[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 138 (Tuesday, August 4, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4725-S4726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about 
coronavirus, now clearly the worst pandemic in a century.
  I will also speak briefly about the need for a national response plan 
that is guided by science and public health, not politics.
  The first case of COVID-19 was reported in the United States on 
January 20. In the intervening 6 months, we have seen cases climb, then 
fall, and now surge once again.
  More than 4 million Americans have been infected with coronavirus. So 
far, more than 155,000 have died.
  Every day for the last 4 months, I have received an update from my 
staff on coronavirus numbers.
  I have watched, day by day, the number of positive cases climb. In 
California right now, 30 of our 58 counties have had more than 1,000 
positive cases.
  The numbers just go up and up and up. It becomes impossible to look 
at the charts and graphs and not come to the conclusion that we have to 
do more--and maybe significantly more.
  Simply put, this is the worst pandemic in my lifetime. You have to go 
back more than 100 years to the Spanish flu epidemic to find something 
comparable.
  But the unprecedented scale of this crisis is no excuse for our 
failure to respond more forcefully and in a nationally coordinated 
manner.
  Once we realized the scale of the outbreak in the spring, both by the 
increased cases at home, as well as monitoring stricken countries like 
Italy, it became clear that we needed strong leadership from the top.
  We didn't get that.
  Instead, the White House and President Trump blamed states for the 
lack of testing equipment, the hoarding of sanitizing supplies and the 
absence of protective gear.
  In March, President Trump said, ``I don't take responsibility at 
all.''
  That is a direct quote from the President of the United States, in 
the midst of a global pandemic with body counts rising around the 
country. We must do better.
  More recently, during the renewed surge in cases, we have seen a 
repeat of those problems. We know we need more testing supplies and 
protective equipment, but rather than implement the Defense Production 
Act and stock up on supplies, we saw little action from the White 
House.
  I have been thinking back to the early days of the pandemic. In 
March, San Francisco's Bay Area imposed the first significant stay-at-
home order in the country. California soon followed.
  It was criticized at the time as an overreaction, but it succeeded in 
slowing the rate of spread, and the death toll remained lower than many 
other large States. Soon, much of the country had similar orders in 
place.
  In April and early May, there was a sense of shared sacrifice. People 
stayed at home, schools closed, many lost their jobs. Our way of life 
shifted in the most abrupt way since at least 9/11, if not World War 
11.
  But the understanding was that we made these sacrifices because they 
would help control the virus. We would ``bend the curve,'' we would 
produce sufficient protective gear, and we would make it safe for 
people to return to their lives.
  The idea was that, by the end of summer, life would return--if not 
back to normal, at least back to some version of it.
  It is now almost August. The number of new cases climbs each day. K-
12 schools have announced they will be closed in the fall. Many 
colleges are following suit. Job losses continue, with more than 30 
million still receiving unemployment benefits.
  Simply put, America failed the test of reopening.
  If we had responded like other countries, with comprehensive national 
policies for mask use, avoiding crowds and increasing testing capacity, 
we could have been returning to normal life right now.
  Instead, many cities and States are rolling back their reopening 
plans and may have to reinstitute stay-at-home orders to get the Nation 
back to where we were before Memorial Day.
  President Trump last week said the administration is ``in the process 
of developing a strategy'' to fight coronavirus.
  At some point, we will want to know why it took 7 months for him to 
acknowledge a national plan was necessary. Right now, however, we need 
to focus on what that plan will entail.
  Just as importantly, we need to focus on who should have input into 
the tenets of such a plan--in a word, ``experts.''
  This is a challenge that requires the combined minds of our best and 
brightest, particularly public health and infectious disease experts. 
This is not an arena for politics, period.
  So what do those public health experts propose? After reading 
material and listening to a range of opinions, there are five areas 
that appear to have broad consensus:
  First, we need to ensure that masks are used everywhere.
  Early on, we knew simple acts like talking and even breathing caused 
airborne transmission of the virus, especially in confined areas like 
office buildings.
  We also knew individuals who weren't showing symptoms could spread 
the virus to others because symptoms don't appear for 5 to 7 days.
  And research continues to show masks are one of the best tools to 
slow the spread of the virus. Scientific modeling is clear: Masks 
prevent the spread of the virus.
  Yet even with this knowledge, we still continue to see a patchwork of 
policies around the country.
  A national mask mandate would dramatically reduce the spread of the 
virus, especially by those who don't yet show symptoms.
  On July 14, the CDC called on all Americans to wear masks. CDC 
Director Robert Redfield said if all Americans wore masks, the current 
surge in cases could be brought under control within 2 months.
  Masks work. We need a national mask mandate.
  The second step is a national program for testing.
  Months into this pandemic, we continue to hear stories of people not 
able to receive a test. In some cases, my office has heard from people 
with fevers and coughing but are still told to stay home and not get 
tested.
  Simply put, anyone who wants to be tested should be, and the results 
should be returned within 24 hours, not a week later.
  Studies have found that if we only test individuals who show 
symptoms, it is too late to stop further transmission.
  That means States and cities need sufficient supplies to dramatically 
increase testing. At this time, that is not happening.
  A national testing strategy would help coordinate action and prevent 
States from having to compete against each other.
  The third step, related to increased testing, is ensuring we have 
enough testing supplies and safety equipment for frontline workers.
  The President could quickly implement the Defense Production Act. 
This law would allow the Federal Government to address supply chain 
issues and increase production and distribution of testing supplies, 
medical equipment and personal protective equipment.
  This should have been done months ago, but so far, the President has 
only selectively used this tool. He should broaden its use immediately.
  It is unconscionable that 6 months after this virus appeared on our 
shores, essential workers around the country still lack personal 
protective equipment, not only doctors and nurses but grocery clerks, 
agricultural workers, public transportation operators, educator; and 
many others.
  These individuals are putting themselves at risk to provide necessary

[[Page S4726]]

services to the public, and they should have access to masks and other 
equipment to keep themselves safe.
  The fourth step is expanding contact tracing, another area where we 
see a patchwork of policies across the country rather than a cohesive 
national effort.
  To work, contact tracing must occur immediately after an individual 
is found to be infected. A team determines everyone with whom an 
infected individual had recent close contact and encourages them to get 
tested, self-isolate, and monitor their health.
  Right now, on average, everyone who gets COVID passes it to more than 
one other person. In other words, the spread is increasing, often by 
those who don't know they have been exposed. Contact tracing will help 
solve that.
  The logistics, however, often aren't feasible for local governments. 
That is why a Federal contact tracing program, possibly using Peace 
Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers as has been suggested, is so important.
  Finally, the fifth area is the need for a plan to manufacture and 
distribute a vaccine once it is developed.
  A key component is determining priorities for vaccine distribution. 
Should it go first to essential workers on the frontlines? Or should it 
go to people most likely to get the virus, the vulnerable populations, 
and those in hard-hit areas? These aren't easy questions, and we should 
work on answers now.
  We also need to handle the logistics involved to ensure rapid 
distribution of the vaccine nationwide.
  These are obvious challenges, but they are also complex, and we need 
a plan in place now, ahead of vaccine development, rather than waiting 
until a vaccine is developed.
  In addition to those five health-related planks, I also believe we 
need a coordinated plan to help the small businesses and workers 
suffering during this time.
  One example is the Paycheck Protection Program that helped many small 
businesses. The program provides forgivable loans if businesses use 
funds on employee salaries and other necessities to remain afloat, 
which will allow them to quickly reopen when it is safe.
  Another example is the additional $600 in unemployment benefits in 
the CARES Act. This assistance allows millions of families to pay rent, 
cover bills, buy food, and contribute to the economic recovery. 
Unfortunately, that vital aid has lapsed.
  Since mid-March, more than 60 million Americans have filed for 
unemployment benefits. Today, more than 30 million people continue to 
depend on these benefits.
  We can't cut these lifelines until jobs are available for those out 
of work. If the economy remains shuttered and we do nothing to help 
families and businesses, we are telling millions of Americans that we 
don't care they are hurting.
  Moreover, we are hurting our own economic recovery by taking aid from 
those who most need it, the very people who are most likely to spend it 
to support the economy.
  The Federal Government exists for a reason, and that is to help 
Americans do things they can't do for themselves. The same goes for 
States, which are responsible and powerful but can't do it on their 
own.
  A global pandemic calls for a robust Federal response, which must 
entail a national response plan. And that plan has to be based on 
science and on data, not politics.
  Thank you.

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