the chaplain: let us pray. lord god, have mercy upon our nation for the winds of suffering buffett our land. we hear the cries of the voiceless and the anguish of the unheard. we see the criminal actions of those who threaten freedom. lord, snatch this nation conceived in liberty from the precipice of its own

destruction. extricate us from traps we have set for ourselves. remind us that you are a god of justice from whom we borrow our heartbeats. arise, mighty god, and make those who defy your purposes tremble with reverential awe. hear the prayers of our senators, and give them wisdom, courage, and integrity for these challenging times. 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: one minute for morning business, please. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: the virus pandemic is disrupting our daily lives in unimaginable ways. the national institutes of health is working with a private sector biotech company and have

already begun early stage human trials for a potential vaccine. so there is hope on the horizon. however, the soaring prices of prescription drugs are making life-threatening treatments and cures simply unaffordable for many americans. this pandemic makes clear two things. americans urgently want a cure, and when lifesaving therapies and cures come to the market, americans must be able to afford them when their providers prescribe them. my bipartisan prescription drug pricing reduction act is needed now more than ever. i yield the floor. mr. mcconnell: madam president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: last night, the streets of major american cities

were again the scene of looting and violent rioting that serves no purpose except to hurt innocent people and undermine peaceful demonstrations. every one of us has an obligation to distinguish peaceful protests over the killings of george floyd, breonna taylor, and ahmaud arbery from the violent riots that continue to see innocent people hurt, businesses and neighborhoods destroyed, and law enforcement officers assaulted. the former is a cherished constitutional right that every single citizen should support, and the latter is an unacceptable scourge that state and local leaders should have ended days ago. so i want to thank federal, state, and local leaders who are taking seriously their obligation to restore peace, protect the innocent, and stop this senseless violence. in some places, like my home

state of kentucky and here in washington, last night was comparatively more calm and safe. but in too many other places like new york city, it appeared to be open season for lawlessness, looting, and attacking law enforcement for yet another night. and for what? for what, madam president? rioting for the thrill of it? for the chance to steal some expensive items? so people can say they were on social media? this selfish violence takes us farther away from any national healing or forward progress. it does not bring positive change any closer. it simply pushes it farther away. these writers need to listen to what george floyd's brother terrance said in minneapolis just yesterday. here's what george floyd's

brother said. i understand you all are upset. i doubt you're half as upset as i am. so if i'm not over here blowing up stuff, if i'm not over here messing up my community, then what are you all doing? george floyd's brother. you are doing nothing, he said, because that's not going to bring my brother back at all. end quote. so, madam president, the -- the legitimate and important voices of peaceful protesters will never be heard over the wailing of firearms, the smashing of plate glass windows and the sirens of ambulances coming for police officers who have been assaulted or shot in the head. our nation is united in horror and opposition to the violent killing of mr. floyd. we are united. it is well past time that we also unite on the side of peace in our streets and peace in our

communities. we need to unite against these violent rioters who seek only to aggrandize themselves and further damage a nation that needs healing. now, on a totally different matter, obviously and unfortunately, this turmoil is not the only great challenge before us. lest we forget, the health care fight against the worst viral pandemic in a century is still upon us. our nation is trying to smartly and safely reopen. just as small businesses in some cities are sweeping up broken glass, american workers and entrepreneurs across the nation are trying to rebuild the shattered prosperity our nation was experiencing just a few months ago. and meanwhile, beyond our shores, our enemies and adversaries would be only too eager to catch the united states with our guard down. so there is plenty of work before the senate, and unlike the democratic house of

representatives, which i understand may next appear here in washington in about a month, in about a month, the senate is present and working. we continue to conduct oversight of our historic rescue package, the cares act, as it continues taking effect. i expect we will soon consider further bipartisan legislation to help the paycheck protection program, the signature policy from senators rubio and collins that has kept tens of millions of americans employed, continue to work for our country. as we pivot toward reopening, the senate is also working on significant covid-related legal protections so our nation's schools, health care workers, and employers are not swamped with frivolous lawsuits and taxpayer dollars do not just stimulate the pockets of trial lawyers. at the same time, critical vacancies remain throughout the federal government and qualified nominees stand ready to fill them. so the senate will work through

two nominees to the federal district courts and a number of important executive branch positions, including assistant secretary of defense for strategy plans and capabilities, deputy under secretary of defense, and the new special inspector general for pandemic recovery. what's more, madam president, we also have all the important legislation that needed to get done before the pandemic arrived in the first place. this month, we will turn to bipartisan legislation led by senators gardner and daines to provide stable support for the land and water conservation fund and lasting stewardship of our natural resources. their bill will safeguard our nation's public lands for recreation and conservation and help generations of americans continue to access and enjoy these treasures. and in the coming weeks, our colleagues on the armed services committee will begin marking up the 60th consecutive annual national defense authorization act. i know our colleagues need no

reminder of how important that task is. neither do our men and women in uniform. the covid-19 crisis makes it more urgent, not less urgent, that we continue to authorize investments in -- in our investment services, and in accelerating our national defense strategy. from honing our competitive edge against would-be rivals on land and sea to expanding our reach in the air and space, achieving our nation's strategic priorities begins right here this month with the ndaa. so, madam president, congress to-do list is clear and the senate is manning its essential posts, working th. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: so, madam president, i just finished watching joe biden's speech to the nation. president trump watched joe biden's speech