[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 191 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S6617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Coronavirus

  Now, on an entirely different matter, Mr. President. The last several 
days have brought huge good news in our fight to beat this terrible 
virus.
  This morning, one drug manufacturer announced that ongoing trials 
suggest their candidate for a COVID-19 vaccine may be more than 90 
percent effective--90 percent effective.
  This is a huge testament to the ingenuity of the American private 
sector and their global partners and to the historic efforts of 
Congress and the Trump administration. We flattened regulatory 
roadblocks, we sped up trials, and laid ground work to buy and 
distribute a vaccine as fast as possible.
  Last week, we learned the unemployment rate has fallen to 6.9 
percent--6.9 percent--with more than 630,000 new jobs added just in the 
month of October. Now, remember back in the springtime, many experts 
estimated we would still be saddled with double-digit joblessness 
through the end of this year. It turns out the news is a whole lot 
better, another testament to the strong economic foundations that 
Congress and the Trump administration spent 3 years laying before the 
pandemic struck and most of all to the resilience--the incredible 
resilience of the American people.
  So, to be clear, our work is not finished. Too many Americans are 
still suffering economically, and infections are climbing across the 
country. We cannot give up on commonsense measures like wearing masks 
just because we have grown tired of them.
  The Senate is going to have a busy few weeks. I hope our Democratic 
colleagues will finally put aside their all-or-nothing obstruction and 
let the targeted pandemic relief--targeted pandemic relief is what we 
need--let it move forward.
  In any event, we will need to fund the government, reach agreement 
with the House on the National Defense Authorization Act, and confirm 
more thoroughly qualified nominees.
  So I welcome all my colleagues back to the Chamber, and I look 
forward to finishing this year strong. Our States and our country are 
counting on us.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.