[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 6, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Trump Administration

  Now, on the administration, Congress can only do so much. I have 
actually been very proud of how both parties have come together over 
the past few months to pass historic legislation 96 to nothing--96 to 
nothing--with a great deal of input and improvement by the Democratic 
minority. But to make this legislation work, we need a competent, 
steady, focused administration to not only implement our laws but 
coordinate our national response.
  It is no secret that the Trump administration has been anything but 
focused, anything but steady, anything but competent. President Trump 
seems to spend more time deflecting blame, attacking others, pushing 
quack medicines, and hiding from the truth than he does actually 
leading our Nation's response to this crisis.
  Last night, in an interview on ABC News, the President said that his 
failure to prepare our national stockpiles with medical equipment was 
because ``he had a lot of other things going on.'' The national 
stockpile for the vital PPE that our frontline workers need and other 
materials--the President failed to prepare our stockpiles with this 
equipment because he had a lot of other things going on? That is a 
President?
  Vice President Pence yesterday confirmed that the White House was 
winding down its Coronavirus Task Force long before the disease has 
been contained, waving the white flag of surrender to COVID-19 long 
before the battle is over.
  A report in today's New York Times details the failures of the 
administration and Mr. Kushner in particular to procure critical 
supplies at a time when we lack masks, gloves, and other protective 
equipment. Instead of appointing a military person with experience in 
command and control, as I suggested, Mr. Kushner recruited a team of 
consultants who had ``little to no experience with government 
procurement procedures or medical equipment.''
  Now we are reading reports of a whistleblower from the Department of 
Health and Human Services who reports that there was ``pressure from 
HHS leadership to ignore scientific merit and expert recommendations 
and instead to award lucrative contracts based on political connections 
and cronyism.'' This whistleblower is scheduled to appear before a 
House committee next week. This whistleblower should come before the 
Senate as well. Senators have many questions to ask him. I believe 
Senators on both sides of the aisle would have those questions.
  So this was and is a time when the American people need the executive 
branch to lead a coordinated response to this evil virus, to listen to 
medical experts, to heed their advice, to respect and listen to 
science, but President Trump seems unwilling and unable to handle the 
truth, and it is hurting our country each and every day.
  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.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered