[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 140 (Thursday, August 6, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, since the early days of the COVID-19 
pandemic, it has been clear that we would need a sustained response to 
mitigate the damaging health and economic impact facing the American 
people.
  When Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the CARES Act in 
March, I, along with my Democratic colleagues, made clear that we would 
need to stand ready to provide additional, robust support as the 
situation demanded.
  This afternoon we have been hearing from our colleagues. I thank 
Senator Stabenow for gathering us here. I thank Senator Coons for the 
way he just illustrated in such personal, direct terms the way this 
pandemic and all of its ripple effects are impacting his constituents, 
as they are impacting my constituents and constituents of every single 
Member of the U.S. Senate.
  Unfortunately, the Trump administration and Washington Republicans 
have not met the challenges facing the American people today with any 
sense of urgency, and the cost of that inaction has been seen all 
across the country. But, today, Senate majority Leader McConnell 
decided to act as if this were just any other Thursday--just any other 
Thursday for the Republicans in the Senate.
  Well, it is not just any other Thursday for our constituents. Back in 
May, House Democrats passed a substantial relief bill called the Heroes 
Act, but for months, Republicans refused to even acknowledge the 
necessity of providing more relief. In the 3 months since the House 
acted, the pain that our citizens are experiencing has only grown. 
Cases have skyrocketed. The United States of America is approaching 
160,000 Americans killed by this virus. Small businesses have 
shuttered, and millions of people have lost their jobs.
  Meanwhile, President Trump continues to downplay the significant toll 
that this virus has taken. Earlier this week he said this of the COVID-
19 death toll: ``It is what it is.''
  Just yesterday, he again claimed that the virus would simply go away. 
Not recognizing the gravity of this threat has significantly harmed 
Americans and America. While Congress can't undo the damage that has 
been done, I am urging my colleagues to come together on a response 
that will lead us forward. Throughout this week, I have joined with my 
colleagues to come to the floor and to lay out some of the priorities 
that we are focused on and to share what we are hearing from people all 
across our States.
  The cost of inaction grows every single day. Millions of Americans 
lost enhanced unemployment benefits and with it the ability to feed 
their families and pay their rent. People will lose their homes now to 
evictions. By the way, their landlords will feel the ripple effect when 
they can't pay their rent. Their grocers will feel the ripple effect 
when they can't buy groceries. The economic pain will spread and spread 
and spread.
  Lack of supplies and testing capacity--a national disgrace months 
into this pandemic--is hindering the ability to slow the spread of the 
virus and, of course, hindering the ability of people to get back to 
work and school safely.
  Schools are struggling to open without the adequate guidance that the 
Federal Government could provide and without resources that they need 
to keep teachers, staff, students, and families safe.
  States and local communities are accelerating cuts and, with it, 
adding to job losses and lost economic activity.
  Americans are hurting. They are hurting in red States, and they are 
hurting in blue States. They are crying out for help.
  One of the great privileges of this job is that people come forward 
with their ideas, with their hopes, with their fears. They share 
incredibly personal details about the challenges that they face and 
then are also so willing to share with us their successes too. We get 
to witness our constituents and work with them in difficult times and 
in good times, and they are willing to share that with us. They 
demonstrate to us day in and day out what it means to be a member of a 
community, what it means to come together and solve a problem. They do 
it in their businesses. They do it on school boards. They do it without 
regard to political party or walk of life.
  The least we could do in the U.S. Senate on this Thursday, over this 
weekend, over the next week, is follow their example, represent them at 
their best, display that American ingenuity, innovation, pragmatism, 
compromise, can-do spirit. In the process we could save lives; we could 
begin to rebuild our economy; and we could demonstrate to the rest of 
the world that we know how to come together and work for what is best 
for all of us.
  We must help our constituents. We must act. Our country cannot wait 
any longer
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.

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