nbc news is reporting that his amendment would require a social security number for the child tax credit and provide the president the authority to transfer funds as necessary among other items. there could be a vote on that amendment today. we take you live now to the senate floor. the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. black, will open the senate with prayer. the chaplain: let us pray.

holy god, we love you. you are our strength, rock, and protection. use our senators today to make our nation safer and better. may they often think of the positive legacy they can leave through faithful service to you and country. lord, remind them that you have brought our nation through much greater difficulties than the ones we now face. as they strive to unite for the common good of this land we love, may they embrace your promise that you will never

leave or forsake us. we pray in your merciful 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: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from iowa is recognized. mr. grassley: i ask permission to speak in morning business for one minute. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: the trump administration wants the u.s.-mexico-canadian agreement to enter into force by june 1. i'm eager as well for that to happen, but we must first ensure that canada and mexico are complying with their commitments under that agreement. i'm especially concerned that the june 1 date presents unique challenges for the u.s. oil industry when it's already facing significant supply chain disruptions due to covid-19.

as we learned in 2009, the health of the auto industry is critical to the health of the entire american economy. i urge the administration to take very seriously the concerns expressed by the highest levels of the auto industry to ensure a reasonable timeline for entry into force of the u.s.-mexico-canadian agreement auto regulations. it would be prudent right now to let these companies focus instead on the health of their workforce and supply chains. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. mcconnell: madam president. the presiding officer: the majority leader is recognized. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: every day our country grows more affected by the continued spread of the coronavirus. every american is feeling the anxiety and uncertainty of this national challenge. older americans and young americans, healthy americans and those with underlying medical conditions. parents and teachers, working americans and small business owners. certainly our first responders and health care professionals.

everyone, everyone is impacted in different ways and to different degrees, but all americans are affected. all of us have seen our daily lives transformed in what feels like the blink of an eye. that's the bad news. and it's the good news too. that we're all in this together, madam president. all in it together. our nation faces a serious challenge, but working together we can take bold steps to combat it. earlier this month congress passed billions in urgent funding for public health and small businesses, and this senate majority remains committed to taking further bold steps to preserve and protect the economic foundations of our country. later today the senate will vote on a house proposal that seeks

to address one small piece of the problem before us. it is a well-intentioned bipartisan product assembled by house democrats and president trump's team that tries to stand up and expand some new relief measures for american workers. i will vote to pass their bill. this is a time for urgent bipartisan action, and in this case i do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers. however, madam president, the house's bill has real shortcomings. it does not even begin to cover all of the americans who will need help in the days ahead. and more specifically, it achieves one of its signature policies by imposing a new untested mandate on small businesses without, without guaranteeing they will have sufficient funds in advance to finance this new employee

benefit. everyone agrees that workers need relief. republicans are working on bold solutions to help individuals and families as we speak, but small businesses need relief as well. this is literally the worst time in living memory to pile even more burdens and costs on to small small businesses which are themselves fighting to stay alive unless, unless we back it up with major assistance. we all know what small businesses are up against. just this week new york city joined the list of towns and cities across the country where local officials have shuttered every bar and every restaurant for the sake of public health. at 5:00 p.m. today all public businesses in my home state of kentucky will do the same. these job creators are literally be taken off lines by their own governments for the public good. and it's not only bars,

restaurants, and entertainment businesses we need to worry about. nobody expects main street small businesses of any sort to hold the kind of cash buffer they would need to remain in business and wait out a national economic disruption that could last for weeks or months. the men and women who pour their entire lives into small businesses do not need even more obstacles. they need help. they need a lifeline. they need to know that congress understands the historic obstacles they are facing and that we have their back as well. there is no moral hazard here. this is not some rescue following risky business decisions. nobody thinks any of this is the fault of small businesses. so while i will support the house bill in order to secure emergency relief for some american workers, i will not adjourn the senate until we have passed a far bolder package that

must include significant relief for small businesses all across our country. as we speak, chairman rubio, senator collins and others are assembling an historic level of assistance for small businesses across america. we want to help them survive this disruption, absorb the new mandate in the house bill, and continue to make payroll and avoid layoffs as much as they can and emerge from this storm in the best shape possible. that means an historic injection of liquidity and access to credit, and it means washington working directly with the lenders who already work with these small businesses to minimize the new bureaucracy so the assistance can flow as fast as possible. so we're going to pass the house's bill, but it's imperfections will just make our more comprehensive package even more urgent. so we aren't leaving.

everybody understands we aren't leaving until we deliver it. the senate is not going to leave small business behind. this will be just one component of our work. as we speak, chairman grassley and others are determining the best pathway to put money directly in the hands of the american people. those who are employed, those who may be laid off, retirees, disabled americans, families, as quickly as possible. of course chairman alexander and a number of our colleagues are working on further steps in our public health fight against the virus itself such as getting more tools in the hands of health care providers, removing barriers to treat them, and helping researchers develop therapeutics and vaccines. and chairman wicker and several senators are considering the possibility of targeted relief for key industries that are

shouldering an outsized burden from the public health directives and which our nation will need to be operational on the other side of this. we're crafting bold and significant legislation to meet this crisis head on and to strengthen our nation. the congress has an enormous role to play in responding it to challenge, and we are determined to do that duty. but at the same time, never in our nation's history have americans looked so into washington for answers. that's not who we are and this shin different -- this is no different. even amidst the uncertainty, the american people are stepping up and reminding everyone what solidarity and citizenship look like. in my home state, kentuckians are going out of their way to stand with their neighbors. stay at home parents are volunteering it to cover child

care. grocery stores in the louisville hour are setting aside the first hour they are open each day right after their cleaning so older shoppers and those with underlying conditions can shop first and with less exposure. one restaurant is helping industry workers whose hours have been cut. this is what makes the united states of america what it is and it is what we are today. generosity, friendship, resolve, and strength. this is not a challenge anyone wanted for our nation but it is a challenge we will overcome. some day, hopefully soon, our nation will have this virus on its heels. main street small businesses will be thriving again. families will be flying around the country again to reunite and

catch up. we've gotten through this. we will have gotten through this together. in part, it will be because the federal government and the congress did our part, but just as important, it will also be because every single american did theirs. now, madam president, some observations about how we'll conduct the voting that will likely occur later today for the information of all of our colleagues. what we'll do is have a 30-minute roll call vote. we want to avoid congregating here in the well. i would encourage our colleagues to come in and vote and depart the chamber so we don't have gaggles of conversations here on the floor. that's particularly important for our staff here and the front of the chamber.

so i would encourage everyone, take full advantage of a full 30-minute roll call vote. come in and vote and leave and be aware of the social distancing that dr. moynihan and others have indicated as we come over to the chamber and as we depart. with that, i think we'll be able to get through the voting that will occur in all likelihood later today without violating any of the safety precautions that have been recommended to us by the capitol physician and others. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. under the previous order, the senate will be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. mr. mcconnell: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

quorum call:

mr. durbin: madam president. the presiding officer: the assistant democratic leader is recognized. mr. durbin: i ask consent the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: madam president, i come to the floor this morning with sad news. illinois has lost its first resident to the coronavirus.

a pandemic which is threatening our country and the world. her name was patricia freeson, 61 years old, a retired nurse. she was an exceptional person, and her brother said she cared for everyone but herself. she lived taking care of people. and she loved it. she started having breathing difficulties last week and was hospitalized at one of our better hospitals in the city of chicago and succumbed yesterday to the coronavirus and its complications. she had had a history of respiratory illness, but she was taking care of herself and staying home, as she was told to do. her family remembers the last time she left the house was two weeks ago to attend the funeral

of a friend. she did entertain visitors at her home from time to time. her two sisters have asked for tests themselves because they were in contact with her, and i'm sorry to report they have been unable to obtain those tests, at least as of late last night. i have spoken to the governor of illinois almost every day, and we are having through the state laboratories about 350 tests each day, this state of almost 13 million people. in addition to the state lab tests are the private labs and hospital tests account for a number of comparable but not much larger than 350. there just aren't enough tests, madam president. i'm sure our plight is not unusual. we've heard a lot about the tests on the horizon coming

soon. the sooner the better. and until we get into more complete testing, it's going to be difficult for us to measure the extent of the infection and the impact. it's almost impossible to target areas of our state that need more attention than others because of a lack of testing. we had a nursing home over the weekend where there was a patient who tested positive for the coronavirus, and the department of public health in the state of illinois went to that nursing home in willowbrook , and as a consequence of the first test, tested all of the residents and staff and found 22 testing positive for the coronavirus infection. naturally, that raised our numbers dramatically. we now have 160 known cases in our state in 15 different counties, but it's an indication where there is a signal of

infection that testing is absolutely essential so we can identify all of those who may test positive. patricia freeson's brother richard was asked what he thought about the news that she was the first fatality in our state. he said it was heart breaking. but then he said i tell everybody take this very seriously, as we should. i think across the united states, we're coming to realize that this is an exceptional public health crisis and challenge, the likes of which we have never seen. sometime later this morning or early this afternoon, we will consider the package that was passed by the house of representatives in the early morning hours of saturday. it's a package which was designed to provide some help, some financial assistance to workers and families across the

united states who are coping with either the illness or losing their jobs or being laid off because of the state of the economy. we feel on the democratic side -- and i believe that feeling will be shared on the republican side -- that one of the first things we need to do is to assure those employees who may not feel well that it's best to stay home, and there's a way to do that without sacrificing the basics in life, your home, your food, and what your family counts on. we put together this package with the white house on a bipartisan basis that provides family leave and medical leave. it also provides an extension of unemployment benefits that are necessary for many workers across this country. in passing this bill this morning or this afternoon is an important step forward to let the people across america know we're doing what we can here in the senate and in the house to

be responsive. senator mcconnell came to the floor this morning and announced the next bill, the coronavirus 3, if you wish, which is a much larger undertaking, and it will embark on trying to get the economy on its feet enough to sustain what we are facing with layoffs and business closures. it is a daunting task. the amount of money involved is anywhere from $700 billion to $1 trillion. i've heard these estimates from time to time. and that is a massive amount of money by any measure. but when measured against the economy of the united states, may not be adequate to the challenge. some have suggested cash payments to individual americans. i have no aversion to that idea, but i hope it is substantial and i hope it isn't a onetime helping hand that isn't followed up. many of us on the democratic side are working on a program

that we think will say to families we're not just going to send you one check and wish you the best. we're going to stand by you through this very difficult, challenging time. i've spent the last several days on the telephone with business leaders across our state. it started with calling one of my favorite restaurants that sent an online message about closing down for business and not quite sure of their future. and it is troubling to hear a person, the family member who has put their lives into a restaurant, put their life into a restaurant now facing closure and wondering if they'll ever open again. some of us are buying gift certificates at our favorite restaurants to help them get through this and help their employees during this period of time. my wife is doing it in springfield. i've done it in chicago. we'll probably do it more. and i encourage others who want to make sure that restaurant is there when we weather the storm to extend a helping hand if we can.

some of these restaurants are teaming up with charitable organizations to produce the meals that are needed for schoolchildren and their families. it's a little different assignment, but these restaurants are the best in their profession, and it's great to see them cooperating and working together. i might also add that the democrats have a proposal which senator schumer has spelled out and will undoubtedly speak to again when he comes to the floor this morning. so we have at this moment at least two tracks, two paths toward the third bill to try to help the economy. senator mcconnell has suggested that he will do his exclusively among republicans and that may be a necessary starting point. but i urge him and all of the leaders to come together on a bipartisan basis as quickly as possible. the first two measures that we have passed, the initial $8 billion supplemental

appropriation for the health care side of the equation, was essential and done quickly on a bipartisan basis. the second measure which i hope we pass today in the senate was also done with the white house, speaker pelosi, democrats and republicans working together. each of us had to give. this measure we're voting for is not what i would have drawn up, but i'm sure republicans feel the same. but it is a compromise and one that we ought to move forward on. the third measure we're considering should be nothing less. it ought to be bipartisan from the start. senator schumer at a press conference yesterday suggested that the four leaders of the house and senate, democrats and republicans, meet with the white house and sit down at the table now to get started on putting together this measure rather than retire to our sidelines and each work individually and separately. the sooner we come together, the better. one of the provisions that senator schumer insists on and i would add my voice and chorus is

that we be sensitive to the reality of the health care facilities across america and what they're likely to face in the weeks to come. hospitals are frontline responders and telling us that they're worried they lack the equipment and resources that we need. some experts predict that as many as 1.9 million -- 1.9 million intensive care unit admissions from this outbreak will take place over the next several months, swamping existing facilities. there are only 100,000 i.c.u. beds across the entire united states and accommodating 1.9 million we know will just overwhelm the system. there is also a major dearth of necessary masks, respirators, ventilators, gowns, goggles, all of the things that are essential to protect health care workers and save the lives of those who are facing this illness. what a frustration it is in my

state, the state of illinois, that i still get reports from virtually every level that the so-called national stockpile has not opened up its doors for my state when it comes to basic needs. i mentioned earlier about a nursing home with 22 positive infections in my state. the person, the head of the illinois department of public health who alerted me to this told me that she was, they were going to in a very short period of time use up the protective equipment and masks and gloves, for example, that they had available. they didn't know where to turn for more. let's get this together. i believe there is a national stockpile and i believe it should be open for the states that need it immediately, and our state is one of those. these ventilators and breathing devices, the president in a press conference a couple of days ago said the governors should do their best. we can do better than that. the largest stockpile of this

equipment is in the possession of the federal government and we should turn to it quickly to help those in need. i'm very concerned as well -- and i'll close. i see my other colleagues on the floor and i know they would like to make comments as well. i will close also by saying that i think as we undertake the next piece of legislation, the $1 billion or $1 trillion bill, i hope we help our hospitals. i have a measure with senator lankford, republican of oklahoma, that will compensate hospitals in rural areas, downstate areas in illinois. i'm fearful they will be the first to be overwhelmed and i hope that those of us representing rural states will come together and join as senator lankford and i have to try to make sure they are adequately funded to get through this crisis. i might also add that we also need medical professionals in the long term, and i hope that

we'll dedicate ourselves to improving the national health service corps as one way of doing that and focusing that in rural areas. finally i have a bill with senator alexander, senator murray, and senator blunt to take through the national academy of sciences a survey of our dependence on foreign-made medicines and medical supplies and medical equipment so that we can establish not only during this challenging crisis, but for future challenges and crises whether we have adequate domestic production capacity or necessary stockpiles to protect us. we found, for example, that some 20 major drugs were manufactured exclusively in china. and as china went through the early stages of this coronavirus crisis there was a fear we'd be cut off from sources, so we asked the national academy of sciences to give us a survey as quickly as possible. i'll close by saying that it is

interesting, as i follow the e-mails of my friends and family and hear from my colleagues, that as we are separated with this social distance, which we are trying to respect, across the united states, as we are separated, it is interesting how much we are drawn together. our families' e-mails and phone calls have been more numerous than ever as we think about one another more and reach out as we hear that there's a need within our family. there's more conversation and candor that i can ever recall in our family conversations. perhaps adversity is creating community. perhaps this situation, this concern that we have is leading to more empathy. we're going to get through this. america always does. there will be some painful moments, some very difficult ones. i think those who have sent us to do this job in washington

expect us to put our party labels at the door, find solutions to the challenges we face, help our nation through this crisis and come out strong on the other side. madam president, i yield the floor.

mr. schumer: madam president. the presiding officer: the democratic leader is recognized. mr. schumer: i thank my good friend from south dakota for his usual display of patience. now the coronavirus pandemic continues to test our nation in new and difficult ways. there's now a confirmed case of coronavirus in all 50 states and the district of columbia. our public health system was understaffed and underresourced, and without intervention it could soon become overwhelmed. even as the market shifts from day to day, the coronavirus is slowing our economy to a near standstill and we're almost certainly anticipating a recession. you go to the streets of many

cities, towns and villages, they're empty. schools are closed in large portions of the country and businesses are struggling not to lay off workers because they don't have customers, they don't have clients, they don't have income. so there's a great urgency here, and there are really two separate and simultaneous emergencies, one in our health care system and another in the economy. we have to deal with both. and if we don't solve the one in our health care, the economy will continue to get bad no matter what we do for it. less tangible than those two emergencies but still very real is the impact the virus is having on american society. my home city of new york is effectively on lockdown. you can go to a place like times square station, subway station, and see nobody, actually nobody there. americans are being asked rightly not to gather in groups

of 10 or more, not to go to dinner or to a bar or to their church or place of worship. now, madam president, i've lived through 9/11. it occurred in my city. i know people who were lost. i lived through the days of the financial crisis in 2008 and other moments of national urgency, but there's something much worse about this crisis we face. i have never sensed a greater sense of uncertainty, a greater fear of the future, of the unknown. we don't know how long this crisis will last. you don't even know if you've contracted the virus right away or maybe your spouse, maybe your child, maybe your parent, maybe your friend. and then there's a much greater sense of isolation, a problem for which there is no cure.

i miss not meeting and talking to my constituents. they're our lifeblood. that is not just happening to us here in the senate. it's happening across america. friends who used to get together, families that had gatherings, different social activities are gone. book clubs, card games, the fabric and sinew of our lives as human beings has been put on hold, and nobody knows for how long. by necessity, americans are now sacrificing their normal lives and daily routines. and maybe worst of all, sacrificing a sense of community because we all, each individually and together as a country, must fight this awful virus. and unfortunately, we're only just beginning to see the necessary seriousness and

mobilizeation of resources from the federal government. sadly, unfortunately, and with awful consequences, this administration took far too long to wake up to this global crisis. downplaying the coronavirus. as a result, the united states continues to lag behind other countries in the number and the percentage of the population we are testing. stories of americans who feel sick and are showing symptoms but are unable to access a coronavirus test appear every day in every single newspaper. warnings of a potential shortage of masks, hospital beds and ventilators appear in the paper every day. in two weeks, the issue of ventilators and i.c.u. beds will be like the issue of tests

today. in other words, two, three weeks ago many of us were saying, get those tests out. a month ago people were saying it and now we're seeing the consequences, lockdowns because we can't test people. we don't know who has the virus and who doesn't. the same crisis will be occurring in a few weeks. mark our words, unfortunately it's true about ventilators and i.c.u. beds. we're behind the 8-ball on tests and we're soon going to be behind the 8-ball on i.c.u. beds and ventilators and more people get sick. the administration didn't pay attention to tests and now we're paying the price even though many of us were hollering for weeks about the emerging issues with testing. the same problem is about to happen with p ventilators. we know in two weeks the number of ventilators might become a

massive problem. we must get ahead of it and get ahead of it now. i'm calling on president trump to use his existing authority to help address the widespread shortages of medical equipment, particularly ventilators, as a result of the covid-19 outbreak. i join 27 of my colleagues in a letter to president trump urging him to invoke the defense production act of 1950, which authorizes the president to strengthen the president to strengthen capacity and supply in extraordinary circumstances. it's used in times of war, but we must mobilize as if it is a time of war when it comes to hospitals, beds, supplies, equipment. and the d.p.a., the defense production act, allows the president to direct the production of private sector firms of critical manufactured goods to meet urgent national

security needs. the president should do so immediately. today a report came out that the army corps of engineers and fema are ready and willing to participate in the response process, the army corps could build temporary hospitals with beds, but they still haven't received instructions from the white house, from the administration. i thank the men and women willing to be on the front lines combating the pandemic, but this kind of inexcusable action is maddening, infuriating and must be rectified. lives are at stake. public health infrastructure is the top priority because if we can curve this virus, the economy will get better. we need to do things to help it, obviously. but if you ignore the public health crisis with the equipment

and infrastructure and personnel that is needed in many more numbers than we've ever seen, the economy won't get better. so the legislation passed by the house on saturday, phase two of the coronavirus response, is a little bit of this and that must pass the senate today. but, unfortunately, first we must dispose of a republican amendment that would make a condition of the bill a requirement for the president to terminate military operations in afghanistan. yes, you heard me right. our republican leadership has put on the floor an amendment that would make a condition of the bill a requirement that the president terminate military operations in afghanistan. in a time of national emergency, this republican amendment is ridiculous, a colossal waste of time. we probably could have voted on this bill a day or two ago, if

not four, the need to schedule this amendment. i'm eager, we are all eager to dispatch this absurd republican amendment and send this bill to the president. it allows, for instance, for free testing and treatment in coronavirus, very much needed. we can send this bill to the president and begin work on the next phase, phase three. now, as my colleagues know, senate democrats have already outlined several proposals for the next phase of legislation and the specifics have been made public. the proposal has four main are priorities, public health capacity, unemployment insurance, paid sick leave, and priority treatment for labor in any bailout to industry. there are many things in this bill that are important, paid

student -- no payment on student loans or mortgages, help with our mass transit systems. there are many things, and democrats are going to fight for them in the next phase of the response, but the priorities i mentioned are key. public health capacity, unemployment insurance and paid sick leave and priority treatment for labor and any bailout to industry. on the public health capacity, as i mentioned, we need masks. we need hospital beds. we need ventilators. we still need testing kits. and so democrats are proposing a marshal plan for our public health infrastructure. the stooner we act on -- the sooner we act on it, the better. we also need to help in terms of health care system public

transportation. tens of thousands of health care workers in new york city, and many other cities, cannot get to their jobs -- their very needed jobs -- if there's no public and mass transit. but a marshal plan for our public health infrastructure is what is needed now, and it will prevent the situation from getting even worse and it will allow our ailing economy to begin to heal once we contain this virus. workers who get laid off or have their hours expanded -- or have their hours cut to almost nothing need expanded unemployment insurance, period. yesterday the secretary of treasury reportedly told republican senators that unemployment could hit 20%. unemployment insurance is a nonnegotiable part of our response to the coronavirus, and

paid sick leave. senators murray and gillibrand have a paid policy to help with this crisis. i think they will ask for a unanimous consent or offer an amendment to do so. if it's not included in this part, it should certainly be included in the next phase of legislation. now, there will be other items that we have to address down the road. certainly -- certain industries are struggling, airlines, hotels, but we must make sure that we prioritize public health and workers over corporate bailouts. and if there's going to be aing discussion about a bailout, it must include worker priorities and protections. the airlines are very important, for sure. they employ a lot of people. many of us who fly back and forth to our states know what the good people who work as the pilots, and the flight

attendants and the clerks and the ticket takers, they are good, fine people. we want to make sure they are protected. and one of the reasons, let's not forget, that many airlines are so short of cash right now is they spent billions on stock buybacks. money they should have been saving for a rainy day for their customers and workers. that issue should be addressed. now, a few of my republican colleagues have proposed a one-time cash payment of $1,000, but my fellow americans, this is not a time for small thinking. this is not a time for small measures. this is a time to be bold, to be aggressive. be a single $1,000 check would help someone pay their landlord in march, but what happens after

that? how do they pay their rent in april when their office or restaurant or store is still closed for business? how about may? how about june? the president suggests that this recession could last through the summer. $1,000 goes by pretty quickly if you're unemployed. in contrast, expanded unemployment insurance, beefed up unemployment insurance covers you for a much longer time and would provide a much bigger safety net. this is time to put tribalism aside and acknowledge that this recession, if we allow it, would do real harm to americans up and down the income scale, and it will hurt americans of all ages. so if we're going to provide direct payments, they need to be bigger, more frequent, more targeted.

millionaires shouldn't get them. now, these are the kinds of issues that all parties are going to have to discuss, democrats and republicans, house and senate, and the white house. the sooner we discuss them together, the quicker we'll be able to move forward. but leader mcconnell announced yesterday that his plan to develop the next phase of legislation would be first for senate republicans to sit among themselves and then sit down with the administration and come up with their own proposal before presenting it to senate democrats, let alone house democrats. the process that leader mcconnell has outlined for phase three legislation is too cumbersome, too partisan and will take far too long, given the urgency and need for cooperation. secretary mnuchin says he wants legislation passed by the end of the week. the mcconnell process will not get us there. phase three legislation should be the product of a five-corners

negotiation. house and senate leaders, majority and minority, plus the white house. that's the way that's worked the best, the quickest, the fairest in the past. in all parties are in the room from the get-go, the final product will be guaranteed swift package. the process leader mcconnell outlines is far too reminiscent of the typical legislative process in the congress, a process that far too often results in delay and gridlock. we can't afford that right now. leader mcconnell was right when he said in times of national emergency we must shed our national partisanship and rise to the occasion. so let's begin that way. republicans and democrats, house of representatives and and the white house, the best way to go to phase three is by a negotiation from the outset.

i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the republican whip. mr. thune: mr. president, here in the senate we are continuing to move forward with the next installment of coronavirus relief legislation. i suspect later today we will pass the bill passed by the house earlier and looking beyond it to a third bill that will provide additional relief to the american people. as the leader has said, we have three priorities, providing direct assistance to american workers and families, many of whose lives have been disrupted and dislocated in jobs, feeling a lot 0 of economic harm, economic -- a lot of economic harm, economic pain. giving our economy, especially small businesses, the necessary support to weather the storm, and most importantly, providing medical professionals with the resources they need to fight this virus.

the house bill addresses these priorities po to some degree but it is not a comprehensive bill and additional legislation is going to be needed. we need to especially make sure that the worker benefit requirements that the house bill places on businesses are supported by -- small businesses are at the most risk economically and we need to make sure they have the resources they need to get through this. i'm looking forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in both parties on the house bill and on additional legislation. this is a time for all of us to come together to ensure that american professionals, american businesses and american families have what they need to combat the coronavirus and deal with its effects. mr. president, i can't think of a time when we saw schools and businesses closing on such a mass scale. it's a challenging time for our country, but if we pull together, we can get through this and come out even stronger. all of us have a roll to play in -- role to play in combating

this virus, washing our hands regularly and thoroughly, practicing social distancing, staying at home as much as possible, listening to advice from health care officials. all of these things are essential to flattening the curve and limiting the number of infected americans. it's vital, mr. president, that we keep as many people as possible from being infected so our hospitals and medical professionals are not overwhelmed with cases. our medical professionals are putting their lives on the line every day to care for coronavirus patients. let's make sure we do everything we can to keep the number of cases that they're dealing with as low as possible. mr. president, in difficult times, americans rise to the occasion, and i am confident that that's what we will do again. mr. president, i yield the floor.

mr. merkley: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. merkley: mr. president, as i walked outside across the capitol grounds, it is such a beautiful day. the cherry blossom trees are blooming. there were mothers with young children, 3 and 4-year-old children playing on the grass, and it seemed like just so idyllic, so perfect. it seemed like nothing could be wrong in america. but in fact so much is wrong in america. our everyday rhythm of life has been shattered. we're facing medical pandemic and an economic collapse. k-12 schools closed.

universities shut down. grocery stores empty. restaurants locked. gyms, movie theaters, music venues, closed for business. and the reverberations of so many core businesses, core retail being shut are affecting virtually every family and every small business across this country. so many forms of commerce grinding to a halt. the economy is imploding. and it's touching the workers and it's touching those small businesses. workers are experiencing the reality of reduced hours, lost shifts, layoffs, and they don't know when they're going to be able to pick up that work again. and then they're not sure how they are going to pay their

utilities and how they're going to pay their rent and how are they going to pay their mortgage, and when will the american economy start to heal and will they be able to go back to work? so the american people are anxious, worried rightly about the threat of the disease and worried rightly about the collapse of the economy. coronavirus is marching on america. as of yesterday, -- or actually, as of this morning, we have almost 6,000 cases here in the united states of america. 5,881 cases as of this moment. compare that to a week ago. we were talking about 1,200 cases a week ago. that's a fivefold increase in a week. and we now have more than 50 states affected, or all the states, puerto rico, guam, u.s. virgin islands. and then we can ponder the fact

that the number of deaths has gone up. 51 deaths compared to in the 30's a week ago. so the coronavirus is marching on america and marching on the economy. it's a double hammer, affecting families and small business, and it is particularly appropriate at this moment to share with all of you the stories of small businesses in my home state that are being impacted. more than 40 businesses sent in their stories, and i'm going to share six or seven of those stories. but as we think about how we proceed, we need to recognize that this recovery needs to be one where we invest in the foundation up of our economy. we invest in the families. we invest with sick leave. we invest with unemployment insurance. we invest by covering the health

costs of getting tests and the costs of getting treatment, and we invest in our small businesses. not so long ago, we had a bailout that favored big business, and big business went on to make billions of dollars and then get a massive tax break in 2017. right now, the airlines are asking for a $50 billion bailout, but they have spent almost $50 billion in stock buyouts over the last few years because they were so profitable. and why did they do stock buyouts? because it increased the value of the stock options of the corporate executives in that industry. this is a version of private gain and public pain. when a business says during the good times i will keep all that money, thank you very much for not charging me any taxes to maintain our infrastructure or our military or our medical care system, and then when we hit a hard time, we will ask to be

bailed out. so we will have conversations about that strategy for big business. how about instead we focus on the families, the pain they're feeling, focus on the small businesses and the challenges that they are facing. we need a main street recovery, not a wall street bailout. we need an economy rebuilt from the bottom up, not from wall street down. small businesses like a small mexican restaurant in ontario, oregon. it's a great place for people to gather for a meal, and unlike nearby fast food restaurants, they aren't known for their takeout. but to combat the virus, the state of oregon has shut down sit-down restaurants and asked them to go to takeout only. that's taking a toll on this

mexican restaurant. when a couple came recently in the door and sat down for a meal, the restaurant staff had to explain that they could make their meal for them, but they would have to make it to go. and the couple got up. they didn't order to go. they walked out the door. and the owner of margarita's notes that they are just struggling to keep their restaurant open, that business is not coming in enough to pay the workers. so if things don't pick up quickly, he is going to have to close and ask his employees to file for unemployment. or how about the paddington family of stores in ashland, oregon, in business since 1973? in recent years, they have endured all kinds of challenges, including a couple of summers in which wildfire smoke created a major challenge for the businesses in ashland, oregon. but things were looking pretty good this year. business was doing okay.

now, however, the owner says that they, quote, felt their world crumble in march with the threat of the coronavirus changing our world. they have laid off eight staff members just this week. that's 30% of their staff. in a single day, their sales dropped 50%. as things are going now, they will need to lay off more staff within the next few weeks if the business climate does not change. and the story is much the same for the retailers throughout the town of ashland, oregon. the story is similar in portland where betsy and eya, a company that has designed and manufactured jewelry the past 12 years and regularly employs about 17 years, had to downsize, and so they had to ask three of their workers to be let go. this is a business gone out of its way to promote other local businesses, but sales have

dropped off very quickly. i would presume that in this sense of crisis, families are buying essentials, and that means those in the jewelry industry are seeing their sales drop. the sales have dropped very quickly. they're seeing the virus' huge economic impacts, and they are expecting to have to lay off more people soon, and they are looking for help. ultrazone laser tag. now, you might think that with folks being out of work, they might go to a place to get some exercise, have some recreation, a sense of separation might be okay. maybe laser tag would see an upsurge in sales. not the case. lee sturman says i am the owner

of ultrazone laser tag, a family entertainment center located in milwaukee, oregon. as a founder, i have successfully operated for 26 years. during this time, like all small business owners, i have battled competitors and overcome other challenging obstacles on a level playing field. i have managed to survive and thrive. but unfortunately, my business has been upended by an invasion of tiny microbes. covid-19 has struck fast and struck hard. in a matter of two weeks, ultrazone has gone from busy crowds to nearemptiness. steve and christie ball operate basin indoor gardening in klamath falls, oregon. they note in response to the klamath chamber of commerce collecting the impact covid-19 is having on local businesses,

they submit the following and appreciate the opportunity to share, and i appreciate the fact that they responded and are sharing. so steve and christie note that they have owned a small retail business in downtown klamath falls for nearly 11 years. they have experienced seasonal fluctuations that have affected the cash flow and overall revenues of the store. things have been shockingly slow since the beginning of march, but especially this last week where customer traffic has almost halted. based on last year's total for march and daily sales compared to this year's same time frame, my store gross sales are down to about 36% of normal. indicating 64% loss in revenues. i hope this is short-lived and business will come back to what is normal. more than a month like there

this will -- this will force some difficult decisions for the future of my store. april severson of portland writes i've owned my event production company for 20 years. my business has always had its ups and downs, but this is the first time i have had all of my contracts canceled. i am the sole employee of my company. my canceled contracts have also canceled the work for my associates and vendors in audio visual, entertainment, decor, furniture rentals, floral, and catering. since most of my vendors are small and emerging businesses as well, this has had a spiraling affect on our ability to pay our bills, insurance, and mortgages, and to take care of our families . amy baker is the owner of

threadbare press in eugene, and she notes my screen printing business relies primarily on schools, restaurants, and events to keep our t-shirt presses running. on friday, march 13, as the stock market tanked and major cultural centers shut down across the country, i saw a third of our monthly revenue vanish in one day. in the five days since, my e-mail inbox has remained empty as our client base struggles to shore up their expenses. i have laid off half of my six staff this week and have let the rest know that next week they will temporarily not have a job. it's hard to feel like so many people depend on me for their paychecks let alone my own children that depend on me for their own livelihood. i have helped my staff apply for

unemployment, but there is no unemployment for business owners. we are a small business that essentially lives week to week based on our clients. in a perfect world, there would be money to pay my staff paid leave or savings to sustain myself while we close our doors for what i estimate to be a month. however, we are not in that position. what i'm hoping for is to ride out this storm with forgiveness on my own bills and expenses that will not get paid next month. i will need emergency low-interest capital to get back to work and bring my staff back on. and then we have all of our state's music venues like mississippi studios, the historic liberty theater in astoria, the ashland shakespeare festival in ashland. all of them in danger of going out of business.

with social distancing prohibitions on large gatherings and the sudden cancellation of musical acts, the venues are experiencing a sudden and total loss of income. so here we are, those stories of representative of things just happening all over my state, and i know in every state of the united states of america. the economy is imploding. and with each and every small business that can't pay its bills, it affects other small businesses and other larger businesses. it affects those who have rental housing and those who have mortgages. all of us are going to be touched, and that is why it's going to be so important that we turn to this third stage of response by the u.s. senate. the first stage was to shore up the health care industry. the second stage was some immediate help with sick leave

and unemployment insurance and food assistance and free testing for the coronavirus. that bill unex-politicably has been -- unex-politic -- has been sitting in this chamber. why aren't we debating it before the american people and voting on it? i'm told that now maybe possibly the bill will come to the floor this afternoon, that some deal will be worked out. wouldn't it be better that we actually be here on the floor talking to each other, discussing it and voting on the amendments if necessary? in a perfect world i'd like to pass that just the way the house sent it to us and get that into law immediately. the president has signed on, the house has signed on. you have republican leader, you have democratic leadership. why is this chamber not acting? but then we must immediately go to this broader strategy, the stimulus to support our economy

through this collapse to try to shorten the period before it can be restored. that period is going to depend a lot on how successful we are in interrupting the course of this disease. that's why it's so important, social distancing is so important. we have to stop the disease from moving from one person to another. the disease is on the march against america, and we have to interrupt it. we have to bring it to a standstill. but meanwhile we have top help those families -- we have to help those families and businesses being so profoundly affected across america. let's rebuild this economy from the bottom-up, paying attention to the impact on families and the impact on small businesses. john f. kennedy once put it, in a time of domestic crisis, men of goodwill and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics.

that's what we did after 9/11. that is exactly what must happen today. let us not be moved by the powerful and the wealthy to give yet more wealth and power to them. let us be moved by the fact we are all americans in this together. let us tend to the fundamental needs of health care and housing and education and, moafort -- most importantly, good jobs as those jobs disappear across america. let's pay attention and work together to shore up small businesses with low-interest loans and with grants to see them through this difficult time and their employees through this difficult time. thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: mr. presi dent.

mr. manchin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from west virginia. mr. manchin: mr. president, thank you. i want to thank my colleague from oregon for his big heart and compassion and continuing to worry about those who are left behind and forgotten. i can assure you senator merkley does not leave anyone behind or forget those who are in need of help. this is not like anything i've ever seen in my lifetime or most people's lifetimes. up until a few days ago my state of west virginia felt we were immune. there were another cases report -- there were no cases reported. we were like an island with infestation around. i knew that wasn't the case and many people knew we weren't testing. the amount of tests weren't out there, so people had a false sense of maybe hope or security, and now that has been shattered. we have our first case now, and i'm praying to the good lord that we don't have many more, but i suspect that because of

the fragility of our citizens, the elderly population that we have, those who have done hard work all their lives, have respiratory illnesses, they could be in jeopardy and we're very concerned about that. i was reluctant about coming and speaking, but i think there are some things that need to be said because we're moving unprecedented, in an unprecedented way of how much money should be thrown at the pandemic, how much money do they believe it will take to get us through this horrible time. first of all, we should be thinking about are we investing in trying to build our defense, health care defense system back up? it's been basically decimated in the last two or three years. should we not put the scientists or the people we know back into position that can be looking at any of these horrible illnesses, diseases,

pandemics, viruses coming from different parts of the world that can protect us from it hitting our country again like this? next of all, should we not be putting everything we have as far as our research capabilities and working with all the scientists and all of the different centers that we have that we could find basically a way to treat this virus and a vaccine that would prevent those from attracting, contracting this virus. those are the things that we should be totally absolutely committed to and spending our time and effort immediately upon. next of all, the financial help that we are going to need. first of all, don't you think we should be using this through every challenge that we've ever had in this great country, we have found a way to come out of it bigger and stronger, but don't you think we should be manufacturing the medical devices that we need to heal and

cure and take care of american citizens right here in the good old u.s.a.? don't you think we should be having the amount of products it takes to make the pharmaceutical bills that we need in order to keep us they will think or cure us, if you will? don't you think some of that should be done in the u.s.a. that we've allowed to leave our shores and find in desperate need? don't you think we should be making just the medical masks that protect our first responders and all of our medical workers who we need to have on the job? those are the things we're worried about with the fallout that can come from this horrific epidemic, but it gives us a chance to reconnect basically and also a way to correct. maybe the lackadaisical approach we've taken to manufacturing over the years. this is a time for us to change. but let me throw something else at you, mr. president.

i don't think that you and i need a $1,000 check. i don't think we need that. i think there's an awful lot of people in america that still have a job even if they're working from home that basically is not going to change their life with that $1,000 check. but think about the people that truly do need that and a lot more, people on the front line that have no control over this whatsoever, that doesn't have a guaranteed source of income unless they're out there earning it every day. don't you think we can help them more through expanded unemployment benefits, working through the system that we already have in place in all of our states and in this country? don't you think that might be a better way? how about small businesses that aren't capitalized to the point where they have no ability whatsoever to continue to operate when there's no capital and they don't have cash flow or reserves to take care of it? don't you think we can help them through the s.b.a., removing some of the restrictions and red tape that we have, unemployment

benefits basically waiting on wait times, increasing that to a $500 a week limit? things of that sort that would help? don't you think the large corporations which i know everyone's concerned about, they got one tremendous tax break. with that being said, they will come back. they can afford to pay back a loan, a zero percent interest, if you will, helping some way keeping that part of the economy stimulated but not to the point where we're putting our children and grandchildren in a debt that we can avoid. but not being compassionate and sympathetic towards those who really need it on the frontline, which is the average working person that gets up every day and finds out there's no work for them. they're already on unemployment. they're in the system. also the small businesses that have struggled, they're there. we're to the point now where we're going to bite off a lot more and we're going to write checks that our crirn can't

cash. -- children can't cash if we're not smart about this. it seems as if everyone is gathering around now for whatever type of cover. i'm not sitting here blaming the president or blaming any administration or anybody else for what we didn't do two or three or four months ago. i'm sitting here now, are we going to take responsibility for what we're about to do, doesn't make any sense whatsoever. with that being said, let's make sure the money that we're putting in the system is fixing the medical end of it, finding a cure for this virus, making sure that other viruses or pandemics don't attack us. let's make sure that we're doing everything we can of what we're responsible for. every leader takes an oath of office. when you raise your hand, whether you're a mayor, whether you're a governor, whether you're the president, whatever, you should be thinking immediately upon taking that oath, what can i do to protect the people that i'm responsible to represent. if you can't do that, then you're going into the wrong job with the wrong idea, i can

assure you of that. what i'm saying is i've got the most, i've got the most at-risk population in the country -- an older population, a population that has done heavy lifting and heavy jobs that have given respiratory concerns and ailments. this pandemic will take a horrific toll on the population of west virginia if we're not careful of what we do, but also it can change the course of howf we do business and how we take care of others in america. this is challenging every one of us to bring in the humanity inside, the compassion, bring in basically the who we are as a people, the american people are the most generous, caring, compassionate people. west virginiaans treat everybody as their neighbor and that's who we are. we must take care of our

neighbors. we must reach out and take care of those in need, and right now we have a situation where i'm concerned about, i'm concerned about that all of us have not done our job as well as we could. and just throwing caution to the wind thinking we can make everybody happy because we're going to be throwing money at everything thinking this will take care of it. it won't. it won't unless you have the root cause of the problem that we're getting to, and that's fixing our manufacturing base, taking care of americans, making sure that people that can't work on no recourse of their own and no desire by themselves, they have absolutely no challenging from the standpoint of where they have, they're able to basically have control of their destiny. they're requiring basically, provide the services and that means the jobs have to be, the demand has to be there. we've cut most of that out. let's make sure we take care of them.

let's make sure we can do that without bankrupting our future generations. i think that can be done. i will say this, i spoke to vice president mike pence last night and told him the dire need that we are in. i said mr. vice president, i know the people are thinking west virginia has been spared. we have not. we just haven't tested. we need more test kits. we need more protection for our first responders. we need respirators and ventilators. we need the tents as first tier operations. we're not in a second tier. we're too vulnerable to be in that second tier. if you want to stop the carnage that could happen if this thing breaks loose in my state full fledge, then please help us. he's responded, and i want to thank the vice president for basically reaching out, helping west virginia. we're going to get through this. there will be light at the end of the tunnel. there will be a new day, and we have a chance to correct the problems that we have right now. this has been of our own making and we can correct them by our own actions right now.

so i want to thank you, mr. president. i hope all of our colleagues are working in a bipartisan way. it should bring us together. there's very few times that this opportunity comes. and i've said in the political arena you have two things that happen. you better never, ever, ever not take advantage of a crisis and make something better happen. and that's what we're dealing with now. and a basically a mandate. the people are mandating us to do our job. they're mandating us to work together to find cures. not to basically be irresponsible or act like we're not in touch with the average person. we are, because that's who we represent. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. wyden: mr. president, shortly the senate will vote on the paul amendment, and i want this body to understand why i strongly oppose it. the paul amendment in its essence has nothing to do with

the underlying proposal responding to this enormous covid-19 crisis. the paul amendment is a poison pill that essentially focuses on an old political issue that this body has debated before and very likely is going to debate again. i just don't believe the paul amendment has any place in a debate on an emergency coronavirus bill. every member of this senate understands our country is facing and dealing with a national health and economic crisis. the country wants us to focus like a laser on emergency

measures that can help save lives and keep families from falling into destitution. the paul amendment says, in effect, that immigrant families with kids are going to pay for the emergency with their kids' well-being. these families, like so many others, are especially vulnerable at this moment. it's just wrong to bring misery into their homes. i would just ask my colleagues, save the immigration debates for another time when we're not in the middle of a pandemic. today the focus is about that

pandemic and acting in an emergency where we come together, both political parties, both sides of the aisle. when you're dealing with this kind of pandemic, your focus is helping families and workers, small businesses, all of those people who are walking on an economic tightrope. they are not getting paychecks is what we're hearing, and they are trying to figure out how to pay the rent. and if they pay the rent, do they have money for food? and if they have money for food, what do they do about out of pocket health care? folks want our support with those survival issues. on the finance committee, i'm very pleased to see the very distinguished president of this body working with us on the finance committee. what we have tried to do is

focus on modernizing unemployment insurance. i've said to my colleagues, let's just face it, unemployment in the sense of a word, has been in a time warp, so i think that we have a really important proposal that's going to help an enormous number of people from sea to shinning sea. so we need to do so much right now, particularly in terms of saving lives and getting health care to our people. and what i hear from home is people who are following this are saying there's so much to do. act now and then get on with the additional steps that have to be taken, but for today get on with it. get on with passing this bill,

getting ready to move to the next bill. those in need of health care, citizens struggling to make it through these unprecedented times want action now. they all realize that there will be several additional pieces of legislation, hopefully sooner rather than later, but our job today is to make sure we pass this bill, and i urge colleagues when we vote on the paul amendment very shortly to oppose it and i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from kentucky. mr. paul: mr. president, i rise in support of my amendment to pay for this economic stimulus package by removing less important spending from elsewhere in the budget. i would ask every american, if

you were faced with a personal crisis in how to spend extra money and you had to spend extra money on food and medicine, money that you had to borrow from a relative, wouldn't you prioritize your resources and immediately stop loaning money to those overseas for their children to go to space camp. wouldn't you stop funding clown colleges in argentina. if you had a true emergency like this amendment, wouldn't you stop building roads and gas stations in pakistan. if you had a true emergency like this crohn pandemic, wouldn't you stop spending money studying why drunk people fall down more than sober people. i ask my colleagues to stop wasting money in this time of crisis, do your jobs and prioritize our precious resources it is our job and our responsibility to conserve these resources. why is this important? why shouldn't we just print or

borrow the money instead of making cuts in things like foreign aid? because next time, maybe in the not too distant future, our children may not even able to borrow their way out of a crisis, our dollar devalued, our economy ruined all because we were fools with our resources, all because we refused what we were elected to do, which was to prioritize the truly vital such as coronavirus relief and medical research over the extraneous, such as spending money on clown colleges, gas stations and roads in afghanistan. to my fellow americans, remain hopeful, remain kind, remain faithful, and above all, remain resilient. in the world's history pandemics are the norm, not the exception. it is only recently in the modern era of antibiotics an

vaccines that pandemics have been less frequent. modern man has become accustomed to the idea that life is relatively safe. that a long life is to be expected. consequently, any reeruption of diseasessed beyond our control paralyzes us with fear. people have forgotten what it's like to experience the annual dread of recurring infectious disease. my parents remember vividly the polo pandemics of the 1950's. in one of the last outbreaks before the vaccine, over 60,000 people contracted polo. jonas was a hero for developing the vaccine and another doctor came up with the inoculation for

smallpox. edward jenner discovered how to vaccinate. this pandemic has heroes, some known, but most are unknown, doctors and nurses on the front lines. the innovators among us are already putting forth potential treatments, possible cures. a half dozen antiviral medications are in the final stage of study of. researchers believe an old drug developed for malaria may help. reports indicate that scientists will likely set a speed record for a vaccine. now is not that time for malaise, now is a time for optimism. by summer there is a good chance we'll be in the recovery phase. now is not the time to give in. several generations have grown-up unfamiliar with the devastation of pandemics, and even now, when it's impossible to look the other way, the young

and healthy rationalize their relative safety. psychologically it's easy for the young and healthy to view mortality as something that happens to the old and unhealthy. coronavirus scarce us because it kills not only the old and infirm, but the young and vibrant, although much less frequently. one of the coronavirus' first victims was a 32-year-old previously an ophthalmologist in wuhan. the question is whether there's a plan of action to preserve our economy and lead to a quick rebound? i don't think anyone had know for certain whether grinding the u.s. economy to a halt was necessary. no one would know the converse what would have happened if we had not attempted to slow the virus' spread. a few years ago we survived the

swine flu pandemic. it was estimated that 60 million americans were affected and over 12,000 people died. now experts said the coronavirus is much more lethal than the swine flu, likely true, but worldwide deaths from the swine flu was estimated to be between 150,000 and 575,000. when calm returns, it will be helpful to return how our responses differed between the swine flu and coronavirus. at one time we were completely helpless before the ravages of natural disasters, such as infectious diseases, but our history is one of great innovation and perseverance. we will survive this pandemic. what government does to mitigate the calamity should be short-lived, temporary and causes little distortion to the free market economy as possible. the history of pandemics indicates a strong likelihood that the peak of infections and mortality could pass in a few weeks to a few months.

congress should remain calm and try not to explode the debt in our response. the public should know that congress has already enacted reforms that will free up millions of industrial masks for our doctors and nurses, quarantine teening is in place -- quarantining is in place. our university labs and private labs will have additional testing for coronavirus and possible cures by removing red tape at the f.d.a. i do worry, though, as we go further into debt we may reach a.where our debt is so -- a point where our debt is so large we may not be able to survive the next pandemic. we should not forget fiscal responsibility. we should take the money from areas of the budget where it is not wisely used. my amendment does just that. my amendment says that if you want to apply for money from the

government through the child tax credit program, this is money that the government gives to people, that you have to be a legitimate person, you have to have a social security number. we've been talking about this reform for a decade now and have not passed it. it has nothing to do with not liking immigrants, it has to do with taxpayer money should not go to nonpeople. it says you have to have a social security number. people would estimate this would save $26 million. that goes a long way towards paying for this bill. i think we should also end the war in afghanistan. we're spending $50 billion a year on that war, and it's mostly not to fight war, it's to build stuff for them. it's to build infrastructure for them. we've got a lot of problems with infrastructure in our own country without spending $50 million in afghanistan. if we have an emergency now, it is time to prioritize and take the money where it is not spent

wisely to something we need to spend on at the moment. my bill would have the president to transfer money from wasteful areas fvment you look at -- areas. if you look at our budget, it is loaded with waste. when we have an emergency, we borrow more money, instead we should take money that is unwisely spent and move it over to account for this emergency. what i'm offering is a very reasonable proposal. we simply pay for this emergency bill by taking money from other areas of waste in the budget. thank you, mr. president.

mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 6201. further, that the only amendments in order be amendments to be offered by senators paul, johnson, and murray or their designees, the texts of which are at the desk. further, at 12:10, the senate vote on the paul amendment subject to a 60-affirmative vote threshold for adoption. further, following the disposition of the paul amendment, the time until 2:00 p.m. be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees, and that at 2:00 p.m., the senate vote on the murray and johnson amendments in the order listed, with a 60 affirmative vote threshold for adoption of each. further, upon disposition of

these amendments, the bill, as amended, if amended, be read a third time and the senate vote on passage of the bill with a 60 affirmative vote threshold for passage. finally, if passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, and that all those be 30 minutes in length. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the clerk will report the bill. the clerk: an act making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2020, and for other purposes. mr. paul: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from kentucky. mr. paul: i call up my amendment 1556 and ask that it be reported by number. the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report the amendment by number. the clerk: the senator from kentucky, mr. paul, proposes an amendment numbered 1556.

the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. vote:

the presiding officer: the senator from kentucky is recognized. is there objection? without objection. the question is on the paul amendment. the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: the yeas

are 3, the nays are 95. under the previous order requiring 60 votes for the adoption of this amendment, the amendment is not agreed to. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from new hampshire. ms. hassan: mr. president, granite staters are known for our all hands on deck spirit, coming together in difficult times to support our friends and neighbors. the covid-19 pandemic has forced us all to change our daily routines and adjust to new challenges. however, one thing that has not changed throughout this public health emergency is the compassion and empathy we are seeing from people all across our state. every month, i recognize a person or a group of people in new hampshire who have gone

above and beyond to help their community. i recognize them as the granite stater of the month. but this month, i couldn't choose just one person, and instead wish to recognize all granite staters for coming together to try to slow the spread of this virus and to help those in need. all across new hampshire, people are taking commonsense steps both to keep themselves healthy and to avoid a knowing -- avoid unknowingly passing the virus along to others, particularly those who are at high risk. this includes washing your hands thoroughly and for at least 20 seconds and wiping down frequently touched surfaces like cell phones and door handles. it also means practicing social distancing by only going out in public when absolutely necessary and keeping at least six feet between you and another person. we have also seen that events that people look forward to all year, like the boston marathon

or st. patrick's day festivities, have been canceled or postponed. people are following public health officials' guidelines by staying at home and canceling long-awaited travel plans. taking these necessary measures is hard and unpleasant, but it has been inspiring to see how many people are willing to make these sacrifices to protect the public health. additionally, many people might only contract mild symptoms from covid-19, especially those who are younger and in good health. however, it is heartening that so many of those individuals recognize how important it is to protect others who might be at higher risk like those over 60 or people living with chronic health conditions. as many americans know, it's also crucial that we don't overwhelm our health care system and prevent an influx of patients in crowded hospitals which could lead to a shortage of critical medical equipment

and personal protective gear. collective actions like staying home and minimizing interactions with others will be crucial in combating this public health emergency. as people's lives continue to experience disruption, i have been inspired to see such a tremendous outpouring of support from people all across new hampshire in an effort to help one another during this very difficult time. for instance, nonprofits, food pantries, and volunteers are partnering with local schools in new hampshire to combat food insecurity in their communities. one school district held a food drive over the weekend with a local nonprofit. they were concerned that given the last-minute nature of the event, there would be low participation. to their surprise, the school reported that the community came out in droves to donate goods. stories like this are abundant in communities across my state, and i am immensely proud of how

people across new hampshire have come together to respond to this public health emergency. in the coming weeks and months, it will be even more important that granite staters and all americans lean on one another for support. i encourage everyone to reach out to your neighbors, especially those at higher risk, to see what you can do to help. if you have an older neighbor, see if they need help picking up their groceries. if you know someone who is a medical professional with young kids at home, ask if you can babysit. right now, it is important for people to remember what we can all do to help contain the spread of this virus, and that we all have a role to play in doing so. in new hampshire, we pull together. we help one another to get through challenging times, and i know that we can come together to slow the spread of this virus. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor.

mr. cornyn: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cornyn: mr. president, as health care professionals and first responders in communities across our country are working around the clock to fight the threat of this coronavirus, our televisions and news feeds have been filled with a lot of numbers. the number of new cases reported each day, the rising number of fatalities, unfortunately, the volatile ups and downs of the stock market. all this data paints a picture of a widening scope of this

outbreak on a national scale, but it fails to represent the impact it's having on individuals and on small businesses and on our communities. i think of people like joe ken ni who opened cobble head's bar and grill in brownsville, texas. like others around the country he's trying to adapt to keep his doors open. he canceled the restaurant's popular st. patrick's day celebration and instead offered corn beef and cabbage as a takeout option. but he's nervous just how long he can hold on and how he will be able to stay afloat. joe says shutting down two, three, four weeks, you can leave 25 years on the table with what we put into this place. joe, to his credit, is especially worried about his more than 30 employees and what

will happen to them. this is a familiar story for countless small businesses and their employees who are losing customers through no fault of their own. aaron willis owns rm 1220 bistro in northeast dallas. when she heard the mayor limited restaurants to takeout service she said i hope we can survive this. like joe, erin is mostly concerned about the well-being of her staff. hourly workers, particularly those who rely on tips, are seeing fewer and fewer opportunities to collect a paycheck. erin's rotating employees so everyone can have some work, but the fears about how long this could last are really settling in. as she said, the service industry is their livelihood. if we all close, they literally have nothing.

as more and more americans are staying home, small businesses and their employees are the hardest hit, but the impact does not end with them. the hard stop on large gatherings doesn't just mean businesses, schools, and workplaces are shutting down. it means vital community events including things like blood drives are being canceled. officials from the south texas blood and tissue center said this has put their community blood supply at riive of collapse -- at risk of collapse. while this isn't relating to treating those with be coronavirus, it is a vital ongoing everyday work of our health care system. blood donations help people who lose blood during major surgery or a traumatic injury as well as those with chronic conditions that require occasional transfusions. hospitals and donation centers are taking every precaution to protect donors while fulfilling their need for blood donations.

and i would encourage all texans who are healthy and at low risk of contracting the coronavirus to consider donating blood. during times like these, when it's perhaps easy to feel that circumstances are beyond your control, this is one small step each of us could take to support our communities. i know this is a time of serious uncertainty for both the physical and financial health of our families and our country, but i want to assure my constituents, the 29 million people that i'm privileged to represent in the state of texas, that the senate is working to provide the relief we can. less than two weeks ago the president signed a bill we passed that provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the virus. this sent vital funding toward treating and preventing the spread of the virus including

protective equipment as well as supporting the development of a vaccine, possible treatments, and more diagnostics. this was an important first step to bolster our response in the frl phases of this community spread and now we're working to address the larger impact this virus is having on american workers, families, and our economy. soon the senate will take another bipartisan step to provide support by passing the families first coronavirus response act. this legislation will go a long way to provide immediate relief for those who are struggling to make ends meet during this challenging time. it creates a new federal emergency paid sick leave program for those impacted by the coronavirus, whether a worker is diagnosed with the virus or caring for a dependent who was affected they'll be able to take up to ten days of sick

leave. many texas workers will have up to 12 weeks of paid leave for care for dependents because of coronavirus-related school closures. this legislation will make important changes to unemployment insurance to ensure that texans can take advantage of these benefits during this time of uncertainty. it also provides food security for americans of all ages, from schoolchildren who rely on free lunches at school to seniors who are unable to leave their homes. every american deserves access to this basic nutrition. this bill also makes coronavirus testing free of charge for all americans and includes a range of measures to support the health care professionals who are literally on the front line of this fight. i proudly will support the bill and i'm eager to get it to the president for his signature. we shouldn't delay in sending it to his desk. we've been able to come together and move two bills through

congress that will support health care workers, neighbors, and communities being impacted by the coronavirus, and i hope this trend of bipartisanship will continue in the coming weeks and months as we work to build on the actions we've already taken. i want to echo the comment made by the majority leader that this is only the beginning of our efforts to support our country. we'll keep working this week and next and for however long it takes to assist american workers and families to support our local businesses and secure both the immediate and long-term viability of our economy. the senate has already begun work via three task forces of putting together the next economic recovery legislation, and we will not leave until we get that bill passed too. while most americans' daily lives have been upended by the spread of the coronavirus there are countless men and women who are continuing to go to work and

fill critical needs in our society. we owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated health care professionals who are on the front lines of this pandemic and to the scientists who are working to develop a vaccine, the first responders who continue to expose their own health for our safety, to the farmers and ranchers and producers who are keeping us fed, to the grocery store employees who are restocking shelves, and to the countless others who are leaving their homes and their families each morning to keep us safe and healthy. and we need to say thank you to each of them. while these men and women continue doing everything they can in response to the spread of the coronavirus, the senate will do the same. mr. president, i yield the floor and i would note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

mrs. murray: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: madam president, i

ask unanimous consent the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mrs. murray: i call up amendment numbered 1559 as provided for under the previous order. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from washington proposes an amendment numbered 1559, at the appropriate place -- mrs. murray: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that we dispense with further reading. the presiding officer: without objection. mrs. murray: thank you. thank you, madam president. madam president, i have been in the senate during 9/11, for katrina, for the 2008 financial crisis, and i still have never experienced anything like what we are seeing today. these are truly extraordinary circumstances, and the stories that i am hearing from my constituents and from people across the country are crushing, and some of the most heartbreaking stories are the ones about people who want to do the right thing in this moment but are having to choose between

staying home as public health experts say we must and paying the rent or putting food on their table. i am hearing from workers like crystal westwood. she is from auburn, washington. she and her husband welcomed their first child on february 7 of this year. they both have auto immune diseases but her husband's job is not allowing her to work from home and she says, quote, this is an extremely stressful situation for my opinion family. we have the option for my husband to take leave without pay for the next month or so, but that would mean we would not have any income coming in to support our family. he could use up all of his sick and vacation time but that would mean he won't have any left for the rest of the year in case something happens. both of those options do not seem right. madam president, i agree, that is not right. a pastor in tequila, washington, shared similar concerns from a parent in are

their congregation with school-age children who worries, quote, quo what if they call off school? i don't have anyone to care for my kids. then without a paycheck we will get evicted. as it is we are already running close to eviction every month. madam president, since that time all of our schools in washington state are closed. and then there's chris. he lives in seattle, works in a grocery store and is at high risk for coronavirus. she writes it is an awful decision. go to work and put your life at risk or lose your job, your income and your insurance. i haven't committed either way at this point. i'm trying to find a way to stay home. madam president, i'm not just hearing from workers, but from small business owners as well across our state, people who own restaurants and shops, everyone from farmers to fishers who are used to the spring being a time when the phones are ringing off the hook. now no one is coming in their door. no one is calling. and they want to do the right thing for their workers but they

don't have the cash flow to keep them on. madam president, people are scared. they feel they've gotten the rug pulled out from under them. they need our help. unfortunately, here's what the senator from wisconsin wants to do. after the house overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan agreement that includes an important step forward to provide workers the paid sick leave they need in this crisis, his amendment would undo that bipartisan work by stripping any paid sick leave progress out of the bill we're voting on today. instead of helping people keep their jobs and their paychecks by providing sick leave, senator johnson's amendment would force workers to seek compensation through their state unemployment system meaning they would be on their own until they were compensated by the state. and the unemployment system in each state would be drastically overburdened at a time when workers are going to need it in the event they are laid off. democrats are pushing for solutions through the unemployment insurance to support families and workers in

the months ahead, but simply using this program now as a replacement for paid sick leave for workers is unacceptable and it's shameful. we have to do better than that. at a time when families are facing impossible decisions, my fellow senators face a glaringly simple one. we need to be doing as much as we can as fast as we can, and his amendment would set us backwards at the worst possible time. that is why i'm here on the floor to offer our amendment. it's based on legislation that i've worked with with senator gillibrand and representative delauro introduced yesterday. our legislation will simply provide workers with seven days of accrued paid sick leave, two weeks of paid emergency days, and 12 weeks of paid emergency leave. and it would make sure that their employers can quickly and fully be reimbursed by the treasury department for

providing that leave. but for those who may not be ready just yet to agree we need paid sick days and paid sick leave going forward permanently, the amended version of this bill that we are introducing today and asking for a vote on shortly would only provide the support through december 2021. my number-one priority right now is getting people the support they are need right now for this emergency that's at hand. and this is a commonsense step. it is good for workers who need to stay home if they are sick or take care of their family without losing a job or their paycheck. and it's good for small businesses who want to keep their workers and communities safe and who are struggling to stay afloat during this crisis. it is the right thing to do for our economy, for our public health, and we should get it done as soon as possible. if we don't do this, if we let this opportunity slip by, we are sending a message to scared people across the country that we are still not willing to acknowledge the scope of the tragedy we are seeing unfold and

not listening to the stories like the ones i just shared, stories that i know my colleagues have heard as well. madam president, we must not, we cannot send that message. people need help. they need hope. they need to see that we are willing to do the right thing and pass big solutions. so i hope all of our colleagues join us in supporting our amendment. i want to see this passed, sent to the president's desk as part of this response. and by the way i'm not going to stop fighting until that happens. thank you, madam president. mrs. gillibrand: madam president the presiding officer: the senator from new york is recognized. mrs. gillibrand: across new york state and the whole country, schools are closing, businesses are shutting their doors as we face this unprecedented crisis. the public health emergency has exposed the weakness in our economy and in our system. we are not doing nearly enough

for workers, for their families, and those who need to deal with medical and financial emergencies that this virus has caused. congress has a duty to look out for families who are staring down uncertainty, fear, and financial ruin. our top priority must be strengthening our public health system and ensuring that hardworking americans who are facing this crisis due to no fault of their own can keep their jobs while taking care of themselves and their loved ones. we must also ensure that businesses, many which have been forced to close their doors in the name of the public good, do not have to cover these unexpected costs alone. the paid leave act ensures that every worker in america has full paid sick and family leave.

it strengthens their financial footing. it gives certainty and confidence to businesses. congress has the responsibility to pass this legislation. it's not only a health imperative but a financial one too. unfortunately our colleagues, senator johnson, his amendment is cynical and counter productive. this amendment would eliminate paid sick and family leave provisions in favor of providing coronavirus-affected people with unemployment compensation. so what he's saying is you have to actually lose your job if you need to stay home to care for a loved one or because you're sick yourself. and that's just wrongheaded because the truth is we want people to keep their jobs. we want people to be able to have their jobs be there when they get better or when their family member gets better. we want them to have their jobs

after they recover themselves. this is why paid leave and sick leave is such a better solution than just straight-up unemployment insurance. workers deserve protections so they don't lose their job just because their kids' school closed and they need to be home to look after them. wouldn't any employee in america today prefer to keep their job and have paid sick leave rather than having to quit and take unemployment insurance? wouldn't every member of this body and the president himself, president trump himself want to keep unemployment numbers from exploding any further than they are already? while the unemployment system will continue to play a very important role for those who have lost their jobs, it cannot be the only answer. i want to thank senator murray for her leadership, her steadfast advocacy for family

and medical leave and paid sick days. this amendment is crafted to provide extraordinary economic stimulus and support to our businesses when they need it absolutely most. and most of all, it's giving certainty because people are afraid. they don't want to have to spread coronavirus to every person they work with. they don't want to have to leave their children unattended at home. they would love to stay at work, but under the circumstances, they cannot. allow them to keep their jobs. allow them to draw down on paid leave while their child is at home for a week, a month or three months. if they themselves are sick, god forbid make sure they're not in the community spreading this virus. make sure they can be home getting better and reemerging to do their work when they are well. democrats stand ready to work with senate republicans to pass this important bill. we need to meet the need of the

american people today. this is our duty in this grave time of need. i yield the floor. a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from wisconsin is recognized. mr. johnson: i call up my amendment 15158 and ask that it be reported by number. the presiding officer: without objection, the clerk will report the amendment by the number. the clerk: the senator from wisconsin, mr. johnson, proposes an amendment numbered 1558. mr. johnson: madam president, i also ask unanimous consent that senator blackburn, senator cotton, senator cruz, senator love letter and senator -- senator loghler and senator perdue be added. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. johnson: i also ask unanimous consent that i be allowed and senator pennsylvania

be allowed to finish our comments before we start the vote. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. johnson: thank you, madam president. madam president, we are facing with the coronavirus an unprecedented situation certainly in my lifetime. these are extraordinary times we're living in and trying to live through, and there's no doubt that extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. the good news is that there's a lot of agreement in terms of what we need to do. we all recognize americans and american businesses are suffering through no fault of their own, and they need help. and we all want to provide that help. hopefully we want to provide it effectively and efficiently with as few negative unintended consequences as possible. what i would suggest is this is really no time, though, to follow rahm emanuel's famous

dictate that you should never let a crisis go to waste. madam president, from my viewpoint, i think one of the reasons we've had a more successful economy, certainly far more successful than the economy, the slow recovery we had out of the 2009 recession, is that this administration has focused on reducing the regulatory burden. first we stopped adding to it. and then we actually reduced it. that brought a fair amount of opt -- optimism and spirit to our economy because business people could concentrate on their products and their services rather than looking over their shoulder to find out what new government regulation was going to cause them to hire a new compliance office, increase their cost, possibly put them out of business. so what i'm suggesting is when we provide that help and we need to provide that help to both hardworking american workers as well as american businesses, that we do it in the most

efficient and effective manner, and we do more good than harm. i would argue that a new mandate on business is going to do a great deal of economic harm. it may sound good, but it's not the right way to go. we will eventually come out of this. we will be recovering from economic woes. we need to learn the lesson from 2009 where overregulation hampered our recovery. so let's not add a new mandate. i know the house bill is only temporary, but temporary p becomes permanent around this place pretty good. as ronald reagan once said the closest thing to eternal life in our lifetime is a government program. i will also say my office has been flooded with businesses calling in also not believing this is only going to be temporary and not really having confidence in the rube goldberg financing mechanism for this,

again, temporary mandate for paid sick and family leave. the good news, there's a better way, and that's what my amendment does. it creates a temporary emergency federal unemployment insurance program sitting on top of what already exists. rather than having two or three or more programs trying to provide that funding to workers that we all want to provide that support, we would have basically a single program, a single method for doing that using state unemployment offices. they are already set up to do this. with some slight modifications, they would be able to handle this. here would be the slight modifications. first of all, our bill waives any waiting periods. but then we also reimburse the states for paying unemployment during that waiting period. we have the exact same eligibility as the house bill. it is focused on those individuals affected by the coronavirus, the exact same

definition. the benefits are identical as well. we would provide support. we would plus up the state unemployment benefits up to two-thirds of employees' wages not to exceed $1,000 a week. we also recognize those companies that voluntarily offer sick pay and paid family leave by reimbursing them up to that same level, up to $1,000 per week, more than $10,000 per employee. the exact same benefits as the house of representatives does. and, of course, we actually make ours temporary. there will be a great deal of pressure on the part of state unemployment funds to get out of this as soon as they possibly can. but accept that federal help while they need it. our bill sunsets -- the earliest could be the expiration of the national declared emergency or