer without objection. Mrs. Blackburn thank you mr. President. I just returned from being in tennessee this weekend and lots of phone calls seeing a lot of people out and about, and i will tell you this covid19 has changed a lot about how we go about our daily lives, but it has not changed the way Congress Works out its differences and were still arguing about spending and debt. Were still debating the importance of federalism and how the constitution can help us determine what we can and should do on a federal level to help our communities back at home. Now, in tennessee our cities all across the state from one corner to another, they are getting back to that daily routine. Many of those businesses were able to improvise their way through the early weeks of lockdown and now they are finding what they are calling their new normal, their new processes. Some of them received emergency loans from the s. B. A. Others became one of the more than 80,000 Small Businesses and selfemployed workers who were able to take advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program. But no matter how hard they work or how smart their plans are, we know that in the end were going to lose a lot of our favorite neighborhood shops. Its tough. It is really tough out there. Some of those businesses are already gone, and that is going to happen in spite of the unprecedented investment that the federal government, working with our state and local governments, has made into our business and our health care sectors. Making certain people are able to stay afloat and bridging from that rescue to a Business Restart and bridging on to recovery. Well as we saw this week, the more washington spends, the more washingtons focus drifts away from emergency measures and that rescue and it doesnt go to a restart or a recovery. What does it do . It goes to how can we use this crisis to grow government . How can we use this crisis to take away a little bit more of your freedom . Last week, House Democrats passed a 3 trillion spending package that they used as a vehicle for a lot of their pet projects. We have all heard about it. Pension bailouts, unsustainable environmental mandates, fundamental changes to policy, all of these line items that have no business being slapped on the coattails of a bill that was sold as being a safety net for panicked americans. You will be relieved to know that that bill will never see the light of day here in the senate. But you know, it might not be a bad idea just to put it on the floor and see if our friends across the aisle want to vote for it. 3 trillion. 3 trillion. It is disrespectful of people that are hurting. It is disrespectful of Small Businesses that they have become a bargaining chip for the democratic leftleaning socialist wish list thats what they think of you. When you walk down main street and you see shuttered businesses, i want you to remember that. That is what they think of you. They can use you to get what they want. In fact, i will say this. We have been pretty busy focusing on bipartisan efforts that will help in the short term and will help with a postpandemic future, something that will really bring relief and clarity to the American People not things like a liberal wish list. Now, heres one i have heard a lot about especially this weekend, for all the moms and dads that are out there that are wondering about how safe their childs image and their childs data is in the virtual classroom. Well this is something that i have lots of questions about also. How do you protect your virtual you . And last week, i led a Bipartisan Group of my colleagues and asked the f. T. C. To do a deep dive into how the Tech Industry collects and stores your childs data, and to use that information to make childrens Online Privacy protection stronger. Lets make certain you can protect them in the virtual space the same as you can in the physical space. My bipartisan samc bill which senator menendez and i have introduced would offer incentives to american Format Companies to bring those operations back home. Lets make that in america. This would create thousands of jobs and it would help secure our pharmaceutical supply chain. Were focusing on these things because recovery is going to require more than a blank check. If we want to be successful, we have to learn to recognize the practical damage this disease has inflicted on our economy and then do something to address the many root causes of it. Every day we witness local state, and federal government officials struggling to balance the provision of Community Health with the needs of a struggling economy. Often, regulatory constraints prevent them from implementing the more agile policies so desperately needed by local businesses and service providers. Last week, i and a number of my colleagues asked majority leader mcconnell and minority leader schumer to include statutory changes in the next round of relief legislation that would reduce the red tape, the paperwork, and the other requirements that could and will inevitably get in the way of economic recovery. If we take a hard look at these regulations and strip away those that serve no real purpose, we will save businesses an estimated guess this 1. 9 trillion, promote competition, and encourage investment thats 1. 9 trillion. Thats what the regulatory state costs american businesses. To survive the pandemic, each and every one of us is going to have to reexamine our approach. We need to ask ourselves what is the purpose of all the regulations . Do they help . Do they hurt . If we didnt need it in covid19, why do we need it now . What is the actual cost to business to communities to local governments of these regulations . As companies go through the restart, is this something that is going to speed the process or is it something that is going to slow the process or is it something that is going to be so cost prohibitive that that Small BusinessManufacturing Company will just throw their hands up and say i give up, i give up. That is not what we want. That is not recovery. That is not optimism. That would be defeat. I encourage us all to join in this effort to create an environment that will support a full economic recovery. I yield the floor. The presiding officer the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. The clerk cloture motion we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of scott h. Rash of arizona to be United States district judge for the district of arizona. Signed by 17 senators. The presiding officer by unanimous consent the mandatory quorum call has been waived. The question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of scott h. Rash of arizona to be United States district judge for the district of arizona shall be brought to a close. The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll. Vote vote vote the presiding officer does any senator wish to change their vote . In this vote, the yeas are 67, the nays are 21. The motion is agreed to. A senator mr. President. The presiding officer the senator is recognized. Ms. Ernst mr. President , in march, our country lost a great statesman and my fellow squealer former senator tom coburn of oklahoma. A family physician who delivered more than 4,000 babies, he was known as dr. Tom in oklahoma. But in washington, he was called dr. No because of his fierce opposition to adding more red ink to the National Debt. Having served just ten years in the senate before retiring in 2014 the year i was elected i never had the honor to serve alongside dr. Coburn. Nonetheless, his leadership and his efforts to eliminate government waste and overreach continues to be an inspiration to me and to many others. If you cannot find waste in any part of the federal budget, he once commented it can only be for one reason you havent looked. Many of the outlandish examples he exposed are now what i like to call legendary. Take, for example the shrimp on a treadmill. And, of course, there was the bridge to nowhere. Every federal agency in washington feared the notoriety of being called out in dr. Coburns annual report of government excess known as waste book. He led the fight that ended congressional earmarks, better known as pork projects. And while others sought credit for creating new Government Programs dr. Coburn took on the thankless job of trying to unravel the maze of inefficient bureaucracy. The law he authored requiring the Government Accountability office or the g. A. O. To identify duplication within federal programs has saved our taxpayers more than 260 billion to date. I think the head of g. A. O. Said it best. This law is, quote the gift that keeps on giving, and it will for a long time, end quote. This effort is not just saving money, its making government more efficient in other important ways. An egregious example found as a result of coburns duplication law is the fact that there are ten different agencies with 23 different overlapping and fragmented definitions for Sexual Violence. If we cant even define the problem, how are we going to stop it, folks . Thats why im proud to say that ive joined senator ron johnsons efforts to clarify the definition of Sexual Violence and improve Data Collection so that we can address this issue. Address this issue head on. Another law coburn authored with none other than thensenator barack obama put all federal expenditures online so that taxpayers can simply google to find out how their tax dollars are being spent. Hailed as the greatest Government Transparency reform since the freedom of information act, the public website usaspending. Gov is helping to keep washington accountable for how every cent is spent. If you go on the website today you can find ridiculous examples of bingbuying bureaucrats bingebuying bureaucrats who are ringing up tens of billions of dollars of lastminute unnecessary purchases at the end of the fiscal year. Splurging on unnecessary things like tons of tater tots, 4. 6 million on crab legs and lobster and even a foosball table. When i heard this outlandish spending i embraced my inner tom crow burn and put forward a bill to embrace washingtons yearend use it or lose it spending sprees. Folks, tom coburn was not afraid to work across the aisle to find compromise without compromising his principles or values. There is no better example than the friendship he struck up with president obama. The two were elected to the senate the same year, and they were on opposite sides of nearly every major issue during their time in washington. Yet dr. Coburn would regularly call to offer encouragement to president obama and pray for him and his family. The two of them could even be spotted hugging and laughing together at the state of the union address. At a time when the focus touch is on what separates rather than unites us, these are relationship goals we should all aspire to achieve with one another if we hope to tackle the unprecedented problems now facing our nation. Our hearts and prayers are with dr. Coburns wife, carolyn and his daughters and grandchildren as they grieve his loss. And while he can never be replaced, we can all take comfort knowing tom coburn has made this world a better place and that the legacy he left behind endures through many of his Staff Members as well, such as roland foster, who is now on my staff and that the legacy he left behind endures and the crusade he championed continues. And with that, mr. President , i will yield the floor to my colleague from indiana. Mr. Braun mr. President . The presiding officer the senator from indiana. Mr. Braun senator ernst thank you for that beautiful testimony to senator tom coburn. While i was running for senate, i was often asked who my heroes were in the u. S. Senate. The first name that always came to mind was dr. Tom coburn. As a legislator, dr. Coburn was a force of nature. As a conservative stalwart who stood by his principles no matter the pressure and with whomever would stand with him regardless of party dr. Coburns entire career was a profile in courage. He believed so strongly that americas best wisdom wasnt held on wall street, pennsylvania avenue, but on main street among the Small Business owners doctors families, and workers who really keep our country going. Dr. Coburn blasted a path for conservative outsiders to take on washington orthodoxy on everything from National Debt to term limits, to our broken health care system. And his career was an inspiration for me to lead my business leave my business and run for the senate. His bedside manner was often brusque, but on the tough issues like any good doctor, tom coburn told people what they needed to hear not what they wanted to hear. Dr. Tom coburn, our tower National Debt to him was not just a thorn in americas side, it was a supreme moral failing. As one of the few true fiscal hawks in recent decades senator coburn wrote by the nickname dr. No, requestings requests understanding that theres nothing commendable about spending our grandchildrens money just because we wont be at the table when the bill comes due. If theres one thing that could fix washington more than any other, its strict term limits and more accountability for congress. Inspired by dr. Coburn, i made my pledge to only serve two terms as a fixture of my chain. And following his example by refusing to accept a congressional pension when i leave. Last year my bill to make pensions for congress optional passed the senate, putting us one step closer to getting rid of this outdated, taxpayerfunded perk altogether. No budget, no pay a bill dr. Coburn championed in the senate was the first bill i introduced after taking office. Its a simple measure. Congress doesnt need a paycheck until they pass a budget. And im proud to say it has now cleared Committee Thanks to the work from fellow conservative outsiders like senator rick scott and david perdue. As a family physician who continued to see patients even as he served in congress, dr. Coburn always had a special passion for fixing our broken health care system. He understood better than anyone that our Health Care Woes begin at a fundamentally broken system in need of transparency, more choice for patients, and marketdriven reforms to put decisionmaking back into the hands of americans and their care providers. My bills to lower Prescription Drug prices and ensure every patient knows what they have to pay before they pay it were introduced with invaluable inp utah from dr. Coburn. As we all should, he recognized that no matter how vast the distance between our positions seems to be, health care is and always should be a bipartisan issue, where compromise is necessary to help patients. In the summer of 2018, i was honored that dr. Coburn came to indiana to campaign with me. I recall eight never forget d. , ill never forget what he said to a young man from the crowd at one of our events. What can i do now if i want to be a senator someday . Dr. Coburn didnt tell him to go to law school. He didnt tell him to run for office or intern in a congressional office. Go work really hard at something for 40 years so you have something to say when you get there. I loved it. Dr. Coburn ushered in the era of the outsider in washington, the effects of which are only just now beginning to be realized. I think we could get a much better product out of d. C. With more people like him whose beliefs come from a deep well of realworld experience. He was more than just an inspiration for me and other conservatives to leave the private sector and shake up business as usual in d. C. He was one of the greatest senators most effective problem solvers, and most importantly a conservative voice of our time the great outsider. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the provisions of rule 22 the postcloture time on the rash nomination expire at 11 45 a. M. Tomorrow. Notwithstanding the provisions of rule 22 the cloture vote on the trainor vote occur at 2 30 p. M. If cloture is invoked on the trainor nomination, the postcloture time expire at 5 00 p. M. The motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be notified of the senates action. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee be discharged from the following nomination, p. N. 1715 and that it be placed on the calendar. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business be senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its Business Today it adjourn until 10 00 a. M. Tuesday, may 19, further that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and that morning business be closed. Further, following leader remarks, the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the rash nomination under the previous order. Finally, following disposition of the rash nomination, the senate stand in recess until 2 15 p. M. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell if theres no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. The presiding officer the the Senate Gambling out for the day, lawmakers voted to limit the states on the nomination scott rash to be a judge for the district of arizona treated this way the senate will work on a nomination of a texas lawyer, James Traynor to be in the federal Election Commission. He worked with the Republican National committee and 2016, to help elect resident trump. If the nomination is approved, and the ftc would have a form to do business. Watch live, gavel to gavel coverage of the senate floor right here on cspan2. Next we hear remarks from senators on the federal response to the coronavirus. This time of the year is typically spent celebrating students of all ages as they graduate to their next endeavor. St most graduations have a different look this year due to the pandemic. With the occasion has not lost its significance. Graduations are times to celebrate the hard work and dedication that students put into their education read i want to congratulate all iowans enjoying the spring and begin a new chapter in their life. Barbara and i wish you all more years of content success. Majority leader. The pandemic continues to hold her nation on high alert. More than 1. 4 million americans have been infected. More than 80000 lives have been tragically lost. In the livelihoods of tens of millions of working families, they have been turned upside down. In what seems like a blink of an eye. Our Nations Healthcare system has not been stressed by contagion on this scale in over a century. And unemployment has not been this high since the second world war. A new generation of american heroes for medical officials 11 researchers and Grocery Store professionals, or Grocery Store workers and custodians and janitors to community volunteer; to the frontlines to serve the neighbors, and our country. So for several weeks now mr. President , the senate has counted ourselves among those ranked of essential workers. S theyre showing up for our country, so we are showing up for them. Ct with respect to the pandemic itself we are conducting o rigorous oversight of the sentence historic cares act ski package. And helping to plan to pivot towards reopening. Lastly, chairman alexander the Health Committee and doctor redfield, another top experts to discuss paths for schools and businesses toum reopen. In a number of her colleagues are joining me and senator and proactively about the legal liabilities that could crush the recovery in the runway. We need strong Legal Protection to ensure that our historic Recovery Efforts are not taken away from healthcare workers in the schools in the universities. For Small Businesses in order to line the pockets of trial lawyers. At the same time, we have kept our eye on the ball and other significant global challenges. Last week on a bipartisan basis the senate reauthorized critical surveillance authorities for National Security professionals. We also make sure to include important new reforms to beginbu addressing the abuses the martha 2016 election. C the disturbing details of which are continuing to come to light. Every day. Our action on that subject is not finished. The leadership from senator rubio, we are passed legislation legislation to ratchet up the pressure on the Chinese Communist party. In this case, our bill was shed new light and oppose new consequences for the egregious abuses against these people and other minorities. And we confirm qualified nominees for this Important National intelligence and Security Center and the department of Homeland Security, and the department of housing and urban development. In other words mr. President we have done more for the market people into weeks on the side of the capital than the house of representatives have done in the last two months. The two months the House Democrats spent away from the duty stations, they seemingly gave themselves just one assignment. Draft an enormous innermost political messaging bill and branded as coronavirus relief. But evenve on this basis felt pretty 1800 page door stop, the Speaker Pelosi has drawn last week was appropriately greeted as the legislative equivalent of the standup comedy. Their tax hikes on Small Businesses in the midst of a Small Business crisis. They were targeted tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the bluest states. There were two separate taxpayerfunded studies on diversity and inclusion in the market for marijuana. In sum the wish list was slept together upon the efforts to never let a good crisis go to waste. Work in the senate, artist and pointlessness over the house. For the same it will stay on course and continue our serious work at this serious time. Tomorrow morning our colleagues on the making committee will hear from the secretary and the chairman of the latest status of the cares act implementation efforts for the Homeland Security and Government Committee will meet this week and consider the nomination of brian miller. To Service SpecialInspector General for the Pandemic Recovery programs. Omthe special committee will be en examining the challenges facing american seniors during this pandemic. As bothas of our in the social distancing measures take a heavy toll on older americans. Of course will continue to uphold their responsibilities beyond the scope of covid19. We will consider more nominations to the federal commission and the federal bench. Tomorrow our colleagues on the Intelligence Committee will vote on guarding the nomination of john. To Service Director of national intelligence. This rope is essential for modern involving threats from russia to china and terrorist groups and for ensuring the Intelligence Community important work bipartisan. Or political weaponization. We have a busy week ahead of us. This pandemic is not going to defeat itself. Careful reopening will not plan itself. And our nations other challenges are not about to politely step aside in the meantime. All kinds of american heroes across the country are tackling the coronavirus headline. We will do all we can to keep them safe, and supported while they do. Now for the third week in a row, the republican majority in the senate have no covid19 related business on the agenda. For the third week in a row leader mcconnell has scheduled zero votes on legislation having em to do with the crisis. Senate democrats have relentlessly put pressure on the republican calling to secure even the most routineos oversight hearings on the pandemic. If we hadnt pressured them, i doubt there would be any hearings at all. And they would be few and far between. The hearings will be the only work that we have done in the senate on covid19 and the entire month of may. In the republican majority has pressured to do even those credit there now more than 5 million americans out of work through no fault of their own. Almost 1. 5 million americans are sick. Nearly 90000 havee died. And Senate Republicans have decided to take the monks the month off from the coronavirus. The American People will be wondering what is the Republican Senate doing instead of addressing this Urgent National crisis. What could be more pressing, what is the Republican Senate doing in the midst of the crisis. Well leader mcconnell is scheduled five rightwing judges to deploy the senate and the republican chairman is the Homeland Security committee will be holding a hearing designed to slander the family of the president s political opponents. In the chairman of Homeland Security calling in fema to find out if our hospitals have enough ppe. No he wants to echo conspiracy theories to go on a fishing expedition. To smear joe bidens son pretty well know this is what the president is focus on instead of the covid19 crisis. The republican colleagues, gamely follow such an absurd diversionary and untruthful agenda. I guess so. It is a shame. And even more shameful, the company that the senator from wisconsin was an issue a subpoena for his cooperating. Voluntarily. In providing relevant documents to the committee. You hear that. They want to make a big show but the company says they will corroborate. It is a show. It is a sham. That has nothing to do with covid19 and everything to do with kremlin backed rumors that they want to use to divert attention from the president s for showing on covid19. The subpoena is just for show. It is not necessary because the company will cooperate. A way to kick up dirt for exclusively partisan purposes. It would be bad enough that they were doing this when covid19 was operating. But with covid19 region, and spend time doing this instead of focusing on the way to get relief to people. Unbelievable. Elevenpoint, of that committee a low point for the senate. This is what republicans senate, this is what is on the Senate Republicans agenda in the midst of historic unemployment and a National Crisis. Rightwing judges in the exploitation, a show, mark hearing for partisan mudslinging. Mark is in crisis, and Senate Republicans are rearranging the nations deck chair. And trying to put them in a political simile. The chairman of the federal result jay powell appointed by President Trump said lastly, for looking at the worst recession since world war ii. Yesterday, mr. Melbourne that they will continue for several months. An employment 2 can reach 20 raymond 25 percent. He said quote if we let people be out of work, from berries and time if we let businesses fail unnecessarily. There will be longer term damage to the economy the recovery will be slower. The good news, is that we can avoid that by providing more support now. And mr. Powell went on to encourage policymakers to provide greater resistance to family spread and implement measures to keep workers in their homes. He pointed out if state and local governments do not seep additional 80, they will be forced to lay off publican plays in quebec on Public Services at the worst possible time. Esther powell, is fun. And tomorrow in the senate Banking Committee my republican colleagues will have a chance to hear this critical message straight from the horses mouth. P with their with him said to testify. Only after the Senate Democrats had to push and push and push to have such a great we asked for three weeks ago. It shouldve happened two weeks ago. Because the countries calling out for action. Trump appointees, are calling out for action. Governors across the country democrat and republican governors, are calling out for action. When will my republican colleagues in the message. Ho after all, there is no shortage of entrenched shortage of action the senate can take. Millions of americans are having difficulty receiving the expanded Unemployment Insurance benefits that i was passed. Where the holding hearing. Unlike our citizens are not getting the eight that we intended to provide. Instead of these sham political show trials hearings. Testing continues to be a major problem. The report in the Washington Post last night said that boat, we are far short of testing numbers than most independent experts say that we will be needed to avoid another wave of death and illness. And it described the concerning shortage of ppe nasal swabs and Nursing Homes. And it outlined another problem. A startling lack of awareness in many communities about the need to get testing. Why are they focusing on these issues. These are lifeanddeath issues. They relate to Peoples Health and life in the economy getting well white is a President Trump leading a nationwide push to increase Testing Capacity and frequency and awareness. President trump is so desperate to reopen the country as quickly as possible, but he refuses to roll up his sleeves and do the work that would allow us to do it safely. There is an anomaly p he read the demands of people give backsn to work but does not do his work. To make sure that we have testing, to makes, sure there are guidelines to make sure this works correctly. We dont have another crisis a few months from now House Democrats, have put together a major bill that would provide urgent and necessary relief to the American People. My colleagues, on the republican side, they dont have to like everything in it. They could easily say lets sit down and negotiate. Lets find Common Ground read. Legislation to give legal immunity to big corporations that put workers in a dangerous situation. Is that the number one problem on every american in mind . Is that the number one thing on minds are people losing their jobs, Small Businesses going bankrupt, people who cant feed their kids . Keeping large corporations from liability . This Republican Party is so out of touch with america. Its so offkilter it is so hard to much to the hard rights that they cannot even focus on a crisis when it is right before their eyes. We are confronted with a period of prolonged economic misery for millions of American Workers and families, americans who for the first time are waiting and staggering lines for food banks. Americans who for the first time do not know if theyll be able to keep a roof over their heads, put food on the table or pay the rent. Just how long will it take . How long . How much economic sharp hardship how much before republicans feel the urgency to act . On another matter, last friday night in the dark of night President Trump fired the Inspector General of the state podepartment. According to reports he had beenli investigating the misuse of Public Resources by secretary pompeo and the trump administrations arms sales. He was the fifth yes the fifth Inspector General to be fired byto President Trump from his or her post in the last few months. They all shared one thing in common they had the audacity to do their job they have theai odd death city to try to drain the swamp. What is Donald Trumps reaction . Fire the people who spoke it. What kind of president is that . During normal times is bad enough during a crisis that is awful. The Inspector General of the Intelligence Committee delivered at whistleblower report to congress as required by law for this it seems he was fired. It is through the work of the hhs Inspector General the public learn the extent for the failure of the president to provide hospitals with necessary personnel and other supplies for ppe. She has been fired as well. The Inspector General for the defense and Transportation Department have been fired as well just as they were about to oversee parts of the administrations response to covid. Now it is mr. Linick is looking at wrongdoing with the state department. Inspector generals are the watchdogs for our federal agencies. Making sure our government is working for the people. Thaten is what they are there to do to hold government accountable for waste fraud and abuse. But that if they actually do their jobs and say the president is doing something wrong, he fires them. The president cannot handle the truth. And will not tolerate oversight of his administration when truth speakers speak out. No other administration has come close to doing this. This president is so different running almost a rogue administration that divides truth and facts and now five Inspector Generals have been fired all because they were doing their job telling the truth and trying to clean up the mess in washington. Wey know this about President Trump where the heck are my republican colleagues in the senate . My friends on the other side, especially the senior senator from iowa have long defended and even sought to pass legislation to further empower inspectors general. The president has just fired a parade of independent watchdogs and given no legitimate for their dismissals. As a mild rebuke the most they can muster . A tweet . This is not the first time President Trump is fired in ig and failed to provide sufficient information. So what are my republican colleagues going to do about it . Nothing. It seems. Nothing. They are so afraid of President Trump they so cling almost to his ankles that when they know he is doing wrong when they know he is hiding the truth they are afraid to say anything and shatter. Ive never seen anything like it president so out of control with this party so in line behind him marching in lockstep. When history looks back on this chapter President Trumps purge of independent watchdogs during a time of National Crisis, it will not give credit to Senate Republicans who let the