Toward the finish line. I look forward to continue to advance us legislation today. And passing it this week. Mr. President. This morning, the long march for equality for lgbtq americans took a step forward. The Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision that federal employment discrimination protections do in fact extend to lgbtq americans. Believe it or not, before today, it was allowed, the federal government did not say you could prevent let me say that in a different way. Believe it or not before today, it was not a settled legal matter that you could sue your employer for firing you solely on the basis of Sexual Orientation or sexual identity. In 2020 in america, it was still okay to discriminate against people because of their Sexual Orientation or identity. Is that unbelievable . Twentyfirst century, still alone. Well, now it isnt. Because of the Supreme Court. And, they deserve credit for that case. And one of the cases that formed the basis of todays ruling originated in my home state of new york where skydiving instructor was fired for admitting his Sexual Orientation. So, today the Supreme Court did the right thing. And ruled that Workplace Discrimination on the basis of Sexual Orientation is just as unlawful as discrimination on the basis of gender, race, or religion. Of course, the ruling in no way diminishes our efforts here in congress to pass the equality act. Led by my colleagues senators merkley, baldwin and booker. That would be the greatly forward on equality we are all looking for. It passed the house over year ago. But it has been gathering dust. And leader mcdonalds legislative graveyard. Senate republicans are still not in the 21st century. They must think its okay to discriminate against people because of their orientation or identity. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. But, maybe now the fact that even a few justices appointed by republican president s believe that it was against the law that may be that will fix the hearts of our republican colleagues and later mcconnell and will allow a vote on the quality act here on the floor. But, even without the senate and its backward ways, it is clear that the country is moving in the right direction. Now mr. President , these are not ordinary times in america. For 21 straight days, hundreds of thousands of americans have taken to the streets to protest Police Violence and Racial Injustice. The clashes between police and Peaceful Protesters over the past few weeks and with some Police Departments have responded with overly aggressive tactics have only articulated further the need for bold and wide reaching reform of police practices. Being killed by police is now the sixth leading cause of death for young black men in america. Let me repeat that. Let me repeat that. Being killed by police is now the six leaves leading cause of death for young black men in america. And that is why the house and senate have drafted legislation. They just a policing act that would deliver comprehensive reform to the Police Departments including a ban on choke holds, a ban on no knock warrants and drug cases, ban on racial profiling and limits on the transfer of military equipment to Police Departments. Our bill would make it easier to hold Police Accountable in court for misconduct. An institute several reforms to prevent that misconduct in the first place. Only a few months ago the justice act might seem on controversy all but in the wake of such obvious injustice recorded on iphones throughout the country, there is now broad and deep support for the policies we democrats are pushing in the justice policing act. A recent reuters poll reported, listen to this, 82 of americans including seven in ten republicans want to ban police from using choke holds. 83 of americans including seven in ten republicans want to ban racial profiling. 92 of americans including nine in ten republicans want police to where federal police to wear body cameras. 91 of americans including nine in ten republicans support allowing independent investigations of Police Departments that show patterns of misconduct. And 75 of americans including six of ten republicans support allowing victims of Police Misconduct to sue Police Departments for damages. Also known as qualified immunity reform. Now is the time. To seek bold and broad scale change, not change around the marches, now is the time for wholesale rape reform, not piecemeal reform. The justice and policing act takes a comprehensive approach but at the moment to our republican colleagues seem to be on a path towards taking a much narrower, less inclusive approach. That is wrong. Some Senate Republicans have endorsed and all the bands on choke holds. But it looks like these policies are not included in republican bill while federal strong responses are necessary to bring change to Police Department in america. The departments it seems are going to leave much of the task up to the states. Of history has taught us anything, particularly when it comes to civil rights, is that progress hunts civil rights has been stunted, slow down and sometimes it stymied by letting states take the lead. Let me repeat from my republican colleagues. We need comprehensive and bold reform. And to make the commitment from the republican leader to consider broad, Strong Police reform, the justice and policing act on the floor of the senate before july 4. Again, i ask our republican leader and i have asked before, allow the justice and policing act to be on the floor, we can debate it, we can amend it, some may not vote for it but the nation is crying out for a debate on a comprehensive and strong approach. Not to cherry pick one or two items, say, see, we have done our job and go home. This has been a pervasive and deep problem in america for to centuries to now get bit short shrift to trying get off the hook would be so wrong. At the moment when americans are calling for the vast majority of Republican Voters are calling for. To be have courage here, any strength at a time when we can do it i hope they will summon that courage, that strength and that desire to bring real, strong, and comprehensive reform. The time for waiting is over. Meanwhile, a Global Pandemic continues to assail our country and our economy. The covid19 pandemic did not disappear while the nation rightfully turned its attention to the issues of racial justice. In fact, just as the country was preparing for the early stages of reopening the number of cases began to spike again in a number of states. Hertz owner has activated emergency plans to deal with a surge of new patients. Over the weekend, florida reported its highest single day number of cases. Twentytwo states are reporting increases in the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus after those numbers have been declining. The experts tell us it is not simply because of more testing there is also more coronavirus in many of these states. A headline in Time Magazine sums it up. Americas done with covid but covid is not done with america. It is our responsibility to deal with this problem, the trends are extremely concerning. Ive asked the white house and members of the Coronavirus Task force including doctor fauci and doctor birks to give Senate Democrats a briefing on these, i have yet to hear back. The white house continues to muzzle the most knowledgeable people. President trump, havent you learned . When you dont face the truth, it hurts the country and hurts you. You tried to deny that this coronavirus was real, it was a hoax, it will go away in a few days, there are very few cases. Of course, it ravaged our country. And now, they are doing the same thing. President trump is doing exactly the same thing. Withholding the experts, withholding the truth in hopes that things will disappear. That is just not how science tells us things work. President trump now seems ready to dismiss these issues entirely. Appalling. He is planning a big campaign rallies, asking reporters, amazingly to sign waivers not to sue if they contract covid from attending. I guess he worries that they might get it. But he doesnt care. He wants to have his rally, thats the superficiality of this president. He has also, President Trump has also moved major parts of the Republican Convention out of North Carolina in order to avoid having to respect the most basic precautions against the spread of coronavirus. And today, amazingly enough the fda withdrew the emergency authorization of the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment against covid. Remember, the president of the United States only a few weeks ago was promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine like a pharmaceutical salesman, going so far as to take the drug himself despite not having the disease. Now, the fda says its not reasonable to believe that is effective against covid or that its benefits outweigh the quote known and potential risks. Thats the president s own department telling him to stop it. To stop telling americans lies about the coronavirus and about what is good and bad to treat it. Amazing. An agency like this one, which knows that they are not supposed to buck the president or face his wrath, still felt the obligation to come forward and tell americans that the truth about hydroxychloroquine. This should be a warning to all americans. You cannot listen to President Trump when it comes to healthcare. Whether it comes to hydroxychloroquine or anything about the coronavirus itself because, the experts in his own administration so often contradict his advice. It shouldnt need saying that the president is not a dr. And yet, he has been issuing offthecuff medical advice from the white house podium only to have the experts scrambling to backtrack weeks later. This is not how a leader handles a crisis. This is not even how a normal person handles a crisis. Senate republicans meanwhile have relegated the covid issue to the back burner. As the expiration dates for several of the programs established under the cares act quickly approach leader mcconnell has reportedly told his caucus not to expect another emergency relief bill until the end of july. The emergency Unemployment Insurance we passed in the cares act is soon going to run out. The ban on evictions is soon going to expire. State and local governments are preparing to Public Services and are in dire need of public support. Clip after clip faces us, economic trouble after economic trouble is looming upon us very soon. Yet, all of these problems in all of these deadlines seem to mean very little to the Republican Senate majority which is taking its sweet time to respond to an urgent and multifaceted crisis. What are the republican friends going to tell people when the Unemployment Insurance runs out. Tough luck . What are our republican friends going to tell those evicted from their homes too bad . What are our republican friends going to tell the Many Public Service fire because their states are running out of money and we have refused to step up to the plates . What are they going to tell the nations parents when schools will not be able to open because we havent given them the adequate resources to do so. We are going to tell them that the republican majority is asleep at the switch during a Major National crisis. But that will be of little solace. We would much rather Work Together and get things done. And even on the bedrock issue of democracy of elections, the republican majority is once again been absent. The covid pandemic has made our elections a challenge obviously and nevada and south carolina, wisconsin and most recently and most glaringly in georgia, voters had had to overcome significant barriers to votes. Senators feinstein, clover chart and are demanding the chairs of the respective committees hold hearings on these issues. That would be the bare minimum. The bare minimum the senate could do. In response to widespread election issues. So, police reform, Racial Injustice, Voting Rights, a Global Pandemic, massive levels of unemployment, these are huge issues that demand the attention of the United States senate. The leader mcconnell and the republican majority just cant seem to find the time. On issues like covid, racial justice, the economy, voting, the republican majority is sadly missing in action. Instead, leader mcconnell is pushing to rightwing judges onto the nation circuit courts. Justin walker and cory wilson. Mr. Walker is a man of limited judicial experience who has made it very clear he personally opposes our health care law. He called the roberts decision to uphold the Affordable Care act indefensible catastrophic. Mr. Wilson by the same token, is calling our healthcare law illegitimate and perverse. Thats right folks, if you need healthcare and are suffering because of the covid, our republican friends are nominating judges who think it is perverse. In the middle of a Public Health crisis. The republican majority is planning to confirm rightwing judges who oppose our healthcare law. Adding insult to injury, mr. Wilson has been one of the leaders in opposing and undoing Voting Rights here at a time when people are protesting for racial equality, the republican majority has the temerity to put on the floor of the Senate Someone who spent his career trying to limit the rights that people often times minorities to votes. Wilson has supported restrictive voter id laws, expressed strong opposition to the Voting Rights act. Thats right. In the middle of a National Movement on issues related to racial justice, Senate Republicans are trying to put a judge on the bench with the hospital record on Voting Rights. We all know when you have the Senate Majority its about priorities. We are all are all empowered in the senate to present bills and speak for as long as we want, but only the republican leader, only leader mcconnell gets to decide which bills reach the floor. For the past two months, as the economic pain from the coronavirus deepens, as the disease starts to come back, as the economy runs into trouble after trouble after trouble, as the long simmering issues of Racial Injustice and police brutality. Powell peaceful protests my biggest cities and smallest towns, the Republican Senate majority has been out to lunch. This week as leader mcconnell asked us to consider more rightwing judges for the federal bench it could not be more apparent. I yield the floor. The reserve chair Jerome Powell will testify before the senate banking, housing, and urban affairs committee. Live coverage begins tuesday at 10 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan. Todd spanglers the washington correspondent for the detroit free press