today people debate president trump's nomination to be inspector general of the nuclear regulatory commission with a vote coming up at about 5:30 p.m. eastern. this week they could also take up security related executive nominations and reauthorization of the bourne intelligence surveillance act which expired back in march. life senate coverage here on c-span2. the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. o god of our salvation, deliver us from fear. your might and majesty continue to bring us peace, in spite of

the challenges we face. lord, we can meet these challenges with your power that transcends human understanding. when you whisper, dangers flee into the darkness. the sound of your footsteps causes tribulations to hide. almighty god, permit our lawmakers to be aware of your providential guidance. may they depend on you to lead them according to your will. give them the wisdom to trust you when they can't see the road before them, believing that you

will be their light in the darkness. we pray in your great 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.

mr. grassley: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: permission to address the senate for one minute in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: americans from coast to coast hunkered down to stop the sprez of the virus -- spread of the virus. office workers, including my staff here in washington, adapted to work from home. but not all americans can do their job from home. many must work away from home to provide essential services for our communities. i'm talking about workers who harvest, process, and deliver our food, the crews who provide sanitation services and keep our communications, transportation, and energy grids running around the clock. america's postal workers and truck drivers who deliver mail and transport goods across the country, the grocery store

clerks and factory workers who make toilet paper, diapers and consumer products we can't live without. on behalf of iowans and the rest of america, i thank the front line workers who are on the job working away from home in the line of duty. thank you all for your service and sacrifice. i yield the floor. mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: the senate is back in session in this unusual period of for our nation. it's been more than five weeks since the full senate last convened. now as i explained on march 25, right before we passed the cares act, 96-0, the senate has kept right on working this whole time we monitored the implementation of that bill, the largest rescue package in american

history, and strengthened it where necessary. we passed further legislation to provide even more economic assistance, even more support for testing, even more relief for hospitals and health care workers. this deadly coronavirus does not take days off, and so the u.s. senate has not either. for more than a month we were among the many americans who have found creative ways to telework and continue doing our jobs remotely. but now the time has come for us to continue conducting our nation's business in ways that are only possible with senators here in the capitol. and so for this work period the senate will shift out of the ranks of those americans who are working remotely and into the ranks of americans working in essential sectors, who are listening to expert guidance and modifying their routines and

ultimately continue to man their posts to keep the country running. if it's essential, the brave health care workers, grocery store workers, truck drivers, and many other americans continue to carefully show up for work, then it's essential that their u.s. senators carefully show up ourselves and support thim. i want to thank the dedicated men and women who worked hard to develop solutions so the senate can take these careful steps back toward in-person operations. dr. brian monahan and the entire office of the attending physician, well done. everyone in the office of the architect of the capitol, the sergeant at arms, the secretary of the senate; and our colleagues on the rules committee and their staff, of course the teams that support or networks and telecommunications were working hard day and night during these weeks of remote

work. i want to recognize and thank all -- all -- the essential senate staff who are here with us today in person so the senate can function, whether they be staff members in our own offices and committee offices, all the nonpartisan professionals who serve the institution. in particular, our facilities employees, custodians, food service staff, and of course the men and women of the capitol police. we're grateful for your service, and more importantly, your country is grateful for your service. you are literally helping our government function in the midst of this crisis. the senate is back in session because we have important work to do for the nation. critical posts throughout the federal government, from public health to national security and

beyond, remain vacant. qualified nominees who have been held up for too long already have become even more necessary in these uncertain times. on the floor and in committee, the senate will be acting on key nominations that relate directly to the safety of the american people, oversight of our coronavirus legislation, and more. we need to continue to maintain and safeguard our domestic nuclear resources. that is our first nominee, mr. feitel. we need to keep protecting our nation against foreign intelligence services. that is another nominee we'll be moving soon. those around the world who wish harm on americans are not going to give us a free pass until the pandemic is over. so the senate needs to overcome obstruction and continue to act. so, mr. president, i don't think anybody could seriously argue that filling critical national security posts is not essential senate business, but

to any of my colleagues who may wish that we did not have to devote floor time and roll call votes to these kinds of nominations, i'd simply say i agree with you. i agree with you. unfortunately, for more than three years now my colleagues and democratic leadership have used across-the-board obstruction for the kind of subcabinet level nominations that used to travel easily by voice vote. so if any of my colleagues on the other side wish that we could recover the senate's tradition and spend less floor time on these sorts of nominations, i would invite them to share that view with the distinguished democratic leadership. but as long as tactics and roll call votes is the only way to fill important posts that is what we'll do. we cannot let nuclear watchdogs

or counter intelligence leaders stay on the sidelines. so, mr. president, the senate is going to be as smart and safe as we possibly can, and we're going to show up for work like the essential workers that we are. our bosses are the american people, and they're counting on us to keep on serving. it's good to see the chair and all of our colleagues again. i'm grateful that all 100 of us have come through the last several weeks safely and in good health. now let's work together across the aisle and get some more work done for the american people. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. morning business is closed. under the previous order the senate will proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, nuclear regulatory commission, robert j. feitel of maryland to be

inspector general. mr. mcconnell: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. schumer: mr. president. the presiding officer: the democratic leader.

mr. schumer: mr. president -- the presiding officer: we are in a quorum call. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, the senate convenes a session this evening during a trying time for our nation. as we speak, millions of our citizens are respecting stay-at-home orders and doing their part to stop the spread of this pernicious disease. millions of newly unemployed, depending on the actions we take here in congress to stave off financial disaster. more than one million americans have been tested positive for covid-19. more than 67,000 lives have been lost. my home state of new york has been hit the hardest. the loss of so many precious lives, the suffering of so many families unable to comfort or even say goodbye to a loved one has been extremely painful, enough to break your heart.

at the same time while we are grieving, we're also inspired by the bravery of our doctors and nurses, health care workers, first responders and other daily heroes, many of them immigrants on the front lines of this crisis. to them, we owe an extraordinary debt of gratitude, an enormous thank you that i hear out the windows of my apartment and many in new york at 7:00 p.m. when we applaud them as they change shifts every night, an act that brings isolated new yorkers together. but more than that, this congress, this senate must deliver the people of our country relief. we have come together on several occasions to pass historic legislation in this time of crisis. they passed 96-0, which shows that this body can come together in a time of crisis, which

should give americans some hope and some solace. but let me be very clear, our work is far from over. the republican leader hats called the senate -- has called the senate back into session despite the fact that the district of columbia appears to be reaching the peak phase of this public health emergency, despite the risks we face by gathering here in the capitol, despite the risks faced by security guards, cafeteria workers, janitors, and the staff who operate the floor of the senate. i want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you and all of those capitol hill workers for being here today, for doing their jobs so that we may do ours. but, mr. president, if we are going to be here, if we are going to make these fine people come in to work in these

conditions, let the senate at least conduct the nation's business and focus like a laser on covid-19. at the moment, the republican leader has scheduled no significant covid-related business for the floor of the senate. tonight, we will vote on a nomination to the nuclear regulatory commission. later this week, the republican majority on the judiciary committee will hold a hearing for a manifestly unqualified, totally divisive right-wing judicial nominee. when the topic of covid-related legislation has come up, leader mcconnell has simply drawn partisan lines in the sand. first he suggested states and localities should go bankrupt. let them go bankrupt. he has since realized his mistake and walked that back.

but then only a few days later, the leader blocked -- the leader vowed to block any bill that does not include legal immunity for big corporations that operate unsafely and put workers in harm's way. the republican leader said that his red line in a future relief package is not a national testing program. it's not more help for small businesses or housing assistance for families. it's not rescuing our health care system. leader mcconnell won't support new legislation to fight this evil disease unless it gives big corporations legal immunity. judicial nominees, legal immunity for big corporations. in all due respect, republican leader, these are not the nation's most urgent priorities right now. there are much more pressing

issues that deserve not only the senate's focus and attention but should be the subject of bipartisan negotiations for the next emergency relief package known as covid 4. here are just a few. our health system is under enormous strain. we need more money to flow to hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes. essential workers, many on low wages, worked longer shifts at great personal risk. they deserve hazard pay. each first of the month brings new rent payments to families suffering financial hardship, relief for renters and homeowners must be on the agenda. and state and local governments are stretched to the breaking point. imperiling the jobs of teachers and firefighters, police officers, food inspectors, other public employees.

state, local, n and tribal governments deserve federal support. so as we begin to contemplate to return to normal economic activity down the road, one thing is certain. we are not testing nearly enough americans, not nearly enough to know when the moment to safely reopen our country has arrived. despite the length of this crisis, now measured in months, the administration has yet to develop an adequate national strategy on testing. these are urgent issues we should focus on. these are problems the american people want us to come together, democrat and republican, to solve. these are the topics, not red lines in the sand on ideological wish lists that we should be debating and negotiating for a future bill. the republican leader himself

acknowledged there isn't enough testing on the front lines, but he has reconvened the senate to do nothing to address the problem. as we return to work under the cloud of crisis, senate republicans should concentrate on helping us recover from covid-19, not confirming right-wing judges or protecting big businesses that threaten to put workers at serious risk. the administration has done a very poor job of implementing parts of the cares act and the most recent supplemental emergency legislation. so democrats have urged our republican colleagues to at a minimum hold hearings on the implementation of covid-related legislation passed by congress. it's a positive step that senate republicans are now beginning to follow our request and

considering scheduling some oversight hearings in the coming weeks, with key white house coronavirus task force officials. these hearings are very important. congress can make laws but only the executive can implement them. but a time-honored responsibility of congress, given to us by the founding fathers, is oversight to make sure that the executive is executing the laws. so we need to hear from dr. fauci and dr. birx, secretary mnuchin, chairman powell. we need to know why so many small businesses are having trouble getting loans while larger and more well-connected businesses are not. we need to know why unemployment insurance checks are failing to get to workers. maybe above all, we need to know why we still don't have enough tests. months ago, in early march, here's what president trump said. quote, anybody who needs a test, gets a test.

it was a lie then. it remains a lie now. administration officials promised 27 million test kits would be available by the end of march. it is now may and it still hasn't happened. the president continues to pressure states and businesses to reopen, but he refuses to take responsibility for the one thing that would allow them to do it safely, testing. do you know what the white house white house knows it's safe to hold a press conference? they test all the reporters before allowing them into the briefing room. what does the white house do before the president holds a meeting with business leaders? they take everyone's temperature and then administer a coronavirus test. why on earth is there not a plan for the rest of the country, the whole country, not just the president and the white house? many experts, most experts, say

that we need far more tests than we have. if we had been on the same track as countries that use nationwide testing to stop their outbreaks like south korea, canada, we would be testing two million people a day right now and already tens of millions would have been tested. some experts say we should increase capacity to 30 million tests per week later this year. others are calling on it to be even higher. right now, we are testing only 230,000 people a day. a drop in the ocean compared to what's needed. we need testing capacity now, but we will also need it later. some believe that covid-19 will resurge later in the year, perhaps with a vengeance. there were reports today that the c.d.c. has projected a growing number of deaths from coronavirus into the summer, and yet we still don't have adequate testing or even an indication

that the administration is focused on the problem. if god forbid this virus comes back in the summer or the fall, the best way to deal with it is testing, short of a vaccine which we won't have by then. testing, we don't have it. the lack of a national testing strategy, the painfully so buildup of testing capacity, the gross exaggerations of success by the administration has gone on for too long. this administration needs to take on responsibility for a national testing regime and deliver on it immediately. it is in the eyes of most experts the best way to deal with the current crisis and certainly the best way to prevent a future crisis from growing out of control.

so, mr. president, there can be no doubt that this will be one of the strangest sessions of the united states senate in modern history. our offices will be empty. our staffs working from home. senate democrats will not hold regular caucus meetings in person. we'll do them by teleconference. anyone who comes to the well of the senate to speak will wipe down their microphone and desk with a disinfectant and refrain from the usual practice of handing our speeches over to the senate reporters. we will wear masks in the hallways of this capitol and on our way home. we will vote in small groups. we will not do what comes so naturally to every public official -- shake hands. but the american people are watching us right now. they expect us to do our jobs. they expect us to come together to address the issues that really matter.

we cannot, cannot and must not merely go back to business as usual here in the senate. it is not business as usual out in our country. leader mcconnell must hear this. right now, leader mcconnell and the republican majority should shelve the divisive judicial fights and the partisan red lines. let's focus on working together to heal the sick, employ the economy, and making sure the administration properly executes the laws we pass so that we can prepare our country for the day when we will finally, god willing, go back to normal. i yield the floor and notice the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

the presiding officer: the assistant democratic leader. mr. durbin: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: i learned the et quit of the -- etiquette of the mask. mr. president, i listened carefully to the remarks of the republican majority leader. he spoke about the reconvening of the senate this day and he talked about the work we achieved a few weeks ago passing the cares act. $2.2 trillion in rescue funds for america 96-0, and by a voice

vote we passed $$48 million more. almost $$2.7 trillion. that is an amount far in excess of the annual federal budget of the united states of america for domestic discretionary spending, and we did it in a matter of days and weeks. we knew that we were facing, as the president characterized it, a national emergency, and we still do. the senate is here today because the majority leader has brought us back to washington against medical advice. we know what the standard is in the district of columbia for the people who live here, stay home, don't meet in groups, work away from your normal working place to protect yourself, your family, and everyone else. but we're back in town. the majority leader tells us we don't take days off. he says we're here to do the nation's business which can --

is only possible when we are here. he talks about taking careful steps back. i've been waiting for the majority leader to announce what the business of this week will be. boy, there are a lot of things we should be doing. i know back home from the endless telephone conference calls that i'm involved in and the comments by my friends and neighbors in illinois, that there are many unanswered questions which they would like this congress to address. and we have been waiting carefully, expectantly for the majority leader to announce what we're doing this week that merits this return, not just because members of the senate are being asked to come back. that's what we ran to do. we promised the people of our states that we would be there to do the business of the senate and the nation when called upon, and certainly i want to keep that promise, all of us do. but it is appropriate to ask

exactly what it is this week that we will be doing while there's a noncontroversial nomination that will be before us in a matter of two hours, which is likely to pass by an overwhelming vote. that can't be the reason. there must be more. but what is it? there's lots of things which the majority leader could bring us back to do, but it appears one of the things he's most intent on is to make certain that we make the nomination of a young district court judge from the commonwealth of kentucky. this individual was nominated to serve on the district court in the commonwealth of kentucky last year. his name is justin walker. justin walker has a distinction. he is one of nine presidential nominees -- nine presidential nominees sent to the senate judiciary committee by the white house who were judged unqualified by the american bar

association. it was the american bar association that said his absence of any significant trial experience disqualified him to serve at the lowest federal court, lifetime appointment, make no mistake, but the lowest federal district court. but it seems justin walker is well connected, well connected by the majority leader having served on the staff, at least as an intern, i'm not sure. maybe other connections. but enough that his nomination has become a priority for the united states senate. it's interesting, besides a, quote, career -- despite the fact that he had no trial experience to take that job, the majority leader, senator mcconnell, wants this man to be elevated to the

second-highest court in the land, the d.c. court of appeals. i don't understand it. it's certainly hard to argue that this is part of a response to a national health emergency in america. it has nothing to do with it. it is a political decision to clearly elevate this man of all the members of the federal district court bench across the nation, to be next in line to be considered for the supreme court. i hope he's seen a federal trial in the time that he served on the district court in kentucky. i guess we'll find out on the hearing that's been called for wednesday of this week. so when the majority leader comes to us and says we have important nominations that deal with national security, i'm sorry but judge walker is not one of them. what we have in his confirmation hearing is a political decision for a political advancement at the risk of this senate and the hundreds of people who are working here today because we've been called back.

what else could the senate judiciary committee do other than to entertain senator mcconnell's former intern, to be raised to the second highest court in the land? well, there are a number of things we might consider. i think of the contact tracing, that contact tracing is going to be our key to reopening the economy in america. contact tracing says that if you've been exposed to a person positive for covid-19, we have ways, technological ways and other ways to trace you and notify you. that also raises questions about information and privacy, one of the issues that the senate judiciary committee considers. the bureau of prisons currently now the bureau of prisons there's a raging conflict because there's raining infection -- raging infection. that's not the only correctional institution that faces that but it does. guards, corrections officers as well as the inmates themselves

are at risk because covid-19 is in the ranks of those serving time in our prisons. many states and even the federal government to some extent are considering the appropriate policy to keep america safe but also to treat these individuals with fairness, especially those who are working for the federal government doing what we're asking them to do. that's? in the jurisdiction of the senate judiciary committee. instead of this kentucky nominee from senator mcconnell that he wants to move up quickly into the second highest court of the land, shouldn't we be asking basic questions about the policies the bureau of prisons? immigration issues, too. it's interesting when you take a look at the spokespersons when it comes to medicine. so many of them, not all of them by any means, so many of them are clearly new immigrants to america. i want to salute all of our health care heroes. we have signs in our yard at home and others around the neighborhood do as well.

we can't thank these men and women enough for coming to work every day and risking their lives, doctors, nurses, lab technicians, those working in nursing homes, risking their lives every day to keep us safe, to treat those who are infected, to save the lives of people we love. and as you listen on television to their comments about the risks they're taking and the costs they're paying with their families and others, i know how many of them are clearly new immigrants to this country. well, it's no surprise. many of these people, well trained and educated, to come the united states for opportunity they can't get in their home country. and we prosper in terms of our health care because of that decision. but when it comes to decisions by the united states senate in dealing with immigration and health care, you would think that we have no use for these people. take the daca protectees, those

under president obama's executive order have the protection of daca so they will not be deported from the united states and they can legally work in the united states. these are important people. and i tried with senator graham on a bipartisan amendment back six weeks ago to say that their legal status in america would be respected, at least until the end of this calendar year so they can continue to be here without fear of deportation and it was stopped. and the comment, according to senator graham from one of his colleagues was, there go durban and graham again working on the dream act. well, yes, i am. i'm still working on the dream act. you know why i do in this instance? because out of the 780,000 daca protectees, at least 41,000 of them are in the health care field today. and when it comes to those here in temporary protected status here in the united states, at least 11,000 of them. are we ready to say publicly what some members of the senate say privately, let them leave,

we don't need them? i'm not going to say that i know better and so do families across america who thank goodness for these health care heroes, those born in the united states, those not born in the united states but coming here to help us through this public health care crisis. immigration, it's an issue for the senate judiciary committee. will there be a hearing this week? none have been posted. it relates to this covid-19 challenge and we haven't even addressed it. what about profiteering? wouldn't that be an interesting issue for us to have a hearing on in the senate judiciary committee? violations of current law. i spend my time, as i mentioned, in telephone conference with a lot of people who are buying protective equipment. administrators of hospitals and clinics, medical professionals themselves. and they report what's happened. it came from fairfield, illinois, which is a smaller

community in down state illinois where the hospital administrator said, senator, we used to pay 22 cents for a surgical gown, 22 cents for a surgical gown at this hospital. the price is now between $11 and $20 a piece. somebody is ripping them off. they know it and i know it and the senate judiciary committee should know it, too. there's another issue we could take up. i hope we'll consider. but instead we have senator mcconnell's nominee for the d.c. court of appeals which he considers to be vital national business. i don't see it that way. what i see is a lot of people here gathered in the capitol doing their jobs as they were hired to do and as they are dedicated to perform at risk. i'm prepared to be here because that's what i ran for office to do, but i would hope it would be for something substantive to deal with real issues of national security and certainly issues related to this national

health emergency. the district of columbia and the states on either side of the district, maryland and virginia, all continue to record new cases of covid infection and death. they have not seen the two-week decline in new covid cases that the white house guidelines announced a few weeks ago that are necessary to begin the first phase of reopening. the opposite is true. in this washington metropolitan area where we have been called into work today, we find a covid hot spot. in the week ending last thursday, the district of columbia, maryland, and virginia recorded a combined 20,000 new covid cases, staggering amount of sickness and suffering. all three jurisdictions remain under stay-at-home orders to curve the spread of this deadly virus, save lives and ease the burden of our exhausted medical workers. my state of illinois also remains under a stay-at-home order as do more than half the

states. not one state in america has yet to meet the first requirement of safety, reopening our schools and businesses and communities in this pandemic. that first requirement, a two-week decline in new infections. like millions of americans, members of the senate and our staffs have been working from home for the last six weeks to try to save lives and keep our health system from collapsing. i do have to take exception to the statement made by senator mcconnell when he said across america you don't get to take days off. i've been on the phone every single day and my colleagues the same talking to people in their own home states dealing with challenges and issues facing businesses and labor unions and charities, hospitals. the list is so long i don't know where to start or where to end. but to suggest that i was home taking a day off, not in my home, senator mccon. my kitchen became my surrogate office and i'm sure many

senators will say the same. i worked as hard there as i do in this building. maybe harder on some days. so we didn't take days off. we negotiated a nearly half trillion dollar covid emergency aid package for our home states, a life support package to provide much-needed resources for testing and for our heroic health care workers. when you take a look at the issue of lost revenue, i spoke to the mayor of the district of columbia a few minutes ago, and she talked about revenue that's obviously lost to her, hundreds of millions of dollar which she has to face in the next budget all related to covid, all related to the downturn in our economy. the same thing is true in my state and virtually every other state. this covid crisis has taken its toll on business activity, on the attendance of events, on purchases. it means less revenue coming into the coffers of state and local governments. we provided $150 billion for

this purpose in the original cares bill. many of us believe we need to stand up for them again. you can't give speeches on the floor about your respect for the police and first responders and firefighters and then come up and say it's a darn shame that the people who employ them will not be able to pay them in the months ahead. in this notion of declaring bankruptcy, what an economic disaster that would be if states and local governments were declaring bankruptcy right and left, not to mention the real hardship it would cause among first responders and those health care workers, including nurses, that we value so much. so many of them, those -- that are employed by state and local government would suffer if the suggestion of bankruptcy went forward. we can legislate without violating public health guidelines and risking making this pandemic worse. so the urgent business of the senate should be the covid-19

challenge that we face everywhere. coming back to washington, why isn't that a priority that's been announced? we don't know at this moment what will happen tomorrow or the two or three days after on the senate agenda. if it related to vow individual 19 -- to covid-19, count me in. if it relates to true national security, count me in. but if we're just coming here because of a promise made to a 38-year-old federal judge in kentucky, it doesn't meet the test. this nominee as i mentioned before was judged unqualified. he has made statements openly hostile to the affordable care act and i'd like to address that for a moment. about ten years ago when we passed the affordable care act, our goal was to reduce the number of americans who had no health insurance. it was successful. it cut in half in the state of illinois the number of uninsured, people without health

insurance. its critics didn't vote for it. haven't come up with an alternative to it. and like this justin walker, the federal judge in kentucky, have been openly contemptuous of the notion of moving our nation toward full health care coverage. i don't think that argument is as compelling today if it ever was under the current circumstances. all of us appreciate the need for a real safety net. all of us understand without real health insurance protection at this moment in history, people we love, our children, our spouses, our parents would be at risk because they wouldn't have access to good quality health care. so this is a situation where this judicial nominee, mr. walker, found unqualified for the federal district court position, is now openly contemptuous of the affordable care act and argues that it should be eliminated. at this moment in history, to

eliminate the assurance of health care and health insurance protection, is that the person we want on the second highest court of the land? in the midst of the most deadly health crisis and the most devastating economic catastrophe of our times, the majority leader's agenda remains unchanged. to fill the federal bench at any cost. mr. president, the trump administration's response to the covid-19 crisis has shocked many people. america has 5% of the world's population. yet we have one-third of the world's covid infections and more than 25% of covid deaths. let me say that again. america with 5% of the world's population and more than 25% of the world's deaths. this morning 67,682 americans have died of this ferocious virus. they include my friends, people i know, and members of my

family. in my state of illinois, we've lost 2,618 men, women, and children to this pandemic. when the senate left washington, d.c. six weeks ago to work from home, there were 5,000 covid infexes in my -- infections in my state. today more than 50,000. we're number two in testing. so our numbers i think are more accurate than many other states. americans today feel great anxiety and sadness, but these health care professionals keep our heads up and our focus very clear. these essential hero, doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists, pharmacist, men and women who make sure there's food in these hospitals and the floors are korean, they include postal workers, grocery store clerks, truck drivers, law enforcement officers, teachers who continue to teach our kids and help to keep them safe. they're all part of this national effort. i would say that the notion of

home schooling which is now or e-schooling which is now very common across america has renewed the appreciation of many parents for what the teachers are doing every single day to help their kids. in my state and every state, people of color have suffered more than their share of covid sickness and death, partly because of long-standing health inequities that leave them with more preexisting health company, partly because of barriers to health care, and partly because black and brown people do so many of the jobs that are deemed essential. one major hospital in chicago told me that half of the people who've died from covid-19 in their hospital were uninsured, many of them hispanic. they are people who may or may not have health insurance. they are desperate to work and earn an living. some are afraid that either they or some member of their family may be deported if they show up

at a hospital and report themselves sick, so they wait until it's literally too late and they die. we've seen our economy shut down and a lot of hardship as a result of it. many owners of businesses, restaurants, and others have talked to me and others in the senate about how soon we can reopen, but most of them -- not all of them, but most of them understand that going through this kind of shutdown of our economy and our personal lives is bad, bad if we do it one time. it's horrible to think about doing it a second time if we reopen too soon or in the wrong way. in my state, 830,000 people have filed for unemployment insurance between march 1 and april 25. they are among the 30 million americans who filed for unemployment since covid came to america. 40 million. that is the fastest of the, deep loss of jobs we have ever seen. to reopen before we've done the hard and careful work required

to open safely only risks more infection, more death, more lost jobs, and more economic hardship. reopening before we can reopen safely risks overwhelming our hospitals and i.c.u.'s. we need to listen to the public health experts and the doctors and the nurses, many of whom have worked past exhaustion. we need to be responsible, not give in to the chants on the street. what is essential work this senate should be doing? investigating why we don't have enough testing in this country. it is essential to reopening the economy. working with state and local, tribal governments to help them hire and train the estimated 300,000 contract tracer needed to reopen america safely rather than forcing states to bid against each other, we have to plead with the president to his use authority to produce here in america the respirators and other p.p.e. that's essential for workers and families. we ought to provide oversight of

the paycheck protection program and make sure that those loans will going to small business, as we originally intended, and not to wealthy hedge fund operators. we ought to shore up the u.s. post service. what a reminder it has been to all of us staying home watching that letter carrier come by every single day. it's a bright spot, his big smile, greeted by everybody on my street with gratitude for his continuing work day in and day out. that's what our postal service is. and for them to be degraded and insulted by their critics is totally unfair. totally unfair. we ought to be making plans to be sure that every american can vote by mail come in november. if this senate is going to gather as a body in this pandemic against medical advice and the sound judgment of

others, let's make sure our work is earnings. we're still waiting for a report from the republican majority leader about the agenda that brought us to washington and brings us here this week ready to work, ready to address the covid-19 crisis that faces our country. mr. president, i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call: quorum call:

quorum call: quorum call: quorum call:

madam president. thank you, madam president. i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated.

the presiding officer: thank you, madam president. clean and constant nuclear energy is one of the key pillars of america's energy security. nuclear power plants supply 20% of our nation's electricity and more than 50% of our clean energy. the nuclear regulatory commission is the independent federal agency that regulates power plants to protect public health and safety. it's a very important job. these independent regulatory structures and this specific one has successfully benefited the american people for decades by ensuring the safe operation of our nuclear reactors. it prevents waste, fraud and abuse as well as mismanagement of commission. president trump has nominated mr. robert feitel to serve as inspector general of the nuclear regulatory commission. he did that last october. mr. feitel has reported, has

been reported out of the environment and public works committee by unanimous consent in december. today the senate will vote to confirm him. mr. feitel is well qualified. he brings experience and expertise to this important position. mr. feitel has spent more than 25 years as an attorney atties o operate their nuclear plants for 20 more years while others are shutting down and they're shutting their reacts -- reactors before their license expire. the commission is preparing to license new technologies that will be essential to our clean

energy future. this time of unprecedented activity requires a fully staffed and a fully functional agency. the commission needs an inspector general to promote efficiency and effectiveness of the commission. mr. feitel is that individual. mr. feitel is a man of character whose commitment to upholding justice makes him an ideal candidate for the position. i encourage the entire senate to vote today to confirm mr. robert feitel to serve as the insector general of the nuclear -- inspector general of the nuclear regulatory commission. thank you, madam president. i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

the presiding officer: without objection. mr. cornyn: madam president, the senate was gaveled out about six weeks ago now. we passed the $2.2 trillion cares act on march 25, and here it is may 4. since that time the global battle to gheit -- defeat the coronavirus has only intensified. there have been some who question the wisdom of the senate coming back to washington and convening, but i think we

have, we need to be here, and we need to do our jobs. we know how do this safely. we know how to social distance. we know how to wash our hands, not touch our face. those are the responsibilities each of us bear to one another not to spread this virus. but if there is such a thing as essential and nonessential workers -- and i don't think that distinction is one we should, we should discuss because 26 million americans are not nonessential workers. they're absolutely essential to our economy and to our way of life. but make no mistake, self-government is essential under any construction, any definition of that word. our system was not made to run on auto pilot. so it's appropriate that we show up and we do our job and we

protect the american people and do everything we can to defeat this virus from a public health standpoint, but also to do what is necessary to maintain a lifeline to the economy and the workers that are an essential component of it. and so when we with defeat this virus that we will be prepared for people to go back to work in full and keep our economy and jobs growing again. we know that about 3.5 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, and roughly a third of these cases are here in the united states. tragically, we've lost 65,000 americans to this cruel virus. but heroically our health care workers have been on the job each and every day, like law enforcement and like grocery clerks, doing their part to help provide us the health care, the law enforcement, and

the food that is feeding our families. we know for weeks on end our doctors and nurses and first responders have put themselves in harm's way to save the lives of those who have been affected by covid-19. they are offering more than life saving care. these men and women are a hand to hold, a friendly voice and a source of comfort for patients isolated from friends and family because of this cruel disease. our heroic health care workers are physically and mentally exhausted from this fight, but yet they continue to serve day in and day out. i want to express my gratitude, and know i speak for others, when i say thank you for the heart that you've put into your job, for the sacrifices you've made, spending time away from your families so that you can help ours. madam president, at the same

time we are seeing tremendous progress in a race to develop both treatments and a vaccine. and while there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about how this story ends, i know a lot of work remains to be done. in addition to the physical toll this virus has taken on the american people, it has reaped economic havoc. in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, stores and restaurants have closed their doors, travel plans have been abandoned, events canceled and millions of americans were suddenly without a way to earn a living. in the past six weeks, 30 million americans have filed for unemployment, an absolutely staggering figure. so far congress has passed four separate bills to address this crisis from a public health standpoint as well as to ease

economic bact. -- impact. we provided billions of dollars for hospitals, increase testing capacity and ramp up protection of the equipment our medical workers rely on as well as the ventilators that many of the covid-19 patients will need. we have provided unprecedented assistance for america's small businesses which employ about half of america's workers, the paycheck protection program has enabled small businesses to keep their employees on the payroll and cover expenses until the smoke clears. we've also sent vital funding to our state and local governments, about $150 billion. we provided relief to student loan borrowers and sent financial assistance to the american people in the form of direct payments from the i.r.s. members of congress came together to act quickly and decisively to address this pandemic, and i'm very proud of the work that we have done

together so far. over the past several weeks, like every senator, i've had the privilege of speaking with my constituents all across the state of texas about the impact of this virus as well as congress' response. i've spoken to doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, about the strain on the personnel and the need for personal protective equipment. i've talked to small business owners across the state about their growing list of expenses and the lifeline that the p.p.p. provided. i've listened to our mayors and county judges from our biggest cities and smallest towns who talked about the mounting financial burdens they're facing. i've talked with our farmers and ranchers about the impact on everything from cattle to cotton and the need to protect our food supply chain. i'm grateful for the men and women i've spoken with who shared their perspective and

feedback about congress' response to the coronavirus and now any time a piece of legislation moves as quickly as these bills did and are this big, there are bound to be gaps that need to be filled, mistakes that need to be corrected, tweaks that need to be applied. the texans i've talked to over these past several weeks have pointed out some of those gaps and provided ideas for the discussions that we are having now about what comes next. a few weeks ago, i spoke with the representatives from the texas council on family violence and the texas association against sexual assault and more than a dozen organizations across the state that support survivors of domestic violence. when you think about the impact of a pandemic or any other major crisis, for that matter, domestic violence isn't typically one of the first issues that comes to mind.

but the circumstances we are facing today make these cases all too common. people are spending more time isolated at home. they're dealing with a new range of stresses brought on by this virus, more time with their partner, financial struggles, teaching their children at home, and it's taking a devestating toll. when texas' stay-at-home order was first announced, many organizations saw a spike in their hotline calls, but what's more frightening, once these orders were in place, the number of calls took a sharp decline. in terrant county where fort worth is located, call numbers went up by almost half. with so much time at home with an abuser, it may be more difficult to reach out to friends and family or contact the national midwest violence

hotline for assistance. deciding whether or not to leave to go to a shelter, there is also a risk of the virus itself, and many are faced with a lose-lose scenario. do you continue living under the same roof as your abuser or do you go to a shelter where you or your children may come in contact with the virus? these are not the only silent victims of this crisis. the fear and anxiety brought on by this pandemic has taken its toll on americans' mental health. most of us have never gone through something like this. maybe none of us have gone through something quite like this. our daily routines have been turned on their head, isolated from friends and family, and between social media and a 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to find a way to escape the constant barrage of bad news and anxiety.

compounding the problem even further is the financial strain on many of the providers who support these individuals. a recent survey of providers by the national council for behavioral health showed that more than 60% of mental health providers have already been forced to close one or more programs. 60%. and 62% of providers cannot survive more than three months without emergency financial assistance. as we continue working to help the american people through this difficult time, we cannot forget those who are suffering in silence. madam president, we have a big job ahead of us. that's why it's so important that we are here, doing our job, on behalf of the 330 million people in this country. i have returned back to the senate with a long list of ideas and feedback from the texans who

have been generous enough to spend time talking with me over the past few weeks. i know all 100 members of the senate are in a similar position, and i hope we can retain the same sense of bipartisanship that have guided us through the legislation we passed so far. if we're going to win this fight be because of a republican idea or a democrat one. it will be because every single person in this chamber checked their political priorities at the door and responded together, united, to confront and defeat this virus and to help restore our economy and the jobs that go along with it. we've done it before. let's do it again. madam president, i yield the floor. and i notice the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call: quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from delaware. mr. carper: mr. president, i rise today to speak on behalf of the nomination of -- the presiding officer: the senate is in a quorum call. mr. carper: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. carper: thank you, mr. president. i rise today to speak on behalf of the nomination of robert feitel to serve as inspector general of the nuclear

regulatory commission which oversees the safety and security of almost a hundred nuclear power plants throughout this country, an important job. but this is a nomination i urge the majority to take up and pass not this week, not this month, but before we went into recess on april the 8th. but we're here and this is a good nomination. i hope my colleagues will support it. having said that, let me remind my colleagues we're still in the middle of a global pandemic, if we need to be reminded. i don't think we do. once we voted on the nomination before us today, i would urge the senate to pivot and again focusing next on examining issues related to the pandemic and ensuring that the assistance we provided in the legislation we passed so far, some bigger than others, is getting to the families and the communities that badly need it. if we're unable or unwilling to two so i'm not sure that the senate should be returning to washington to act on nonurgent business in contravention of the recommendation of the attending physician and while this entire region is still under

stay-at-home orders. the environment public works committee which i serve and lead with senator john barrasso of wyoming was willing to approve this particular nomination unanimously by voice vote but it is what it is and we're here today. in the midst of a global pandemic, mr. president, the majority leader says he's concerned with nominations. and while then let's address positions that are actually morell vanity to the cry -- more relevant to the crisis we face today currently one-third of the inspector general -- injector -- inspector general's position that are confirmed by the senate either remain vacant or without permanent leadership. the president has nominated individuals to fill some but not all of these positions. the senate should work quickly to vet those nominations we have received, especia especially tho would be involved with oversight or the core ron know --

coronavirus response. senate passed the cares act to bring help to millions of americans who find themselves in dire straits through no fault of their own. thankfully the cares act created three new separate oversight bodies to monitor this emergency funding. i was also proud to work with republicans and democrats alike to help secure an additional $120 million to ensure that the government accountability office known as g.a.o. can conduct important oversight of this funding. in fact, i learned last week that g.a.o. has already notified congress that it's already either undertaken or begun investigations or has planned an investigation to 150 -- 150 audits related to this funding. and i appreciate g.a.o.'s diligence on this important matter. not just i appreciate, we appreciate, the american taxpayers appreciate it as well. more than ever, it's critical

that we have robust oversight to make sure that this money gets into the pockets of those who need it most and not into the pockets of those who would literally steal money from the needy and from the taxpayers of this country. if the majority leader wants to bring the senate back, then i would like to suggest that our time be well spent making sure those oversight bodies created in the cares act are fully if you pleasal including the cares act congressional oversight commission, which many a. told still lacks a chair mern. this is a five-american panel, one created by each of our leaders in the house and senate and that would be four -- that would give us four. another one would be jointly agreed to by the majority leader handers the speaker of the house. i am told that as of today, as of this moment we still lack a chairperson chairperson h.h. chairperson -- chairperson of that important panel.

i hear they will work tied appoint a chairperson to that panel as required by law. the cares act also required a committee composed 6 inspector general of relative agencies to oversee all spending appropriated through 9 cares act. that's a huge undertaking. unfortunately, these i.g. -- those i.g. positions at key agencies including the treasury department and including the department of education still remain vacant. and we've seen over the last month how crucial it is that our i.g.'s remain independent. since the senate was last in session, the president what is you know ceremoniously removed, reassigned or undermined highly regarded inspectors general who apparently weren't loyal enough to him or who dared to criticize what they viewed as a failed response to the coronavirus s at the beginning of april, president trump removed glenn

fine, highly regarded acting inspector general from the participate, who had only a week earlier been selected by his peers to chair the pandemic response accountability committee. the third oversight body created by the cares act. we've also seen the president look to replace the health and human services i.g., who in a detailed report pointed out the severe shortages that a number of our hospitals have been facing during the coronavirus outbreak. i believe it's clear that congress needs to speak up when appropriate and do a better job supporting our inspectors general. when this president or frankly any president takes retaliatory actions against the independent watchdogs responsible for identifying failures, waste, fraud, and abuse across our federal government, especially when this much money is at risk. if the senate is going to be back in session, it would seem to me that these critical oversight positions should be among our top priorities.

having said that, let me turn again to the nomination before the senate today. like all agencies, our nuclear regulatory commission needs a strong and independent inspector general, and i believe in mr. feitel we have one. i believe he's up to the task. we cannot be complacent when it comes to nuclear safety. just remember, 50% of the carbon-free energy produced in this country is produced by our nuclear power plants. think about that. in the a day and age when the climate crisis is a huge threat to our planet and to those of us who live on it, right now half the carbon-free electricity comes in this country from nuclear power plants. it is the job of the nuclear regulatory commission to oversee these plants and make sure they're run well and safely and in ways that enable us to continue to depend on them as we go forward for carbon-free electricity. anyway, mr. feitel is well

qualified and prepared i think somebody certainly our committee, the public works committee, prepared to take on this responsibility. i hope my colleagues will join senator barrasso, our chairman, and myself and the members of our committee to vote yes on this nomination. with that, mr. chairman -- mr. president, i don't see anybody waiting to speak after me, so i will note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from ipcc. mr. young: are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: yes. mr. young: can we lift the quorum call?

the presiding officer: the quorum is lifted. mr. braun: thank you. i come to the floor to note jim cummings. jim was a giant? indiana, his long and rich life left many indelible marks on our state. we look to people like jim cummings as an example of a life well-lived through service to others. his role in founding the indiana black expo in 1970 made him a leader to all hoosiers during a time of great change in our state, in our nation. his lifelong servant to those in his state and his community, his dedication to conservative principles guided his thoughts and actions for many years. his life of service extended beyond his work with the indiana black expo. it included serving his

community in public office on a number of boards in indianapolis and working as a deputy assistant secretary for the department of housing housing au are development -- and urban development under president ronald reagan. indiana has lost one of its most distinguished hoosiers of this generation. the cummings family has lost a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather. i join them in mourning the loss of jim cummings. mr. president, in closing, i want to personally thank the cummings family for the vast contributions he made to indianapolis and to hoosier state. both are better because of him. on behalf of me and my wife maureen, we extend our sincere cool donnences to all his family and -- condolences to all his family and friend. in my remaining time, i want to

recommend the confirmation of robert feitel to be inspector general of the nuclear regulatory commission. we reviewed his nomination in my subcommittee in december of last year. i believe he is fully qualified for this position. during subcommittee consideration, we received a letter of support from the chief of the department of justice's capital case section who noted that mr. feitel has exhibited the ability to provide a fair-minded, independent assessment of each case, to scrupulously adhere to his ethical obligations and to follow the facts and evidence wherever they lead. these characteristics are necessary for any inspector general, but particularly at the n.r.c. mr. president, i would like to

close by noting that mr. feitel's confirmation today is an example of why the senate should be getting back to work. essential american workers are getting up every morning to stock our grocery stores, deliver the mail, and transport critical supplies to our health care workers. it is our responsibility to ensure that they have the resources to do their jobs and the assurances of our nation's government is working in their best interest. mr. president, it seems to me that the inspector general of the n.r.c. is a position that you could label as essential. even though america's nuclear plants are operating at historically high levels of safety and performance, we can never be too careful. we cannot let our guard down. it is irresponsible to let this agency go so long without a

confirmed independent regulator. had the senate not returned today, this office would go another day with the lights not on. i am proud that the senate is returning to ensure that mr. feitel can assume his post quickly and that this senate can continue working to serve the best interests of the american people. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the question occurs on the nominee. mr. braun: yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

vote: snroo vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: the nays are zero. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's actions. mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. mcconnell: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 111. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. those opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, office of the director of national

intelligence, william r. evanina of pennsylvania to be director. mr. mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of william r. evanina of pennsylvania to be director of the national counterintelligence and security center signed by 17 senators as follows. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent the mandatory quorum call be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent appointments at the desk appear separately in the record as if made by the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it

adjourn until 11:00 a.m. tuesday, may 5. further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the jump be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. further, following leader remarks, the senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the evanina nomination. finally, i ask that the senate recess from 12:30 to 2:15 to allow for the weekly conference meetings. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: so if there's no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until senate stands adjourned until >> the senate confirmed robert to be inspector general of the nuclear regulatory commission. additional votes on national security related nominations, are expected later in the week

as well as possible consideration of fisa reauthorization. surveillance authority, expired on march 15th. off of the floor, talks will likely continue on future coronavirus relief legislation. cspan has unfiltered coverage of their federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. with the white house briefings, updates, from governors in congress. enter daily call-in programs washington journal. hearing your thoughts about the coronavirus crisis. if you missed any of our life coverage, watch any time, on demand at cspan.org/coronavirus. even security checks in your office. like members of congress do not know how you know, cyber hygie

hygiene, seeking to trips overseas and i've gotten a check out from the travel office that's not associated with me. and a number of students don't know that is a priority because you never know when you plug that phone and if it will charge or what will get loaded on it. we might come in contact with it. since one of the - >> abigail, i do stuff that she take to safeguard her office and working congress. watch me the communicator tonight at 8:00 p.m. eastern, on "c-span2". s pray. oh god of our salvation delivered us from fear your might and majesty