First a few administrative matters. We have gotten advice from the sergeant at arms, the health and Human Services centers for disease control, individuals in the hearing room will he at least 6 feet apart. There is no room for the public and therefore but this is all streaming and therell be an unedited version of it that anyone can watch later. Witnesses are participating by videoconference today and some senators are as well. I like to Say Something about mask. The office of attending physician has said since we are 6 feet apart we dont need to wear masks although some may. Thats why my mask is off. Although i have one and i wear it outside because as dr. Redfield reminded us yesterday its extremely important tool for stopping the spread of covid. Im grateful to the rules committee, sergeant at arms the press gallery and the Capitol Police and chung check in the Evan Griffith r. Staff, all their hard work in helping to keep us safe in helping us do these conferences by video with wh
The guest chaplain mr. President , members of the senate, may the lord be with you. Let us bow our heads in reference to his presence. God, our help in ages past, be our comfort still. Thank you for this great, great nation, and its foundation of one nation, under god, indivisible. Thank you, lord, that we can emphasize indivisible. Thank you for the liberty, the justice, and the freedoms we enjoy. We pray for all who walk these hallowed halls where lifechanging, worldchanging decisions are made. Bless this austere gathering of men and women chosen by you and the American People to serve us all. Give them wisdom to acknowledge you first in all they do. Give them grace, as has been extended to them. Guide them, o holy spirit. Guide them, o holy spirit. Fill them and this chamber with your presence, and fill these halls with your glory. When they leave today, may they say, we have not just been in the presence of men; we have been in the presence of god. Now, in the name of the one i tru
American political rhetoric and history waits to judge us, guide our lawmakers. Lord, make this Upper Chamber of the legislative branch a truly deliberative body. Learning from the lessons of history, may our senators strive to defend our constitution against all foreign and domestic enemies. Grant that this defense will involve looking before leaping. May our senators make decisions that will not seem foolish in the cool light of retro specks. Arise, oh lord, remind the nations that they are merely human. We pray in your sovereign name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. 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. Mcconnell mr. President . The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell both parties have long agreed that no child left behind is broken and needs to be fixed. The house
A partyline basis. And now, my friends, they sowed the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind. So we need to repeal the Affordable Care act and we need to replace it. Because health care in america is still not satisfactory, nor have we fulfilled the needs and our obligations that we have to all of our citizens. The problems with the Affordable Care act are well known. A failed web site rollout that has hindered enrollment and the purchase of mandated coverage. As of december 17 only an estimated 440,000 835 people have ben enrolled for a health plan. Thats 6. 2 of the enrollment goal of seven million by march 31, 2014. Theres a destruct jiff tax on medical devices that encourages these businesses to move offshore. We have already seen medical Device Manufacturers leaving the United States of america, as they said they would if they were taxed to the point where they could not be competitive with medical devices that were manufactured in foreign countries. The disappointment for americ
Island and for the last 20 years have kept you working, but this downturn closed your company or pushed you out, those skills are out of date. Good workers, long work history, they need not only the help to retrain but they certainly need the help to get from day to day to day until they get back into the work force. With that, madam president , let me again commend and thank the sponsors and the authors of this legislation and yield the floor. Mr. Isakson i note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Harkin i ask further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. The senator from iowa. Mr. Harkin mr. President , i ask consent that if the final vote on passage is successful the statement of the managers for the Work Force Innovation and opportunity act be printed in the record immediately following the text of the senatepassed bill. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Harki