[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 29, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4554-S4555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Coronavirus

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, over the past 3 months, as Americans 
stayed home and forfeited their routines and their livelihoods to 
combat the spread of the virus, as essential workers risked their 
safety and their families' safety, as 50 million Americans filed 
unemployment claims, as small businesses folded, and as the disease 
spread rapidly through the summer, the Republican majority paused on 
addressing COVID-19 while it confirmed more rightwing judges. Americans 
pitched in and sacrificed, and many suffered greatly while the Senate 
Republicans kept their assembly line

[[Page S4555]]

of extreme judicial nominees humming along and did little else.
  Now, after an interminable delay, the Senate Republicans have finally 
admitted that the country needs relief, but they can't even get their 
act together to produce a halfway legitimate legislative proposal. We 
all witnessed a week and a half of infighting on the Republican side as 
the country careened toward several cliffs created by Republican delay. 
The Republicans bickered amongst themselves as the moratorium on 
evictions expired, State and local governments shed jobs and cut public 
services, and the last enhanced unemployment checks went out the door.
  When the Republicans finally convinced themselves they were ready to 
unveil a plan, instead of presenting a single, coherent bill, the 
Republicans released several incongruent drafts that were littered with 
corporate giveaways, K Street handouts, and Presidential pet projects.
  Some Republicans proposed billions of dollars for large 
agribusinesses and defense contractors but not a dime to help American 
families stay in their homes. The Republican bill has a tax break for 
three-martini lunches but no food assistance for hungry kids. There is 
$2 billion for a new FBI building, the location of which will increase 
the value of the Trump hotel, but no funding to help State and local 
governments retain teachers, firefighters, busdrivers, and other public 
employees. There is no support for Medicaid, for nursing homes, or for 
those with disabilities.
  The proposals to support our health system and to meet our testing 
needs are wildly insufficient.
  If you are one of the 20 to 30 million Americans who lost their jobs 
through no fault of their own and you can't find work, Senate 
Republicans think you have it too good right now. You should take a 30-
percent pay cut, Republicans are saying.
  This is not a serious proposal for a country in the midst of a once-
in-a-generation crisis. So, as you can imagine, when reviews started 
rolling in yesterday, they weren't too positive. One Republican Senator 
said: ``There are 100 problems with the plan.'' Another Republican: 
``It is a mess. I can't figure out what this bill is about.'' Another 
Republican of this Chamber said: ``You look at the package that was 
rolled out by the Republican leadership, and it contains virtually 
nothing that will actually aid in the recovery.'' Those would be harsh 
criticisms if they came from Democrats, but those quotes weren't from 
Democrats; those were Republican Senators talking about their own 
party's plan.
  Two senior Republican Senators have said that the Republican proposal 
would be lucky to get even half of the Republican conference to vote 
for it. Leader McConnell warned Democrats against blocking the 
Republican proposal. It turns out that Senate Republicans are blocking 
the Republican proposal.
  So it is abundantly clear that the Senate Republican proposal for the 
next phase of COVID relief is not a useful starting point. You don't 
have to take my word for it; just ask President Trump, who took the 
podium yesterday afternoon and called the Senate Republican proposal 
``semi-irrelevant.'' At this point, I am beginning to wonder who does 
support the Republican proposal on COVID-19.
  So here is where we are. We need to turn the page on the Republican 
proposal--and quickly. The legislative train wreck by Senate 
Republicans cannot derail our efforts to provide urgent, comprehensive, 
and necessary relief to the American people.
  Speaker Pelosi and I have started negotiating with Chief of Staff 
Meadows and Secretary Mnuchin. We want to work with our Republican 
colleagues and the White House on a bill that actually meets the needs 
of the American people in these unprecedented times, but it is going to 
take good faith and compromise. We are not hearing that from Leader 
McConnell.
  Leader McConnell is already drawing lines in the sand, insisting that 
any agreements include his specific corporate immunity provision--no 
negotiation. Put this provision--extreme provision--in the bill without 
negotiation. That sure doesn't sound like someone who wants to reach a 
bipartisan agreement. We are going to need everyone to pull together. 
We are going to need to focus on the needs of the American people.
  With all due respect to the Republican leader, Americans on the brink 
of eviction are not crying out for a sweeping corporate liability 
shield. No one should be willing to torpedo all the relief Americans 
are counting on unless there is a giant corporate giveaway attached.
  Time is short. Speaker Pelosi and I will be back at the negotiating 
table with the White House later today. It is time for our Republican 
colleagues to roll up their sleeves and get serious as well.
  One final point on this subject. Again this morning, the Republican 
leader continued his ``Alice in Wonderland'' interpretation of what has 
happened. When what has happened is black, he says white. When what has 
happened is white, he says black. He is totally the opposite of the 
truth on what has happened.
  He has suggested that Democrats might be trying to block progress on 
COVID relief because it might suit our party in the election, that we 
Democrats had decided to stop legislating until November--I mean, 
shocking stuff.
  Over 10 weeks ago, Democrats--Democrats--passed a bill three times 
the size of the Republican proposal that was more generous and 
beneficial to the American people on nearly every measure. Leader 
McConnell dismissed it. Senate Democrats spent the entire month of June 
asking our Republican colleagues, including Leader McConnell, to pass 
crucial legislation related to jobs, healthcare, and small business. We 
went on the floor and made those requests. Republicans blocked every 
single one--nearly every single one of those requests. So this absurd, 
nasty insinuation by the Republican leader doesn't pass the laugh test.
  The fact that Leader McConnell would even consider the idea that a 
political party might deny support for the American people in order to 
help win an election says more about the Republican leader than anybody 
else