Unprecedented in fact in the modern history of this country. Over the last several weeks, hundreds of thousands of americans from one end of this country to the other, pigs cities, small towns have rightly taken to the streets to demand andr and the Police Murder and brutality and in fact, to rethink the nature of policing in america. And in the midst of that, rising up for the Police Departments rethinking and the Police Departments murder and brutality in the midst of all of that, our country continues to suffer from that covid19 pandemic. And its in a number of locations in this country, is actually getting worse. And which has up to this point, killed over 110,000 people. And infected over 2 million americans. And then on top of all of that, the struggle for Racial Justice dealing with a pandemic in the midst of all of that, we have the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. In the last number of months as you know, over 32 million americans have lost thei
Please knew your microphone. Mute your microphone. [indiscernible] we have previously provided guidance as to how this would [indiscernible] [indiscernible] cspan. Org [indiscernible] [indiscernible] thank you. I want to welcome mr. Menendez and his wife. I appreciate you taking on this post. Tonk you for taking the time talk to me last week and take the best thank you for taking the time this morning. This is the first hearing the committee has held since march the 10th. Since then, millions of americans have filed for unemployment. Nearly one point 5 million have contracted covid19 and nearly 90,000 have perished from the disease. Is work in the u. S. Senate that much more critical and we respond as we respond to this pandemic and return to the economy. Second the highestranking office and the department of energy and the department has been playing a role in helping the nation fight coronavirus. The department of energy is a scientific powerhouse. Its National Laboratories are some
Protection program and businesses of all sizes have started to use the tax tools that we provided for their liquidity. But in that time the critics have also done what they do best. They criticize. The need came has seized on an opportunity to perpetuate every negative story that critics can manufacture. You can imagine my surprise when democrats criticized the net operating loss carryback provisions in the cares act. Because oddly democrats previously supported the last three bills where we expanded the net operating loss carrybacks in 2002, 2005, and even in 2009 with all democrat rule. So i dont recall in any of those instances any partisan attacks from democrats about this previously bipartisan, antirecessionary policy tools. So why now . Sadly, that irresponsibility has led our democratic colleagues in the house to pass legislation that would take back important tax tools that we have provided in the cares act to the tune of 254 billion, and thats a tax increase on the american bu
Senate to talk about how the tragic spread of the coronavirus around the world underscored the need for us to focus on the persistent challenge of china not playing by the rules. Now, in the case of coronavirus that was about china not telling the World Health Organization, not telling other countries, not telling their own people what was happening in terms of the coronavirus, not taking steps to stop International Travel early on. That wasnt playing by the w. H. O. Rules, the World Health Organization rules, and the result has been devastation. It has been the spread of the virus and so much of that devastation weve seen around the globe, in my view could have been avoided had they played by the rules. Unfortunately not playing by the rules applies to china in many other areas too. We talked about trade allot on this floor of the senate to be sure that theres a level Playing Field between china and the United States and making sure they play by the International Trading rules. But he
Nation. Number seven, not again, not ever will americans rely solely on the centers for Disease Control for testing. When called upon, our private sector has an incredible multiplier effect. Number eight, not again, not ever will we allow public misrepresentation and confusion concerning a health issue. The American People deserve timely, incredible, and accurate information, the same as for tornadoes, hurricanes, and other disasters. Number nine, not again, not ever will we be dependent on china for trade and goods, especially not for Critical Infrastructure and technology. And number ten, mr. President , not again, not ever will a Previous Administration leave an Incoming Administration without an updated, forwardlooking bipartisan policy and Preparedness Program on pandemics. And without a pathway for the products and equipment needed to go along with it. By taking these sensible steps, we will be able to protect the health and the wellbeing of the American People. These ten priorit