More than 90 effectiveness in preventing the disease. This is very helpful news. And it is a trip to the innovative power of the private sector and efforts of congress and the Trump Administration to expedite the development of Covid Vaccines. A light at the end of the tunnel looks likeat its on the way. At the same time, madam president , it is essential esst minimize whats happening with covid right now. Cases are surging and are likely to surge further. Doctors and hospitals are struggling. Its essential we maintain key Safety Measures until those vaccines arrive. Number than everng we need to kp wearing masks, washing our hands and maintaining social distance. The more responsibly that we add, the more we can protect vulnerable members of the population and keep our doctors and hospitals from being overrun. Acting responsibly can alsols hp avert for the economic set of which would be a devastating blow to a lot of struggling businesses. I know its been a long, hard year and everyone is tired of additional Safety Measures we have to take but the beginning of the end is in sight and we need to hold on for a few months longer and keeping everything we can to prevent further virus spread. At the same time, madam president , its important that state and local governments use their authority responsibly and think carefully about the impact of health and Safety Measures they are putting in place. Its also essential that elected officials ensure their respecting our constitutional rights, notably, the righthe of assembly and free exercise of religion in opposing coronavirus restrictions. I was pleased to see the Supreme Court uphold this principle in its recent decision suspending dr. Cohen in new york measures targeting houses of worship. New york city is not the only place where churches a fake disproportionally restrictea restrictions the early this year washington d. C. For example, the mayor celebrated mass protest that vastly vastly exceeded recommendations for gathering sized even as shect maintains strict restrictions on houses of worship. I was pleased w to join an amics brief to the the d. C. District court in support of Capitol Hill Baptist Church is lawsuit against the d. C. Government asking that the churches constitutional right to free exercise of its faith be respected in the same way the protesters right to freedom of speech. About this pandemic we have unfortunately seen a significant degree of hypocrisy from many on the left to a call for or imposed strict restrictions on activities that they deem nonessential while sullivan activities that they approved of but posed a significant risk of coronavirus transmission. Madam president , the First Amendment cannot be applied selectively. When imposing restrictions we need the Great Respect for first freedom, the free exercise of religion and ensure churches are not subjected to disproportionally sever measures. Moren than that politician shoud do everything that they can to ensure the religious worshipas s supported as far as possible during the pandemic. Worship is an essential activity and it should be accorded same respect and deference to governments have accord to liquor stores, bike shops and nail salons. Madam president , in the next couple of Weeks Congress will be passing key legislation putting a bill to fund the government. I am hoping will be able to add a a covid relief bill to that list. While the Money Congress has hasady invested a release gone a long way toward meeting the countries needs theres more that we need to do. Republicans put forward an additional target of relief package months ago butt democrat spent the fall delaying additional covid relief by insisting on bloated legislation field with unrelated and unreasonable demands. Its been impossible to negotiate with democrats for the simple reason that democrats have made it clear that compromise is not an option. Its our way or the highway, democrats have said. Its either an multitrillion dollar bill, or nothing at all. Madam president , democrats have to know thatha they dont have a chance of getting theirnc bill through both houses of congress and to the president s desk. So the reasonable thing for them to do if they really want to help americans would be to work with republicans to pass a bill that delivers at least some of what they want. Republicans and democrats agree on a number of things from more money for schools, testing, and vaccines, to another round of Paycheck Protection Program relief for the hardest hit Small Businesses. We should be able to arrive to compromise legislation that both sides can agree to. We should pass that compromised legislation before the end of the year. I was encouraged to hear a few democrats are looking to develop bipartisan coronavirus legislation, and i hope we will be able to convince the speaker of the democratic leader here in the senate that working with republicans really working with them and not pretending to negotiate refusing to actually compromise is the right thing to do for the american people. Its been a a rough year for te country, madam president. Lets close it out by working together to deliver the additional relief that american state to whether the rest of this pandemic. Madam president , i yield the floor. Madam president . Senator fromrb illinois. Madam president , howt, bad is the trannine pandemic . Im sure we each look at it in personal and family terms. We have just gone through a thanksgiving like no others there. For my family for many others who decided the safety was more important than being physically in the same room. With the family members we love him so we turned a stein, soon, and to the other contrivance we can find facetime zoom tot remain in connection with those we love. At the situation is dire. In my home state i can use one example of how bad it is. It will mean much to those who listening, but the city of st. Louis is a large metropolitan area, millions of people. I grew up nearby on the illinois side of the river. One day last week the st. Louis hospitals were unable to take a covid19 patient, and as result that patient was transported almost 100 miles away to quincy illinois to hospital. So the patient to receive the care that they need. Think of that. Not an Available Space in the city of st. Louis. Last month, a dear friend of mine feeling ill who lived in illinois, with over to the st. Louis area in which one of the most outstanding hospitals in the city. Sheas was told she couldnt be admitted because there was no room for her. She went to the second most reputable hospital in the city with the same report. Finally, with a third try she was admitted to another hospital. Three days later she passed away. In desperate situations she was turned away from two major hospitals because they didnt have been. So we can argue long and hard about the danger of this covid19, whether it is something to take seriously or not. There are still those whoit inst it is not. What we cant escape the reality that 13 million americans have already come 13. 5 million have already been infected with the covid virus, and over 267,000 american lives have been lost. My heart goes out to those families, their loved ones, several of whom were my friends, and one very close friend who lost their lives. And for all of those who are fighting covid19 today, including members of congress, i wish them well. Godspeed, get well, come back and join us in a positive way. Theres a number of infected americans continues to rise, it is vital we continue to take safety precautions, social distance, wearing masks,om stayg home as much as possible. I am worried about, the health and safety of our country but im also worried about the millions of americans who find themselves in dire straits as Economic Impact of this pandemic lingers. I think of some of the restaurants in chicago and in my own hometown that i visited over my life from time to time. They are gone. They are not going to return. Sadly, everyday decisions are being made by businesses just like those that they just cant continue to lose money. It included is a a call to actn for congress to do something. Some choose to focus on this status of the stock market, indexes are monthly job reports as proof the economy is recovered. In fact, i met with a group of senators from the other side of the aisle who said it is the dominant opinion of majority of republican senators that we dont need a stimulus, that we have recovered, are on our way. I dont see it that way at all. I think we clearly need to breathe life into this economy that reaches families, neighborhoods, communities and towns. The wall street journal and the dow jones average are interesting to read, but for americans its not part of the regular life experience. Its just a question of whether not they can keep their family owned business open or whether not that store or that restaurant they always valued as part of their community is gone forever. We know the stock market and a single jobs report are not reliable measure of the economys Overall Health at the fact is too Many Americans are still living life on the brink look at the long lines of people in their cars waiting for food, spending hours of their day trying to get a donation of food some of the embarrassed by the experience, but they should not be. It reflects the reality what life is like for many people who just a short time ago were volunteers at that same bank for contributed to it. They are waiting anxiously for the him him him go. Order of hospitalsit and doctors who have been the key with month on the front lines. I cant help but be personally moved by these doctors and nurses who stand before us and talk about what its like to be in the emergency room day after day after day. These are rocksolid professionals who have given device their life to the medical profession. How many times have watched them break downe in tears as they tel us what theyre going through . You talk aboutes the emotional stress that we face, the depression we face having to stay home and away from our friends and family. Think about what they faced every single day, plus the danger to their own personal health and the danger to the families as part of this. It really begs for us to take this much more seriously or on the floor of the United States senate. In the weeks leading up to thanksgiving one in eight americans 26 million didnt have enough to eat. Millions of americans are claiming some form of unemployment insurance. If we do nothing, if we do nothing in the senate, other than the executive, which republicans that refer to this morning, the day after christmas, 12 million americans will be cut off entirely from unemployment assistance. 12 million. And if we dont do something, those families will be in a desperate situation. If Congress Fails act that day is going to be an ominous, dark day in our history. The issues facing our state and local governments who were at the forefront of combating this crisis continues to be a priority. Their budgets are being hammered by shrinking revenues and without additional aid manual have no choice but to cut Important Services that many rely upon or raise taxes on families alreadyit hardhit. We must take action to protect our state and local government workers. The firefighters, the teachers, the first responders. In the coming weeks as many as 30 million americans are facing the risk of eviction without additional help. Merry christmas. You have been evicted. Just a few weeks ago nearly 12 million americans indicated they would be unable to pay their rent or mortgage in december. Where will they go . Helps keep families in their homes during this Public Health crisis moving into winter months has to be a top priority. For those who are saying we are out of the woods, we dont need a stimulus, look at those numbers on the dow jones index, i asked that you tell that to 20 million americans receiving unemployment today or the countless Small Businesses that are facing closure. Theres still a lot of hurt out there and we need to get more relief to those who need it. News of the Covid Vaccine development is promising, but we are many much from building up the community we need. In the meantime we must confront the fibers with investments and testing, tracing and healthcare. I want to at this point sent word about an effort that was announced this morning say a word ive been a part of for several weeks. A five person group of senators and congressmen have been talking about the variations that i raised in this speech a bipartisan group. I cant tell how many hours they put into it. We have a group of eight senator scott four democrats and format republicans on this side of the rotunda and a Similar Group on the other side of house members trying tobeen bipartisan path out of his current situation. I want to salute them come on the democratic side of what you think mark warner, virginia, joe manchin of west virginia, and Jeanne Shaheen of new hampshire. Its been my honor to sit at the table and zoom callsal our after hour after hour as we hashed through some difficult choices that need to be made. On the republican side, susan collins, lisa murkowski, bill cassidy and mitt romney. They have put as much time as i have a many times more in this effort to bring us to a point where we can offer a solution. They announced this morning that theyve come to a conclusion that the spending part of this is going to be manageable, doable on an bipartisan basis ad should be called ont the floor for passage. I will tell you that the 908 billion package they put together is not what i wanted. I believe there should be dramatically larger amounts put intoll this effort but theres someone at thee side of the aise to believe that little or nothing is needed. They have tried to find a a mie ground and i believe i have with the 908 908 billion. The way its allocated across the board inbo a draft framework hits the major elements that we need to act on before we go home for christmas in this month of december. I am not happy with a lot of these figures but thats what its all about in this world of the United States congress. You come together willing to sit down and listen to the other side and if necessary compromise so at the end of the day you have something to show for their efforts. The reason i didnt participate in the press conference this morning is because of the very end and issue came up which i think is really so important that has to be resolved and resolve fairly, thats the issue of immunity from liability. Many oft us believe that businesses, most businesses are doing everything they can think of to keep their employees and the customers as soon as possible and i salute them for that. But many of them as well believe that we needy to have standards that they can live up to. So if they are ever challenged by an employee, customer or even in court they can turn to a a standard of care and point that they did everything that they could be expected due at that moment in time. I believe that is a good defense and always has been to in accusations of wrongdoing, there are some who believe they should be a different standard. An. And in reasonable standard, one that in think those too far in providing immunity from liability not just for good businesses but also for those who are not. And there are some. We need to have the court available for those who have been treated badly. I think of the Meat Processing plants and some of the activities that were involved in the earliest stages where the employees didnt receive the basic protection be needed. They came down with the covid virus in men had very serious consequences in their lives. I believe they deserve a day in court but i want to make sure that we passed this covid19 bill as the group has brought together come Something Like it, for 908 billion. Billion. We shouldnt be delayed or diverted from this effort by a debate over immunity froms liability. Its an important issue but 38 states have already enacted laws relating to covid19 liability. The others can certainly do if they wish, if they think they need it. Were told theres a tsunami of lawsuits covid19 lawsuits that are being brought against individuals and businesses. Ithi turns out nothing could be further from the truth here there is an organization known as hunting andrews curtis that monitors all lawsuits that are filed in the United States every day, and they have sought out how many lawsuits relate to covid19 and the coronavirus. Most recent report is this. Out of some 12. 513,000,000 12. N americans have been infected with the covid virus, only 6273 lawsuits have been brought in the entire nation in the year 2020 that mentioned the term covid19 or coronavirus. You think boy, thats a lot of lawsuits to be filed against doctors and nurses in hospitals, dirk let me tell you come out of the total number, 6000 lawsuits, only ten, ten nationwide have been filed for malpractice claims, medical malpractice claims. Ten lawsuits. We ought to close the doors of the court to people who are seeking relief when so few lawsuits have been filed. Makes no sense at all. How many personal injury suits come how many people have sued some person or entity or business saying on your premises i contracted this covid19 . Well, outec of 13 million have been affected, you think the number would be enormous. 22. Thats thebe number. 22 personal injury lawsuits have been filed. 110 of these additional number, have been filed by employees for workplace situations. Out of all these lawsuits in the United States of america for malpractice personal injury and workplace complaints come we are 142 lawsuits nationwide. Billion relief over this. You want to know where most of the lawsuits are being filed . Theyre being filed between businesses as well as businesses versus our Insurance Companies and prisoners who are petitioning the court for release from what they consider to be dangerous circumstances. Those those are the lawsuits that make up the bulk of the cases filed so far. There is no soon on the of lawsuits. States are handling this matter responsibly and effectively and theres no indication that our court system in this ycountry need to be dramatically changed. That is why i had tim this morning at mypress conference. The group has not agreed on the basic issue of liability but there were statements grbeing made that i couldnt agree with and i didnt want to suggest that i did and thats why i didntattend. I still want to work on it i and find a bipartisan way to protect the rights of individuals who have been wronged, have their day in court, not to extinguish or take away any rights of any people, to acknowledge the states have made decisions on covid19 and moving forward and doing a fine job as those members have indicated. Let us not make the best the enemy of the good. For thoserepublicans who believe that the bill on liability is an essential part of this the Small Businesses across america because we need to fire upthis battle. The democrats have insisted that we would have no covid19 bill unless we have minimum wage or family leave. Youd say why dont yousave that debate for another day. We dont need it at this moment. We do need it as a nation but thats this moment. This moment we need to pass Emergency Assistance for the families and businesses across america. I see this bipartisan effort and im glad i spent the time that i did and im sure we can work some more. We can come to a conclusion and we must. For the United States senate to finish this month without dealing with this very basic covid19 relief package is fundamentally wrong. Av