Faced with the worst economic crisis in 75 to 80 years. The message from the Republican Senate of the aisle this think small. Do as little as possible. See how this works out pretty edit time when we have unemployment figures breaking all records, when we have ten times and deployment claims in illinois that we did a year ago, might add it tenme times the employment claims in the commonwealth of kentucky. That they did a year ago, we consider hearing from the republican side of the aisle that the problem with our economy is not unemployment. Is the fact that the people who are unemployed or be given too much money. Right now we have a federal benefit package with 600 week. It is enacted in the care sacked in march 26th rated and it expires in three days. 600 week, over the state payment. The republicans have suggested, is to cut that 600 federal supplement to 200. And then they turned and say, what we really want to do is compensate the worker with 70 percent of what they were earning when they were laid off. Theres a real serious problem t here that theyre not disclosing to the american people. Back in march, when we proposed a similar approach or one that took into consideration the previous wages of an unemployed worker, who told us to stop that consideration rated the secretary of labor. And they came to us and i was admitting what he said you dont understand pretty cannot make this kind of change in the states because there are 50 different Computer Systems and the Employment Security officers across each and every state in the union. They cannot make this adjustment or change. The only way they told us is a flat dollar amount to each unemployed worker. Which is exactly what we did. Now the republican come to us and ignore that advice and ignore that guidance that led to the 600 a week come up with an elaborate formula and 70 percent of what your day before. It we surveyed a dozen states and they all told us impossible to five or six month before we are ready to do something in that manner. And that means for millions of americans, currently u unemployd the possibility of only receiving 200 a week until sunday in the future when the state unemployment systems can possibly change. They made a big point as the center made on the fourth this morning about 1200 check, cash payment. Such as had back in march. Im not opposed to that. President s desperate for because he gets to sign the checks. He wants a signature of the checks are going out to these individuals. But mr. President this was wrong, be my guest. Itll help working families but make no mistake there 1200 check to family that was receiving 600 a a week in 240a month is cold comfort. The moreac help them pay these bills that they face every single month. I only wish the republicans calling for these dramatic cuts in an employment compensation for millions of americans, 30 million americans, the only wish they would go home to kentucky and other states. And sit down for a meal with an unemployed family and let them tell these republicans were there facing each and every month trying to get by. Even with his unemployment check. Theres an assumption, these people have a lot of money in savings. Its not reality. In the real world, half of American Families have little or no savings. Even before this current economic downturn. Imagine what theyre going through now. The sacrifices that they have t. Make. Surely the Republican Leaders have heard the stories, are seen firsthand as i have. Family showing up at food banks and pantries and looking for a helping hand with something on to feed the family sprayed some of them with their eyes down to the ground. With tears no size because they never dreamed they would be in this position in life. And was the alternative suggested from the republican side. Cut the Unemployment Compensation for millions of americans at this moment in history. Y. Think small the republican state. We can get through this by doing as little as possible. It is not true. Have been told over i and over again that if we take your foot off the accelerator to try to move this economy out of the ditch, it will crash even further. And we dont want that to we want people to get back into working businesses to reopen in schools to reopen. With that to do the right thing in terms of providing compensation to individuals. I reject the premise that many republicans bring to this conversation. If you are not rich, you must be lazy in america. I do think and appoint people in this country are lazy people. I think the hardworking people who have been dealt with debt and trend dealt with the tough hand of cards. Try to keep their families together. Theyre cutting unemploymenton compensation at this moment in history is cruel. Its inhuman, and insensitive to the realities these families are facing every single day. There is one provision they came out yesterday dont want to. Jasmine for a moment. Months, senator mcconnell said come to the floor and criticized Speaker Pelosi for her efforts to pass the heroes aftermost ten weeks ago. Ten weeks ago. The house of representatives passed legislation to provide covid19 relief that we knew was coming. Because many of the Unemployment Benefits are going to expire in just a few days. She saw that coming in ten weeks ago, did with that was the right thing tosh do. She mustered her troops, they voted for the package to move this forward. Help state and local governments, thanks to the reality of this economy. Else hospitals and helps individuals pay for their health insurance, a good package one that i could readily support. Sooner falcon to the floor frequently. Regularly. Several times a week saying how bad the package was. How terrible it was. But he did nothing where the republicans propose no alternative. Just like the affordable cares act they did everything they can hundred 50 times to try to repeal it and never once proposed to notes alternative freighted the same thing is true when it comes to this covid19 really credit the circumstances, this proposal yesterday, was brought by senator korman and on behalf of himself and senator mcconnell to address the issue of the immediate of corporations for lawsuits that have any relation to covid19. Immunity these corporations. So they would be held liable if in fact not performing up to the standard necessary to protect employees and customers. Sixtyfive pages long. It is a big giveaway to these corporations in america. It does nothing to protect workers. Active Safety Standards or give business incentives to take proper precautions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. In fact this bill does just the opposite pretty gives workers and victims, since the problem. In hurdles with covid19 related claims from having a day in court. What the bilodeau is a full sweeping federal preemption on the rights of workers and victims toe bring cases in state quarters for covid19 related arm. Require businesses to act with reasonable care. Then i would say the c businesss are shielded from liability in federal court if they merely make an effort to comply with the weakest available mandatory Safety Standards that apply to them. So what are the kinds of Safety Standards that the bill would urge businesses tohe follow. Certainly what it be the guidelines of the senators for Disease Control. Because those arente mandatory. So amazingly, business can get shielded from liability under this republican approach even if they make no effort to comply with the senate for Disease Control guidelines. How does that make usde any saf. Not only that but if they are sick they want to try to be covid19 related cases into this bill, this bill puts them through reform obstacles makes it nearly impossible to prevail. The heightened burden of proof. Then its on discovery, restrictions on the bullet and tempts civil liability and so much more. Publican bill also creates sweeping branch in a medical malpractice cases. Including claims under the medical malpractice not even related to covid19. It would offend the medical liability of all 50 states for five years. Instead of sending a strong clear enforceable Safety Standards like osha emergency to murray standards, the republican bill would actually shield businesses from regulatory enforcement proceedings under osha, the fair labor standards act and americans disability act and more. Liability of this bill would last for five years. From december 2019, 32024. Fact the republicans are proposing five years of liability immunity for corporations, while promising just a few months of assistance for workers, tells the whole story of the priorities and values. Lets be clear, republicans have not made the case for why wed even consider federal liability immunity for corporations. Remember, under current state tort law, if a business has taken reasonable precautions, they wont be held liable for negligence. State laws give business incentives to act reasonably and do. Businesses also, time and again ive heard senator mcconnell and senator mccormick come to the floor and talk about the tsunami of losses. This morning he said an epidemic of furloughs frivolous losses pretty was just so happens that we keep track of lawsuits in the United States of america and we can look through the peak pleadings the losses to see how many times mentioned for the virus or covid19. So we know how many lawsuits have been filed since the first of the year. Related to this pandemic. We know that despite the fact that 4 million at least, at least 4 million joan and trent covid19 have been established in the United States. You how many medical malpractice cases have been filed by any of those 4 million markets or anyone else. Against doctors hospitals nurses providers. What is the epidemic number. But we havent. Heres the exact number of medical malpractice file in the last six months. Six. Six. An epidemic. A tsunami grade okay, about personal injury lawsuits senator. How many of been filed. With this covid19 or coronavirus is one of the reasons for this lawsuit. Fifteen. 4 million infected americans, 15 lawsuits in the republic come to us want to turn upside down the immunity and liability questions to form the states in the nation. How about unsafe workplace lawsuits. Thats gotta be a big category. 4 million infected americans. How many workers have brought lawsuits. Seventyone. In the entire 50 states of american. Seventyone lawsuits. There is no flood of worker or victim lawsuits. Its a figment of the imagination of senator mcconnells and senator but we certainly shouldnt at this moment ignore the obvious. Over 20 states have stepped forward and establish their own standards for lawsuits predict when it comes toan the pandemict that faces. This effort by the republicans would preempt that. There have been hundreds of hundreds of cars losses that had been filed, business business on questions like insurance liability. You dont hear the republicans what those stopped. Just workers and the people who get sick. Theres no need for the federal government to step in and override 50 statesty liability laws and especially of the federal government has been deferring the states on every other aspect ofhi this pandemic need ppe, mass. , say no borders predict time and again, the president says leading to the governors and mayors. Except when it comes to protecting the corporations. The states need to adjust the liability laws they can do so. Twentynine states have already done it. Heres the bottom line. Republican bill would upend state laws, give businesses incentives to cut corners, jeopardize the safety of workers and families and risk for the spread of this virus. And its a big business giveaway. It is not what america needs. Madam president , this is not a small challenge. It is as stark challenge. We should not take the republican and play small, we ought to address his head on. First we need leadership at the top which we have not had from the president. His deferred time and again to governors and mayors and other officials at the local level telling them to find your own masks. Establish your own testing regimes and find your own way out of this crisis when we needed federal leadership from the president , we did not receive it. America knowsme that. Why is it that this nation with 5 percent of the World Population has 25 percent of that covid19 infection cases in the world. Why. What happened here. Wide we follow the lead of other countries. In stepped of the president ial leadership. Countries who have found dramatically less infections and fewer deaths. That is the reality of where we are today with this pandemic. They reality every economy, we stepped in on march 26, past the cares act and we managed to keep some businesses going. And millions of unemployed americans together with their families through the most difficult. In their lives. And now this moment, the Republican Leadership says take small. This will pass quickly. Families who dont have enough to provide good and shelter. In the basics for family. They get by with a lot less from 600 a week to 200 a week. The do just fine according to the republicans. To sperry. Our first obligation on the be to these working families. Going through the toughest. They could ever imagine. Stick with us and stand with them. He prepared to put the money on the table and they will spend right back into the economy. See more unemployment if we follow the republican approach. Estimated some 3m jobs will be killed by the republican approach of cutting unemployment and the consequence downturn and spent by these him addressing families. The stick with them now. They need us. I yielded the floor. During the summer months, reach out to your elective officials with cspans congressional directory. It contains all of the contact