[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 119 (Monday, June 29, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3629-S3630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, finally, on COVID-19, unfortunately, 
COVID-19 continues to surge in several States. Florida, Texas, and 
Arizona are reporting new highs in case numbers. Last Friday, there 
were 45,000 new cases nationwide--the most in a single day.
  As the public health crisis continues, our country is facing one of 
the greatest economic challenges since the Great Depression. Over one-
fifth of the workforce has requested unemployment assistance. State and 
local Tribal governments are on life support and have laid off over 1.6 
million workers. Our perennially underfunded schools are fighting an 
uphill battle to prepare for the fall.
  As Americans struggle to make rent payments and face potential 
evictions, as our healthcare and childcare systems face unprecedented 
burdens, Senate Republicans have been missing in action. Senate 
Republicans equal MIA.
  Over a month ago, Leader McConnell said that Senate the Republicans 
``have yet to feel the urgency of acting immediately.'' It seems like 
he really meant it. It has been nearly 3 months since we passed the 
CARES Act on a bipartisan basis, 96 to 0, and over 45 days since the 
House passed the Heroes Act--legislation that would deliver sorely 
needed resources to States, essential workers, American families, and 
our healthcare system, but Leader McConnell continues to say that 
Republicans ``need to assess the conditions in the country'' and 
insists that

[[Page S3630]]

any future emergency relief bill will be written in his office.
  Assess the conditions of the country when we have more unemployment 
than any time since the Great Depression? When a pandemic is killing 
tens of thousands of Americans monthly, ignore that and assess the 
conditions? And then for Leader McConnell to say the bill will be 
written in his office, has he learned any lessons on COVID 2, COVID 3, 
COVID 3.5, the Justice in Policing Act? When you try to do something 
major on a partisan basis, nothing happens, and America desperately 
needs something to happen.
  Leader McConnell knows he has to negotiate if he wants to pass 
legislation. He has been around here a long time. He knows that. His 
refusal to engage in bipartisan talks on policing reform shows that 
maybe our Republican friends are not interested in passing bipartisan 
legislation, but that is what needs to happen--bipartisan negotiations 
on policing reform and bipartisan negotiations on COVID.
  This morning, Speaker Pelosi and I sent a letter to Leader McConnell 
urging him to join Democrats at the negotiating table for the next 
round of COVID-19 relief legislation.
  We are on the precipice of several deadlines: For millions upon 
millions of Americans, another rent payment is due this week. States 
are planning their budgets right now before the new fiscal year on July 
1. The emergency boost in unemployment will run out by the end of next 
month.
  This week, Senate Democrats will force action on the floor on some of 
the most urgently needed measures to help working Americans, starting 
this evening, when Democrats will ask consent to pass crucial Federal 
support for State, local, and Tribal governments.
  I will have more to say about this issue this evening, but I do want 
my Republican colleagues to hear the words of State and local officials 
across the country.
  Today, the Big 7 national associations representing Governors, 
mayors, State legislatures, counties, and city managers--all bipartisan 
groups, with many Republican Members coming from the deepest red States 
to the darkest blue--wrote the Senate a letter pleading--pleading for 
Federal support and warning of dire consequences of delay. These are 
the seven organizations representing Governors and legislatures and 
counties and towns and cities.
  Here is what they write:

       Previous federal bills responding to COVID-19 provided 
     important support . . . yet none allow for the replacement of 
     billions of lost revenue due to COVID-19. More robust and 
     direct stimulus is needed for State and local governments to 
     both rebuild the economy and maintain essential services in 
     education, health care, emergency operations, public safety 
     and more.
       Months have gone by and our communities continue to suffer. 
     Americans have a history of standing together in times of 
     crisis and must do so now.

  Republican colleagues, please listen to those words. Leader 
McConnell, please listen. These are your own States that are included 
here. They are demanding relief. To say we still don't see an urgent 
need, to say maybe we will get around to it in a month, to say the 
legislation will be written in McConnell's office--all setting up for 
failure and the desperately needed lack of relief that America needs.
  I yield the floor.

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