[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1782-S1784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I come to the floor this morning with 
sad news. Illinois has lost its first resident to the coronavirus--a 
pandemic which is threatening our country and the world. Her name was 
Patricia Frieson, 61 years old, a retired nurse. She was an exceptional 
person. Her brother said she cared for everyone but herself. She lived 
taking care of people, and she loved it.

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  She started having breathing difficulties last week and was 
hospitalized at one of our better hospitals in the city of Chicago and 
succumbed yesterday to the coronavirus and its complications. She had a 
history of respiratory illness, but she was taking care of herself and 
staying home, as she was told to do.
  The family remembers the last time she left the house was 2 weeks ago 
to attend a funeral of a friend. She did entertain visitors at her home 
from time to time. Her two sisters have asked for tests themselves 
because they were in contact with her. I am sorry to report they have 
been unable to obtain those tests, at least as of late last night.
  I have spoken with the Governor of Illinois almost every day, and we 
are having--through the State laboratories--about 350 tests each day, 
this State of almost 13 million people. In addition to the State lab 
tests are the private labs and hospital tests, which account for a 
number comparable but not much larger than 350. There just aren't 
enough tests. I am sure our plight is not unusual.
  We have heard a lot about the tests on the horizon, coming soon--the 
sooner the better. Until we get into more complete testing, it is going 
to be difficult for us to measure the extent of the infection and the 
impact. It is almost impossible to target areas of our State that need 
more attention than others because of the lack of testing.
  We had a nursing home over the weekend where there was a patient who 
tested positive for the coronavirus. The Department of Public Health of 
the State of Illinois went to that nursing home in Willowbrook as a 
consequence of the first test and tested all of the residents and staff 
and found 22 tested positive for the coronavirus infection. Naturally, 
that raised our numbers dramatically. We now have 160 known cases in 
our State, in 15 different counties. It is an indication where there is 
a signal of infection that testing is absolutely essential so we can 
identify all of those who may test positive.
  Patricia Frieson's brother Richard was asked what he thought about 
the news that she was the first fatality in our State. He said it was 
heartbreaking. But then he said: I tell everybody to take this very 
seriously, as we should.
  I think, across the United States, we are coming to realize that this 
is an exceptional public health crisis and challenge, the likes of 
which we have never seen.
  Sometime later this morning or early this afternoon, we will consider 
the package that was passed by the House of Representatives in the 
early morning hours of Saturday. It is a package that was designed to 
provide some help, some financial assistance, to workers and families 
across the United States who are coping with the illness or losing 
their jobs or being laid off because of the state of the economy.
  We on the Democratic side feel--and I believe that feeling is shared 
on the Republican side--that one of the first things we need to do is 
to assure those employees who may not feel well that it is best to stay 
home, and there is a way to do that without sacrificing the basics in 
life--your home, your food--which your family counts on.
  We put together this package with the White House on a bipartisan 
basis that provides family leave and medical leave. It also provides 
extension of unemployment benefits that are necessary for many workers 
across this country.
  Passing this bill this morning or this afternoon is an important step 
forward to let the people across America know we are doing what we can 
here in the Senate and in the House to be responsive.
  Senator McConnell came to the floor this morning and announced the 
next bill--coronavirus 3, if you wish--which is a much larger 
undertaking, and it will embark on trying to get the economy on its 
feet enough to sustain what we are facing with layoffs and business 
closures. It is a daunting task. The amount of money involved is 
anywhere from $700 billion to $1 trillion. I have heard these estimates 
from time to time. That is a massive amount of money by any measure, 
but when measured against the economy of the United States, it may not 
be adequate to the challenge.
  Some have suggested cash payments to individual Americans. I have no 
aversion to that idea, but I hope it is substantial, and I hope it 
isn't a one-time helping hand that isn't followed up.
  Many of us on the Democratic side are working on a program that we 
think will say to families that we are not just going to send you one 
check and wish you the best; we are going to stand by you during this 
very difficult, challenging time.
  I spent the last several days on the telephone with business leaders 
across our State. It started with calling one of my favorite 
restaurants that sent an online message about closing down for business 
and being not quite sure of their future. It is troubling to hear a 
person or family member who put their life into a restaurant now facing 
closure, wondering if they will ever open again.
  Some of us are buying gift certificates at our favorite restaurant to 
help them get through this and help their employees during this period 
of time. My wife is doing that in Springfield. I have done it in 
Chicago. We will probably do it more. I encourage others who want to 
make sure that restaurant is there after we weather this storm to 
extend a helping hand if we can.
  Some of these restaurants are teaming up with charitable 
organizations to produce the meals that are needed for schoolchildren 
and their families. It is a little different assignment, but these 
restaurants are the best in their profession, and it is great to see 
them cooperating and working together.
  I might also add that the Democrats have a proposal that Senator 
Schumer has spelled out and will undoubtedly speak to again when he 
comes to the floor this morning. At this moment, we have at least two 
tracks, two paths toward the third bill to try to help the economy. 
Senator McConnell has suggested that he will do his exclusively among 
Republicans, and that may be a necessary starting point, but I urge him 
and all of the leaders to come together on a bipartisan basis as 
quickly as possible.
  The first two measures that we have passed--the initial $8 billion 
supplemental appropriation for the healthcare side of the equation was 
essential and done quickly on a bipartisan basis.
  The second measure, which I hope we pass today in the Senate, was 
also done with the White House, Speaker Pelosi--Democrats and 
Republicans working together. Each of us had to give. This measure we 
are voting for is not what I would have drawn up, and I am sure 
Republicans feel the same, but it is a compromise and one on which we 
ought to move forward.
  The third measure we are considering should be nothing less--it ought 
to be bipartisan from the start. In a press conference yesterday, 
Senator Schumer suggested that the four leaders in the House and 
Senate, Democrats and Republicans, meet with the White House and sit 
down at the table now to get started on putting together this measure 
rather than to retire to our sidelines and each work individually or 
separately. The sooner we come together, the better.
  One of the provisions Senator Schumer insists on--and I would add my 
voice in chorus--is that we be sensitive to the reality of the 
healthcare facilities across America and what they are likely to face 
in the weeks to come. Hospitals and frontline responders are telling us 
they are worried they lack the equipment and resources we need. Some 
experts predicted as many as 1.9 million--1.9 million--intensive care 
unit admissions from this outbreak will take place over the next 
several months, swamping existing facilities. There are only 100,000 
ICU beds across the entire United States, and we know accommodating 1.9 
million will just overwhelm the system. There is also a major dearth of 
necessary masks, respirators, ventilators, gowns, goggles--all of the 
things that are essential to protect healthcare workers and to save the 
lives of those who are facing this illness.
  What a frustration it is in my State, the State of Illinois, that I 
still get reports from virtually every level that the so-called 
national stockpile has not opened up its doors for my State when it 
comes to basic needs. I mentioned earlier about a nursing home with 22 
positive infections in my State. The head of the Illinois Department of 
Public Health, who alerted me to this, told me that in a very short 
period of time,

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they were going to use up the protective equipment and masks and 
gloves, for example, that they had available. They didn't know where to 
turn for more.
  Let's get this together. I believe there is a national stockpile, and 
I believe it should be open for the States that need it immediately. 
Our State is one of those.
  Referring to these ventilators and breathing devices, in a press 
conference a couple of days ago, the President said the Governors 
should do their best. We can do better than that. The largest stockpile 
of this equipment is in possession of the Federal Government, and we 
should turn to it quickly to help those in need.
  I am very concerned as well--I will close. I see other colleagues on 
the floor, and I know they would like to make comments as well. I will 
close by also saying that as we undertake the next piece of 
legislation--the $800, $900, $1 trillion bill--I hope the first 
priority is to make sure we help our hospitals.
  I have a measure with Senator Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, that 
will compensate hospitals in rural areas and downstate areas in 
Illinois. I am fearful they will be the first to be overwhelmed. I hope 
those representing rural States will come together and join, as Senator 
Lankford and I have, to try to find a way to make sure they are 
adequately funded to get through this crisis.
  I might add that we also need medical professionals in the long term. 
I hope we will dedicate ourselves to improving the National Health 
Service Corps as one way of doing that and focusing that in rural 
areas.
  Finally, I have a bill with Senator Alexander, Senator Murray, and 
Senator Blunt to take a survey through the National Academy of Sciences 
of our dependence on foreign-made medicines and medical supplies and 
medical equipment so that we can establish, not only during this 
challenge and crisis but for future challenges and crises--whether we 
have adequate domestic production capacity or a necessary stockpiles to 
protect us. We found, for example, that some 20 major drugs were 
manufactured exclusively in China. As China went through the early 
stages of this coronavirus crisis, there was a fear that we would be 
cut off from sources. We have asked the National Academy of Science to 
give us a survey as quickly as possible
  I will close by saying that it is interesting, as I follow the emails 
of my friends and family and hear from my colleagues, that as we are 
separated with this social distance which we are trying to respect 
across the United States--as we are separated, it is interesting how 
much we are drawn together. Our family's emails and phone calls have 
been more numerous than ever as we think about one another more and 
reach out as we hear that there is a need within our family. There is 
more conversation and candor than I can ever recall in our family 
conversations.
  Perhaps adversity has a created community. Perhaps this situation, 
this concern that we have, is leading to more empathy.
  We are going to get through this. America always does. There will be 
some painful moments and very difficult ones. I think those who sent us 
to do this job in Washington expect us to put our party labels at the 
door, find solutions to the challenges we face, help our Nation through 
this crisis, and come out strong on the other side.
  I yield the floor.

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