[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 191 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6619-S6620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Issues Facing America

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, we may be back to work carrying out 
what should be the normal business of the Senate, but from what I have 
observed, the American people really don't see this as just another 
day. They are a little bit anxious, and I really think that it is 
because, over the past week, they have witnessed some of the most 
divisive news cycles in recent memory.
  Allegations of voter fraud are running rampant. These have been 
unanswered and ignored by most media outlets. Liberal operatives have 
sent up test balloons on the creation of official enemies lists. Think 
about that. We have them making enemies lists, wanting to execute a 
campaign of personal destruction against people with whom they 
disagree. What does that say about treasuring free speech?
  The most popular social media platforms--oh--have honestly just 
outdone themselves by making matters worse by slapping these scary 
labels on content that is meant to inform and to spark bipartisan 
debate.
  Then you have email services that are locking down access to email 
lists because the distribution is something with which they disagree. 
This is what has happened to millions of Americans. They gasp every 
time they see these markers on content, when they can't get to an email 
list, when they hear about a group they belong to that they can't hear 
from or communicate with.
  Yes, it is censorship, and it is something that has divided people, 
families,

[[Page S6620]]

neighbors, friends, coworkers, and colleagues.
  I will tell you, many of them remain divided, but I think we have to 
say they have been engaged. According to the Pew Research Center, 
Americans participated in this election cycle at the highest rate in 
120 years. Election officials still haven't finished their counts, and 
already we know that more than 144 million ballots were cast this 
cycle.
  I would venture to say that many of those millions of individuals are 
watching us. They want to see what we are going to do next, how we are 
going to conduct ourselves. They don't really care if it takes a little 
multitasking; they are saying it is time for Congress to do its job.
  You can look at all of the exit polling on the favorability ratings 
of Congress. I will say it is discouragingly low--the regard in which 
the American people hold their elected representatives collective body. 
It is time for us to get some things done.
  Judging by the footage of demonstrations in many of America's major 
cities, you might not remember that we are still dealing with the 
effects of a global pandemic. It seems that for a few days, people 
forgot there is a pandemic.
  Democrats in the House and the Senate have wasted months of precious 
time obstructing the passage of targeted COVID relief legislation that 
Tennesseans and New Yorkers and Californians and every other American 
who owns a business or supports a family needs not tomorrow or today; 
they needed it yesterday, last week, last month.
  I have spent the past several months coming to this floor to tell the 
stories of Tennesseans, Tennessee small business people, Tennessee 
employers who are desperately in need of relief, trying to help my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle understand that there is fear 
and pain in certain sectors of our economy. It is really so 
inappropriate that those fears and that pain are something they have 
chosen to ignore. To be frank, it has been like talking to a brick 
wall. There has been no response.
  Just last week, I met with the board of the Academy of Country Music 
for a very hard discussion about the future of their industry. Not one 
single venue or one studio musician or one sound engineer--their whole 
industry shut down. This is an industry that has shut down. They did 
nothing wrong, mind you. They showed up for work. They built 
businesses. They hired people. They used independent contractors. They 
paid their bills. They paid their taxes. They did nothing wrong. But 
the entertainment industry--live entertainment--is shut down.
  This isn't the huge record labels and big entertainment companies 
that many people think are the music industry. These are the mom-and-
pops. These are the small businesses, the sole proprietors, the 
independent contractors. These are the people who set up and tear down 
stages. They put on these amazing sound and light displays that people 
get so excited about seeing and that really make music and 
entertainment come to life. They produce the music that you walk around 
listening to in your earbuds. The support staff at the venues clean up 
your beer cans and ticket stubs after you have enjoyed a show. I tell 
you, they also are the artists, the storytellers, and I really think 
our creative and cultural historians.
  This industry is absolutely dying. They are not the only ones. There 
are so many other sectors of our economy that are at a standstill. They 
are suffering, and so many other people have been suffering. They are 
tired of what they see as posturing here in DC, using the hurt and the 
suffering of people as just a political bargaining chip. Do you know 
what? They have noticed. They have been watching over the past few 
months. They know that very little has been accomplished, and they 
think it is time to stop putting politics over people. It is time to 
stop saying ``We want the issue if it is good for us'' because people 
are looking for solutions.
  They were waiting for a mandate--our friends over on the left--a 
mandate they were sure was going to come their way on November 3, but 
the American people refused to deliver them a mandate. You see it in 
elections that took place at the local and the State level. You see it 
in the congressional elections and certainly here in this Chamber.
  So far, Speaker Pelosi has refused any offer to compromise. Every 
offer and gesture that has been made by the White House or this Chamber 
has been refused. She has clung to that $3 trillion parody of a relief 
bill that she has stuffed to the brim with billions for liberal pet 
projects that have nothing to do with COVID recovery--nothing at all. 
Isn't it interesting that her pet project is not the American people? 
Wouldn't you think she would want to solve some of these problems? But 
no--she would rather play politics.
  This absurd delay has come at great cost. We have so many 
Tennesseans, indeed, across this country, millions of families and 
small businesses that will tell you they are in damage control mode 
because Democrats refuse to allow them the dignity of hope that 
targeted relief would provide. ``Dignity''--that is a nice word. And we 
have so many people who are grasping, trying to pay their bills, keep 
their businesses alive. I will say that our friends across the aisle 
twice--twice, twice--have declined to vote for targeted relief.
  It is not too late to step up on behalf of those who have lost just 
about everything and those who still have a shot at coming out on the 
other side of this pandemic with their livelihoods intact. It is not 
too late to pass legislation that would provide better unemployment 
insurance, more help for small businesses, resources for schools and 
universities, vaccine research funding, testing funding, and liability 
protection--targeted relief for millions of Americans who have said: 
This what we need in order to keep people employed and to keep our 
businesses open.
  The legislation is written. All that needs to happen is our friends 
across the aisle need to say: We are ready to vote on this package. 
Let's do another round of PPP. Let's do a plus-up in unemployment. 
Let's do that money for vaccines and testing and resources for schools 
and universities. Let's give companies the liability protection they 
need to open their doors. Let's give these entertainment venues the 
liability protection they need in order to again get on the road, have 
concerts, play that music Americans love to listen to. It is there.
  To my friends, let's have no filibusters, no more distractions, and 
no more extravagant wish lists of pet projects. For goodness' sake, put 
your politics aside, and let's put the people first. Let's provide the 
relief they are seeking.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.