Transcripts For CSPAN2 U.S. Senate 20240712

Confident, yet humble, wise, yet dependent on your guidance. Give them the wisdom to cultivate a faith that preserves, keeping them from growing weary in doing what is right. Strengthen their ability to see among their colleagues your divine image. May our senators increase in favor with you and humanity. Fill them with a passion to live for your glory. We praise you for being our helper and we desire to magnify your holy name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting 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 for all. Mr. Grassley madam president. The presiding officer the senator from iowa is a recognized. Mr. Grassley i ask one minute in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley quite often in our newspapers you can read about a lot of city, state Pension Funds that are in trouble. Theres one at the National Level weve got to be dealing with. So today i speak about the multiemployer Pension System problems and the need for reform. According to the pension benefit guaranty annual projections, and those reports were released last week, theres a very big need for reform as important as ever and getting more important every day. The report estimates the Multiemployer Insurance Program will become insolvent in 2026. Now thats a year later than predicted last year so people might feel a little more comfort, but thats only because we gave relief last year to the mine workers plan. Whats worse is that insolvency will come at the same time that the Central States pension fund will become insolvent and then creating an even bigger strain on the pbgcs Insurance Fund the reaching a bipartisan reform agreement continues to be critically important. Now im very encouraged by recent indications from my democratic colleagues that they are interested in working for with us to find a solution, a solution that will strengthen this important part of a retirement system while ensuring that taxpayers arent left holding the bag again in the future. I yield the floor. I note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leaders recognized. Mr. Mcconnell two days ago the democratic leader are we in a quorum call . I ask consent the quorm call be suspended. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell two days ago the democratic leader threatened that if the Senate Majority dares to play by the rules and behave like a majority, it would mean, quote, the end of this supposedly great deliberative body. Yesterday we learned what he meant. We saw Important Senate business hurt by what amounted to a temper tantrum. For some reason the democratic leader decided to vent his frustration by blocking the Intelligence Committee listen to this from holding a bipartisan counterintelligence hearing by blocking the Intelligence Committee from holding a bipartisan counterintelligence hearing. The committee was set to hear from bill evanina, the director of the National Intelligence and security center. This is the nations top counterintelligence official, among other things, he works directly on protecting our elections our elections and our politics from foreign interference. Thats his job. Were going they were going to hear from him. This is the same democratic leader who declared a few weeks ago, if the Intelligence Community did not stay close to congress on Election Security, it would be, quote, an abdication of their duty to protect our democracy. Just last week he wrote me a letter saying Election Security had to be above partisan politics. But now now the democratics leader temper is more important. He denied chairman rubio routine permission for the Bipartisan Committee to me. He said we wont have business as usual here in the senate. Today both the Intelligence Committee and the Armed Services committee are scheduled to meet. They are set to speak with top intelligence and military officials about Election Security. I guess well find out whether the Democratic Leaders embarrassing they at ricks were just a oneday matinee or whether he means to make this a series. Our Bipartisan Committees have a great deal of work to do to safeguard our nation and in particular to protect our elections. So i would hope our colleague from new york gets out of the way. But the democratic leader didnt stop there. A few minutes later he decided to cheapen a solemn and unifying moment and turned a draft unanimous resolution honoring Justice Ginsburg into one more depressing stunt for the tv cameras. Over the weekend i wrote a resolution honoring the late justices amazing life. Normally such measures are adopted with unanimous bipartisan support. Thats exactly what we did after Justice Scalia passed. Every senator recognized that our collective eulogy was no place to debate political questions. Oh, but not this time. This time the democratic leader copy peaced the tribune i had written, put his name on top, and added two divisive references to our debate over what to do next. He didnt devote any time or attention to the praise of Justice Ginsburgs life or career. He did not suggest a single change to any of that. His sole focus was on turning a solemn, routine and unanimous moment for Justice Ginsburg into a platform for himself. Justice ginsburg could not be more deserving of the honor of a formal senate tribune. I hope our colleague from new york will let us pass one sometime soon. Now, madam president , on another matter, i have already talked a lot about history this week, but before we shift focus to President Trumps nominee, we need to review Senate History one more time. As we await the hurricane of misrepresentations and badfaith attacks that seem almost guaranteed to pour out, we need to understand in very clear terms why our colleague from new york is uniquely, uniquely a non noncredible messenger when it comes to the senates role in judicial nominations. It was Senate Democrats who began our modern challenges with the treatment of robert bork in 1987. But the acrimony really got going in the early 2000s when a group of Senate Democrats took the almost neverused tactic of filibustering nominations and turned it into a constant routine for the first time ever. So, madam president , who was the Main Driving Force behind these tactics . Lets consult some new york newspapers from the year 2003. Quote, schumer decided to put ideology on the front burner in the confirmation process. I am the leader of the filibuster movement. And you know, im proud of it, said the senator from brooklyn. Quote, mr. Schumer urged democratic colleagues to use a tactic that some were initially reluctant to pursue, and that has since roiled the senate. Throughout president bush 43s two terms, our colleague built an entire personal brand out of filibustering judicial nominees. Talented, hardworking peoples careers were destroyed. Like the brilliant lawyer miguel estrada, a close friend of nowjustice elena kagan who says he is extraordinary and thoughtful and would have made an excellent addition to any federal court. People like that literally destroyed by democratic tactics. This version of the nowdemocratic leader said filibustering judges was an essential part, an essential part of the senate. He said that if republicans ever used the Nuclear Option to change the rules in midstream because they cant get their way on every judge, it will be doomsday for democracy. Doomsday for democracy. But, of course, in the very next president ial administration, the democratic leader leapt at the chance to press that doomsday button himself. Democrats could not abide president obama being constrained by the same rules they had imposed on president bush. They had no patience to taste their own medicine. So the democratic leader suddenly decided, quote, the old rules need to be modified. He voted to use the Nuclear Option to lower the bar. So their action has been one consistent principle all this time. For the democratic leader, two things qualify as a crisis when it comes to the courts. The sky is falling when a democratic president does not get to confirm every last judge he or she wants, and the sky is falling when a republican president gets to confirm any, any judges. Six months ago, our colleague walked across the street to the Supreme Court steps, stood in front of a crowd, and yelled i want to tell you, gorsuch, i want to tell you, kavanaugh, you will pay the price. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. Thats the democratic leader in front of the Supreme Court of the United States. Just last night, he said this i tell the American People everything you need and want, just about everything will be taken away inexorably month after month, year after year, decision by decision, by this new court. Thats the argument. Thats apparently the argument. Everything you need and want will be taken away . Is this a discussion among senators or an overdramatic line from a bad movie . Madam president , the American People do not need any more revisionist history lectures, any more threats, or any more performance outrage from the side that launched this unfortunate fight and escalated it time after time after time. There is one right path before us. It does right by the judiciary, the senate, the yetunnamed nominee, and the American People. It is a fair hearing, a fair process, and a fair vote. Thats what the American People ensured in 2018 after the democratic leader explicitly asked for a referendum on this approach to the judiciary. He got that referendum in 2018. The people decided. They shrunk his minority even further. Americans took care to ensure Senate Democrats could not stand in the way of a fair process, so that is exactly what the senate will provide. Now, madam president , on another matter, yesterday the house passed a government funding resolution on a bipartisan basis. It will now make its way through the senate. A few days ago, when House Democrats released their first draft, republicans immediately spoke out about a huge omission. It intentionally neglected the need to farm country and rural america. They tried to use our nations farmers and ranchers as a bargaining chip. Fortunately, thanks to the leadership of our colleague, senator ernst, along with senators hoeven, boozman, and many other republican colleagues, we made it clear right away that we would not let democrats leave farmers behind. The Commodity Credit Corporation is an essential source of funding for our farmers. For years, its been routinely refilled, refilled with bipartisan support. But this year, Speaker Pelosi tried to take Middle America hostage for an unrelated political brinksmanship. So im grateful to senator ernst and to everyone who fought hard to fix the democrats bill. Republicans kept the speaker of the house from adding insult to injury in such a challenging year for rural america. So i know all members will carefully review the continuing resolution sent over by the house. Im optimistic that with bipartisan cooperation, well be able to make law well before the government funding deadline at the end of this month. Now, madam president , i understand there are two bills at the desk due a second reading en bloc. The presiding officer the clerk will read the titles of the bills for the second time. The clerk s. 4653, a bill to protect the health care of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the department of justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act. H. R. 8337, an act making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2021, and for other purposes. Mr. Mcconnell in order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule 14, i would object to further proceedings en bloc. The presiding officer objection having been heard, the bills will be placed on the calendar. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Mr. Schumer madam president. The presiding officer the democratic leader is recognized. Mr. Schumer thank you, madam president. First let me thank all of my colleagues who were here until late last night and made such persuasive arguments as to why the new Supreme Court justice who matters so much to the American People, to their health care, to the working peoples rights, to womens rights, to preserving the right to choose, to making sure we have a good green planet, to lgbtq rights, they did an eloquent job. And i hope america was listening because this nomination matters. It matters to the average daily lives of average americans. And last night by holding the floor until the late hours, democrats made really strong arguments. So i thank my colleagues for doing that. Now for the third day in a row leader mcconnell has come to the floor and completely ignored the principle , quoteunquote, he established in 2016 when mere hours after Justice Scalia passed away, leader mcconnell said that the American People should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice, his words the American People should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice, referring to the upcoming election. But that election was more than eight months away. We are now only 42 days away, but the socalled mcconnell rule that supposed principle that the American People deserve a voice in the selection of a Supreme Court justice hasnt come up. The republican leader cant mention it. No wonder he never mentions it and he sticks to just diversionary, irrelevant remarks in his speeches on the floor instead of addressing the main issue, why he said one thing in 2016 and a different thing now. Instead the senate is forced to suffer these tortured explanations and misleading precedents. At a press conference yesterday, heres how the republican leader described the senate role in confirming Supreme Court justices. He actually said, quote, we have an obligation under the constitution to consider a Supreme Court justice should we choose to take advantage of it. Did you catch that . Did you catch that, madam president . Its an obligation, but only if the republican leader chooses to take advantage of it. So i see, when theres a democratic president , its one of those obligations you dont have to take advantage of. But when theres a republican president , its a solemn constitutional duty. Are we really supposed to swallow the argument that when the senate and the president are of the opposite party, one rule applies, but when theyre of the same party a different rule applies . I didnt hear that right after scalia died when leader mcconnell explained why he was holding it up. So this idea that when its of one party, one rule applies, and another party a different rule applies . We have a term for that. Its called a double standard. And if the leader really wants to discuss precedent, real precedent, not fiction, we can dispatch with that conversation in about 30 seconds. So, madam president , i have a parliamentary inquiry for the chair. Is there a Senate Precedent for confirming a Supreme Court nominee between july and election day in a president ial year . The presiding officer materials from the office of the secretary of the senate do not show such a precedent. Mr. Schumer thank you, madam president. July is long gone, august is over. Were now at the end of september. As you just heard, not from the democratic leader but from the records in the senate as spoken by the chair, there is no, no, no precedent for confirming a Supreme Court justice between july and election day. The republican leader can come up with arguments that twist things, that jump through hoops, but it doesnt gainsay. No, no precedent for any Supreme Court nominee being confirmed between july and election day. So as you know, july has gone, august is over. Were now at the end of september, six weeks before an election in which some people have already begun to vote. Simply my republican friends have no ground on which to stand. None. No logic to excuse completely flipping their position four years apart under the same circumstances. No justification for the senators who said on the record they would, quote, say the same thing if a republican president were in office, say the same thing if a republican president were in office. They said then, but doesnt apply now that we have a republican president in office. No defense for the senator who said precedent set, precedent set. Im sure come 2020 youll remind me of that, unquote. No place to hide for the senator who said, quote, you can say that i said it. Let the next president decide. Hold this tape. I want you to use my words against me. Unquote. Why are Senate Republicans going to such extreme lengths to ram through a justice mere weeks before an election, making a complete mockery of their previous principle . Why are they committing a power grab so egregious that it risks shedding the last vestiges of trust that remain between our two parties . For what . Because this is the only way for republicans to achieve their radical rightwing agenda, an agenda so far away from where average americans think, even average republicans, that they wouldnt dare bring such things on the floor of the senate. Unable to thrust comically unpopular positions on the American People through congress, they have to try through the courts a cynical strategy that dates back to the 1950s. Republicans are sick and tired, for instance, of this annoying law, the Affordable Care act, and that it keeps providing health to millions of americans. They tried to repeal it in the house just about a million times, and they tried here too in the senate but failed by one vote. So now theyve taken it to the courts. President trump and republicans republicans republican attorneys general are suing right now to eliminate the entire law, including protections for up to 130 million americans with preexisting conditions. In fact, President Trump is meeting with those republican attorneys general at the white house today, this afternoon. Less than a week after Justice Ginsburgs passing, the president is meeting with the leaders of the republican lawsuit against our Health Care Law. Ostensibly it is about how social Media Companies are biased against conservatives. But who wants to bet that the Health Care Lawsuit doesnt come up . Id like for someone to ask them that. If he cared about health care of the American People, President Trump himself would ask the a. G. s to withdraw their lawsuit. Im calling on him to do it right now. I doubt he will given his record, given his lack of concern for American Peoples health care. But he should. But unfortunately lets remember , President Trump already told the American People his goal. He said, quote, my judicial appointments will do the right thing. Unlike bushs appointment, john roberts on obamacare. And hes about to make a Supreme Court pick while theres an ongoing lawsuit that seeks to eliminate the Affordable Care act. Hear that, america . The Health Care Law you want, the Health Care Law you need, the Health Care Law that protects you against overreaching Insurance Companies who wont give you insurance when you have a preexisting condition, President Trump has said he will appoint a nominee who will undo it, and we know he said it because of what he said about Justice Roberts when Justice Roberts opposed his view on health care. Guess when the case is being heard in the Supreme Court, america . November 10, a week after the election. Is that why Senate Republicans are in such a rush to get a new rightwing justice confirmed before the election, so that Supreme Court can do what they failed to do here in the senate, repeal this Health Care Law which protects so Many Americans . Leader mcconnell slammed on the brakes while tens of thousands of americans died from covid. And now hes slamming his foot on the gas to approve a Supreme Court justice who could rip away Americans Health care in the middle of a pandemic. Shame, shame. For four months the republican majority delayed a covid relief package while the nation suffered. But one hour, one hour after the news of Justice Ginsburgs passing broke, leader mcconnell said, batten down the hatches, were full steam ahead on confirming another rightwing justice, a justice who could undo Ruth Bader Ginsburgs legacy,ing who could rip away health care for millions of american families, who could decide there is no more right to choose for millions of american women. Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance here. Who would crush unions for millions of american workers. Who would make it harder for millions, harder to vote for millions of African Americans. Who could end Marriage Equality for millions of lgbtq americans like my daughter and her wife who looked at each other this weekend and wondered is our marriage on the line. Average americans are thinking what are they going to lose with this new hardright special interestdominated Supreme Court if, if our republican friends have their wish, which were going to fight every step of the way. The stakes of this election, the stakes of this vacancy concern no less than the future fundamental rights of the American People. My friends on the other side will tell you theyre being hysterical, that they actually support protections for americans with preexisting conditions. Thats hysterical. Ask the mother whose son or daughter has cancer and cant get insurance and watches their child suffer. Thats not being hysterical. Thats doing what were supposed to do, not what the folks on the other side are doing, rushing through a justice who in a very strong likelihood, if that justice gets approved, will Rip Health Care away from the American People. America, you have to ask yourself, if republicans will completely reverse themselves on a major principle whenever it suits them, what can you trust them on . How can you take their word seriously . Republicans praised the legacy of Justice Ginsburg with flowery words about her impact, but in the resolution i offered yesterday, they even didnt want to acknowledge her dying wish that she not be replaced until the next president is installed. And President Trump had the gall, the temerity, the baseness to suggest that her dying words were not issued by her. How low can a president go . And now Senate Republicans are working with every fiber of their being to confirm a justice, despite her last wish, in contradiction to her last fervent wish who will reverse her legacy. This is not speculation. This is not hyperbole. President trump said again and again and again said that he wants the Supreme Court to terminate the Health Care Law. He made it clear he has a litmus test, any nominee must want to strike down roe v. Wade. Republicans need to be straight with the American People. They are fighting to reverse Justice Ginsburgs legacy, not honor it. All of their speeches and praise run hollow and are belied by their actions. America, we cant trust them at their word. You cant trust them to protect your health care, and you definitely cant trust this Senate Republican majority to protect you. On another matter. The johnson report. While the rest of the country was busy fighting covid, Senate Republicans have been abiewg the abusing the power of the senate to conduct Opposition Research for President Trumps campaign. This morning, the chairman of the Homeland Security committee released his report which reads as if putin wrote it, not United States senators. The bogus narrative of this report pedaled by a ruin Disinformation Campaign was disproved by every witness who testified. Despite their zero to smear Vice President biden and their family, republicans found no evidence to support the Conspiracy Theory pushed by putins intelligence agents. Senators grassley and johnson should reimburse taxpayers for the money they wasted. And this entire disgraceful afare and the johnson affair and the johnson report should be relegated to the dustbin of history. 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 majority whip is recognized. Mr. Thune i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be lifted. The presiding officer without objection, 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, John Charles Hinderaker, of arizona, to be United States district judge for the district of arizona. Mr. Thune madam president , i dont think anyone is surprised that democrats have not reacted well to the idea that President Trump will nominate a third Supreme Court justice. After all, over reacting to republican nominees is pretty much the democrats stock and trade. It doesnt matter who the nominee is to hear the democrats tell it, any republican nominee is likely to bring about arm armageddon. The fact that some republican nominees in past year and as recently as this past june have sided with the liberal wing of the court more often than i would like has not in any way restrained democrats hysteria each time a new republican nominee is introduced. I thought we reached a low point two years ago with the nomination of Justice Kavanaugh who suffered months of character assassination at the hands of democrats. But it turns out that was not the low point because weve reached a new low. As i said, madam president , its no surprise that democrats have reacted with hysteria at the prospect of president obama nominating another Supreme Court justice tssments dis it was disappointing, but hardly surprising, that yesterday the democratic leader blocked a key Intelligence Committee hearing on Election Security. A topic he has repeatedly insisted is of overwhelming importance. To protest the thought of the senate fulfilling its advice and consent role in firming a principled conservative woman. Even Speaker Pelosis overwrought statement that republicans are, and i quote, coming after your children, end quote, seemed pretty much par for the course. But democrats have not limited themselves to temper tantrums. No, democrats have moved on to threats. Dare to confirm the president s duly nominated nominee, democrats are now saying, and if we win back the majority in november, we will eliminate the legislative filibuster and pack the Supreme Court. In other words, if republicans dare to fulfill the senates role of advising and consenting to the president s nominee, democrats will upend our democratic institutions. They will eliminate the legislative filibuster, which is the senate rule that helps ensure that legislation that passes the senate has to be at least somewhat bipartisan. And they will pack the Supreme Court. Those who need a brief refresher on the concept of court packing, which has been largely consigned to the dustbin of history nearly a century ago, the theory is as follows. If the Supreme Court is not deciding cases to your liking, add more justices to the court until you start getting the decisions that you want. In other words, let republicans dare to fill the vacant slot on Supreme Court and democrats will keep adding justices to the Supreme Court until they can be assured that they will get the outcome that they want in every case. Madam president , yesterday i referred to those comments by democrats as undemocratic. Why did i say that. They are inconsistent with democratic government. In our system of government, you win some and lose some. While its no fun to lose, thats how things sometimes go. Have republicans been happy when democratic nominees referred to the Supreme Court . No. But have republicans suggested that democratic Supreme Court justices are illegitimate . Have we suggested that the proper response to a democrat Supreme Court nominee is to pack the Supreme Court with additional republican justices to get a rubberstamp for republican priorities . No. Of course not, madam president. Because while we may not like it when democrats are in charge, we know that democratrun government is legitimate just as republicanrun government is legitimate. But it has become clear over the past few years, and especially over the past few days that democrats only think that government is legitimate when they are in charge. Democrats are accusing republicans as undermining our constitution. Thats exactly, madam president , what we are doing, fulfilling our constitutional role. Lets be very clear about that. Republicans are suggesting that we take up a Supreme Court nominee duly nominated by a duly elected president and confirm that nominee in accord with our constitutional advice and consent role. Democrats are free to think that republicans should not consider this nominee but it is absolutely indisputable indisputable, madam president , that republicans and the president are doing nothing more than carrying out a legitimate constitutional prerogative. What democrats are doing on the other hand, trying to enonly one party has a say in our government, what some might call tyranny, and threatening retribution for constitutional prerogatives. Now, that does pose a danger to our institutions. Take the Supreme Court. A year ago several democrats warned that the courts nonpartisan reputation was in jeopardy. Their argument that the court would look partisan if it didnt continue with the case that democrats didnt like. What on earth do democrats think will happen to the courts reputation if they pack the court with additional democrats to rubberstamp their policies . Do they really think americans are going to see the Supreme Court as legitimate once it has been hijacked for democratic purposes . Madam president , if you believe in our system of government, you have to believe that all americans, not just those who agree with you, have a right to have a voice in the government. Youre free to vehemently disagree with 50 of our fellow americans. Youre free to dislike it when your party is not in charge. Youre free to fight fiercely for the policies and candidates that you believe in. But what you cannot do, without undermining our entire system, is suggest that government is only legitimate when your party is in charge. And if democrats continue along this dangerous trajectory, if they continue to try to delegitimize the actions of a duly elected Senate Majority and a duly elected president , they are the ones who will put our entire system at risk. And as an aside, if anyone wonders for a moment whether democrats are advocating a principled position, if perhaps democrats really think it would be best for our country to eliminate the legislative filibuster, democrats have used so often, or to expand the Supreme Court, one can simply ask whether democrats would continue to advocate for these positions if President Trump is reelected and republicans retain control of the senate. Think about that one, mr. President. I think everybody here knows what the answer so to that question is, what the answer to that question is and the answer is no. As i said yesterday, democrats are not going to stop republicans from carrying out our constitutional role in considering the president s nominee. One of the principle reasons that many g. O. P. Senators, myself included was to confirm principled judges to our courts. Judges who understand that the role their role is to interpret the law, not make the law. While many of my democratic colleagues would like the courts to impose their policies when they cant push them through congress, republicans know that legislation should come from congress and not from the courts. The job of judges is to interpret the law as it is written, not to impose democrat or republican policies from the bench. My colleagues and i were elected and reelected in part because of our commitment to confirming judges who would uphold the constitution and the rule of law. We followed through on that commitment over the past four years and were going to keep following through by voting on the president s nominee. Democrats can bluster. They can threaten and they can throw temper tantrums, but we will keep doing what we were sent here to do. Mr. President , i yield the floor. And i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Hoeven mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from north dakota. Mr. Hoeven mr. President , i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Hoeven mr. President , were here this morning to talk about agriculture. Were here to talk about t the farmers and ranchers that feed this country and feed the world. When we talk about good farm policy, we talk about something that benefits every single american every single day, because our farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world, in the history of the world that benefits every single american every single day. Thats just how important it is. How can we be reminded even more so right now with this covid pandemic of that abundant, safe, wonderful food supply that we have every day, thanks 0 our farmers and ranchers. But there is so much that goes into it, as the presiding officer can as you well know, coming from nebraska, your state being a big part of the incredible Ag Production in this country. As a matter of fact, there could be a little rivalry here with your contiguous state to the north in terms of Cattle Production or Something Like that. But, you know, again, this is something that touches everybody every day and is so important. Its not just those farmers and ranchers out there producing that food every day. Its that whole supply chain thats got to work. And remember, that food supply has to be safe every day, not only tasty and affordable and abundant. Thats what we are talking about. So this became a big, big issue in the continuing resolution that were working on right now in that the way that we are funding the coronavirus Food Assistance programs in part is direct funding that we secured in the cares act but is also from whats called the c. C. C. , the Commodity Credit Corporation, and the farm bill, the bipartisan farm bill, incredibly strong support in this body and the house on both sides of the aisle, many of the very key programs in that farm bill are funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation. Thats about 30 billion a year we put into that fund every year to make sure that those programs are funded to support our farmers and ranchers. That was not in the original house version that was going to be filed. So a group of of senators from ag states came together last week, came down, had a colloquy in this body, immediately went to work with our friends in the house who are also strong supporters of agriculture, and now the continuing resolution that passed the house and we will be taking up and passed overwhelmingly has that key funding in it. So were really here today to once again emphasize the importance of making sure that we fund these farm programs, making sure that we fund them in a timely way, and again to point out very clearly that this is funding that is being used expressly, expressly the way it was authorized to be used, both in the overwhelmingly bipartisan farm bill we passed, the fiveyear farm bill, but also in the cares act where we secured additional funding, and that now the funding thats included in the continuing resolution is exactly that funding that we put out there every year to make sure that this farm bill is provided on time. And it couldnt be more important than this year when not only our farmers and ranchers are fighting covid, but they are fighting low commodity prices, they are fighting challenges in the world of trade having been targeted by china. They are fighting challenges of tough weather. And on top of that, covid. So again, we have got to be there for them. I want to thank members of the senate and the house that worked very hard on this and the farm groups. Im going to kind of run through that whole roster here in a minute. Before i do that, id like to turn to the senior senator from south dakota, our whip, here in the senate, somebody who has worked on behalf of agriculture his whole life and just ask him for a few of his comments. Mr. Thune thank you, mr. President. I would say to my colleague from north dakota how much we appreciate his leadership, and he is a relentless advocate for the farmers and ranchers of north dakota and across this country. We share a border, but we have a lot of commonality in the people that we represent. They are hardworking people who work dawn to dusk to feed not only this country but to feed the world. Its been no easy task being in agriculture these last few years, as my colleague from north dakota pointed out, for lots of reasons, whether that of course most recently covid, but carryonically low and depressed commodity prices, coupled with bad weather, coupled with trade disputes and, you know, difficulties with markets around the world. And so agriculture, farmers and ranchers have had a tough a tough and difficult road these past few years. And so its critically important that we continue to be there for them. And as my colleague from north dakota pointed out, there was a concern because we had heard initially the continuing resolution that will fund the government that we will pass hopefully later this week in the senate, as it came over from the house, was not going to include funding for agriculture, for all those programs that keep ag running, that we authorize in the farm bill. He is a key member of the house agriculture committee. We have senator boozman from arkansas, also a key member of that committee. In fact, somebody we hope will be the next chairman of that committee. The current chairman of our authorizing committee, senator roberts from kansas, who i think will be down here in just a few minutes, all played an important role, along with the ag community. All the organizations that senator hoeven is going to talk about engaged right away when they realized what was happening and we were able to Work Together to solve that. And so now the continuing resolution to fund the government that we will consider here on the floor of the senate does include funding for the Commodity Credit Corporation which provides the funds that keep all of those agricultural programs that we authorize when we do a farm bill and the last farm bill was in 2018. We were all involved with that. But it will keep all those programs funded. That is critically important, nevermore important than it is right now coming out of the pandemic. And Food Security is is an absolutely essential priority. It should be for our country. It certainly should be here for members of congress in both the house and the senate. So i want to thank my colleague, senator hoeven. As i said, he is a strong, strong voice for our agricultural producers, and as he and i and arkansas and kansas and nebraska, those of us from farm country Work Together and put together coalitions at times like this, its only because of that advocacy that we have heard from senator hoeven and others that enables us to be successful. But im glad that we got the right outcome here, and its something to celebrate. Obviously our farmers and ranchers across the country are going to be i think enormously grateful that we were able to get this problem resolved. So thank you for your leadership. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on those issues that are important in farm country that will help our farmers and ranchers not only survive but hopefully prosper into the future. Mr. Hoeven i would like to thank the majority whip, the senate whip, for all the work he did on again, he works for farmers day in and day out. He comes from south dakota, a strong farm state. And ranchers, big ranching state. He was instrumental in this effort, not only joining us last week in the colloquy, but then engaging in the negotiations as part of our leadership team, along with our majority leader who helped on this. I have to tell you. As we negotiated back and forth with the house, our leadership, senator mcconnell, senator thune and others, they held strong, saying no, this is something that must be in the continuing resolution. Also the administration, the president , the white house were involved in this negotiation. And they helped pass on this as well. This is one of the last pieces of the puzzle to come into place. It is so important that we got it. We had seven senators i say down on the floor last week talking about it. We were led, those seven senators, by our ag chairman. Im going to ask him to make a few comments as well, but again, let me thank those other senators that joined us, senator thune who you just heard from, senator boozman who you will hear from in a minute, senator ernst of iowa, senator fischer of nebraska, and senator hydesmith of mississippi. All have strong ag backgrounds. I mean, people who not only work on behalf of agriculture but people who are involved in agriculture. So, you know, they are not just here advocating for it. They live it. A great group. They also reached out to so many in the house and to the farm groups and the commodity groups, the ag groups which i will talk about a little more later. But let me turn to our ag chairman, who although still a relatively young man, has been in the house and the senate for many years and has always been a tireless advocate for agriculture. He is a marine. Once a marine, always a marine. And semper fi. He brings that attitude, that marine, you know, never turn back, never let up attitude to making sure that he does everything he can on behalf of our farmers and ranchers. Mr. Chairman. The presiding officer the senator from kansas. Mr. Roberts i thank the distinguished senator for his comments. I appreciate the shout out for the United States marine corps, all of us who are marines. And, you know, the marine corps taught me one thing. That is i always could do more than i thought i could. This is a good example of what happens when we Work Together as a team and then we work with our colleagues across the aisle to when we see a real problem that has come up. This was a situation where i want to express my gratitude for all the members who joined together to provide certainty and predictability. This is what we sold the farm bill on, certainty and predictability. We had a situation that we faced that was really difficult to understand how this came about, but thats not the news of the day. The news of the day is good news, that we reached a compromise. And we found agreement to replenish the c. C. C. , the Commodity Credit Corporation, in the continuing resolution, absent some of the barbed wire that was that was in there. I especially want to thank more than 40 agriculture organizations. I have a letter right here. I know both senators in attendance here and senator thune and everybody concerned are aware of that. Dear majority leader mcconnell, Speaker Pelosi, leader schumer, and leader mccarthy. Its just sort of 47 different farm organizations and commodity groups. They speak for i think virtually every farmer and rancher and grower in the country. So thanks to the 47. I would ask unanimous consent that this be inserted in the record at this point of my remarks. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Roberts thank you, mr. President. And then if we had not done this, it would have resulted in delays in the 218 farm bill programs. The one that we passed here with 87 votes and the ability that farmers would have with the Risk Management tools. So i would just simply point out no matter what they grow, where they live, farmers, ranchers, and growers have done their part to ensure that our nations food, fiber, and fuel simply continues without disruption in these unprecedented times. They are counting on the department of agriculture for that, to deliver a range of programs. More than 50 of these programs heres the list were endangered because of uncertainty with replenishing the c. C. C. Funding, and then some of the addons with regards to policy that are difficult to understand. Well, they are easy to understand, but its bad policy, its a bad precedent. You put the secretary of agriculture in a very bad position in that we have alreadd announced the specifics of this program, and i would urge all of my colleagues, more especially my colleagues across the aisle who expressed great concern over what is in this latest program, what isnt. Get on the phone. I have been on the phone with the secretary. I know that senator boozman and i know that senator hoeven would do the same. We all have concerns as to how this is going to work. That was true with all of the programs prior to this one. And so thats the way to express our concern with regards to getting something done. And i i do want to point out that my colleagues across the aisle under the banner of nutrition programs, the snap program in particular, school lunches, et cetera, et cetera, did point out that we have some real deficiencies with regards to keeping our commitment with these programs, more especially with covid19, and so i understand that and that was included. Thats really what were all about here is working in a bipartisan fashion on behalf of farmers, ranchers, growers, and agriculture. Thats what we have always done in the committee. I want to thank my distinguished Ranking Member. I want to thank everybody that brought this thing together. As chairman of this committee, we were successful, as i indicated, that we in a bipartisan manner, 87 members of this chamber voted in favor of this legislation. These are some of the programs that were threatened. Price loss coverage, agriculture risk coverage, agriculture or marketing assistance loans, and you just go down the list of everything the farmers depend on, and all of a sudden that was up in the air. Why that was true, im not quite sure, but to show the extent of the damage that could have been done with the original request with the c. R. Without the c. C. C. Funding, i ask permission at this point in the record to include a list of these programs that were in danger. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Roberts i thank you, mr. President. Finding a bipartisan solution to replenish the c. C. C. To provide muchneeded certainty and predictability for all regions, all crops, all ranchers. And i again appreciate the efforts of my colleagues and those that represent them, nation farmers, ranchers and rural stakeholders, everybody in smalltown america and their lenders could not believe what we were about to face withholding out the c. C. C. Funds with regard to the c. R. , the continuing resolution, to keep our government running and avoid a government shutdown. So this agreement and the continuing resolution represents a good step, a good bipartisan step. I really appreciate that, although i must say we didnt have to go down this road. Theres a saying we have in kansas that theres a lot of cactus in the world. We dont have to sit on every doggone one of them. Boy, we sat on this one and sat on it too long. I want to thank the staff, especially the Agricultural Committee staff representing all of our members on the ag committee. They did tremendous work making sure the right policy was there, making sure that at least the c. C. C. Was operating with the funds they need to operate during the middle of covid19 and behalf of all of agriculture. I want to thank you again, senator, for holding this discussion. I yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from nebraska. A senator thank you, mr. President. Chairman roberts, before you leave, i wanted to come down and lend my voice to you and senator boozman, thune, and to thank you for your work and the presiding officer, thank you for sitting in the chair momentarily. Mr. Sasse as chairman roberts just said, there was no reason to have gone down this path and injected all of this partisan uncertainty, holding farmers and ranchers and their communities and their lenders and their welders and their truckers hostage over the last 48 hours. It served no policy purpose and it continues to diminish public trust in this institution and our ability to serve our people. I just want to commend you and senator hoeven and your teams for the work that youve done. Thank you. The presiding officer the senator from arkansas. Mr. Boozman thank you, mr. President. Were here today to commend our Republican Leadership in forging a bipartisan compromise on a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown, and in particular im so pleased that weve reached an agreement that included full reimbursement to the Commodity Credit Corporation which weve all been talking about. Not only agreement, but to take away the potential of unnecessary delays in farm and Conservation Program payments which are so important to our farmers. For decades the c. D. C. Has been routinely reimbursed without fanfare, but unfortunately not so this year. Our farmers and ranchers faced more than enough challenges this year extreme weather events, market volatility, global pandemic, and the list just goes on and on and on. They dont need washington to make things even more difficult. With passage of this bill, with a full c. C. C. Reimbursement, farm and Conservation Program payments will go out as planned and will offer farmers and ranchers a little more certainty, a little bit more predictability to continue growing food and fiber not only for this nation, but for the world. These important programs like marketing assistance loans, the Environment Quality incentive programs and others were authorized in the 2018 farm bill that was supported with an overwhelmingly bipartisan Record Number of votes in the senate. So i want to really just thank all of those involved in this effort, and they worked so, so very hard. Special thanks to senator mcconnell and his staff, chairman roberts who we have with us now, whos certainly the voice of ag in the senate and in congress. And we are going to miss him greatly as he decides to step aside. But also senator hoeven and the great work that he did through the ag appropriations part of this. And then as senator roberts mentioned, the staffs that worked so, so very hard. Also the members of the ag committee that stepped up and really shouldered the burden, just did a tremendous job in really explaining to congress, explaining to the public on how important this issue was and that we simply could not go forward without getting it included. So, and then were here. We fight. Were kind of tip of the spear in the ag community and work really hard in that regard. We simply couldnt get it done without the agriculture groups that work so hard. Again, in educating the farmers. They understand how important this is, but again mobilizeing them and mobilizing the public so we can have the great work we did. With that, mr. President , i yield back. Mr. Hoeven mr. President , id like to thank the senator from arkansas again for his diligence and hard work, and our ag chairman. And i just want to wrap up with some thank yous as well. Not only is leadership on the farm bill, but then on making sure we fund these farm programs. I tell you, its been something that i know senator boozman agrees with me on. Weve learned a lot and we appreciate it. Its made a real difference for farmers and ranchers across this country. And i want to thank of course all of the senators that worked with us on this project. I named them earlier. But our house members too. We reached out to members of the house. And whether it was the Ranking Member on the ag committee, or whether it was representative fortenberry and theres many others we reached out and helped as well. I want to thank our staff led by tony everhart, our chief and on the ag aprops side, and of course Richard Shelby our leader on the aprops side. It takes all of these people working together. This is important not only for the farm bill, the coronavirus Food Assistance program were providing as well which our farmers and ranchers need so very much as we go through this covid fight. Let me just wrap up. This is something that the ag chairman brought up. My thought as usual, right on. He said we wouldnt have been able to get this done without the farm groups, the ranch groups stepping up and calling their member, whether it was their senator or house member. Our chairman already introduced this into the record but im going to to take a moment and read through those ag groups as our way of finishing up with a thank you. The Agriculture Retailers association, amcot, american agriwomen. American cotton producers, american cotton shippers association, the American Dairy coalition, the American Farm bureau. Ive got to say the American Farm Bureau Federation took a real leadership role. The American Pulse association, the american sheep industry association, the american soybean association, the American Sugar alliance, the association of equipment manufacturers, Cotton Growers Warehouse Association and the cotton Warehouse Association of america, the Crop Insurance professional association, the National Association of wheat growers, National Barley Growers association, the National Cattlemens beef association, the National Corn growers association, the National Cotton council and the cotton giners association, the National Association of farmers cooperatives, the National Farmers union, National Milk producers federation, the National Sorghum produesers, National Sunflower association, peanut growers association, produce marketing association, rural and ag council of america, society of american florists, southeast Cotton Ginners association, southwest council of agribusiness, the u. S. Canola association, the u. S. Cattlemens association, united ag producers, United States peanut federation, rice producers association, u. S. Dry pea and lentil council, the western peanut growers association, all representing farmers and ranchers that produce the highestquality, lowestcost food supply in the world that benefits every single american every single day. And with pleasure i would yield for a final word, final words to our. Mr. Roberts im not sure this is final word. In the senate of the United States, there is no final word. I would assume. But this points out something thats just absolutely understandable, common sense, when people ask me how on earth we got 87 votes together for a farm bill with the tremendous help, with the Ranking Member, senator stabenow, its pretty easy. We were holding hearings, as both of the senators know. And when people asked me how do you get Something Like this done, its just a huge undertaking. Youve got to listen to farmers. Youve got to sit on the wagon tongue and listen. This time we didnt have to sit on the wagon tongue and listen. United they said what on earth is going on . How did this proposal get loose . In other words, keeping us out of the continuing resolution, given the problems were having, what on earth is going on . And so it wasnt much of a surprise to any of us when farmers, every one of them represented by the groups that the distinguished senator has just listed, said whoa, wait a minute, were getting left out. I think the leader in a conference said something about well other than the fact that were treating agriculture and farmers like bums, it was pretty clear what was going on and it was terribly counter productive. I dont know how people come up with these things. It is what it is. But we listened to farmers. We got the job done. We cooperated. It was bipartisan. Some of the nutrition programs were addressed. It was a good news story. Couldnt have done it, however, with the 47 groups that let us know, sounded the alarm. So weve been able to do it over a period of about three or four or five days. I thank everybody concerned. I think its a good news story in the end result. Thank you, sir. Mr. Hoeven i also want to add Terry Van Dorn to that list who is here this morning on the floor. He worked tirelessly and stood firm in the negotiations. Terry, thank you to you as well. Again, the final word, though, has to go, i think, senator boozman would agree with me, to our ag chairman. Thanks so much. Thank you, mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from illinois. Mr. Durbin thank you, mr. President. Let me at the outset join in with my republican colleagues, coming from a farm state im glad that we have bipartisan continuing resolution until december 11. I am saddened that we dont have an Appropriation Committee working through its normal process, nor a budget committee. This is the world we live in now, continuing resolutions until the end. This continuing resolution does include money for the Commodity Credit Corporation, which is the usual source of payments for Agriculture Programs agreed to in the farm bill. There was some question as to whether or not there was enough money in the c. C. C. Account to take care for the months to come. Now theres no question it will be adequately funded. That is a positive thing. I also am happy to report that the early press reports that we saw suggesting c. C. C. Funds were actually going to be diverted to Oil Companies, Oil Companies was expressly prohibited as part of this negotiation. Understand whats behind this. These Oil Companies have benefited from a decision by the Trump Administration to give small refinery waivers when it came to the blending of ethanol with their product. The net result of that decision by the Trump Administration was that a large number of these small refineries were given waivers from blending, and as a result the actual production of ethanol declined dramatically. Its one of the major reasons that corn is grown and sold, is for that use, and it was diminished dramatically. It was one of the major reasons why as the ethanol industry cratered, that farm income in many states was cut in half from what it normally has been. In just the last few days theres been an attempt to rectify the situation, which should have been changed years ago. And in rectifying it to say that once again there will be blending of ethanol with gasoline in the United States, which i support. And then someone suggested, well, lets give a subsidy, an additional subsidy to the Oil Companies from the Commodity Credit Corporation. A terrible idea from the start. Im glad it is not included in this final product. But let me mention one other thing that is included that bears notice. And that is that there is an extension of the School Feeding program for the next school year. We have an extraordinary situation with the covid19 pandemic where many schools are not bringing kids into the classroom. Many of these kids are being taught online across america. I know it because i know my grandkids are going through this. And for those who are in lowerincome categories, qualifying categories, we have now extended in this continuing resolution the accessibility of these School Feeding programs for the next school year. Thats important. Kids, if they are going to learn, have to have we dont want them suffering from hunger in the process in any way, shape, or form in this great nation. So i want to salute not just the c. C. C. , which has been lauded over be over again in the last halfhour, but also this decision that my side of the aisle was pushing for, to extend school lunch and School Feeding programs into the next school year. I think that will give some peace of mind to administrators who are trying to cope with the current situation. Mr. President , on a completely different subject, but related. We have lost 200,000 americans to coronavirus. The predictions are that by election day there could be 300,000 deaths and by the first of next year 400,000 deaths. My heart goes out to the families affected. I listen as spokes people for the Administration Talk about the wonderful job that theyve done in defending america from the coronavirus. The numbers dont back them up at all. The United States of america has 4. 5 of the global population, 4. 5 , and yet as of this morning we have 20 of the covid19 deaths in the world. 4. 5 of the population, 20 of the covid19 deaths. This great and powerful nation with the best hospitals, doctors, and fiewrm suit cal re pharmaceutical researchers in the world has one of the worst records in fighting this virus in the world. It is sad to think that youre five times more likely to be infected by covid19 in the United States than if you were living in germany, twice as likely to be infected by covid19 in the United States than if you were living in canada canada, just across the border has an infection rate half of what the United States has. What is it that they did that we didnt do . Well, they came together as a nation with a national policy, and it worked. We didnt. This president basically said to the governors, youre on your own. As a consequence there was a mad scramble to get protective equipment, there was this mad scramble for ventilatorses, it was a freeforall when it should have been a national policy. And then when the experts told us the obvious that we ought to use these masks, that we ought to practice social distancing, wash our hands, avoid crowds, the president of the United States said just the opposite. One day he wore a mask i saw on television when he visited a veterans hospital. I dont know if hes worn one since. The medical Health Experts say this is the best way to break the back of this pandemic, this president mocked them. He had fans pointedly not Wearing Masks showing they didnt care, didnt care about any of the Public Health advice and were paying a price for it. More people are infected in this country than in canada at double the rate here over canada, five times the rate over germany and so many more have died in this country who should be living today. The president at various times has said when asked about the deaths, it is what it is. Thats an offthecuff dismissal of the issue which is beneath the dignity of any leader of either political party. Despite the urgent needs of families, businesses, and unemployed workers across the country, we havent followed through followed through on the original cares act which passed in the chamber on march 26. It was on that day by a vote of 960 that republicans and democrats said we take this seriously, march 26, and were going to dedicate 3 trillion to making sure that we fight this virus and that we do everything in our power to cushion the shock of the Economic Impact of this virus on america. I went home after that and people said i cant believe 960, democrats and republicans agreed. Well, we did. There were some proposals in there that were brandnew. The Paycheck Protection Program that senators rubio and cardin constructed. I think ive been told they spent perhaps two weeks in writing this more important program. Was it perfect . By no means. We realized after a few months and weeks it needed to be changed and it changed several times but the concept was sound to give money to Small Businesses so they could keep people on the payroll, pay their rent, pay their ewe tilts. These are the fundamentals that businesses need so they might reopen and put he people back to work. It was a great program. It should be extended even further. I think there should be a second round. I also think there should be a second round when it comes to Unemployment Benefits. The 600 a week that we provided, which, incidentally, is subject to taxation and people should remember. But the 600 a week, which we provided over and above state benefits, made a dramatic difference in the lives of americans. Its critics from the outset said it will make people lazy, people will sit at home watching netflix and eating bonbons. I dont believe it. 70 of the people who have gone back to work in america since the first of the year, 70 of them were earning less money at work than they did in Unemployment Benefits and yet they went back to work. Why would they do that if it was just about whether or not you are going to be lazy or thrifty . Its because they want to be back at work for the benefits to do the work that they do and enjoy doing. And they knew that unemployment was a temporary thing, as it should be as people have an opportunity to return. So that expired july 31. The president has tried to extend it by executive order. There is question as to whether he has the authority to do that. The president s also trying to do something which i still dont understand to explain to anyone when it comes to the payroll tax. He has he is allowing employers to decide whether to suspend collection of the payroll tax to a later date. If that tax on your income of 6 or 7 is suspended but yet you have to pay it all back in the first of the year, are americans prepared to have a double taxation from their payroll check after the first of the year . And in the meantime that payroll tax is supposed to be used to Fund Social Security and medicare. If the president is not funding Social Security and medicare, what does that do to the solvency and longevity of those programs . It raises a question as to whether or not they are going to be hurt by this temporary measure. Its a very confusing proposal by the president , but hes put it on the table and were now trying to sort out the impact its going to have. We need to do more here. We shouldnt go home for this election empty handed when it comes to helping the families and businesses across america and we need to start with help to state and local governments. My state of illinois has problems, plenty of them, when it comes to pensions, for example, just like kentucky we have problems funding our pensions in illinois. But we have a second set of problems created by the pandemic, a downturn in revenue that is going to have a dramatic impact on the state budgets in illinois and other states. If we dont help these state and local governments get through this problem, they have no choice but to lay off important, vital employees. Law enforcement, firefighting, health care, just to name a few. When people talk about defunding the police, im afraid if we dont give a helping hand to state and local governments, were actually going to see the dwung of some Law Enforcement defunding of some Law Enforcement across the country. Thats why this side of the aisle is pushing for state and local assistance as part of any package that we pass. The majority leader knows this needs to be done. The playbook is right in front of him for another relief bill. We did it back in march with the cares act. To negotiate a real package with Real Solutions for the American People, the majority leader needs to show show up at the negotiating table. Impossible to explain why senator mcconnell boycotted the negotiation sessions between the white house and Democratic Leaders in congress. There was an empty chair waiting for him but he never filled it. Im introducing legislation this week to help workers who have been furloughed or laid off during the pandemic from losing their Health Insurance. I cant imagine a worst situation in the midst of a Public Health crisis to loose your Health Insurance coverage. If youve been laid off, your options are a few, but only a few. You may qualify for medicaid, its possible. You might go to the Affordable Care act and go on the exchange and find an insurance policy that works for you and your family, but theres an option called cobra where you would take the Health Insurance offered in your workplace and decide to keep it but to pay the employers share as well as the employees share on premiums. The problem, of course, is that it is very expensive. On average cobra costs 600 to keep the Health Insurance you head at work for an individual, 1,700 a month for a family. 600 a week sounds like a lot of money, times four weeks 2,700, but if it is going just to maintain your Health Insurance from where your work, you can see there is virtually no benefit. It is estimated that nearly 23 million workers could Lose Health Coverage during the course of this pandemic. This happens to be near the number who were given Health Insurance under the Affordable Care act, and now they stand to lose at least at least the same number stand to lose their Health Insurance because of the pandemic. Are we going to sit still for this or are we going to help these families . My bill, which i will be introducing with senator cortez masto and others will cover the cost of cobra, allowing newly unemployed americans to keep their Health Coverage during this difficult time. This mirrors what was passed in the heroes act in the house in may in may, four months ago, and it is vital to help those whose jobs have been taken away by the pandemic. We have waited four months to do something here in the senate and weve done nothing. Senator mcconnell brought a bill up two weeks ago that was so thin and so wanting that it really didnt address the problems that this nation faces. Mr. President , theres a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson foundation that house of chicago households have reported having lost a their jobs, someone in their house lost a job, half, since the start of the pandemic, half of chicagos households have reported facing serious financial problems during the pandemic and problem caring for their children. 35 reporting that they used up all or most of their savings. This is a terrible situation, a challenging situation. We owe it to this country and the people we represent not to ignore it. As we know, the pandemic has disproportionately affected our minority communities. Nearly 70 of black families and 63 of latina families in chicago report having serious financial problems, 70 of families, 63 of latinax problems. While it reflects many of those in chicago, there is no doubt that this is the story of many cities across the nation. Thats why we need a federal response. We need to do what is necessary to help these families, businesses, cities and states get back on their feet. But instead the Senate Republicans proposed an inadequate partisan bill with no negotiations with the other side of the aisle that failed to prioritize the needs of the struggling americans. The bill fails to provide another round of impact payment for families or hazard pay for essential workers, fail to provide relief to state and local government to help teachers, e. M. T. s, firefighters and police. A week from tuesday is october 1, which means rent will be due and many families will not be able to do it. We need help on a bipartisan basis. I agree with federal chairman powell, if we dont move and move quickly to address this issue, the economy could sink even deeper and recovery be even further in the distance and in the meantime the debt and deficit of the country would be even worse. 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 John Charles Hinderaker 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 John Charles Hinderaker 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 vote vote the presiding officer have all senators voted . Does any senator wish to change their vote . On this vote, the yeas are 71, the nays are 26. The motion is agreed to. A senator mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from idaho. Mr. Risch mr. President and fellow senators, i rise today to honor and speak about the importance of Small Businesses, in particular in relation to National Small business week. Idahos Small Businesses are the engine that powers our states economy. They are not they not only provide us with goods and services, local but with immeasurable community value. With the onset and spread of covid19, this year has presented idahos Business Owners with challenges not seen in our lifetime. Even under normal circumstances. Business ownership takes remarkable courage and commitment. With the pandemic, the challenges associated with entrepreneurship have increased dramatically. Throughout 2020, idahos Small Businesses have shown tremendous determination as they have strived to serve their customers and keep their doors open to people in their communities. During this years National Small business week, i want to take this opportunity to recognize the resilience and courage of Small Businesses throughout the gem state and encourage idahoans to continue to support the local shops, restaurants, and businesses that make our communities vibrant. I firmly believe that Small Business relief is a shared bipartisan priority. Here in the senate, we will continue to work to deliver relief to idahos Small Businesses so that we can get back on the path to recapturing the unprecedented prosperity our economy provided before this crisis began. Idahoans are set apart by their grit, selfreliance, and their deep commitment to community. I am constantly reminded of this and proud of it when i see idahos Small Businesses enduring and supporting one another through these uncertain times. Thank you, mr. President. Mrs. Feinstein mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from california. Mrs. Feinstein thank you very much. Id like excuse me. I rise today in honor of Justice Ruth Bader ginsburg. Justice ginsburg was a role model for many and a champion for all. And i was one of those. Id like to speak about whats at stake for the American Public with this vacancy of the court and why whoever is elected president in november should be the one who decides to fill this seat. Justice ginsburg was, simply put, a phenomenal lawyer and jurist. She was small and she was mighty. As a civil rights lawyer, she won key cases that established womens constitutional right to equal treatment and confirmed the principle of equal rights for all. And as a jurist, she further cemented these key principles into law. So she brought them up, and she made them exist forever. As a person, she brought smiles to our faces, and now she really does bring tears. Those although small in stature, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a formidable advocate, strategist, and champion. She will, i believe, continue to serve as a major role model for generations of women, both young and old, for whom she paved the way. And i am one of those. We are in her debt today and generations to come will be in her debt as well. Justice ginsburg is also important to me personally. Her confirmation hearing was the first i participated in as a newly elected senator and the first woman to sit on the Judiciary Committee in 1993. Thats a long time ago. As i said before the committee in 1993, it was not until i began preparing for Justice Ginsburgs confirmation that i learned how she built the foundation for womens rights. Simply put, it was this before becoming a judge on the d. C. Circuit, Justice Ginsburg was a director of the aclu womens rights project where she won five cases before the Supreme Court. Amazing. Five cases before people believed women had these rights. In one of these cases, craig v. Boren, the Supreme Court held for the first time that the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment applied to a woman. Can you believe it . Actually applied to a woman. This is a very big addition because this really canceled out inequality. In other words, it is because of Justice Ginsburgs advocacy as a lawyer that the government cannot discriminate against women on the basis of sex. So for the female side of this room, this is this was really a major person whose works enabled us to run for this esteemed body and be part of it. Its no surprise then that Justice Ginsburg remained a fierce defender of women from the bench. She consistently reaffirmed a womans right to choose and uphold roe v. Wade against dozens of attacks. She invalidated the mensonly policy at the Virginia Military institute, explaining the decision at a visit to v. M. I. , Justice Ginsburg told cadets that she knew, quote, it would make v. M. I. A better place, end quote. And in 2007, she vehemently dismissed excuse me dissented in a case where the courts majority held that a woman, namely one Lilly Ledbetter, with whom we have become familiar, was time barred from suing her employer for discrimination. And when she finally learned that her male colleagues had been paid more than her for several years. So Justice Ginsburgs dissent in this case became the basis for the Lilly Ledbetter fair pay act which we passed in 2009. Making it possible to bring lawsuits when genderbased pay discrimination is actually uncovered. As a testament to the legal giant that she was, Justice Ginsburgs accomplishments on behalf of women are just one part of her legacy. And that legacy i strongly believe is going to be honored more and more in the years to come. She died last friday, just 46 days before the 2020 president ial election. Importantly, under a republican standard adopted in 2016, the senate should not consider a Supreme Court nomination until after the inauguration of the next president , whoever that may be. Until recently, republicans have been intent on their own standard which they used to block consideration of merrick garland, president obamas nominee to fill Justice Scalias seat on the court. Now, can we have one set of rules for democratic president s and another for republican ones . I think not. And to allow otherwise undermines not only our faith in congress but also the faith of people that were going to stick by what we do and be impartial in the judicial system. Now, just 41 days before the election, Senate Republicans must abide by their own standard. So whats at stake . Theres a great deal of attention this week as to whom the president might select. The simple truth, however, is his. No matter who President Trump nominates, fundamental rights and protections must be considered because they become at risk if the nominee doesnt respond positively and effectively to these. For example, in november, the court will hear a renewed legal challenge brought by the Trump Administration to the Affordable Care act. Given President Trumps promise to appoint a judge who excuse me, a justice who would strike down the Affordable Care act, Health Care Access and protections for the nearly 130 million nonelderly americans with preexisting conditions are really in certain peril. And we have every reason for serious consideration and opposition if this protection is not continued. It is unbelievable that during a pandemic that has already killed more than 200,000 americans, this president and his allies are rushing the nomination that could lead up to 30 million americans without health care. I hope that doesnt happen. The next justice will also decide cases concerning womens reproductive rights, voting rights, access to justice, environmental protections, the rights of lgbtq americans and the rights of american workers. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion of all these rights and protections. She is very hard to replace, and it is important to think of those rights that need continued protection when the replacement is made by the president. We cannot allow the senate and the president to jam through a nominee who will undo this legacy which is so important to every american, because every american has that legacy today firm and uses it virtually every day of their life. So we are ready to fight, and we will do everything in our power to safeguard these hardwon rights and protections. Its really important, mr. President. And of all the nominations i have sat as a fairly longterm member, since 1993, of the Judiciary Committee, these protections and rights are really all important and must be protected. So they will be what were looking at when the nominee comes to the senate. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I yield the floor. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Ms. Ernst mr. President , i have eight requests for committees to meet during todays session of the senate. They have the approval of the minority and majority leaders. The presiding officer duly noted. Ms. Ernst mr. President mpt. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Ms. Ernst thank you, mr. President. I grew up on a family farm with modest means. As a young girl, i saw washington, d. C. As a place for men and big fancy suits and big fancy houses. And while a lot has changed since that time, for one, there are a lot more women like myself serving in the senate, so much here is still the same. You see, too many folks in washington get their paycheck from american taxpayers, but dont honor the folks that pay their salary. Instead of holding bad actors accountable, whether its reckless spending or raunchy behavior on taxpayers dime, it gets swept under the rug. Let me give you an example. I have a bill right now, its called the billiondollar boondoggle act. It passed committee unanimously. It is actually one of the simplest bills i have ever introduced. It literally requires the government to report report on projects that are, number one, behind schedule and, number two, over budget. A simple reporting requirement. And, again, it passed through the committee unanimously. The bill has the support of my republican colleagues, but im being stonewalled by my friends across the aisle. Folks, i cannot fathom why some Senate Democrats would oppose a reporting requirement to identify wasteful spending. You might ask if this bill is so simple, why does it mean so much to you . Because it matters to my fellow iowa taxpayers. They expect washington to use their texas dollars wisely to use their tax dollars wisely, not throw them down into bottomless sinkholes that go unnoticed. Ask any Small Business owner in iowa whether the bottom line allows them to be over budget or behind schedule. They would be out of business, folks. They would be out of business in a heartbeat. And yet, we cant even pass a bill to report on these cost overruns, much less address them. But i guess it is perfectly fine for washington to take more and more from working families and Small Businesses . Folks, i think its just down right shameful that we just cant pass this simple, simple bill. And ill remind you again, it passed unanimously through committee. Now while theres a heck of a lot of political posturing that goes on in the senate, we have had moments where we have come together and reined in the ticker tape parade of washingtons excesses. For instance, we passed my squeal act which was signed into law as part of the tax cuts and jobs act of 2017. Im proud of that effort because there is no reason that members of congress should enjoy tax perks that dont get enjoyed by everyone else. My Bipartisan Program management improvement and accountability act was signed into law, creating more efficiency and oversight in the federal government. And i certainly have not stopped fighting to rein in president ial perks. Ive also worked with colleagues who couldnt be more different than me politically, and weve actually accomplished really important things for the American People. Ill name a few of those. We fought against the abuse in the olympics. Weve worked to stop prison rape. Weve expanded telehealth and Mental Health services for our veterans. We fought against opioids in our communities and so much more. Working across the aisle, folks, it really does take humility. It takes honesty and it takes a firm belief in america and her people. But we can do this. I would urge all of my colleagues to support my bill and move it through the senate. Living in iowa, i am so blessed to be around the best people that america has to offer. Im lucky to not just call these people farmers, but also friends and neighbors. Iowans are strong. Iowans are resilient. And iowans are brave. I have long said we need more of iowa in washington, and i will keep fighting to make sure that happens. Thank you, mr. President. I yield the floor, and i would note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call ms. Duckworth mr. President . The presiding officer the senator from illinois. Ms. Duckworth mr. President , i ask that the quorum call be lifted. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Duckworth thank you, mr. President. A fivefoot oneinch giant, Ruth Bader Ginsburg changed this nation and the potentials of my own lifetime and again, seeing no challenge too big and finding no cause too small to fight for. A woman with the softest voice yet the most powerful words one could ever imagine, she made it her lifes work to lift up the voices of others who all too often had been silenced or ignored. With every case she argued, with every ruling she issued, with every dissent she penned, Justice Ginsburg helped push our country towards that more Perfect Union our founders wrote of in the constitution that she believed in so fiercely. Our democracy may have been founded in the 18th century, but it wasnt fully built when the ink dried on the declaration of independence. It was shaped and strengthened, forged and formed, not just by those whose faces loom large on mt. Rush more, but by someone who is often the smallest, quietest person in nearly every room she ever walked into. It is because of her brilliance and resilience that so many of us have the rights that we too often take for granted, and it is because of her that who i am today is possible. Long before she was a Supreme Court justice, she was a relatively unknown Law School Professor who altered the course of hoe when she argued that the history when she argued that equal protection under the 14th amendment didnt just mean equal protection for men. Her first landmark vick tray was reflected in the choice of a male plaintiff to demonstrate that discrimination on the basis of sex harms every american, male and female alike. Suddenly you thanks to this idealistic young lawyer who spent her law school years having her place questioned because of her sex, it became illegal to discriminate against women because they happened to be women. That same tenacity, that same trailblazing intellect, that same woman also helped pave the way for me to succeed as a woman in the military. In 1973 she made sure that the equal rights for women shed helped secure extended to the women seeking to defend our nation, arguing and winning her first case in front of the Supreme Court, getting the justices to rule in 81 fashion that the military could not give a female Service Member fewer benefits than her male counterparts. Her life, her position and title changed over the next couple of decades, as we all well know. But her convictions did not. 23 years after standing in front of the bench of the highest court in the land to argue that our armed forces could not discriminate against a woman in their ranks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself sat on that very same bench and issued a ruling that changed everything for countless women dreaming of serving their country in uniform. She struck down the statefunded Virginia Military institutes maleonly acceptance policy, granting women the ability to learn and train alongside men at one of the top military academies in the nation. In a ruling i plan to read out loud to my little girls some night instead of their usual bedtime stories, she wrote of potential v. M. I. Students arguing that, and i quote, generalizations about the way women are estimates whats appropriate for most women no longer justifies denying the opportunity to woman who is talent and capacity place them outside the average description. I cant begin to imagine the number of women generals and flag officers and Service Members she paved the wait for with those rulings. But i do know the story of one, not a flag officer, just me, myself. As i was a couple years in the army when she wrote that decision, Ruth Bader Ginsburg helped make my career in the military possible. She helped make my hope of one day serving in a combat role, regardless of my gender, of one day commanding a unit despite most i my crew, men, being achievable. You know, yesterday i told my 5yearold abigail, named for abigail adams, another feminist, that we were taking a field trip instead of our usually homeschooling routine and i took her and her youngest sister, milie, to the steps of the highest court in the land. I didnt expect to get emotional. I didnt expect to tear up. But with myle in my lap and abigail by my side, i started to cry. It wasnt just my military career that Ruth Bader Ginsburg helped to make possible but my family, too. I may never have been able to become a mom if it wasnt for Justice Ginsburg. Without her, without what she did to safeguard health care and reproductive freedoms, i might never have been able to get pregnant through i. V. F. I might never have been able to have my two little girls, never would have been able to watch abigail place a bouquet of white roses on the step of the Supreme Court if Ruth Bader Ginsburg hadnt spent decades in that vey same building defending my rights. She changed no, she gave me the opportunity to achieve my life as it is today. But her passing isnt just heartbreaking for me and countless other women across this country. It is a loss for our entire nation. It is a loss for justice, a loss for equality. So while today ill continue to mourn everything we lost when she passed last friday, tomorrow i promise that im going to roll up my sleeves and honor her in the way i believe most true to how she lived her life by fighting like hell for whats right and for all of our rights. My daughters might be too young to remember going to the Supreme Court to pay our respects to r. B. G. , but they will know her legacy. And already every day they are living proof of its power. And with that, i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call the presiding officer the senator from ohio. Mr. Brown thank you, mr. President. I ask to dispense with the quorum call. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Brown thank you, mr. President. The coronavirus has been the great revealer in our country. This crisis, of course, isnt happening in a vacuum. Its layered atop a system that was not working for a whole lot of people and had centuries of racism built into it. Few places is that more true than our housing system. When it comes to housing, like so many problems in this country, we have a president who makes things worse, not better. For four years now President Trump and his administration has systematically undermined fair housing. I would add, mr. President , since the senator from utahs in the presiding officers chair, i would do a shoutout for his father for what he did for h. U. D. In the late 1960s and 1970s. That was not in my prepared remarks, but thank you. The trump agenda is very different from the agenda in the remove any h. U. D. Administration, leaves people with people of color and people with disabilities and people from the Lgbtq Community behind. I released a report from the banking and housing committees how the Trump Administration has made housing worse we have the work we have to do to undo the damage. 50 years ago after Congress Passed the Fair Housing Act, access to housing remains not just unequal but separate and unequal. The contours of our country are too often still defined by black, latino, asian or white neighborhoods all with very Different Levels of access to resource, schools, grocery stores, clean air and water, public safety. This is not an accident. Its been done by design. For decades the federal government not only not only condoned housing segregation and discrimination, perhaps unbelievably, perhaps not, it actively promoted it. We all know that black codes. We know about jim wrote. Even if crow. Even if too many want to deny, were still living with the jim crow legacy today. Discrimination was woven into the creation of our modern housing system from the beginning. After the great depression, president roosevelt created the governmentsponsored homeowners loan corporation, holc, and the federal housing administration, the f. H. A. , these could have been tools for expanding opportunity for everyone. They did that for white americans, but for black americans, they did the opposite. Holc partnered with local Real Estate Agents and appraisers to make what they called Residential Security maps. These maps used color coding to differentiate between highrisk and lowrisk neighborhoods with green signifying the best neighborhoods and red indicating a hazardous area, socalled. Neighborhoods home to people of color, even a small percentage were marked declining or hazardous. Thats what we know as red lining. It was despicable racism woven into the fabric of our housing system. We still live with the rul, results, capital flowed to white neighborhoods like neighborhoods i grew up and dried up in black neighborhoods or homes for immigrants. White borrowers were able to build wealth through homeownership that could be passed down through families. Our government systematically denied black families the same wealthbuilding opportunity. From 1968 to 1972, 98 of loans went to white families. It wasnt until Martin Luther king assassination that integrated communities were promoted. This was followed by the Home Mortgage disclosure act and equal credit opportunity act and the Community Reinvestment act. These law provided powerful tools to root out discrimination to invest in underserved communities. For too long those laws simply werent implemented. Administrations of both parties ignored the Fair Housing Acts requirement that the federal government this is a legal term that the federal government furtherly further fair housing. It took decades for all courts to say if a housing policy has a discriminatory effect, it is, in fact, discriminatory. Thats pretty simple. If a housing policy has a discriminatory effect it is in fact discriminatory. The government didnt collect enough housing data to rule out discriminatory housing. We know the 2008 crisis stripped away housing. We know that all the opportunity and stability that comes with housing remains unequal. The African American homeownership rate is 30 below the white homeowner ship rate. Analysts tried to explain the diversity with income and education as factors, but it never tells the whole story. With all else equal, black and latino rernts are more likely to pay a larger share of their income toward housing than white renters, making it even harder to get by and to save for a home. Many of us repeated many times that onequarter of renters in this country pay at least half their income in rent and utilities, meaning one thing happens in their life, their car breaks down, their child gets sick, they have a minor Workplace Injury that keeps them out of work for four or five days that everything in their lives can turn scwhrup side down upside down and be evicted, that is red lining and racial seclusion. During the last administration, president obama made significant strides in enforcing civil rights laws, but instead of continuing that progress, President Trump has simply choked that progress. Hes turned back the clock, undone the progress so many of us fought for. Over the past four years the Trump Administration has done several affirmative, if you will, affirmative things to discriminate, has done things that by themselves caused damage to the progress we have made. He appointed an o. C. C. Director to undermined the Community Investment act that will make it less like that the banks will provide the loans these communities need. He cut back on housing the Trump Administration cut back on housing data collection, allowing lending discrimination to go unchecked. The administration tried to make mortgages more expensive and harder to get, particularly for people of color. The administration denied opportunities for homeownership to hundreds of thousands of young adults. The Trump Administration forced families to choose between access to Affordable Housing and food and health care in a path to citizenship. The administration gutted the socalled desperate impact standard that helps root out policies that have hidden discriminatory effects. The Trump Administration dismantled the furtherly furthering housing rule, saying, dont try to create a better, more equal housing system, we wont help you if you want to. And on and on and on it goes. I invite everyone to read our report and join us to take action. We have work cut out for us to undo the damage President Trump has done and to get to work to erase the legacy of red lining an jim crow and build a housing system that works for everyone. Housing is the foundation of so much in life and when people start behind because they cant get access to clean, accessible, fair, and safe housing, they in many cases simply cant catch up. We have to restore the Fair Housing Act to its full strength. It means providing the tools to help communities create more housing markets to strengthening fair housing oversight. We must break down barriers to homeownership and redesign our Housing Finance system so that it invites so that it better serves black and brown communities. We are we have to protect that lgbtq seeking shelter should be treated the same as everybody else. This should be so obvious in a society like ours. The basic premise that lgbtq seeking shelter should be treated with the same dignity and respect as every other american. We must provide long overdue investments in housing in community black families have endured too many decades of our housing policies failing them. The same year we passed the Fair Housing Act, dr. King gave a speech called the other america. He said our nation has constantly taken a positive step forward in the question of racial equality but over and over again at the same time, it makes certain backwards steps. The Trump Administration is that backwards step. Fundamentally we all pretty much want the same thing, a home thats safe in a community we care about where we can get to work and our kids have a good school with room for our family whether its three kids or an aging parent or simply a beloved pet. You should get to define what home looks like for you, you should be table to find it, afford it and without the kiming stress of can i meet my mortgage every month. For too many black and brown families that has been out of reach, to find it, afford it and live in it without crippling stress. We cant keep allowing the allowing the Trump Administration to gut the tools we have to make peoples lives better. If we want to make the economy work better for everyone, including communities of color, who have been systematically executed from opportunity, we cannot shrink from these challenges. Thats the purpose of our report were issuing today because when work also dignity everyone can find and afford a place to call home. I note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Mr. Tillis mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from north carolina. Mr. Tillis mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Tillis thank you, mr. President. Mr. President , across the country americans watched in horror as news stations reported the shooting of two sheriffs deputies in los angeles who were brutally targeted by a murderous, violent criminal. And in north carolina, just two days earlier, sheriffs deputy ryan hendrix, a father of two Young Children and planning to get married was murdered in cold blood after responding to a family under siege by a federal criminal. So far in 2020 alone 37 Law Enforcement officers have been killed by violent criminals. Despite the senseless deaths and gruesome violence against police, there are those who support radical ideas like defunding and abolishing the police. These dangerous policies would allow criminals to roam flee through free 3out our countries unchallenged and unafraid. Thage vaitors have the agitators disrespect Law Enforcement and disregarding their brave service to our nation. Just look at ashville ashville, north carolina. Since june 1, over 30 Police Officers have left the Law Enforcement profession. These brave men and women are tired of being attacked physically, emotionally, personally, simply for trying to keep their community safe. Every single damn day they put on a uniform to go protect their community, not sure if theyre going to come back safe. And they do it any way, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. But theyre sick of the opportunistic politicians like the democratic leader and a. O. C. Attacking them for just doing their jobs. Worst of all is the attacks like those against the deputies in los angeles. The harmful rhetoric be used by the radical antipolice leftists emboldens catch and release and murderers. The result is brazen attacks against Law Enforcement officers in broad daylight. In light of the toxic environment created in this country, which devalues police, i believe the Senate Must Act to protect Law Enforcement officers and show them our support. Thats why ive introduced the protect and serve act with 16 of my republican colleagues. The protect and serve act would punish criminals who target Law Enforcement officers and harm them. These criminals will receive up to ten years in prison, and if they murder or kidnap Law Enforcement officer, theyll get a life sentence. Its sad that Congress Even needs to consider a bill to protect Police Officers, but let me be clear attacks of any kind against Law Enforcement officers are no laughing matter. Congress must pass the protect and serve act. Immediately. And boldly say that there is no escape from justice for dangerous criminals who intentionally assault or kill a Law Enforcement officer. Today i call on every single democrat to support this commonsense legislation. The question to them is really simple do you support the men and women in blue who fight every day to keep our communities safe, or do you support lawless, reckless, criminal mobs to want to fight the police . Its a simple question. As long as i am a he a u. S. Senator, im do everything i can to protect the men and women who protect us in our communities every single day. They expect i expect and they deserve no less. I hope my democratic colleagues can stand up to o. E. C. , the did to a. O. C. , the liberal squad and their base and do the same. It is too time restore safety in our communities. Its time to end the killing of Law Enforcement officers and people just trying to protect us every single day. Thank you, madam president. I yield the floor. Madam president , i note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call a senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from missouri is recognized. Mr. Blunt are we in a quorum call . The presiding officer yes, we are. Mr. Blunt i move we suspend the quorum call. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Blunt madam president , i want to talk for a few minutes about securing our election process. Various times in the last four years, there have been Different Levels of reasons why the federal government needed to take over the election process. For a while, it was that the process was too easily infiltrated by outside influences, and then it was covid19, and it was important that everybody vote in different ways than they had ever voted before, and somehow only the federal government could manage that. I would say that in that just as we look toward the 2020 elections, we have spent over a billion dollars i think its 1. 2 billion in funding from the congress. We have had dozens of hearings. The rules committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Homeland Security committee. There was a three and a halfyear bipartisan investigation that i was part of as part of the intel committee. And we have looked at this about every way we can. But right now, people across the country are beginning the process of casting their votes. This year, more than any other year up until now, we will have election day, but really we will have more like election month, and in some states its going to be election six or seven weeks, and so this process is starting right now. Its a process where people will decide who represents them in the white house and the congress or in some cases the city hall. In many cases, the governors mansion, and in almost all cases, the general assembly, and in all cases, the u. S. House of representatives. Confidence in the voting process is the thread that holds the fabric of democracy together. Every time we needlessly get into a discussion about whether this process is fair or safe, i think its harmful. Every time we need to have that discussion about whether its fair or safe, its, of course, not only helpful but totally appropriate. But this is the time when we need to be sure that our work has brought us to a good conclusion rather than talking about the fact that the system is not going to work. The system is going to work. As the chairman of the rules committee where we have the principal election jurisdiction or as a member of the Intelligence Committee, i spend a lot of time looking at this. I think we have been very serious in the senate particularly in considering these issues, and looking at the threats to our election system itself. Im not going to talk much in the next few minutes about false information and other things. In my view, all you have to do is turn on the television to find some false information and watch the campaign commercials. Theres a nugget of truth, perhaps, but many of them have little more than a nugget of truth in them. And, sure you im concerned about false information. Im particularly concerned about it if it comes from foreign governments, from those who wish our country ill. But theres a lot of information out there, a lot more information than theres ever been before everything and people should be very thoughtful been before, and people should be very thoughtful about the information they take