George floyds family. We weep because of the ends explosive impact of different dreams. We weep because of the potentially catastrophic consequences of peaceful protesting during a pandemic. We weep because justice delayed and is justice denied. We weep because the paralysis of analysis that often impedes your prevailing providence. We weep because of our personal ability during these tragic times. We weep because of our sins of coalition and omission. We weep because we know you are we paying. Today, use our lawmakers for your glory. May they strive to find a vaccine to inoculate our nation against hate, sin, and despair. We pray in your merciful name, amen. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. 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 forsi all. [silence]. Senator from iowa to address for one minute without objection. Our nation, is heartening. George floyd death was terrible and justice must be served. The Justice Department is opening an investigation. And the officer has been charged with murder. A single act of violence at the hands of an officer is one too many. George floyd deserved better. All black americans do indeed all americans do. The last thing we need is more pain, more devastation, and more injustice. As a country, lets try for compassion and listening to others. The best way to honor george floyd is to engage with all members of our community including members of this body on how to heal these loans. This is an opportunity for congress to discuss what reforms can and should be made. Lets move forward and protect our communities together. Majority leader. This is an hour of great pain and unrest in our country. Americans from coasttocoast, have been grieved and horrified by the killings of africanamerican citizens. In georgia Breanna Taylor in my hometown of louisville kentucky and george floyd in minneapolis. Each disturbing situation, there reviews are ongoing. In kentucky and whether local authorities are investigating i am glad the fbi is involved. I am our attorney general is committed to taking any necessary action. We need the truth, many swift justice. Under law. Here is something that requires no investigation. And no world whatsoever should arresting a man for an alleged infection involving a private Police Officer putting any on a mans neck for nine minutes while he cries out to canterbury, and then go south. To a great many americans, these disturbing events, do not look like three isolated incidents. They look more like the latest chapter in our National Struggle to make equal justice and equal protection the law. The facts of life for all americans. Rather than contingencies that sometimes depend on the color of ones skin. Obviously the struggle remains incomplete. I spent decades in the senate not only is an activist of the civil rights but the First Amendment purest. So i completely support and irlly defend citizens Constitutional Rights to speak their minds. And engage in peaceful protest. One nation cannot in itself to the anger, the pain, or the frustration, a black americans. Our nations needs to hear this. Get over the last several days citizens have watched with horror and cities across america have been convulsed with destru. Americans have watched protest, dedicated to ending our and things that inflict unjust violence itself. We seeye Small Businesses destroyed p in public property defaced. The scene the men and women of law enforcement, the massive majority of them who are not bad actors, but brave public certain content sermons honor streets. Free speech in Peaceful ProtestersCentral American liberties. Looting, and arson, Violent Crimes that have no place whatsoever in our society. It is not a display of courageous citizenship that smash and destroy Small Businesses. They just barely hung on through the pandemic. That is not an act of sensible protest to grab expensive merchandise. And set fire to a church. It does not address freedom or justice and vandalize the world war ii memorial from the people who died for the exactly those values. You not advances by committing an assault. You do not advance justice by inflicting injustice upon your neighbor. You do not promote the rule of law through anarchy. There is no Constitutional Rights to commit a Violent Crime or to terrorize communities. This cannot continue. This already gone for entirely too long. I have state and local authorities will work quickly to crackdown on outside actors and restore some order to our city spread in state and local leaders cannot, securing the peaced and protect citizens in the property, that the federal ready to send in the breach. In kentucky, were already seeing tragedy compound on themselves. Several days ago, seven people were shot in louisville and then according to the bear were law enforcement. Provide law enforcement. One individual after the police were fired upon and within a crowd. Were learning about the instant is fast as we can. I was just briefed by governor today and a support an immediate investigation. But mr. President , this has to end. These important protest began with the notion the basic physical safety and Legal Protections must be nonnegotiable for every single american bar none. F that american liberty and the role of law must beor universal truth for all. Not special privileges for some. The point is absolutely right. That is a righteous and an important mission. And its exactly why these senseless and destructive riots need to end. Not next week, not tomorrow night, right now. Right now. We have real work to do. More balance, and destruction, does is not just unfair to many innocent people, it also just makes this important work so much harder. On an entire leak different matter, these events on the compound what is already been and historically challenging time for our country. As our nation continues to come back and contain the coronavirus, the senate will continue to lead the response. One example im hoping that will pass legislation, just past house by an overwhelming vote of 417 one. To further strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program so it continues working for Small Businesses that need our help. And even as we fight the pandemic, will remember that other challenges face our nation as well. Florida adversaries areld alreay to eager. Chinese communist party have taken to social media to openly talk,nl openly talk to the unitd states to defend the crackdown on the economy of hong kong. Almost a year since hong kong birds and bark on the latest round of Peaceful Demonstrations against the repressive of the Chinese Communist party groups. The world watched with american flags and hand them a crushing defeat for beijing candidates last fall. But in recent weeks as the coronavirus fennec is dominated the worlds attention, the Chinese Communist party is going yet again to tighten their grip. New laws supposedly related to National Security aims to cycle and curtail home callers civil liberties. When i authored the u. S. Phone policy actually back in 1992, we wanted to ensure future chinese regimes would respect theun promises regarding this unique autonomous region. We make sure the persuasion of the United States of america in the home callers if need be. Unfortunately, these years later, such a time is upon us. A month among other examples, for the first time in 30 years, 30 years, authorities in hong kong will not allow the annual visual that commemorates the square massacre that occurred. And for the first time in 30 years no commemoration of the massacre will occur in hong kong. For threein decades, hong kong s been the only place in china were fullscale remembrances of the massacre are permitted. But now they too will be going dark. So im encouraged to secretary is stepping into the law and formally certified the beijings systematic to interfere with hong kong have eroded the regions autonomy. Mr. President , this is exactly what we were b concerned about back in 1992. When the Hong Kong Policy act was introduced by me and became law. Exactly what we feared. I hope the administration will identify specific ways it will impose on beijing and just as important continue t americans part for the people of hong kong. Under my original legislation, several tools were available. The program is to be an effective partner for home callers who share values of democracy and freedom. And help preserve theve regions unique character autonomy and prosperity. Our nations commitment to those must m remain ironclad. But it must be 100 percent clear that the responsibility for threatening Hong Kong Economic political and social gladness rest slow on slowly and squarely in the Chinese Communist party. The regime that used free thought, fundamentally evil. The regime that Peaceful Demonstrations as the next potential challenge. That is who is to blame for this. No matter what the communist parties due in the propagandis propagandists. Not to people hong kong. Not their friend this in the United States. Just the would be terrorists. In beijing. Last Years Congress senator rubios update, Hong Kong Policy act, i also sit secluded additional funding to provide funding for hong kong protesters in support of the promotions activities. But, if china moves in the coming days and weeks to implement his new laws, the struggle hong kong there will be no rule of law left protesters to appeal to. That is why the u. S. Response should mirror those of other democracies who have opened their doors to hong kong birds playing oppression. Our nation has a Rich Heritage is standing as a beacon of light and freedom from refugee support to those escaping the iron curtain. And we should exercise that again for the people of hong kong. And finally mr. President , while we address these latest aggressions, we must not miss the broader listen. The communist party of china does not play by the rules. They dont. Not the rules of interactional economy, not the roles of the Bilateral Agreements with other nations, not even its own rules which are increasingly subject to the whims of president. Whether they are cracking down on hong kong, try to cover up the pandemic, or hurting ethnic and religious minorities in the modern day. This generation of chinese leadership is telling the rest of the world every single day exactly who they are. Exactly who they are. America and the world deep in his chair needed home. Android asic norms that protect the piece. The question before us is what we do to stop it. One week ago today, a white Police Officer