shaheen: lootly. but on something like this, i think your voice would resonate very loud and clear with groups that might be doing -- using the census for political purposes. both to confuse and to try and affect the outcome. so i hope you will -- mr. ross: as i said, i've asked the career staff at census to tell me what there is that we can do and what do they recommend. we'll see what they come up with. and we will report back. mrs. shaheen: thank you very much. thank you, mr. chairman. mr. moran: senator murkowski. ms. murkowski: thank you, mr. chairman. i want to continue on with the census question. move off fish for a movement as you know, the census has started in alaska, out in a community somewhere between 600, 700 people. the director was there to kick it off. i think the team learned a little bit of the challenge of conducting a census in places that are not connected by roads and when you're weathered down and you end up sleeping in the school, sometimes getting those census workers to com

i recognize senator shaheen. senator shaheen: thank you, mr. chairman. i appreciate the effort that the department has to try and improve the exclusion process. but i just have to point out that there are a number of small business folks in new hampshire who we've heard from who, while the percentages may sound good, still are affected by the process. one of those is a company in amherst, new hampshire, called walk-in pets. it's a 35-person pet supply company. their signature product is a dog wheelchair that's been produced for them in china. they're subject to tariffs. the company believes that's a mistake so they helped -- they hired a lawyer to help with the exclusion process. the company has been unable to get an exclusion because the tariff schedule is misclassified. they're just trying to stay afloat. while i understand that the numbers may look better, the fact is, we have too many small businesses that are struggling because of these tariffs and when i ask ambassador lighthizer a year and a half ago what the administration was thinking about to h

senator shaheen. senator shaheen: thank you very much for being here and for your testimony. the president last night talked about one of the actions that he taking would be to invoke a travel ban on passengers coming e.u. and initially it sounded like he was also saying argo, although that got corrected later. but given what senator hirono i know to be true in new hampshire about the tourism e of the industry and the impact on so many small businesses of our european travelers, can you to what the impact of that might be on the small businesses working with? i had some questions as did other senators earlier at a briefing on the coronavirus the u.k. was exempt from that travel ban and what we is because they are no brexit -- ecause of not part of the zone where people can travel across borders screening. but they are a part of that zone 2020.december of so they are still very much in just saying that i guess as a point. i'm not necessarily asking you comment on that. if you could comment on what the will be on hink small business of the travel ban from european customers. r.

senator shaheen. >> well, thank you, mr. secretary. my question's really about the census, but this exchange raised an issue in my mind, and that is you're aware, i know, we are generally discouraged from authorizing an appropriations bill. and ier understand that there ia bill in the commerce committee that would address the transfer of this responsibility into the department of commerce. can you o give me, give us an update on where that bill is? and why we're trying to authorize through the appropriations process this new entity? >> i'm not quite sure i understood thete question. what is the information you're seeking? >> where the bill is in the committee, the senate commerce committee with respect to this process, because what you're suggesting is that we set up a new bureau within the department of commerce, within the office of the is secretary to do this responsibility -- the office of the is secretary to do this responsibility. and as you know, appropriators are generally discouraged from authorizing new language, new departme

senator shaheen was a valuable member of our team. i've worked with senator shaheen on small business issues for a long time. she was a key player in putting together the package that we have to present to our colleagues here in the united states senate. i also want to acknowledge senator collins. it was the four of us that were meeting regularly, communicating regularly that recommend this package that you will shortly be voting on as it relates to small business. so i also if i could i'd like to acknowledge members of my own staff that have worked literally 24/7. i've talked to them at various times during the night and day and it's been very stressful for all of us, but our staffs get no rest whatsoever. so to sean moore and the entire staff on the democratic side of small business committee, thank you on behalf of america's small businesses and workers and on behalf of our country. and to ron storhoff who has been doing a lot of these provisions on my staff in regards to the tax issues, in regards to a lot of these other issues, t

senator shaheen: thank you both very much, for being here. i can't add much to the eloquence of senator menendez in talking about the fact that anything we say pales in comparison to what the two of you have experienced and seen. but i do want to ask some questions, because it helps me be a better witness to people who we want to respond to this crisis. you, mr. alably for sala. critics of the russian argue the in idlib commitment would solidify the territorial games made by assad solve the nothing to humanitarian crisis or protect refugees. can you talk about what will happen? first of all, will that cease fire hold? to second, what will happen syrians currently in idlib if assad and the russians and iranians are successful? [speaking foreign language] translator: we have been warning of a humanitarian crisis which since 2015,in idlib before the sochi agreement. and we know russia never abides by any cease fire that they sign in syria. this cease fire will end the same way every other cease fire has ended in syria, cease-fires are simply a t

includes a $377 billion of this economic relief plan that senator rubio, senator cardin, senator shaheen and i authored along with a small business task force. it is intended to help workers and small businesses just like the one owned by this family. and to work day and night to get the bipartisan package included in the broader legislation. and i want to do was shout out to our staff because i don't think they have been to bed before 4:00 a.m. in the morning any day and the last week. that is so hard they have worke worked. under our bipartisan approach, small businesses areel eligible for a 100 percent federally guaranteed emergency loan as well as certain expenses with utilities. if they keep their employees on the payroll, the loans would be completely forgiven. this is how it would work. one with 500 employees would be in eligible to apply. in order to be available immediately through existed certified lenders including certain banks or credit unions and other financial institutions. and streamlined to bring other additional lenders into the program. the loans would be tied to a fo

includes $377 billion small business economic relief plan that senator rubio, senator cardin, senator shaheen and i authored as members of the small business task force. it is intended to send small businesses just like the one owned by the family in lewiston. our crew worked day and night to get the bipartisan package included in the broader legislation. i want to do a shout out to our staff, before 5:00 in the morning and any day in the last week. that is how hard they worked too. under our bipartisan approach, they would be eligible, 100% federally guaranteed emergency loan to cover eight weeks of payroll as well as certain expenses like rent or mortgage payment and utilities but if businesses keep their employees on the payroll, if they keep issuing paychecks of their loans would be completely forgiven. small employers with 500 employees are fewer are eligible to apply for federally guaranteed loans. certified lenders including certain banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. a streamlined process would be created to bring other additional lenders. the size of the loans woul

and last, let me join senator shaheen and collins.i think they mentioned this in passing, but noaa's sea grant college program, which has long enjoyed bipartisan support, focus on the practical use of coastal and ocean resources n. my state, sea grant works closely with communities to enhance our oyster aqua culture communities. i'm going to fight hard for the program, and i recognize it has long enjoyed bipartisan support. so it's my hope that it will be fully implemented. >> well, as to aquaculture, we have made a specific request for some increased funding to promotee aquaculture. aquaculture, i think, is a very important solution to lots of things. for one thing, we have a trade deficit in seafood, which strikes me as bizarre given the wonderful amount of oceanfront that we have. so i'm a very strong proponent of aquaculture and to continue toam be. >> thank you, mr. secretary. these two points connect to the extent we have iu, or unreported, unregular hated pirate fishing off our coast and other coasts around the world, that cont

includes a $377 billion small business economic relief plan that senator rubio, senator cardin, senator shaheen and i authored as members of the small business task force. it is intended to help workers send small business just like the one owned by the simone's family and in lewiston. and our group worked day and night to get this bipartisan package included in the broader legislation. dand i wanted to shout out to our staff because i don't think they've been to bed before 4 am in the morning in any day in the last week. that's how hard they work too. under our bipartisan approach, small businesses would be eligible for a 100 percent federally guaranteed emergency loan to cover eight weeks of payroll as well as certain expenses like rent or mortgage payments and utilities. if these businesses keep their employees on the payroll, in other words if they keep issuing those paychecks, their loans would be completely forgiving. here's how it would work. small employers would with 500 employees or fewer would be eligible to apply for these federally loans .eed the loans would be available immediatel

i appreciate the fact that senator shaheen sheer on the floor. mrs. shaheen: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator for new hampshire. mrs. shaheen: senator portman and i have been working on this legislation for about ten years u.n. it's gone through committee, multiple times. it's gone through the floor of the senate multiple times. and we're -- we hope that we have it in a position now where we can actually get this done as part of the overall energy package, which is significant and a tribute to the work of senators murkowski and manchin and so many other people in this chamber. as senator portman said, energy use in i would abouting is about 40% of our energy use. it is the single biggest sector in our economy. what an -- and energy efficiency is the cheapest, fastest way to deal with our energy needs. what these provisions would do -- they are voluntary but what they would do is provide significant savings to consumers. they would be the equivalent of taking every car and light truck off the road for a year, so significant emissions savings and significant e

senators leahy and cardin and shaheen and war revenue and reed and peters and wyden and so many more i could name, the whole caucus and their entire staffs, thank you. this bill is better because of your long hours and hard work. the floor staff who kept this chamber open and running at all hours, we thank you. secretary mnuchin, aircraft euland, mark meadows, and their staffs who have spent more time in my office than they care to admit, thank you. now to my staff. i am blessed with the greatest staff a senator could have. they are so dedicated to the public good, they are so dedicated to this country, and you should have seen them working. jerry patrell and megan tyra have a little baby at home. both of them have important roles in my staff. they met here, got married. they were day in and day out. so was everybody else. so was everybody else. i want to thank my staff. if the american people saw the work you did, they would be so proud. so thank you from the bottom of my heart. our colleagues and our staffs have committed themselves in this way because they understand the sacrifice

senator shaheen's staff, senator collins' staff, my staff.a handful of people worked long hours on the legislative staff. last night they were here until 3:45 in the morning as they were the night before and the night before that. there has been a tremendous amount of work done on this. we're grateful for it. i have a product that i'm very proud of. let me say this i wish it was a product we never had had to do. not because we don't want to help small businesses but by and alternately every one of these businesses that we're trying to help were doing just fine until two weeks ago. that to me is the most important point. these are not businesses that were failing or making a mistake and so government is stepping in to prop them up. these are people that were literally doing fine until they woke up one day and they were told by the mayor or the governor or someone else you can't open anymore. you can't operate anymore. people can't come to your store any more or to your restaurant anymore. and it doesn't just impact the owner. it impacts the pe

this section of the overall bill where senators rubio and collins, harden and shaheen negotiate most of it, struck me as the most bipartisan and most productive. there is so much more in this bill i could speak to, the ways in which r the resources of the federal reserve are going to be deployed to help medium business and small businesses to the ways in which the private sector in my home state has stepped up to partner and to deliver critically needed resource of whether it's refurbishing ventilators or donating surplus ppe from the construction sector that they don't need today, or it's the universities that's close its research labs that makes its resources available th our hospitals. also remarkable efforts in partnership going on in my community and around the country. but at the end of the day, we have a critical question. is this bill perfect? no. would we improve it by more time here arguing with each other, offering more amendments, debating for the? yes. is this something i badly wanted that did not get in this final bill? absolutely. we had nine major states delay their e

and i now turn to my colleague and friend from new hampshire, senator shaheen for opening remarks. >> thank you mister chairman. good morning, mister secretary. we are glad you could join us this year. as the senator indicated, the budget is really bad, it's about our priorities and where the department puts its priorities. if we look at this budget, what does it say about the priorities of this administration. the major increase in this budget is for the office of the secretary 35 million or 58%. at the same time, the budget kept scientific research and development at the national institutes of standards and technology by 14%, overall it cuts the department by 30%. at the national oceanic and atmospheric administration by 40%, the research provided by these agencies leads to innovation that fuels american technological leadership. the budget eliminates more than half a billion dollars in noaa grant programs, which are critical to helping communities understand and prepare for climate change, and to support our seacoast and fisheries in new hampshire and across the country. i was part

he said exactly what the collins, rubio, cardin, shaheen proposal would do. loan money to those and let them keep working. this about big corporations. darden is a big corporation. it owns lots of sprawrnts. gaylord is a big corporation. it owns opry land. if it has a credit problem and the federal reserve board can make sure it has enough money to stay in business, all the people who work at the grand ol' opry can continue to have jobs. if they don't, they will be out of work. now, what's wrong with that? i mean, the goal of that, whether you work for a big company or a little company, you're still an american citizen , whether you work for fedex or the local diner. and as far as solving the problem of the disease, and then i will let others speak, pass this bill and one day sooner, we would have $10 billion to accelerate treatments. treatments are what we need. to accelerate vaccines. vaccines are what we eventually need. pass this bill, and we would have $75 billion for hospitals. $10 billion for those diagnostic treatments i just mentioned. $1.7 billion t

i would like to congratulate the bill's sponsors, senators shaheen and portman, for crafting this commonsense bill and for their relentless efforts to get it across the finish line. again, i want to express my appreciation to chairman murkowski and ranking member manchin. i would also like to highlight another energy efficiency bill included in this package, and that is the streamlining energy efficiency for schools act that i sponsored with senator mark warner. in maine, our schools have made tremendous progress on energy efficiency, but it can be challenging for schools to take full advantage of programs that lower energy costs, in part because school officials may not know where to start. a lot of these programs are scattered in different agencies across the federal government. our bipartisan bill would create a coordinating structure within the department of energy that would streamline available federal energy efficiency programs, assist school administrators with navigating available federal financing and thus reduce school buildings' energy cost. again, i want to thank the committee le

we would like to thank senator rubio, senator collins, senator shaheen for working on this. i anticipate they will be paying a lot of attention to the regulators so implementation goes quickly, that's another option. many members have reached out and more are doing so every day to their bank to explore other options. we are in a very uncertain ime. i totally understand the situation that kathy is in. like i said, business owners are just looking for a little light at the end of the tunnel. host: if a governor says all nonessential businesses have to close, can they get relief from the state government? guest: it depends state to state. i would encourage small business owners to explore what states are offering. many have deferred sales or income tax payments that may be able to help with cash flow. others may be providing grants. it is really tricky. especially when business owners' hands are tied by the shutdown orders. i think everyone hopes that we try to clear, get clear of this. that we take the hard medicine now and get clear of the public health emergency before it tu

cardin, enators shaheen, coons, and rubio, and the house bers of small business committee that this bill as on member, he ranking steve chabot, and the amazing staff who worked long hours to us here. i yield back and i ask everyone to support this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland reserves. is gentleman from texas recognized. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm very proud to yield two minutes to he leading republican on the homeland security committee, the gentleman from alabama, mr. rogers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from alabama is minutes.d for two mr. rogers: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of our in deadly defeat virus. this bill will help people that this rting because of outbreak. for those from rural districts ike mine, our hospitals cannot handle the onslaught of patients. hospitals in my district face a as it's been ire in my 18 years in congress. there.acity just isn't before covid-19 outbreak, most hospitals in alabama's third were ssional district operating on less than 1/3 profit margin. helps those rural hospitals by enabling th

i hope that we have the opportunity to debate other worthy proposals, including one that senator shaheen and i have introduced to lower the skyrocketing price of insulin. and i want to commend the administration for today releasing a new plan to drive down the cost of insulin for medicare beneficiaries. the fact is between 2012 and 2016, the average price of insulin nearly doubled. according to the health care cost institute, the price of an average 40-day supply of insulin rose from $344 in 2012 to $666 in 2016. there's no justification for that. insulin was isolated nearly a hundred years ago and while there are different varieties of insulin, it's still insulin. as cochairs of the senate diabetes caucus, senator shaheen and i have introduced legislation which creates a new pricing model for insulin and our bill would hold pharmacy benefit managers, pharmaceutical companies, insurers accountable for surging insulin prices by incentivizing reductions in list prices. for the most popular insulins, this would result in as much as a 75% decrease in prices of average. whether you're insured

senator shaheen. who are working so hard, that are negotiating all of this right now. i think that's the, senator leahy, of course, with appropriations, there's a lot of work going on that is positive that i still think that there is a good chance that we're going to get an agreement, and then of course, speaker pelosi has her bill that has a lot of things in it that is difficult to get through the republican senate, but would make the bill so much better. so i just cannot stress enough for your viewers, how hard people are working so that we have a bill that puts people first, and it's going to get that equipment out, and make us so much better prepared when this next group of patients are going to be coming in, and we know that they're coming in. >> senator, let me just also ask you about your workplace right now. by my last count, i think that five members of the senate are now quarantined, senator rand paul has tested positive, while he was awaiting his test results, he was coming into work every day, reportedly using facilities like the senate gym, and as a member

senator shaheen was a valuable member of our team. i've worked with senator shaheen on small business issues for a long time. she was a key player in putting together the package that we have to present to our colleagues here in the united states senate. i also want to acknowledge senator collins. it was the four of us that were meeting regularly, communicating regularly that recommend this package that you will shortly be voting on as it relates to small business. so i also if i could i'd like to acknowledge members of my own staff that have worked literally 24/7. i've talked to them at various times during the night and day and it's been very stressful for all of us, but our staffs get no rest whatsoever. so to sean moore and the entire staff on the democratic side of small business committee, thank you on behalf of america's small businesses and workers and on behalf of our country. and to ron storhoff who has been doing a lot of these provisions on my staff in regards to the tax issues, in regards to a lot of these other issues, t

police moved in to dismantle the most well known protest site against the citizenship nor playschool shaheen barred because people aren't allowed to gather in more than groups of 4 anymore and so the only people who are allowed to go outside in areas where there is a lockdown in place much of the country are to get groceries to go to the pharmacy certain people who work for banks are allowed and so on health care workers and hospitals and as you mentioned no trains most buses aren't working there's no metro and no taxis and all of these measures more and more measures tougher restrictions every day as the government really tries to stop it saying the government saying that coronavirus hasn't reached the community transmission of phase 3 in india yet and that these measures are to stop it from doing so we often see the states in the central government in india not necessarily on the same page when it comes to policy are they managing to speak with one voice on this. they certainly are on the lockdown but to get to your earlier question about you know how many people are coping and especially

general milley, i'd like to begin with you, part of the discussion that senator shaheen has started with regards to the resources we have in the need for those resources, i'd like to give you an opportunity to talk a littlee i'bit about modernization but also i want to talk aboutut i want to preface that by ship -- simply sharing the last number of years, this committee has received reports about the challenges we had in readinessok of our armed forces today.y. the fact that years in the fact that you both alluded to, we've had or we have w been at war for 20 years and that takes its toll. when it comes to the equipment that our young in men and women use, i am just going to lift him out and i'd like to have you, if you could, give us an update. may of last year we had six of them that were actually operational, faa teens at one a point a little over a year ago were reported at less than 40% or about 40%. were operational. if it 15 sees you were limited to two jeez maneuvering. you've got approximately an f 20 twos, you have 125 remaining that might be operational at a time, a percentage

we would like to thank senator rubio, senator collins, senator shaheen for working on this. i anticipate they will be paying a lot of attention to the regulators so implementation goes quickly, that's another option. many members have reached out and more are doing so every day to their bank to explore other options. time. in a very uncertain i totally understand the situation that kathy is in. like i said, business owners are just looking for a little light at the end of the tunnel. says alla governor nonessential businesses have to close, can they get relief from the state government? guest: it depends state to state. i would encourage small business owners to explore what states are offering. many have deferred sales or income tax payments that may be able to help with cash flow. others may be providing grants. it is really tricky. especially when business owner'' hands are tied by the shutdown orders. i think everyone hopes that we try to clear, get clear of this. that we take the hard medicine now and get clear of the public health emergency before it turns into a dire

includes a $377 billion small business economic relief plan that senator rubio, senator cardin, senator shaheen, and i authored as members of the small business task force. it is intended to help workers and small businesses just like the one owned by the simones family in lewiston. and our group worked day and night to get this bipartisan package included in the broader legislation, and i want to do a shout out to our staff because i don't think they've been to bed before 4:00 a.m. in the morning in any day in the last week. that's how hard they've worked, too. under our bipartisan approach, small businesses would be eligible for a 100% federally guarantee emergency loan to cover eight weeks of payroll as well as certain expenses like rent or mortgage payments and utilities. if these businesses keep their employees on the payroll, in other words if they keep issuing those paychecks, their loans would be completely forgiven. here's how it would work. small employers with 500 employees or fewer would be eligible to apply for these federally guaranteed loans. the loans would be available immediat

business grants and loans, for example is something where i think senators rubio and collins, cardin and shaheene ranking democrat on funding the sba, senator kennedy, the lead republican. we really worked well over the weekend to get that package done. >> i would be happy to talk about it. but at the highest level the clip you just played summarizes the whole thing. the majority leader says well all of a sudden the speaker and the minority leader showed up. they didn't just show up. they are part of the leadership. it was urged upon majority leader mcconnell to sit down at the outset with mccarthy and pelosi, schumer and mcconnell and negotiate. instead, majority leader mcconnell followed a process where there were working groups and then by midday saturday, republicans were off drafting their own bill that we didn't get to see until the next morning. the average american is yelling at their television. they don't want to know that we are bickering. i am working as hard as i can to close these divisions to get this done. brian: right. >> i know our leadership is as well. we will get this done.

jeanne shaheen on our side as well, have done a very, very good job here.oans are at no or low interest so you don't have to go bankrupt. and at the -- and your workers are all paid by the federal government. so you get loans to help pay the expenses you have with no income coming in. you know, mortgage, insurance, utilities if you have those. and your workers are paid for by the sba, and again, just like unemployment insurance, you can do it quick, and we give much more money so they is hire many more people to get people to do this. >> so one of the better parts of the bill, one of the better changes of the bill was converting this slush fund that the president could throw wherever he wanted -- and by the way, i would say this of a democratic president. democratic presidents shouldn't have that power any more than a republican president should have that power. this has nothing to do with donald trump. this has everything to do with a system that's fair to republicans and democrats alike. you're going to have five people on this panel, and you're also goin

i think senators cardi, shaheen, coons and rubio and all the members of this house small business committeet work so hard on this bill as well as the ranking member Ãb and the amazing staff that work long hours. i yield back and ask à >> gentleman from maryland reserve, gemma from texas recommends christmas or speaker and very proud to yield two minutes to the leading republican on the homeland security committee, the gentleman from alabama, mr. rogers. >> gentleman from alabama is >> thank you mr. speaker for some arise today in support of our efforts to defeat this deadly virus. this bill will help people that are hurting because of this topic. for those from rural districts like mine our hospitals cannot handle the onslaught of patients. hospitals in my district face a situation that's dire and been in my 18 years in congress. the capacity just isn't there. before covid-19 outbreak most hospitals in alabama's third congressional district is operating on less than one third profit margin. this bill helps the rural hospitals by enabling them to buy essential supplies, build needed infrastr

cardin, enators shaheen, coons, and rubio, and the house bers of small business committee that this bill as on member, he ranking steve chabot, and the amazing staff who worked long hours to us here. i yield back and i ask everyone to support this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland reserves. is gentleman from texas recognized. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm very proud to yield two minutes to he leading republican on the homeland security committee, the gentleman from alabama, mr. rogers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from alabama is minutes.d for two mr. rogers: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of our in deadly defeat virus. this bill will help people that this rting because of outbreak. for those from rural districts ike mine, our hospitals cannot handle the onslaught of patients. hospitals in my district face a as it's been ire in my 18 years in congress. there.acity just isn't before covid-19 outbreak, most hospitals in alabama's third were ssional district operating on less than 1/3 profit margin. helps those rural hospitals by enabling th

shaheen: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new hampshire. mrs. shaheen: i call up amendment 1525 to amendment number 1514, as proposed by senator portman. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from new hampshire, mrs. shaheen, proposes an amendment 1525 to amendment 1514. on page 28, line 19, strike -- mrs. shaheen: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. manchin: mr. president, i would like to ask for u.c. for my floor fellow, patrick laird for the remainder of the 116th congress. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president? the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. schumer: the coronavirus continues to spread. with more than 500 confirmed cases in the united states in two-thirds of the 50 states. given the inconsist tency in the delay of testing, we don't know if the number of cases accurately eflects the number of indicates in the united states. we now know that when the coronavirus first app

shaheen: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from new hampshire. mrs. shaheen: madam president, i come to the floor today like so many of my colleagues during what is undoubtedly the worst crisis that i have seen in my lifetime. it reminds me of hearing from my parents and grandparents about what it was like in america during the depression and during world war ii. and this crisis in some ways is even worse because it's an enemy we can't see, the novel coronavirus or covid-19. not since the 1918 outbreak of the spanish influenza has a pandemic posed such an immense threat to the public health of our country. as of this morning more than 47,000 americans have been tested and they have tested positive for covid-19. we have actually tested more than that. that's the number who have tested positive. 593 americans have unfortunately died from this disease, and just yesterday health officials reported more than 100 americans lost their lives in a single day. i know that everyone in this chamber is thinking of those families and those people who have been lost

this section of the overall bill where senators rubio, collins, cardin, and shaheen negotiated most of it struck me as the most bipartisan and most productive. there is so much more in this bill i could speak to. the ways in which the resources of the federal reserve are going to be deployed to help medium small businesses and small businesses -- medium businesses and small businesses. the way in which the private sector in my home state has stepped up to partner and deliver critically needed resources, whether it is to refurbish ventilators or donating surplus p.p.e. from the private sector that they don't need today or the university that has closed its research labs but makes its resources available to our hospital. there are some remarkable efforts at partnership going on in my community and around the country. but at the end of the day, we have a critical question. is this bill perfect? no. could we i am prove it -- improve it by more time here arguing with each other, offering more amendments, debating further? yes. is there something i badly wanted that did not get in this final

it's in our portman-shaheen bill. i was pleased to work with senators isakson and bennet and i'm sorry it's minority part of the energy bill tonight. it's not the only important provision that missed the vote on this package. another important section of my energy efficiency legislation left out of the energy bill is known as the building code section. this section focuses on best practices to make homes more energy efficient. we know one of the most effective ways to ensure a home is affordable is to build a home that is energy efficient to begin with. it is important to know at the outset that the building codes we're talking about tonight are and will remain under this legislation voluntary. you will hear that a lot tonight. there are no mandates in this legislation of any kind for new homes. it's up to states, local governments and tribes to adopt the building codes on their own they deem fit for their community. some states have an energy code, some states don't. some adopt part of what is the model code we'll ta

shaheen: research shows by decreasing access to information about modern contraceptive options that abortion rates increase. so this policy doesn't stop abortions. it only limits the resources that are available that prevent women from having unwanted pregnancies. so, madam president, i have a statement that i will submit for the record, but given the negative impact that this policy has already had on so many women and families around the world, codifying it would just exacerbate those issues. so i object. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. mr. lee: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from utah. mr. lee: madam president, it's disappointing that when we take a look at something that is controversial like abortion, we peel it back a layer further. we make it noncontroversial. by making the discussion about something that most americans -- the overwhelming majority of americans agree about, which is regardless of how you feel about abortion, you don't necessarily want your government taking your taxpayer dollars and the taxpayer dollars of a whole lot of people who