[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of a bill that is at the desk. I 
further ask that the bill be considered read three times and passed and 
that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the 
table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.
  Mrs. FISCHER. Reserving the right to object, the legislation that is 
offered by my colleague is too narrow in scope. It does not cover all 
respirators currently recommended by the CDC for healthcare 
professionals who are treating patients with COVID-19. My colleagues 
know that. This is inadequate.
  The legislation that the senior Senator from Arizona and I have 
offered covers all CDC-recommended respirators. Moreover, our bill is 
not limited to this specific public health emergency but rather 
responsibly addresses future public health respirator needs. We are 
looking at what is going to happen in the future, and right here, right 
now, the Senate does have this opportunity to address these current 
emergencies and, yes, future emergencies by making sure that we can 
provide lifesaving equipment to the American people. So, accordingly, I 
object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, so, once again, I repeat that this has 
nothing to do with stopping these respirators for this particular 
crisis to be included as necessary equipment under the current statute. 
I do think we ought to be able to come together to come up with a 
reasonable approach that can be supported in a bipartisan way.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.
  Mrs. FISCHER. I would suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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