Flags were on the Capitol Building and at the white house are being flown at half staff in members of pearl harbor. Now live coverage of the u. S. Senate here on cspan2. The senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Great redeemer, guide our lawmakers along the best path to fulfill your purposes on earth. May they submit to your wisdom and providential leading, believing that you will supply all of their needs. Remind them that your unfailing love accompanies those who put their trust in you. Give our senators an attitude of reverential awe that will keep them from evil. Inspire them to rejoice and be glad, as they strive to live lives of purity and obedience. And lord, as we remember pearl harbor on this december 7th, thank you for your loving and prevailing providence. May we show our gratitude by facing the future without fear. We pray in your majestic 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 mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley one minute for morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley i want to visit with my colleagues about something that hasnt happened in iowa for over 100 years. Over the weekend the Iowa State Football Team completed their regular season play. The cyclones are having a noteworthy season. They secured the first place rank in the big 12 conference regular season after winning five consecutive Conference Games and eight overall conference wins this season. The good news doesnt stop there for the iowa state football program. The cyclones finished first place in the league play for the First Time Since 1912, when they won the Missouri Valley conference. This has earned the cyclones their welldeserved spot in the big 12 title game on december 19. The first ever big 12 championship appearance in iowa state universitys history. I want to applaud the cyclones for their historic season. So many fans, including me, will be rooting them on for the big 12 championship game. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Leahy mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from vermont. Mr. Leahy mr. President , i ask consent the equal of the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. 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, Steven Sidney swaforts, of virginia, to be a judge for the court of federal claims. The presiding officer the senator from vermont. Mr. Leahy mr. President , speaking both as the senator from vermont and as vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations committee, and speaking with a concern about whats happening in the senate. Its been 321 days since the first covid19 case was reported in the United States. 321 days. Its been 282 days since the first covid19 death was reported in the United States. The bureau of labor and statistics reports that the Unemployment Rate in november was 6. 7 , nearly double the rate in november of last year. Hundreds of thousands of smawshes across the country have Small Businesses across the country have closed permanently all due to covid. As of today, there are more than 14,000,00800,000 reported cases of covid19 in the United States. To put that in perspective, thats one million more than just a week ago. More than 282,000 americans have died. And its been 256 days since the Senate Passed the cares act. 256 days since the senate acted in a comprehensive, meaningful way to address the real and mounting concerns and needs of our constituents. My state of vermont is like everywhere else, health care workers, caregivers, Business Owners, employees, teachers, and students all in need of support in these difficult and uncertain times. We have families wrestling with heightened food insecurity. People for the first time in their life they cant feed their children, they cant feed themselves. They have the threat of eviction hanging over them. We have states that are strapped by budget shortfalls that are forced to lay off thousands of employees, people who worked so hard for the people of their state. Its been 205 days since the house first passed the heroes act and its been 65 days since they stepped forward to offer a substantial compromise on the heroes act and pass it again. And where does it sit . It sits on my friend, the Republican Leaders desk. It is the largest single bill in the mcconnell legislative graveyard. Why arent we voting . Look what happens. We cant bring ourselves to vote on something to help americans, help the people of our own state. They are being thrown out of their houses. And we come in for a few days and get on an airplane, fly back home, taxpayers paying for it. Taxpayers paying our our salaries and all and nothing happens. Now, like millions of americans, im encouraged by the news in recent weeks that pharmaceutical companies are making significant progress in vaccine development. Im encouraged some of these vaccines may be available as early as later this month. But lets not forget why we were able to develop vaccines so quickly. Its because of longstanding federal investment and cuttingedge research at the National Institutes of health. Research that has been backed by so many of us of both parties for years in this body. N. I. H. Funded reserve in genetic and genomic sequencing and enabled the research for the covid19 that led to the vaccine. This is the power of federal dollars when its targeted to solve a national a national problem. We need more of that today. The development of several promised vaccines is great news, but if you dont have a comprehensive plan in place and the resources to implement it, how can we ensure that the vaccination is safe, effective, widely available and free . Can anybody stand up and say, every part of their state will have vaccination . No. The mo scenario not there yet the money is not there yet. Its a complete abdication of our responsibility as elected representatives that we simply fail to being a. Now, i know that my friends across the aisle will probably rush to the floor and will blame democrats for stalling their inadequate facesaving proposal that they went through the motion to bring before the elections. Remember what it was. It was a giveaway to Insurance Companies and didnt even have the courage to allow amendments where people would actually have to vote up or down. It was easier to make a facesaving gesture knowing it wouldnt go anywhere. Sure, it made some investment in Small Businesses. It provided some employment relief. Albeit a significantly reduced level. But it also tied educational relief to forcing kids back into the classroom, even if it is in an area where it wasnt safe to accommodate those children. It failed to deliver relief to safe and local governments to state and local governments which are struggling to provide essential services to their countries, as our government is in vermont. It included nothing for lowincome energy assistance, liheap. It was knowing in our state it was snowing in our state and other northern states in weekend. Can you imagine whats going on, no funding for Mental Health services . Theres no funding for nutrition assistance. There wasnt a dime for n. I. H. Research. And it didnt have a plan, a vigorous plan or investment in vaccination production and distribution. Its one thing to say, oh, we have those supercold things on an airplane. Wonderful. When are you going to be able to bring it to our factories, our schools, our hospitals, our Senior Citizens and actually vaccinate them . So what was the legislation so when was the legislation brought up here . It created a shield for corporate misconduct. And my friends, the republicans, are more keen to shield corporate cronies. Thats a sham. Its a shame. Especially when you find that at least one of those corporations, they want a shield, they were betting on who would get covid first, the managers were. Now, in my home state of vermont, our governor, our state legislature, our mayors, our town leaders across the state have taken bold moves to slow the spread of covid. Our governor is a republican. Im a democrat. I praise him for what he did. I talked with him again today for the steps hes taken, difficult steps, hard steps, but steps to keep vermonters safe. And these moves taken in my state of vermont, they resulted in lower instances of the virus than anywhere else in the country. But as the governor said and ive said is and everybody else sated, theyve come with a cost. Weve kept people safe but not without a cost. Unemployment remains, Small Businesses continue to struggle, even theyre even able to stay in existence. And that says nothing of the personal hardship families are facing across our small state. One elderly woman called my office. She expressed frustration with the president. She told my staff that shes only been able to visit her husband, who is in a medical rehab facility, a couple times during this pandemic due to covid restrictions. Now, thats not an anecdote. Thats a personal tragedy. Inempt have, the state and in vermont, the state and local governments are worried about how to clear the roads this winter if covid hits the plow crews. Snow removal is a necessity. We sometimes have seven, eight, nine, ten inches of snow overnight but we expect our businesses and schools to open that day. I dont know how many times at home on a snowy night i am a. Awakened at 4 30 in the night hearing the snowplows going down the road. And weve had nearly a foot of snow. My staff spoke with one vermont mother, not unusual. Shes raising a son with autism. With School Systems strained to their limits, special Education Services have been sharply reduced. Thats going to have a Lasting Impact on these students, both educationally and socially. For those who are facing challenges like addiction, depression, or Mental Health issues and that can be any one of our states who were simply down on their luck before covid earlier in year access to vital resorrieses, counseling, intervention has been made more complicated by covid restrictions, obvious with tragic often with tragic results. I heard of one vermonter who passed away alone in a motel room in rutland in october. Battling Mental Health issues, he had become homeless just as covid struck earlier this year. And due to the risks of the virus, family and friends were unable to take him into their homes. This isnt just a story. Its a mans life. And there are so many more people out there facing the same struggles. Were seeing images of were seeing images of car lines stretching for miles. In our state, my state alone, one in every four vermonters now foodinsecure. Before this pandemic, it was already an unacceptable one in ten. Were asking children to learn how to provide the necessary resources their teachers and families to pay rent without their job and people dealing with their chronic illnesses while our hospitals are still stretched to capacity. All this while an unacceptable amount of people are unsure how thisll put food on the table. At the end of the week in the wealthiest nation on earth, thats unconscionable. The leadership across the aisle, theyve got to bring up these bills. Stop stalling. You know, they say we only need a targeted approach and they point to the stock market as proof. These people are out of their jobs. These people who cant feed their children arent looking at the stock market. These people whose rent has come due and they cant pay it, to them thats nonsense. The economy is not going to recover until we vanquish the virus. Its that simple. And people are suffering now. Thats the cost of inaction. Inaction on real comprehensive, bold covid relief legislation. And so now, with our backs against the wall, with a funding deadline looming, were racing to accomplish what should have been done months ago annual Appropriations Bills to keep our government running. We were ready on this side. Aisle to vote on those back in june. I have a couple of amendment have a couple of amendments up or down. Republicans are in the majority. If they didnt like a democratic amendment, they could vote it down. We could have done it back then. Now the deadline is this week, months later. We have to pass these bills before Congress Adjourns this year so theres no disruption in our Government Services during this difficult time in our country. Itll only exacerbate the growing problems facing Many Americans today. But our annual Appropriations Bills are now substitute for the significant investment we need to confront this national and international emergency. We need a comprehensive covid relief bill. Its time to take to get serious. Instead of flying off every weekend, stay here, vote these things up or down. Bring up amendments on both side of the aisle. Have time agreements on amendments and vote them up or down because time is wasting. How many hours have we spent racing to confirm nomination after nomination at the expense of Everything Else, including dealing with the emergency of this pandemic while covid cases soar and more and more people succumb to the virus. How many more time will the senate waste while American Communities and families suffer . It is time for us to do our job. We are elected for sixyear terms. Lets stay here for six days during the week if need be. Lets get it done. The American People are suffering enough. We shouldnt be adding to that strain by playing politics with these essential priorities. Madam president , im hearing from vermonters every day worried about unemployment benefits, their childrens education, their health, or that of their loved ones, about food security, about keeping their homes and paying their bills. The senate, when its been at its best, has been the conscience of the nation. Its long past time that we started acting like the conscience of the nation. 256 days since the senate took meaningful action on this covid epidemic. We shouldnt wait a day longer. Lets set Everything Else aside. Lets have votes on these programs. Lets vote up or down. This senator is ready to do that. And i see the distinguished leader on the floor, and i yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from missouri. Mr. Hawley madam president , in recognition of his Outstanding Service to my office this last year, i ask unanimous consent that captain ryan albin, the defense fellow in my office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of this congress. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Hawley i yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President . The presiding officer majority. The majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell weve reached the time of year when the senate has more business than we have days to complete it. Delivering for the American People will take focus, dexterity, and genuine bipartisanship. On government funding, as ive said for weeks, its my hope that our committees work are bear fruit and a fullyear funding package will come to the floor in both chambers. I anticipate that the senate will take up a oneweek extension this week so the government does not disclose on december 11 close on december 11 and work can continue through the end of next week. The nation needs our democratic colleagues to resist the temptation to play brinksmanship with longsettled policy issues or push poison pill riders that they know would tank the process. We also expect to receive and pass a conference report on the annual Defense Authorization and we need to continue confirmation impressive nominees to vacancies in the nearby and the executive branch. We senators are no strangers to endofyear drama. By this time this time, the stakes are far higher. Were up against another even steeper surge in covid19 than we saw back in the spring. Workers and Small Businesses are once again struggling to make ends meet, as states and localities step up precautions. And while the latest news on vaccine trials suggest that victory over the virus may soon be within reach, our work in that area is far from complete. As one recent article put it, state and local officials plead for Vaccine Distribution funds. Our nations historic sprint to victory through vaccines seems poised to succeed in record time, but the critical last step getting hundreds of millions of doses out to the American People is nil in is still in front of us. So congress cannot stay on the sidelines. Yesterday our colleague from illinois, the democratic whip, gave an interview in he named three examples of urgent matters that need to be addressed right now. This is the democratic whip of the u. S. Senate. Here are the three things senator durbin mentioned as flashing red urgent priorities. The millions of people who are going to lose their Unemployment Insurance the day after christmas, the businesse