Statistics. The United States now leads the world in the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus with more than 1. 5 million. Another 2. 4 million workers filed jobless claims this week, joining the more than 38 million americans have applied for unemployment assistance since the crisis began. Veryl soon our country will reah another grim milestone. We are fast approaching the day when more than 100,000 american lives will have been lost to covid19, the size of a small city erased from the map. Speaker pelosi and i have sent a letter to President Trump this morning requesting that the American Flag be flown at half mast on all public buildings on the day the total reaches 100,000. As families all across the great country mourned the loss of friend, colleagues and loved ones, flying the flag at half mast would be a national expression of grief. And of course this weekend is also memorial day, where we commemorate so Many Americans who through the centuries have lost their lives fornt the country. And we never forget them. I hop hope mo mori all day every american will take a moment in the crisis to remember our veterans whove served and made a great sacrifice and remember their families as well. Now, in a flash, this disease has washed over our country like a flood. Changing nearly every aspect of American Society except perhaps the Republican Senate. If you look at our activity in the last three weeks, you would hardly know that there was a crisis. Leader mcconnell called the senate back into session three weeks ago. In that time, the Republican Leadership hasnt put one bill on the floor of the senate related to covid19. Not one vote on legislation having to do with the covid19 and the entire month of may. The house hasnt been in regular session, but it has voted on much more covid19 related bills this month than the republicanls senate. For leader mcconnell to say that the senate is working into the house is derelict is the opposite of what happened. The house has passed a major bill dealing with covid19. We have done nothing on this floor to vote on anything about covid19. For leader mcconnell to think we are doing our job by voting for some rightwing judges by engaging in some sort of show trials to go to pursue conspiracy theories from the far right and even from russia to besmirch political opponents past and present, that isnt what they should be doing. When americans look at what the atuse haswh done over the last three week weeks into what the e has done the last three weeks, they would see the house has done far more on covid19 in the senate because leader mcconnell is not allowingow the senate to focus on the issues that we should be focusing on. What little business we have done related to the crisis, oversight hearings and a few committees require weeks of pressure from senate democrats. Weve p had to push and push our colleagues to even fulfill the most basic responsibilities to do a hearing and oversight as to whether the money that they passed weeks ago is being spent properly. In the interest of making incremental progress, just incremental progress, democrats asked the chamber to consent to smaller measures related to the relief efforts. Wees asked colleagues to increae transparency in the smallbusiness Lending Program and to release the unedited guidance to helpp families, businesses and banks reopened safely. Senate republicans blocked those ideas. The inaction by the Senate Republicans has gotten so bad that even one of my colleagues on the other side doesnt want to adjourn today because his party has done nothing on the coronavirus for an entire month. Leader mcconnell has long presided over the legislative graveyard. But in this time of national crisis, when americans all across the country are desperate hefor relief, the inaction of te Senate Republicans is staggering making matters worse republicans are not just ignoring the coronavirus, they are practically sprinting towards focusing on a partisan election instead of coming together to try to solve the problem. Instead of debating the legislation on the floor, leader mcconnell has asked the senate to confirm the rights of thets rightwing judges in the Homeland Security committee, the republican chairman convened a hearing that slanders the family, the president s political opponen opponents with conspiracy theories invented by none other than the kremlin. At the Homeland Security committee should be Holding Hearings with the fema administrator about the long shortagest of ppe but instead te majority republican is following putin and his intelligence services. What a disgrace. With the sham and with a dereliction of duties. The house, again, they are doing their job. They passed a major bill. Senator mcconnell says lets wait, lets pause. He doesnt see immediate urgency. The n americans do. In the Judiciary Committee chairman wants to issue a bonanza of subpoenas about yet another Conspiracy Theory related to the 2016 elections in the hopes of driving down as many as can be found. And today in the Foreign Relations committee theha republican chairman is holding a hearing to have an President Trumps handpicked nominee for the voice of america. A nominee that is currently under investigation by the attorney general of washington, d. C. Thats right, the republican majority of the Foreign Relations committee is turning thehe cameras off so the press d the public can see what they are doing, getting a promotion to Steve BannonsBusiness Partner in the middle of a health crisis. This is such a gross misuse of power in the majority. While unemployment reaches astronomical levels, the Senate Republican caucus is often on a wild goose chase. The conspiracy is back with a vengeance. That is the name of this Republican Senate majority, the conspiracy caucus. That is where their focus is, not on eradicating covid19 for helping people get back to work, not on feeding hungryes familie, on pursuing conspiracy theories. Memorial day weekend is usually a time for senators to meet with constituents and hear their concerns. In these strange times, we wont be able to do that in person, but we will find ways to hear from the people in our state. And i expect my republican colleagues will get an earful. The American People should be furious about what Washington Republicans are doing in congress, and more to the point, what they are failing to do. As we approached the day of reckoning, more than a hundred thousand deaths from the coronavirus, i cannot imagine the American People happy that we cannot focus on the coronavirus because they are too busy being Oppositional Research for the president s reelection campaign. On another matter, later today, the senate will vote on whether to confirm representative John Radcliffe to serve as the director of National Intelligence which oversees the 17 different agencies in different intelligence agencies. Its one of the most important posts of the chamber. Acit requires someone with unimpeachable integrity, deep to speak truth to power. Eak truth to that is what we did. Unfortunately, mr. Radcliffe doesnt even come close to meeting att hyde park. Earlier this week i had the opportunity to speak with the congressman over the phone. I expressed my concerns they cast doubt on the qualifications of the credibility. I asked him to simply confirm the unequivocal conclusion of the 17 intelligence agencies that putin interfered in the 2016 elections to help President Trump. He couldnt confirm it. I asked if he would i commit bac specific steps to improve transparency and communications between the dni and congress. For instance, that every two weeks the staff of the gang of eight be briefed on what is happening in terms of election interference. That immediately congress be notified of another foreign country attempts to interfere. I asked him to do that within 72 hours. I will vehemently opposed the nomination today. More than ever, we need the right person to serve as the dni. Over the past few months we watched resident trump try to shortcircuit nearly every measure of independence and accountability within the executive branch. By baselessly firing one Inspector General after another President Trump has shown he will not tolerate anyone standing up to his personal political interests right or wrong. This is a dangerous pattern. That should send a shiver down the spine of anyone who denies the democracy and is relevant tm the Intelligence Community which must be able to inform the president of difficult truths. Mr. Radcliffe unfortunately has not yet demonstrated the qualities nor the independence that we should expect in the next leader in the Intelligence Community. I will n vote no and encourage y colleagues on both sides of the aisle for the sake of the independence and strength of the Intelligence Community which has served us so well for decades to join me in voting no. Madam president. The minority leader just got up and attacked the senate for not doing anything and then to announce that we are going to be voting today on the director of National Intelligence. It seems like a pretty important position. The person thats in charge of all of the intelligence of todays that we conduct around the world to make sure that we keep our country safe. So,at if the senate is here and not giving anything, it seems that a contradiction to suggest that we are actually going to vote today on a consequential position or a position thats important to Americas National security interest. Just one of many that we are going to be voting on and have been voting on over the past several weeks. The other thing that the leader, the democratic leader forgot to acknowledge is that last week we passed reform of the foreign Intelligence Surveillance act. A piece of legislation that is also important to National Security that authorizes all of our intelligence activities. To examine and look at all the coronavirus legislation we passed in the impact it is having and whether or not it is effective and where we needto to do more and where we need to fix things and tweak things in a way those that we funded and authorize work better. But madame president s to suggest the senate hasnt done anything on the coronavirus . Really . Really . My gosh we passed for bills madame president totaling almost 3 trillion. To the United States senate to the house of representatives on the president s desk signed into law. 3trillion not president and it was done in a bipartisan way because it is important for the country to make sure we are responding to enormous crisis that required an extraordinary response that i would argue has been extraordinary. Might in the senate or never has the anybodys time never at that scale or scope or consequence and those that we authorize and funded that passed as recently as a couple of months ago those dollars are still getting out there and in the pipeline and Healthcare Providers and hospitals and Nursing Homes and Small Businesses and workers and employees and people unemployed to the Unemployment Insurance program. There is a lot of dollars in the pipeline and resources expended by the United States senate in the United States house signed into law by theho president. It seems logical for us as stewards of the tax dollars as policy makers to make sure those policies we are putting into place having the desired effect so what has the senate been doing for the past three weeks . Take a look at the committee by committee basis if the things we have done are being Effective Health education labor and Pensions Committee the city did on the cdc is critical agencies fighting the Health Emergency to determine to ask thembo questions whats working whats not what have we don done, what should we be doing differently . What can we do thats the discussion they had last week i said on the Senate Commerce committee we market 14 bills yesterday but also looking at the impact of coronavirus legislation on those constituencies under the jurisdiction of the Congress Committee and one is the Airline Industry. We had a hearing to examine the impact of the coronavirus on the Aviation Industry and on the things we have done to support the Airline Industry in this country that was something the Commerce Committee did and then had a hearing on broadband connectivity. That is the way people through the people can be conducted because obviously we are doing a lot of things to connectivity as well. So what is working, what is not in terms of making sure those that dont have highspeed internet or broadbandavul services should tt be a part of the future legislation the Banking Committee had the chairman of the Federal Reserve board and secretary of the treasury of that committee to ask them questions about whats happening in the Financial Services industry and what is the effect of all the money that we spendut how is that working . What can we be doing differently . How can we improve her do this better as we look to the future . Those are just three committees off the top of my head also not the nominee for the Inspector General for the pandemic a very important position to be very active to do oversight work with respect to the pandemic, that is just not true. Frankly in the eyes of the American People to say we have spent 3 trillion and we would not want to take a look to see how that 3 trillion is spent or effected one effective or efficienton and then where we need to do more before we push another 3 trillion out the s,door . That people would say this is what we elected you to do to make sure youre taking our tax dollars in spending them as wisely and effective way than just as a reminder to my colleagues every dollar that we spend is borrowed from our children and grandchildren was doesnt just magically appear we are borrowing many everybody acknowledges we had a crisis we had to put out the fire we have been doing that. Every dollar weve already spent is the borrow dollar for future generations and someday we will have to repay when it be logical or rational for this body as stewards for the tax dollars to take a hard look at what is working and whats not before rushing headline to spending another 3 trillion . Which the democratic leader got appear and applauded the house to blow into town for 24 hours last friday cobbling together an ideological wish list. Granted there are things in there that are probably good ideas that could end up in a piece of legislation but this didnt get a single republican vote or a single consultation with republicans in the house of representatives how to put it together. In the end they could not keep all the democrats there were 14 democrats voting against that and the house of representatives never at the table was i got and it . Crazy stuff. Like studies as to whether or not there is diversity and inclusion in the marketing of marijuana. Sixty references in the house bill to cannabis only 52 references to jobs which is why i would think that people are more concerned about evidently and the studies on the diversity and inclusiveness of cannabis is more important than the job losses of the American People they threw everything in their they through a tax cut for millionaires and billionaires. They are out there every single day to talk about republicans helping out millionaires and billionaires and what is the house bill have an it . The tax cut 56 percent of that tax cut goes to the 1 percent top wage and is in america does that make sense . Probably not yes there small increase he is on Small Businesses no big surprise that something they are quick to do i just have to take issue with what the democratic leader was down here saying with his characterization of whats going on here. Needs to act in a bipartisan and constructive way not in a partisan ideological way i also think in a thoughtful way. Giving allied of consideration to what are we doing here with those borrow dollars borrowed from kids and grandkids every making the best use of them . That seems like maybe the utgreat divide with a lot of other issues it seems like the natural instinctive solution for my friends on the other side of the aisle to throw the money out there but i have to tell you i dont think thats the way the American People view it. They are making hard decisions right now how to take care of their family and get through the economic, i crisis i would think the decisions they are making her along the same that we are making will be efficient and effective this is a crisis that needs a response. We have responded in a massive way relative to anything that has happened probably in history. 2trillion or 3 trillion . And i cannot think of a single appropriation bill that gets up to that level. We are talking about dollars on a scale we have never seen before because that is what was required in this institutionti demonstrated notwithstanding our differences in a constructive way to do what was necessary to deliver for the American People we will do whats necessary to get the American People to the crisis. But please can we do that in a thoughtful and constructive and bipartisan way and way that says lets sit down and think about whats makes the most sense . The Paycheck Protection Program we put 660 billion into that particular program i think it has good dividends workers are working that is what that was all about to keep those jobs now there have been some hiccups and things that need to be fixed we have to look at what we can do to refine that to workor more efficiently the same with the state and local governments with 150 billion in the pipeline going out to state and local governments many of which i might add are probably going to meet with revenue replacement but there are lot of towers in the pipeline already in addition to that 150 billion that went out in previous versions of legislationf of those dollars going to state governments about 500 billion or half a trillion not just 150 billion a lot of thats in the pipeline before we say lets put another trillion out they of the house proposal look at the need and find out what the revenue losses this it is hard a couple of months ago with the real impact will be felt april, may into the summer as things start to open up again we gradually climb out of this the horrible unemployment numbers we start to see the economy going back in a normal directione but before we rush out there with another several trillion and who knows madame president at one point you hit the wall. We think the Federal Reserve once a lot of levers to leverage the Balance Sheet to do things that we can do things to maneuver within so before this all started, our debt to gdp ratio was 79 percent. For 2020 do you know what it will be . That doesnt include anything from here on it will be 101. That was always the level we saw the grease of the world and the countries and a downward spiral that was the metric one one metric thats a breakpoint when you start to enter into that dangerous territory imagine if we had another 3 trillion on top of that. From 79 percent at 101 percent is the biggest increase love jet to gdp since 1943 powering up for world war ii this is a fight we have to win and we need to do whatever it takes to win it. Lets do it in a smart way in a thoughtful way that gives consideration to the future generations because everything we do is borrowed money and we have to remember that. I came down here to talk about the internet and thats a speech i could say for another day or the things that we need to be doing protecting our cybersecurity i see my colleague from illinois is waiting to speak but i thought it was important we take a moment and pause and think about where we are to make sure this in a thoughtful and conscientious way on behalf of the American People and taxpayer. I yield the floor. The senator from illinois. Nt madame president we return today after we are gone next week for memorial day recess and thene return the following week the Senate Republican leader senator mcconnell of kentucky has been in session for three weeks he has said we are here because we need to be at our duty stations and military responsibility to stay where the sign and be prepared to fight look at what weve done over the last three weeks have to ask where is the fight when it comes to covid19 . Simple fact of the matter is United States senate has not considered one piece of legislation on this floor relative to covid19. Not want it has reached the point where the press told me this morning that two republican senators are now complaining publicly that we have done nothing on covid19 that we should not leave until we do. I think they should tell that because he decides what comes to the floor and he has decided last three weeks that nothing will come to the floor with the Biggest Issue in the modern history of h america the Public Health crisis over covid19 listening to my friend from south dakota with the amount of money spent it is an amazing amount ill be the first to concede almost 3 trillion so far. Is the largest effort i can rememberut when it comes to a rescue or relief package but of course it comes at a time when we are facing the worst economic crisis in america for almost 100 years going back to the great depression. 38million uninsured americans one. 5 million so far the United States lead the world when it comes to these infections calling the that we could have done much better in the future im not sure when we will reach the tragic milestone of 100,000 americans who died from coronavirus i joined with the democratic leader to say we should mark that tragic milestone and standing as americans in honor of the sacrifice they have made. But more than that we need to do what needs to be done to argue we have done enough to sit back and see what happens and ignore the obvious. To go on 60 minutes last sunday and said to congress and the senate and the house into the president dont stop doing your part of the Federal Reserve is trying to create opportunities to rebuild thisar economy but he didnt say that is all in but basically said we need to do more. We had a briefing from an economist in the last day or w two. He is well respected he has epbeen advising republicans and democrats and he said the same. If we dont move quickly and decisively to restore this economy thech recession could be much worse and of course that means helping those families that have already been hurt last friday the house of representatives did pass another measure for relief, to deal with the covert virus so while we have been here three weeks and have them brought one single bill to the floor they move forward last friday without the cooperation of any republicans to pass the measure to deal with the continuing crisis in america. I will say at the outset i dont agree i know that negotiations with that product that is different but lets look at what that bill did the senator said that bill did crazy stuff and repeated that. Lets talk about what that bill did. It restore the president s cash payment to families, supported by both Political Parties 1200 speech at all and 500 for each1, child come absolutely necessary for families struggling to get by and in the house version there was a renewed cash payment 1204 adults and 1200 for children the amount of money we initially allocated has all been spent at this point so this is an area we believe is democrats a families still need a helping hand why do the republicans in the senate insist on not bringing this to the floor of the senate or at least into meaningful negotiation . Do they believe families across america to get through this crisis i dont if they do they are out of touch the second thing is to extend that Unemployment Compensation 38 million and counting unemployed americans we created in the cares act of federal biggest so if you qualify for Unemployment Benefits for your state to receive an additional 600 a myweek that was necessary and good for the economy and families affected with a lifeline a desperately needed but that lifeline 600 a week expires on july 31st. Expires. Will anybody be through this jut everybody is back to work . Not. And the bill that passed the house of representatives with a republican senator calls crazy stuff but extend that Unemployment Benefits 600 a week i think that is sensible and reasonable we expanded that category and the contractors finally get their chance so to call that crazy stuff that makes no sense at all what about the payroll Protection Program that its for Small Business loans for the money to be forgiven if loaned and spent for specific purposes. Theres a reason why we had to revisit that. I had to be spent by the end of june, june 30th. I can tell you speaking to many Small Businesses across the state of illinois someone even be open for business by then requiring them to spend money it doesnt give them an opportunity to use this money to get back in business. There were revisions made in terms that they had to spend the money under the current set up that should be extended to a longer period of time. Is that crazy stuff . That we could do something that basic. Yet the Senate Republican leader will bring that to the floor of the senate and obviously no meaningful negotiations but that largest measuret with the state and local governments my friend and colleague from south dakota talks about the 150 billion and could be even larger listen to the National Governors association if we could do enough for state and local governments we are not even close. Lost revenue is dramatic. If the states dont have the money to pay theiron bills . Does he believe this will restore the economy and what is the net result of the mcconnell suggestion that meansay laying off firefighters and emts and paramedics and at a time we need to restore the educational calendar to bring students back to school, the senator from kentucky suggested bankruptcy. Laying off teachers, firing teachers that makes no sense whatsoever the bill that passed the house has roughly 1 trillion for state and local governments i can tell you across my stay in across the nation governors and mayors will step forward to tell you exactly what they need now to get back in business. Remember what senator murray said, building a bridge halfway across the river is not f much value we need to build a bridge from where we are today to where we want to be Small Businesses opening and people back at work and the notion we can shortchange parts of the economy and survive is just wrong there issc a provision i introduced in the senate not an original idea that one third of those who will lose their jobs losee their Health Insurance because thats where it came from. They pay the share and covered with good policies. And they lost their job the next day they lost their insurance. To sign up for the Affordable Care act which covers 20 million americans perhaps calling for medicaid and using the cobra program is as you keep the policy however now you are personally responsible for both ends of the premium payment. That is about 1700 a month. Imagined that for the unemployed person they cant do it. So i propose in the bill passing the house 100 percent coverage and then to have Health Insurance and the highlights of what the bill did. For those that called this crazy stuff to come to the floor to be more specific. Yesterday i had a list of sx hospitals in kentucky that were furling hundreds of them was in most of the communities downstate where we have hospitals in illinois they are the major employer and hanging on by a thread. One administrator said we have for schedules for thursday and thats where the revenue comes in to keep it going. The bill that passed the house of representatives had another 100 million for hospitals and i will tell you flat out there is a sense of urgency there because if you lose that Community Hospital in many parts of the state in areas and small towns in particular we have not even brought that issue up on the floor of the senate over the last threeha weeks. Weve got a lot of work that needs to be done. We consider to Circuit Court nominees before the senate Judiciary Committee one from the state of kentucky is a fellow that has six months experience yon the federal bench and is being proposed by senator mcconnell for a lifetime appointment to the highest second court in the land. Thats the best republican nominee from the secondhighest court, but six months experience as a trial judge but he does have one thing, hes completely opposed and came up with another nominee with the o same thing so theres two nominees in the midst of a Public Health crisis in america asking for Lifetime Appointments to the court who are opposed to the Affordable Care act at this moment in time the Republican Party came up with two lifetime nominees. Timing is perfect. If you look up the whole question of relevance and ask what is the most aero something that has occurred inri the midst of the crisis, it is the last three weeks of the United States senate that we have been pute at risk a scale downward in the capitalnd where the pandemic legislation on the floor of the senate. The random Committee Hearing that is what we are supposed to do. You would think senator mcconnell would have decided as the house decided last week that this is still the number one priority in america. It should be. Perhaps after the return from memorial day there will be a sense of urgency which sadly does