[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 164 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H4646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         WE MUST ADVANCE URGENTLY NEEDED CORONAVIRUS ASSISTANCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Tonko) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, this body must advance urgently needed 
coronavirus assistance.
  Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said, ``Every death 
we experience is a tragedy.'' When he said it, the United States had 
just hit the grim milestone of 100,000 souls lost from the COVID 
pandemic. That was mid-May, around the same time Democrats advanced the 
HEROES Act in the House. In the 4 months that followed, 100,000 more 
Americans have died as the epidemic has spiraled out of control, and 
chaos has continued to reign from the White House.
  We have reached the breaking point. Plain and simple, it is time for 
the Senate to pass our comprehensive rescue package or offer a real 
alternative of their own. No more waiting. No more excuses.
  Throughout this crisis, the Senate majority has abdicated 
responsibility to this President's insufficient leadership and papered 
over his deadly shortcomings. For the lives and livelihood of every one 
of my constituents, I beg my colleagues on the other side of the 
Capitol to seize this moment to follow a new guide.

  Let that guide be science. Let it be truth, because politics, really, 
truly bad politics, has brought America low in the face of this crisis. 
But it is not too late.
  On January 22, President Trump tweeted ``China has been working very 
hard to contain the coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates 
their efforts and transparency.'' He made similar remarks again on 
January 30 and on February 7. The very same day President Trump was 
privately admitting to journalist Bob Woodward that the coronavirus is 
an airborne pathogen more deadly than the flu.
  Despite his full awareness of the danger, he kept going, praising 
China and publicly downplaying the coronavirus threat. Politico has 
found at least 15 examples of President Trump publicly praising China's 
coronavirus response during this period, including on February 10, 13, 
18, 23, 26, 27, and 29. He said it over and over.
  In the following weeks and months, he would repeatedly downplay the 
danger and suggest, fully aware of his deception, that this virus was 
comparable to a seasonal flu.
  President Trump's deception on these matters is not opinion, he was 
recorded. He is literally on the record saying that he intended to 
downplay this disease and deny the American people the information we 
would need to make vital decisions for ourselves, our families, our 
communities, and indeed, our Nation.
  Every death that resulted from this was a tragedy. In February, 
President Trump said, ``It is going to disappear one day. It is like a 
miracle, it will disappear.'' He knew better.
  At this point the virus had been given nearly 2 months to circulate 
unchecked. Americans were still going about our daily lives, flocking 
to movie theaters, churches, synagogues, going to Mardi Gras, going on 
spring break, unaware of the true extent of the threats spreading all 
around us.
  On March 11, President Trump took only his second major national 
step, another travel ban. It was around this time that Congress stepped 
up the scale of our response to this threat. We moved quickly to pass 
the CARES Act, including delivering emergency funds for America's 
hospital and staff, small business owners, laid off workers, and 
everyday Americans facing unprecedented fear and uncertainty.
  The CARES Act was a rescue plan. It wasn't perfect, but it was 
America's first real effort to stem the tide. That rescue was powerful, 
but it was no substitute for executive leadership. Sadly, we are still 
waiting for executive leadership.
  Between March and May, America saw its death toll skyrocket past 
100,000. The Members of this Chamber again moved swiftly to advance 
another rescue package, the HEROES Act. Since the House passed the 
HEROES Act on May 15, more than 110,000 Americans have died of COVID-
19.
  For comparison, this is the equivalent of losing every soul living in 
Albany, New York, our State capital, that I represent. And that is just 
the recorded death toll since mid-May.
  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell responded that States should 
file for bankruptcy instead, and the Senate would wait and see. Wait 
for what? Haven't we seen? We have waited 4 months and paid dearly for 
it. Enough of this craven politics.
  Senators, consider your oath to the people you serve. What will you 
say when they ask what you did to stop this disease from stealing their 
loved ones; from destroying their small business? What will you say to 
the teachers that are being laid off as States and cities drastically 
cut their budgets? From undermining America's standing in the world?
  To my colleagues, I say this: We have a plan. Join us. Let's invest 
heavily in research and follow science and public health guidance. They 
are the fastest route to get us to the other side of this crisis. Our 
HEROES Act gets it done.
  Let's deliver emergency funding to sustain local essential services, 
and the salaries of first responders, nurses, teachers, infrastructure 
maintenance workers, and many more. The HEROES Act gets that done, too. 
Let's save lives and turn the corner on this crisis with a coordinated 
national plan for testing and tracing. The HEROES Act gets it done.
  Let's deliver the financial support our essential workers, unemployed 
workers, and financially strained Americans need to weather the storm. 
The HEROES Act gets it done. Let's rescue our schools, our healthcare 
providers, our first responders, our hungriest families. The Republican 
skinny bill just doesn't get it done. I say pass the HEROES Act.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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