[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 139 (Wednesday, August 5, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S4883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HEALS ACT

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, watch the news or read the newspapers, 
and you will know that there are a lot of deliberations going on to 
help with the problems that we have of people being unemployed, the 
pandemic we are fighting, and getting the economy up and running. While 
those negotiations are going on, every once in a while, some of us on 
this side of the aisle try to get things to help people who have needs.
  A few days ago, the Democratic leader objected to one of these 
attempts, which was a short-term extension of the Federal unemployment 
supplement that was created by this body as part of the CARES Act. 
Remember, the CARES Act passed unanimously by this body back in March. 
Those things are running out, and we are trying to get them extended. 
This effort to get this short-term extension was to provide for 
Americans who need the continued help while talks continue about a 
longer extension and even more relief.
  Common sense ought to play a role. There doesn't seem to be any 
downside to a temporary extension, but there apparently was a political 
upside to the other side's blocking it. I hope we can work together and 
that the Democratic leader will let his Members work with their 
Republican colleagues on a path forward. This partisan ``my way or the 
highway'' approach just doesn't work, particularly in a body in which 
it takes 60 votes to get things done. These objections are not how we 
got the CARES Act passed in the first place, and it is not how we will 
continue to deliver for the American people now if we don't get more 
cooperation.
  I yield the floor.

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