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the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. almighty god, open our eyes to your movements in our midst. remind our lawmakers that you have brought us

through times more challenging than what we now face. keep them from being intimidated by this global pandemic, as they cling to your promises and trust the unfolding of your triumphant providence. continue to protect them and order their steps. clothe them with the armor of integrity, shield them with your truth, and guide them with your power. we pray in your strong name. amen. the president pro tempore:

please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: i ask to speak one minute in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: i will bet all of our fellow senators have been hearing from businesses, hospitals, nursing homes, local

civic business and political leaders about the issues they are facing right now due to the coronavirus health crisis. so likewise, i have been talking to family and friends back home in iowa. i find that they are banding together to support one another, and in times of strife, iowa can count on each other. we have got to give special attention to the hard work of our medical professionals and first responders, how they are under immense pressure, going above and beyond to serve their communities. i believe that they're doing god's work, keeping the american people safe and healthy. so i thank our medical

professionals and first responders for their dedication to their communities and send my encouragement to keep up their essential work in the days and weeks ahead as we see ourselves through this virus pandemic that we're in. i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, senators have now spent days engaged in vigorous bipartisan discussions among ourselves and with the administration. earlier today, i hosted a productive meeting in my office with the democratic leader, the speaker of the house, the house republican leader, and the secretary of the treasury.

these intense conversations have built a piece of legislation that is as bold and as big as the american people deserve. as thoroughly bipartisan as our process demands. now what we need to do is to move forward. this national crisis is not going to wait around if congress slips back into conventional politics or haggles endlessly over the finer points. every day, more americans' jobs are disappearing or coming ever closer to the brink. every day, more small businesses are faced with hard decisions that could change local communities literally forever. every day, major american companies that employ countless

people are seeing their commerce crushed by their own government for the sake of public health. every day, doctors and nurses and health care professionals will keep reporting to work and treating patients whether or not congress has their back. the risks to our country grow every single day that we do not act. the needs of hospitals and health care providers grow every day that we do not act. that's why we have worked around the clock to craft a major bipartisan relief package. that's why we're going to hold our first procedural vote in just a few minutes. so that we can keep moving forward, because this virus is not going to wait for politics as usual. these past few days have brought

unity and bipartisan energy here to the senate. i think members on both sides agree it's been very encouraging. since senate republicans released our initial framework to give some structure to these discussions, both sides have worked hard to create something that can pass the senate, pass the house, and be signed into law by the president. the bipartisan product delivers strongly on each of the core priorities we identified at the outset. it puts urgently needed cash in the hands of american workers and families. it delivers historic and rapid relief to small businesses so they can make payroll and keep people employed. it helps stabilize key industries to avoid layoffs wherever possible. and preserve the greatest economy in the world for when we come out on the other side of

this. and, of course, it sends a massive, massive new infusion of resources to the front line of the medical response. that is what we have to do mr. president, inject a significant amount of money as quickly as possible into households, small businesses, key sectors, and our nation's hospitals and health centers. this bill would do that and it would do it fast. the compromised product also contains many ideas that our democratic colleagues brought to the table. it balances the administration's focus on sending direct cash to americans. it balances the administration's focus on sending direct cash to americans as quickly as possible, with our democratic of colleagues focus on

bolstering state and unemployment insurance programs, it places conditions which our democratic colleagues have sought on the loans that would flow to major businesses, conditions which the president has also endorsed. and both parties have made sure to keep strengthening the resources that will be pushed out to the front lines. the bill includes $75 billion in a newspaper fund for -- in a new fund for hospital and health providers and more than three quarters in the appropriations section, nearly $200 billion, will not stay in washington but will go straight to state and local priorities. so what we have is a compromise product which contains ideas, contributions, and priorities on both sides and which could become law as soon as tomorrow, as soon as tomorrow. in other words, it's just about

time to take yes for an answer. we're now at a point which every american who has ever negotiated anything would recognize, whether they purchased a home or bought a car or negotiated for their small business. we are at the point where both sides have come a long way toward each other, and each side has to decide whether to continue elbowing and arguing over the last several inches and risk the whole thing or whether to shake hands and get it done. thus far h throughout this crisis, the senate has risen to the occasion. it was just a few days ago when the senate republican majority moved expeditiously to pass the house democrats' phase two

legislation, even though many of my colleagues on this side of the aisle and i had serious reservations and would have written it very differently. we passed it anyway, basically written on the house side. nevertheless, as i just said, i pushed the speaker's legislation through the senate because urgency and results matter during a national crisis. because imperfections notwithstanding, it was the right thing to do for our country. so look, look, i hope and anticipate that a similar agree of bipartisanship and urgency will be reciprocated now. i understand the speaker said following our meeting this morning that she may simply give up on these bipartisan talks and begin writing her own separate bill.

perhaps that's related to the remarks of one of her senior house democratic leaders who reportedly told colleagues a few days ago, quote, this is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision. a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision. well, i sincerely hope that nobody actually views this crisis in such a cynical manner. this is not a political opportunity. it's a national emergency. that's why we have engaged in days of bipartisan talks to get to this point. it's why it's time to move forward. americans don't need to see us haggling endlessly. they don't need us to jeopardize all the progress we've made over the past several days for the sake of some 11th hour

brinkmanship. the american people need an outcome and they need it tomorrow. they need us to vote to advance this legislation today and pass it tomorrow. as i said yesterday, congress should take inspiration from our own constituents. we should be inspired by our own constituents. look at what they're doing. even during this pandemic, the american people are showing the world the soul of our country. in my home state of kentucky, the official motto is united we stand, divided we fall. and every day i hear about new ways kentuckians are standing united even if they have to

stand six feet apart. i recently heard about a resident of campbell county in northern kentucky named debbie buckley. in her day job, debbie works for the local government but recently she heard about some students at a nearby university who were still living in the dorms even though in-person classes have been canceled. some had to remain in the area for work. others were international students who couldn't get home. their situations were completely uncertain. the local shelves were not fully stocked, so debbie decided to do something. she put out a call for help and kentuckians answered the call. churches, restaurants, neighbors all pitched in with food and supplies. debbie drove all over northern kentucky checking those

donations and then delivering them to these young people. she's found everything a college student could need -- canned goods, mike wavable meals and even airheads candy, which i'm proud to say are made right there in kentucky. so there's so many stories like this pouring in from all over our country. americans are stepping up to the plate. americans realize this is no time for selfishness and no time for division, but a time for solidarity and generosity and, yes, courage. americans are rising to the occasion. the senate must do the same. let's move this legislation forward this afternoon as the last few discussions begin to wind down, and then let's get

this done tomorrow. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the senator from south dakota. mr. thune: mr. president, is the senate in a quorum call? the presiding officer: we are. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: mr. president, we just learned our colleague rand paul has tested positive for the coronavirus. our thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery. we'll consult with the attending physician at the capitol about appropriate measures for those who have been in contact with the senator. but this is the kind of situation that americans across the country are dealing with right now and it underscores the importance of acting immediately to deliver more relief for the american people. mr. president, the senate has been working around the clock over the past few days to put together a third round of

coronavirus legislation. we are close to delivering a major bill that will deliver more relief to families, businesses and put more resources into the hands of medical professionals. mr. president, this is a big bill, but this situation requires a big and bold response. across our country american workers and american businesses are struggling. families are scared. businesses have been forced to drastic liqueur tail or close their operations and social distancing has become a public health priority. workers are wondering how long they will be getting a paycheck. small businesses are worrying about whether they'll be able to reopen their doors when all of this is over. key industries have taken a massive economic hit. a major response is required. the package we put together addresses a number of priorities. putting emergency cash into the hands of american families and american workers quickly in a way that ensures that those most in need get the maximum level of

support. delivering relief to small businesses to keep their workers employed. injecting stability into the economy to help bridge this crisis and to limit layoffs. providing new resources for state unemployment programs to help workers displaced by this emergency. and most importantly, most importantly, mr. president, continuing to deliver resources to the health care workers fighting to stop this pandemic. this package is the product of bipartisan input and i hope it will receive overwhelming bipartisan support in the senate. republicans and democrats have already come together to deliver two coronavirus relief bills. it's time for us to come together again to deliver this legislation. as the leader said yesterday, the american people need help and they need it now. this bill will provide them with relief. mr. president, these are challenging times. there's a lot of stress and

uncertainty and americans are understandably worried. we are going to get through this. there may be difficult days ahead, but we are going to come out the other side. all around this country americans are standing up to meet this challenge. we have our heroic health care workers who are putting their lives on the line to care for the seriously ill. our first responders who got their name because they are always the first on the scene in any crisis. and new heroes, grocery store employees, truck drivers, delivery people, pharmacy employees, people we may have taken for granted before but won't again. everywhere i look in my state i see south dakotans helping other south dakotans, and it's the same all across this country. people looking out for their neighbors, providing meals for those in need, offering child care, help to those who can't

telework, running errands for the elderly or those with compromised health systemses who can't leave the house. i read about young people in south dakota who held up signs at a retirement home who can't leave because of the risk of virus transmission. we are going to get through this together. i and my colleagues in the senate are going to keep work to -- working to deliver the resources need to confront and defeat this disease. madam president, id yield the floor. the presiding officer: the leadership is reserved. morning business is closed. under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to h.r. 748, which the clerk will report. the clerk: motion to proceed to h.r. 748, an act to amend the

internal revenue code on high-cost sponsored health coverage. mr. alexander: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from tennessee. mr. alexander: in a few minutes the majority leader will permit the senate to act to deal with this unprecedented health care crisis that we're facing. our message to the american people is this, this is about your paycheck. this is a collection of the best ideas that democratic senators and republican senators have that we believe will generate millions in economic support that will, number one, keep payroll checks coming, number two, relieve the financial burdens of americans, and number three, begin to contain this covid-19 virus. the legislation that we'll be voting on will contain about

$1.7 trillion in federal spending and it will authorize the federal reserve board and the treasury to generate trillions more in liquidity and credit support for companies of all kinds to try to keep payrolls coming. but in the end, mr. president, the only way to end this crisis that we have, the only way to get the american economy moving again is to contain the disease, and this will require, as soon as possible, adopting a new goal, and that goal should be test every american who needs it for covid-19. test every american who needs it for covid-19 as soon as possible. then isolate and care for the few that are sick and fast-track treatments and vaccines so that americans can go back to work and go out to eat and resume a

normal life again. this legislation will make all covid-19 tests free. mr. president, the government has shut down the economy to fight this disease and the government has to help pay the cost of the suffering that this disease has caused. but the sooner we make more tests available and stop telling americans not to get a test the better. just yesterday, a california company announced a 45-minute test that could be taken in a doctor's office while still -- while getting a flu shot, taken at the same time you get your flu shot. expanding tests like this will do more to get the economy moving again than spending trillions stabilizing businesses and supporting employees. i spoke with the chief executive officer of the company that makes that test yesterday. this is a well-established company that makes millions of flu tests. he said they could make 45,000 tests available by the end of the month and two million tests

by the end of june. more instances of expansion of tests like that that you can get at the same time you visit a doctor's office is what we need. the legislation the senate will be considering has three goals. one, keep the payroll checks coming as much as possible. two, relief financial burdens on americans. and three, contain the disease. keeping the payroll checks coming means $300 billion for loans to small businesses. and if they use the loans to pay the wages, the loan will be forgiven. it means authorizing the federal reserve board and the treasury department to create trillions more in financial credit and support for states, cities, and large businesses so they will be able to stay in business and pay their employees. and it expands the emergency paid sick and family and medical leave to workers passed by the house and then the senate last week, workers who were laid off

and later rehired by their employers. the second goal is to relief the financial burden on americans. that section of the bill includes checks to individuals and families. $1,200 for individuals. $2,400 for a couple. $500 for each eligible child. federal income taxes don't have to be filed until july 15. estimated taxes can be delayed until october 15. and it will make it easier to use retirement savings without penalty. all student loan payments will be deferred for six months. there are 43 million americans with student loans. there is more federal funding, a priority of both styles, for state unemployment insurance programs so states can increase benefits, waive the waiting week, and expand eligibility to self-employed and independent contractors. there's money for block grants to states for k-12 education, for higher education, for

children and families, including the child care development block grants which will provide immediate assistance to child care centers. and finally, mr. president, on containing the disease. that's the third goal. it makes all covid-19 tests free. and then there is nearly $100 billion for public health and social services emergency fund. that's at least $75 billion for hospitals. $10.5 billion for accelerating diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. we're probably a few months away from a treatment for covid-19. this would accelerate the efforts that are being made now to determine if these treatments work and if they are staff, and we're even further away from a vaccine, so if there is any way to accelerate that vaccine, this $10 billion will help to do that. and then there is another $1.7 billion for the strategic

national stockpile which has the purpose of buying the equipment that our medical personnel especially need. $4.5 billion for centers for disease control and prevention, for state and local response grants, and to improve public health. $80 million to the food and drug administration, again for diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. $1.32 billion for community health centers. there are 1,400 centers with 12,000 sites. they are the hospitals for probably 28 million or 30 million americans across this country. and $20 billion for veterans care. mr. president, the goal of the legislation we will be considering has these objectives. keep the paychecks coming as much as possible, relief burdens, the financial burdens on americans, and most importantly, contain the disease. senator thune mentioned that now one of our members, senator paul of kentucky, has tested positive

for the coronavirus. that reminds us that every family in this country is going through today and worrying about. it also should remind us of the urgency of moving ahead. we have been working together for several -- for several days with our counterparts on the other side. this is a collection of ideas that will keep the paychecks coming, relieve financial burdens and contain the disease. it's time to vote on it, to approve it by a big margin, send it to the house of representatives so we can intensify our efforts. i thank the president, and i yield the floor.

the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule 22, the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to h.r. 748 occur at 6:00 p.m. the presiding officer: without

objection.

:

mr. manchin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from west virginia. mr. manchin: are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: the senate is not in a quorum call. mr. manchin: i'd like to say a few words about what we're going through. in west virginia, i've been on conference calls because of social distancing, as we all are. i've talked to the nurses association, the medical association. i've spoken to the hospital association. the main concern that we have right now is our medical providership being stable enough, being protected enough so they can continue to take care of us if need be. and right now they're scared to death. they're not getting the protective equipment they need. they don't have the personal protective equipment such as the masks or the shields or the gowns and all of the equipment that a first responder should have. that's what we're l fighting for

now. we have rural hospitals, rural clinics throughout all of america. with that being said they're scared they're not going to have the finances to stay afloat. the proposal that we have right now that they're working on, both sides are working on does not, is adequately insufficient. mitch mcconnell's proposal falls short of delivery for the protection the medical providerships need. they talk about economy and the recovery of this economy. until we find treatment for the virus as we know it, the treatment for this virus that people that do contract it know that they have the treatment that can cure them, and then find a working vaccine as quickly as possible, we know we've been told that could be 12 months or longer. so the treatment is the most important thing. protecting our health care workers is the most important thing. keeping our hospitals and clinics and all medical providers vibrant right now and be able to survive this economic downturn, that is the first and foremost thing. and it's the thing that didn't

get the attention that we needed. so i'm hoping between now before we vote at 6:00 that the two sides can come together. i implore my colleagues on the republican side to basically express their concerns to their leader, mitch mcconnell, that we need to have a balanced approach. i'm concerned about the economy. i'm concerned about the workers. no fault of their own, we've had workers throughout west virginia that have been laid off. they have done nothing wrong except they're in a profession that basically because of the health concerns of our country they had to be laid off. the businesses they work for had to stop, cease and desist. they had to stop. no fault of their own. they just basically, for the health and risk of this country it was best if they close. these people have no control whatsoever about their destiny except when can we get this thing cured, when do we get ahead of cycle or ahead of curve and be able to go back as normal. wall street will not return, i can assure you, no matter how

much money we throw at wall street, it is not going to have confidence built into it as long as the virus is out there without any type of a treatment or a vaccine coming down the pike that's going to cure and protect us. that's what this is all about. don't you think we should be putting the resources on the front end to help these providers, to give some ashes shiewrnses -- assurances to the american public and people in west virginia that we have found and have a treatment that will work. god forbid if you get the disease, we can help you. you're not going to perish from this. with that being said, it doesn't make any sense to me that the proposal that leader mcconnell from the republican side has put forth is absolutely, totally worried about wall street at this time. i'm worried about the people in little rural west virginia and all over main street. that's the people we're worried about. and wall street's going to do just fine. tls always -- it's always rebounded real well.

it always comes back strong. but the market has to have stability and the people have to have confidence. let's take care of the people who are asking to take care of them. let's take care of our nurses, health care personnel, doctors, let's take care of the facilities that they are keeping open open for us, which are the hospitals and the clinics. let's make sure that our workers and these health care providers don't go down because if that system goes down, i can assure you you can't print enough money for wall street to rebound if the health care system in this country is not able to take care of the people of america. that won't happen. if west virginians can't count on their hospitals and clinics to take care of them. and if all the different people that work within that system aren't able to go to work because they might have contributed the virus, we've done nothing special to hp them with -- help them with their

child care because they work extraordinary hours. this is where our emphasis should be today, this is what we should be talking about. we are miles apart because maybe wall street is not taken care of to the likes that they would like. i can't understand it at all. i really don't. i want them to succeed and they will succeed. i want them to have a generous loan program. not a gift, but a loan program. and i want to make sure that people who have lost their jobs and closed businesses at no fault of their own have the country backing them. and this proposal on the table today does not do that. if we had to vote today at this time, i would have vote no, not to proceed. we'll stay here all night long. they worried about when the markets are open. i can stay here until 7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. there has to be a balanced approach and putting health care first. thank you, mr. president.

mr. manchin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator for west virginia. mr. manchin: i ask unanimous consent that the senate stand in recess until 5:00 p.m. today. the presiding officer: without objection. the senate stands in recess until 5:00 p.m. recess:

with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, senators have now spent days engaged in vigorous bipartisan discussions among ourselves and with the administration. earlier today, i hosted a productive meeting in my office with the democratic leader, the speaker of the house, the house republican leader, and the secretary of the treasury. these intense conversations have built a piece of legislation that is