[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1790-S1796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

                FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 6201) making emergency supplemental 
     appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, 
     and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.


                           Amendment No. 1556

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 1556 and ask that 
be it reported by number.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment by number.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. Paul] proposes an amendment 
     numbered 1556.

  The amendment is as follows

   (Purpose: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require a 
social security number for purposes of the child tax credit, to provide 
  the President the authority to transfer funds as necessary, and to 
    terminate United States military operations and reconstruction 
                       activities in Afghanistan)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR CHILD TAX 
                   CREDIT.

       (a) In General.--Paragraph (1) of section 24(e) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:
       ``(1) Social security number required.--No credit shall be 
     allowed under this section to a taxpayer with respect to any 
     qualifying child unless the taxpayer includes the social 
     security number of such child on the return of tax for the 
     taxable year. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the 
     term `social security number' means a social security number 
     issued to an individual by the Social Security 
     Administration, but only if the social security number is 
     issued--
       ``(A) to a citizen of the United States or pursuant to 
     subclause (I) (or that portion of subclause (III) that 
     relates to subclause (I)) of section 205(c)(2)(B)(i) of the 
     Social Security Act, and
       ``(B) before the due date for such return.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Subsection (h) of section 24 of such Code is amended--
       (A) by striking ``paragraph (7)'' in paragraph (4)(C) and 
     inserting ``subsection (e)(1)'',
       (B) by striking paragraph (7), and
       (C) by striking ``(2) through (7)'' in paragraph (1) and 
     inserting ``(2) through (6)''.
       (2) Section 6213(g)(2)(I) of such Code is amended by 
     striking ``TIN'' and inserting ``social security number''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

     SEC. ___. TRANSFER AUTHORITY.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the President may transfer, as necessary and without 
     limitation, amounts from any account in the Treasury to any 
     other account in the Treasury being used for the purpose of 
     combating, addressing, or ameliorating the coronavirus 
     pandemic.
       (b) Congressional Notification.--The President shall submit 
     to Congress, on each of the following dates, a notification 
     detailing each transfer made under subsection (a) during the 
     time period preceding the notification:
       (1) July 1, 2020.
       (2) October 1, 2020.
       (3) January 1, 2021.
       (c) Expiration.--The transfer authority in subsection (a) 
     shall expire on December 31, 2020.

     SEC. ___. TERMINATION OF UNITED STATES MILITARY OPERATIONS 
                   AND RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IN AFGHANISTAN.

       (a) Termination.--Military operations of the United States 
     Armed Forces and reconstruction activities of the United 
     States Government in Afghanistan are hereby terminated.
       (b) Deadline for Complete Cessation.--Not later than 
     December 31, 2020--
       (1) all United States Armed Forces shall be removed from 
     Afghanistan; and
       (2) all reconstruction activities of the United States 
     Government in Afghanistan shall be wound up.

[[Page S1791]]

       (c) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--Appropriated funds may 
     not be obligated or expended in connection with military 
     operations and reconstruction activities described in 
     subsection (a) after December 31, 2020.
  Mr. PAUL. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Loeffler). The Senator from Kentucky is 
recognized.
  Mr. PAUL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the votes 
scheduled at 12:10 p.m. be allowed to begin now.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The question is on agreeing to the Paul amendment.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Romney). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 3, nays 95, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 73 Leg.]

                                YEAS--3

     Braun
     Lee
     Paul

                                NAYS--95

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Booker
     Boozman
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Harris
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Leahy
     Loeffler
     Manchin
     Markey
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Sasse
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Gardner
     Scott (FL)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order requiring 60 votes 
for the adoption of this amendment, the amendment was rejected.
  The amendment (No. 1556) was rejected.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire.


                              Coronavirus

  Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, Granite Staters are known for our all-
hands-on-deck spirit--coming together in difficult times to support our 
friends and neighbors.
  The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to change our daily routines 
and adjust to new challenges; however, one thing that has not changed 
throughout this public health emergency is the compassion and empathy 
we are seeing from people all across our State.
  Every month, I recognize a person or a group of people in New 
Hampshire who have gone above and beyond to help their community. I 
recognize them as the Granite Stater of the Month. But this month, I 
couldn't choose just one person and, instead, wish to recognize all 
Granite Staters for coming together to try to slow the spread of this 
virus and to help those in need.
  All across New Hampshire, people are taking commonsense steps, both 
to keep themselves healthy and to avoid unknowingly passing along the 
virus to others, particularly those who are at high risk. This includes 
washing your hands thoroughly and for at least 20 seconds and wiping 
down frequently touched surfaces, like cell phones and door handles. It 
also means practicing social distancing by going out in public only 
when absolutely necessary and keeping at least 6 feet between you and 
another person.
  We have also seen that events people look forward to all year, like 
the Boston Marathon or St. Patrick's Day festivities, have been 
canceled or postponed. People are following public health officials' 
guidelines by staying at home and canceling long-awaited travel plans.
  Taking these necessary measures is hard and unpleasant, but it has 
been inspiring to see how many people are willing to make these 
sacrifices to protect the public health.
  Additionally, many people might contract only mild symptoms from 
COVID-19, especially those who are younger and in good health; however, 
it is heartening that so many of those individuals recognize how 
important it is to protect others who might be at higher risk, like 
those over 60 or people living with chronic health conditions.
  As many Americans know, it is also crucial that we don't overwhelm 
our healthcare system and prevent an influx of patients from crowding 
hospitals, which could lead to a shortage of critical medical equipment 
and personal protective gear. Collective actions, like staying home and 
minimizing interactions with others, will be crucial in combating this 
public health emergency.
  As people's lives continue to experience disruption, I have been 
inspired to see such a tremendous outpouring of support from people all 
across New Hampshire in an effort to help one another during this very 
difficult time. For instance, nonprofits, food pantries, and volunteers 
are partnering with local schools in New Hampshire to combat food 
insecurity in their communities. One school district held a food drive 
over the weekend with a local nonprofit. They were concerned that given 
the last-minute nature of the event, there would be low participation. 
To their surprise, the school reported that the community came out in 
droves to donate goods.
  Stories like this are abundant in communities across my State, and I 
am immensely proud of how people across New Hampshire have come 
together to respond to this public health emergency.
  In the coming weeks and months, it will be even more important that 
Granite Staters and all Americans lean on one another for support. I 
encourage everyone to reach out to your neighbors, especially those at 
higher risk, to see what you can do to help. If you have an older 
neighbor, see if they need help picking up their groceries. If you know 
someone who is a medical professional with young kids at home, ask if 
you can babysit.
  Right now, it is important for people to remember what we can all do 
to help contain the spread of this virus and that we all have a role to 
play in doing so. In New Hampshire, we pull together, and we help one 
another to get through challenging times, and I know we can come 
together to slow the spread of this virus.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as healthcare professionals, first 
responders, and communities across our country work around the clock to 
fight the spread of the coronavirus, our televisions and news feeds 
have been filled with a lot of numbers--the number of new cases 
reported each day, the rising number of fatalities, unfortunately, and 
the volatile ups and downs of the stock market. All of this data paints 
a picture of the widening scope of this outbreak on a national scale, 
but it fails to represent the impact it is having on individuals and on 
small businesses in our communities.
  I think of people like Joe Kenney, who opened Cobbleheads Bar & Grill 
in Brownsville, TX, nearly 25 years ago. Like other restaurant owners 
around the country, he is trying to adapt so he can keep his doors open 
while he follows guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. He canceled the restaurant's popular St. Patrick's Day 
celebration and, instead, offered corned beef and cabbage as a takeout 
option, but he is nervous about just how long he can hold on and how he 
will be able to stay afloat.
  Joe said: ``Shutting down two, three, four weeks, you can leave 25 
years on the table with what we put into this place.''
  Joe, to his credit, is especially, worried about his more than 30 
employees and what will happen to them.

[[Page S1792]]

  This is a familiar story for countless small businesses and their 
employees--small businesses that are losing customers through no fault 
of their own.
  Erin Willis owns RM 12:20 Bistro in northeast Dallas. When she heard 
Mayor Johnson's announcement of limiting restaurants to takeout 
service, she said: ``I just hope we can survive this.''
  Like Joe, Erin is mostly concerned about the well-being of her staff. 
Hourly workers, particularly those who rely on tips, are seeing fewer 
and fewer opportunities to collect paychecks. Erin is rotating 
employees so that everyone can have some work, but the fears about how 
long this could last are really settling in.
  She said:

       The service industry is their livelihood. If we all close, 
     they literally have nothing.

  As more and more Americans are staying home, small businesses and 
their employees are the hardest hit, but the impact does not end with 
them. The hard stop on large gatherings doesn't just mean businesses, 
schools, and workplaces are shutting down; it means vital community 
events, including things like blood drives, are being canceled.
  Officials from the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center said this has 
put their community blood supply at risk of collapse, and while this 
isn't related to treating those who have been diagnosed with the 
coronavirus, it is vital to the ongoing, everyday work of our 
healthcare system. Blood donations help people who lose blood during 
major surgeries or after having suffered traumatic injuries. They also 
help those who have chronic conditions and require occasional blood 
transfusions.
  Hospitals and donation centers are taking every precaution to protect 
donors while they are fulfilling the need of blood donations, and I 
encourage all Texans who are healthy and at low risk of contracting the 
coronavirus to consider donating blood. During times like these, when 
it is, perhaps, easy to feel that circumstances are beyond your 
control, this is one small step each of us can take to support our 
communities.
  I know this is a time of serious uncertainty for both the physical 
and financial health of our families and our country, but I want to 
assure my constituents--the 29 million people I am privileged to 
represent in the State of Texas--that the Senate is working to provide 
them with the relief that we can.
  Less than 2 weeks ago, the President signed a bill we passed that 
provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the virus, which 
has sent vital funding toward treating and preventing the spread of the 
virus, including toward the purchase of masks and personal protective 
equipment, as well as in supporting the development of a vaccine, 
possible treatments, and more diagnostics. This was an important first 
step toward bolstering our response in the early phases of community 
spread, and now we are working to address the larger impact this virus 
is having on American workers, families, and our economy.
  Soon, the Senate will take another bipartisan step of providing 
support by passing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This 
legislation will go a long way in providing immediate relief for those 
who are struggling to make ends meet during this challenging time.
  It creates a new Federal emergency paid sick leave program for those 
who are impacted by the coronavirus. Whether workers are diagnosed with 
the virus or are caring for dependents who are affected, they will be 
able to take up to 10 days of paid sick leave, and many Texas workers 
will have access to 12 weeks of paid leave in order to care for 
dependents because of coronavirus-related school closures.

  This legislation makes important changes to unemployment insurance to 
ensure that Texans can take advantage of these benefits during this 
time of uncertainty.
  It also provides food security for Americans of all ages, from 
schoolchildren who rely on free lunches at school to seniors who are 
unable to leave their homes, for every American deserves access to 
basic nutrition.
  This bill also makes coronavirus testing free of charge for all 
Americans, and it includes a range of measures to support the 
healthcare professionals who are literally on the frontlines of this 
fight.
  I proudly support the bill, and I am eager to get it to the President 
for his signature. We shouldn't delay in sending it to his desk. We 
have been able to come together and move two bills through Congress 
that support healthcare workers, neighbors, and communities that are 
being impacted by the coronavirus. I hope this trend of bipartisanship 
will continue in the coming weeks and months as we work to build on the 
actions we have already taken.
  I echo the comment made by the majority leader that this is only the 
beginning of our efforts to support our country. We will keep working 
this week and next and for however long it takes in order to assist 
American workers and families, to support our local businesses, and to 
secure both the immediate and long-term viability of our economy. Via 
three task forces, the Senate has already begun the work of putting 
together the next economic recovery legislation, and we will not leave 
until we get that bill passed, too.
  While most Americans' daily lives have been upended by the spread of 
the coronavirus, there are countless men and women who continue to go 
to work and fill critical needs in our society. We owe a debt of 
gratitude to the dedicated healthcare professionals who are on the 
frontlines of this pandemic; to the scientists who are working 
diligently to develop a vaccine; to the first responders who are 
continuing to expose their own health for our safety; to the farmers 
and ranchers and producers who are keeping us fed; to the grocery store 
employees who are restocking shelves; and to the countless others who 
are leaving their homes and their families each morning to keep us safe 
and healthy. We need to say thank you to each of them. As these men and 
women continue doing everything they can to respond to the spread of 
the coronavirus, the Senate will do the same.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Loeffler). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                           Amendment No. 1559

  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I call up amendment No. 1559, as 
provided for under the previous order.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Washington [Mrs. Murray] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1559.

  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
reading be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of 
Amendments.'')
  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I have been in the Senate during 9/11, 
for Hurricane Katrina, for the 2008 financial crisis, and I still have 
never experienced anything like what we are seeing today. These are 
truly extraordinary circumstances, and the stories I am hearing from my 
constituents and from people across the country are crushing. Some of 
the most heartbreaking stories are the ones about people who want to do 
the right thing in this moment but are having to choose between staying 
home, as public health experts say we must, and paying the rent or 
putting food on the table.
  I am hearing from workers like Cristal Westwood from Auburn, WA. She 
and her husband just welcomed their first child on February 7 of this 
year. They both have autoimmune diseases, but her husband's job is not 
allowing him to work from home. And she says:

       This is an extremely stressful situation for our family. We 
     have the option for my husband to take leave without pay for 
     the next month or so, but that would mean we wouldn't have 
     any income coming in to support our family. He could use up 
     all of his sick and vacation time, but that would mean he 
     doesn't have any left for the rest of the year in case 
     something happens. Both of those options don't seem right.

  I agree. That is not right. A pastor in Tukwila, WA, shared similar 
concerns

[[Page S1793]]

from a parent in their congregation with school-aged children who 
worries:

       What if they call off school? I don't have anyone to care 
     for the kids. Then, without a paycheck, we will get evicted. 
     As it is, we already run close to eviction every month.

  Since that time, all of our schools in Washington State are closed.
  And then there is Chris, who lives in Seattle, works in a grocery 
store, and is at high risk for coronavirus. She writes:

       It's an awful decision: Go to work and put your life at 
     risk, or lose your job, lose your income, and lose your 
     insurance. I haven't committed either way at this point. I'm 
     trying to find a way to stay home.

  I am not just hearing from workers but from small business owners, as 
well, across our State, people who own restaurants and shops. Everyone 
from farmers to fishers who are used to the spring being a time when 
the phones are ringing off the hook. Now no one is coming in the door. 
No one is calling. They want to do the right thing for their workers, 
but they don't have the cashflow to keep them on.
  People are scared. They feel they have gotten the rug pulled out from 
under them, and they need our help. Unfortunately, here is what the 
Senator from Wisconsin wants to do. After the House overwhelmingly 
passed a bipartisan agreement that includes an important step forward 
to provide workers the paid sick leave they need in this crisis, his 
amendment would undo that bipartisan work by stripping any paid sick 
leave progress out of the bill we are voting on today.
  Instead of helping people keep their jobs and their paychecks by 
providing sick leave, Senator Johnson's amendment would force workers 
to seek compensation through their State unemployment system, meaning 
they would be on their own until they were compensated by the State, 
and the unemployment system in each State would be drastically 
overburdened at a time when workers are going to need it in the event 
they are laid off.
  Democrats are pushing for solutions through the unemployment 
insurance to support families and workers in the months ahead, but 
simply using this program now as a replacement for paid sick leave 
workers is unacceptable, and it is shameful. We have to do better than 
that.
  At a time when families are facing impossible decisions, my fellow 
Senators face a glaringly simple one. We need to be doing as much as we 
can as fast as we can, and his amendment would set us backward at the 
worst possible time.
  That is why I am here on the floor to offer our amendment, based on 
legislation I have worked on with Senator Gillibrand and Representative 
DeLauro, introduced yesterday. Our legislation would simply provide 
workers with 7 days of accrued paid sick leave, 2 weeks of paid 
emergency days, and 12 weeks of paid emergency leave, and it would make 
sure that their employers can be quickly and fully reimbursed by the 
Treasury Department for providing that leave.
  For those who may not be ready just yet to agree we need paid sick 
days and paid leave going forward permanently, the amended version of 
this bill that we are introducing today and asking for a vote on 
shortly would only provide this support through December 2021.
  My No. 1 priority right now is getting people the support they need 
right now for this emergency that is at hand, and this is a commonsense 
step. It is good for workers who need to stay home if they are sick or 
to take care of their family without losing a job or their paycheck, 
and it is good for small businesses that want to keep their workers and 
communities safe and that are struggling to stay afloat during this 
crisis.
  It is the right thing to do for our economy, for our public health, 
and we should get it done as soon as possible. If we don't do this, if 
we let this opportunity slip by, we are sending a message to scared 
people across the country that we are still not willing to acknowledge 
the scope of the tragedy we are seeing unfold and not listening to the 
stories like the ones I just shared, stories that I know my colleagues 
have heard as well.
  We must not and we cannot send that message. People need help; they 
need hope; and they need to see that we are willing to do the right 
thing and pass big solutions. So I hope all of our colleagues join us 
in supporting our amendment. I want to see this passed and sent to the 
President's desk as part of this response, and by the way, I am not 
going to stop fighting until that happens.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York is recognized
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Madam President, across New York State and around 
the country, schools are closing and businesses are shutting their 
doors as we face this unprecedented crisis. This public health 
emergency has exposed the weakness in our economy and in our system. We 
are not doing nearly enough for workers, for their families, and those 
who need to deal with medical and financial emergencies that this virus 
has caused.
  Congress has a duty to look out for families who are staring down 
uncertainty, fear, and financial ruin. Our top priority must be 
strengthening our public health system and ensuring that hard-working 
Americans, who are facing this crisis due to no fault of their own, can 
keep their jobs while taking care of themselves and their loved ones.
  We must also ensure that businesses, many of which have been forced 
to close their doors in the name of the public good, do not have to 
cover these unexpected costs alone. The PAID Leave Act ensures that 
every worker in America has full paid sick and family leave. It 
strengthens their financial footing. It gives certainty and confidence 
to businesses. Congress has a responsibility to pass this legislation. 
It is not only a health imperative but a financial one too.
  Unfortunately, our colleague, Senator Johnson--his amendment is 
cynical and counterproductive. This amendment would eliminate paid sick 
and family leave provisions in favor of providing coronavirus-infected 
people with unemployment compensation. So what he is saying is you have 
to actually lose your job if you need to stay home to care for a loved 
one or because you are sick yourself, and that is just wrongheaded 
because, the truth is, we want people to keep their jobs. We want 
people to have their jobs be there when they get better or when their 
family member gets better. We want them to have their jobs after they 
recover themselves. This is why paid leave and sick leave is such a 
better solution than just straight-up unemployment insurance.
  Workers deserve protections so they don't lose their job just because 
their kids' school closed, and they need to be home to look after them. 
Wouldn't any employee in America today prefer to keep their job and 
have paid sick leave rather than having to quit and take unemployment 
insurance? Wouldn't every Member of this body and President Trump 
himself want to keep unemployment numbers from exploding any further 
than they are already?
  While the unemployment system will continue to play a very important 
role for those who have lost their jobs, it cannot be the only answer. 
I thank Senator Murray for her leadership and her steadfast advocacy 
for family and medical leave and paid sick days. This amendment is 
crafted to provide extraordinary economic stimulus and support to our 
businesses when they need it absolutely the most, and most of all, it 
is giving certainty because people are afraid. They don't want to have 
to spread coronavirus to every person they work with. They don't want 
to have to leave their children unattended at home. They would love to 
stay at work, but under the circumstances, they cannot.
  Allow them to keep their jobs. Allow them to draw down on paid leave 
while their child is at home for a week, a month, or 3 months. If they 
themselves are sick, God forbid, make sure they are not in the 
community spreading this virus, make sure they can be home getting 
better and reemerging to do their work when they are well.
  Democrats stand ready to work with Senate Republicans to pass this 
important bill. We need to meet the needs of the American people today. 
This is our duty in this grave time of need.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wisconsin is recognized.


                           Amendment No. 1558

  Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 1558 and ask 
it be reported by number.

[[Page S1794]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the clerk will report the 
amendment by number.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Wisconsin [Mr. Johnson] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 1558.

  The amendment is as follows

 (Purpose: To strike Federally mandated sick pay and paid family leave 
     and replace it with financial support provided through State 
         administered unemployment insurance systems and funds)

       Strike divisions C, E, and G.
       At the end of division D, add the following:

     SEC. __. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) it is the intention of Congress and the administration 
     to provide immediate financial support to workers who will be 
     idled and lose pay and benefits because of COVID-19;
       (2) Federally mandated sick pay and paid family leave will 
     prompt some employers who cannot afford this mandate to 
     preemptively terminate the employment of workers they no 
     longer have work for due to circumstances surrounding COVID-
     19;
       (3) even without that negative incentive, the COVID-19 will 
     cause many Americans to lose their jobs, and not be eligible 
     for Federally mandated sick pay or family and medical leave, 
     so the only income support will be unemployment insurance; 
     and
       (4) it would be more efficient to administer this Federal 
     financial support for workers using only one, rather than two 
     or more programs.

     SEC. __. TEMPORARY EMERGENCY FEDERAL CORONAVIRUS UNEMPLOYMENT 
                   INSURANCE BENEFIT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--In order to receive the credit against the 
     Federal Unemployment Tax Act (26 U.S.C. 23), States shall 
     provide temporary emergency Federal coronavirus unemployment 
     insurance benefits to any individual who has worked for pay 
     at any time in the last 30 days and who for any calendar day 
     is not able to engage in employment due to any of the 
     following reasons:
       (1) The individual is subject to a Federal, State, or local 
     quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19.
       (2) The individual has been advised by a health care 
     provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-
     19.
       (3) The individual is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and 
     seeking medical diagnosis;
       (4) The individual is caring for an individual who is 
     subject to an order as described in paragraph (1) or has been 
     advised as described in paragraph (2);
       (5) The individual is caring for a son or daughter under 
     the age of 18 years of such individual if the school or place 
     of care of the son or daughter has been closed, or the child 
     care provider of such son of daughter is unavailable, due to 
     COVID-19 precautions.
       (6) The individual is subject to a temporary lay-off under 
     section 604.5(a)(3) of title 20, Code of Federal Regulations, 
     due to COVID-19.
       (b) Waiting Period.--States shall not require any waiting 
     period in order to receive benefits for those individuals 
     described in subsection (a).
       (c) Benefits.--
       (1) In general.--States shall pay benefits to those 
     individuals described in subsection (a) on a weekly basis for 
     each calendar day an individual is not able to engage in 
     employment for up to 14 weeks.
       (2) Calculation.--
       (A) Amount.--The weekly benefit shall be the lesser of--
       (i) two-thirds of the individual's average weekly earnings; 
     or
       (ii) $1,000.
       (B) Determinations.--The amount of an individual's average 
     weekly earnings shall be determined by the State.
       (d) Retroactive Application.--States shall make temporary 
     emergency Federal coronavirus unemployment insurance benefits 
     under this section retroactively available to March 1, 2020.
       (e) Work Requirements.--Individuals receiving temporary 
     emergency Federal coronavirus unemployment insurance benefits 
     under this section shall not be required to search for work.
       (f) Federal Reimbursements.--The Federal government shall--
       (1) reimburse States for the full cost of complying with 
     the requirements under this section that are above and beyond 
     the benefits currently provided under each State's current 
     unemployment insurance law for benefits paid under this 
     program; and
       (2) reimburse any employer who employs fewer than 500 
     employees and who voluntarily provides paid leave to an 
     employee for the reasons described in subsection (a) an 
     amount equal to two-thirds of the actual payment made up to 
     $1,000 per week and not to exceed $10,000 per employee.
       (g) National Unemployment Rate.--For purposes of 
     calculating the National unemployment rate, the Bureau of 
     Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall not include 
     workers obtaining temporary emergency Federal coronavirus 
     unemployment insurance benefits.
       (h) Regulatory Authorities.--
       (1) Labor.--The Secretary of Labor (or the Secretary's 
     delegate) shall prescribe such regulations or other guidance 
     as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
     section.
       (2) Treasury.--The Secretary of Treasury (or the 
     Secretary's delegate) shall prescribe such regulations or 
     other guidance as may be necessary to carry out the purpose 
     of this section.
       (i) Sunset.--The temporary emergency Federal coronavirus 
     unemployment insurance benefit program under this section 
     shall expire on the earlier of the date of the termination of 
     the national emergency declared by the President under the 
     National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) with 
     respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) or 
     December 31, 2020.


                         Additional Cosponsors

  Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator 
Blackburn, Senator Cotton, Senator Cruz, Senator Loeffler, and Senator 
Perdue be added as cosponsors to my amendment No. 1558 to H.R. 6201.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be 
allowed and the Senator from Pennsylvania be allowed to finish our 
comments before we start the vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, we are facing, with the coronavirus, an 
unprecedented situation, certainly in my lifetime. These are 
extraordinary times we are living in and trying to live through, and 
there is no doubt that extraordinary times require extraordinary 
measures.
  The good news is that there is a lot of agreement in terms of what we 
need to do. We all recognize that Americans and American businesses are 
suffering, through no fault of their own, and they need help. We all 
want to provide that help. Hopefully, we want to provide that 
effectively and efficiently with as few negative, unintended 
consequences as possible.
  What I would suggest is, this is really no time, though, to follow 
Rahm Emanuel's famous dictate that you should never let a crisis go to 
waste. From my viewpoint, I think one of the reasons we have had a more 
successful economy--certainly far more successful than the economy, the 
slow recovery we had out of the 2009 recession--is that this 
administration has focused on reducing the regulatory burden. First we 
stopped adding to it, and then we actually reduced it. That brought a 
fair amount of optimism and animate spirits to our economy because 
businesspeople could actually concentrate on their products and their 
services rather than looking over their shoulders to find out what new 
government regulation was going to cause them to hire a new compliance 
officer, increase their cost, and possibly put them out of business.
  What I am suggesting is, when we provide that help--and we need to 
provide that help to both hard-working American workers as well as 
American businesses--that we do it in the most efficient and effective 
manner, and we do more good than harm. Now, I would argue that a new 
mandate on business is going to do a great deal of economic harm. It 
may sound good, but it is not the right way to go.
  We will eventually come out of this. We will be recovering from 
economic woes. We need to learn the lesson from 2009, where 
overregulation hampered our recovery. So let's not add a new mandate. I 
know the House bill is only temporary, but temporary becomes permanent 
around this place pretty good. As Ronald Reagan once said, the closest 
thing to eternal life in our lifetime is a government program.
  I will also say that my office has been flooded with businesses 
calling in also not believing this is only going to be temporary and 
not really having confidence in the Rube Goldberg financing mechanism 
for this, again, temporary mandate for paid sick and family leave.
  The good news is, there is a better way, and that is what my 
amendment does. It creates a temporary emergency Federal unemployment 
insurance program sitting on top of what already exists. Rather than 
having two or three or more programs trying to provide that funding to 
workers for whom we all want to provide that support, we would have 
basically a single program, a single method for doing that using State 
unemployment offices. They are already set up to do this. With some 
slight modifications, they would be able to handle this, and here would 
be the slight modifications.

[[Page S1795]]

  First of all, our bill waives any waiting periods, but then, we also 
reimburse the States for paying unemployment during that waiting 
period. We have the exact same eligibility as the House bill. It is 
focused on those individuals affected by the coronavirus, the exact 
same definition. The benefits are identical as well. We would provide 
support. We would plus-up the State unemployment benefits up to two-
thirds of employee's wages, not to exceed $1,000 a week.
  We also recognize those companies that are willing to voluntarily 
offer sick pay and paid family leave by reimbursing them up to that 
same level--two-thirds of actual wages, up to $1,000 per week, no more 
than $10,000 per employee. They are the exact same benefits as the 
House bill. And, of course, we actually make ours temporary.
  There will be a great deal of pressure on the part of State 
unemployment programs to get out of this as soon as they possibly can. 
But they can accept it, accept that Federal help, while they need it.
  So our bill sunsets; the earliest would be either at the expiration 
of the national declared emergency or on December 31, 2020.
  This is a commonsense piece of legislation. It does not saddle small 
businesses, American businesses, with a new mandate that they don't 
have a great deal of confidence in. It would actually be funded 100 
percent by the Federal Government. By the way, the House bill does not 
fund this 100 percent. It leaves gaps. And it would definitely be 
temporary in utilizing the existing programs in the States that are 
sitting on top of it, providing Federal support for the workers who are 
going to actually need it as we go through this unprecedented event in 
our Nation's history.
  With that, I yield the floor to the Senator from Pennsylvania.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Perdue). The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Wisconsin for 
leading on this effort.
  I rise in strong support of this amendment. The two of us--and I 
suspect almost everybody in this Chamber--fully support the idea, the 
goal, and the need to provide relief to workers who have been affected 
by this pandemic. That is not what is in dispute here. There is a 
legitimate and serious concern about the mechanism by which that is 
provided.
  The House bill imposes a very significant administrative burden on 
the very small businesses struggling to survive. We are all taking 
these phone calls from all across our States--men and women who are 
operating a business. They are on the edge, and they are trying to 
figure out: How do we stay alive? How do we keep this business alive 
until we can come out on the other side? They are struggling with all 
kinds of very, very tough decisions that they are having to make for 
the first time ever in completely unchartered waters.
  Then this legislation comes along and says: Now, by the way, you are 
going to have to figure out and navigate your way through a whole new 
system you have never heard of before, and you are going to have to go 
through all the books and the rules and regulations and consult your 
lawyer and figure out exactly how you comply with this complex, new 
mechanism so that you comply with the law and get the reimbursement 
that is intended. That is a huge problem for these folks who are 
struggling to stay alive.
  So what Senator Johnson's amendment does is this: It just shifts the 
substantial administrative costs and burdens off the back of the 
business owner and operator and allows it to be managed by the State 
unemployment systems that are in the business of providing 
compensation. We plus it up, and we waive the waiting periods so that 
the individual workers who are adversely affected by this COVID-19 
pandemic will still get the benefits that we all want them to get. It 
is just a better way to deliver this.
  So I hope my colleagues will vote in favor of it.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I strongly disagree with both of my 
colleagues' statements because, in fact, there is no administrative 
burden given to the small businesses.
  In fact, our bill is doing exactly what the small businesses want, 
which is to provide direct payments to the businesses--not a tax credit 
that they get many months in the future but direct payments to them.
  I don't think unemployment insurance given to the States is going to 
result in immediate relief for the employees who need it. Again, you 
are creating a false structure. Requiring people to quit their jobs so 
they can care for a child who has been sent from school is absurd. It 
is far better to have a national paid leave program in this country. 
And unlike what my colleague said, it is not permanent; it is 
temporary, and there is no administrative burden.
  I yield the floor.


                       Vote on Amendment No. 1559

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time has expired.
  The question is on agreeing to the Murray amendment.
  Mrs. MURRAY. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 47, nays 51, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 74 Leg.]

                                YEAS--47

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Manchin
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Peters
     Reed
     Rosen
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                                NAYS--51

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     Loeffler
     McConnell
     McSally
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott (SC)
     Shelby
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Wicker
     Young

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Gardner
     Scott (FL)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cotton). Under the previous order 
requiring 60 votes for the adoption of this amendment, the amendment 
was rejected.
  The amendment (No. 1559) was rejected.


                       Vote on Amendment No. 1558

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question occurs on agreeing to amendment 
No. 1558.
  Ms. DUCKWORTH. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 50, nays 48, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 75 Leg.]

                                YEAS--50

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     Loeffler
     Manchin

[[Page S1796]]


     McConnell
     McSally
     Moran
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott (SC)
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--48

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Collins
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Peters
     Reed
     Romney
     Rosen
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Gardner
     Scott (FL)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 50, and the nays 
are 48. Under the previous order requiring 60 votes for adoption of 
this amendment, the amendment is rejected.
  The amendment (No. 1558) was rejected.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the title of the bill for 
the third time.
  The bill was ordered to a third reading and was read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the 
question is, Shall the bill pass?
  Mr. LEE. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Blackburn). Are there any other Senators 
in the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 90, nays 8, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 76 Leg.]

                                YEAS--90

     Alexander
     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Booker
     Boozman
     Braun
     Brown
     Burr
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Harris
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Jones
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Loeffler
     Manchin
     Markey
     McConnell
     McSally
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                                NAYS--8

     Blackburn
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Lankford
     Lee
     Paul
     Sasse
     Scott (SC)

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Gardner
     Scott (FL)
  The bill (H.R. 6201) was passed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motion to 
reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table.
  The majority leader.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, we just passed the bill that came 
over from the House, and it is on its way to the President. It is a 
very important first step, which we are calling phase 2.
  We continue to work on the next bill to respond to the crisis. I want 
to repeat again that the Senate is going to stay in session until we 
finish phase 3, the next bill, and send it over to the House.
  Now, Republicans hope, shortly, to have a consolidated position along 
with the administration. Then we intend to sit down with our Democratic 
colleagues to see what we can agree to.
  I would recommend that Senators stay around, close. Just how long it 
will take to get through these steps is unclear, but as everyone knows, 
we are moving rapidly because the situation demands it.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.

                          ____________________