[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7021-S7022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Coronavirus

  Madam President, of course, while there is much to be hopeful about, 
the virus is still very much with us, and cases are surging. My home 
State of South Dakota has been hit hard, as have many other areas of 
the country.
  While we wait for final approval of vaccines, it is essential that we 
keep following best practices and do what we can to slow the virus's 
spread, like social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands 
frequently, avoiding large gatherings, and more.
  While the money Congress has already invested in COVID relief has 
gone a long way toward meeting the country's needs, we should pass 
additional targeted relief to help Americans weather the rest of the 
pandemic.
  Senate Republicans have introduced additional COVID relief 
legislation that would provide the hardest hit businesses with a second 
round of Paycheck Protection Program loans, help schools and colleges 
operate safely, and provide additional healthcare resources to fight 
the virus.
  Our legislation would also provide for an additional $300 per week 
over and above regular unemployment benefits for those who have lost 
their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

[[Page S7022]]

  I am very pleased that our legislation includes an additional $20 
billion in funding to allow the Department of Agriculture to continue 
to assist ag producers and processors.
  We have also made sure to include liability protections for schools 
and businesses that are doing their best to protect others from the 
virus. Predatory trial lawyers are already lining up to exploit the 
COVID crisis for financial gain. We need to protect our economic 
recovery by ensuring that schools, businesses, and medical 
professionals aren't subjected to frivolous lawsuits for coronavirus 
infections that were beyond their control.
  I would love to be able to say that Republicans will pass our 
coronavirus bill in the next couple of weeks, but, unfortunately, that 
depends on my Democratic colleagues. The Democratic leadership hasn't 
shown much inclination to work with Republicans. In fact, it has shown 
the opposite.
  Speaker Pelosi spent more than 3 months--3 months--supposedly 
negotiating a coronavirus relief package that never arrived. Why? 
Because Democrats refused to put a reasonable offer on the table.
  Members of the Speaker's own party pleaded with her to arrive at an 
agreement, but the Speaker wouldn't listen, and she is still not 
listening.
  Despite the fact that her party lost a number of seats in the House 
in the election, the Speaker and the Democratic leader in the Senate 
are still refusing to come to the table to work with Republicans. In 
fact, the Speaker and the leader have doubled down--doubled down--on 
their unreasonable demands.
  I get that Democratic leaders would like to able to design their own 
coronavirus bill with no input from anyone else, but that is not what 
happens in a divided government.
  In a divided government, both sides have to compromise in order to 
pass legislation. Republicans know that, and we are willing to 
compromise to get relief into the hands of the American people, but 
Democrats are not. Even as the coronavirus surges around the country, 
Democrats continue to insist on their way or the highway.
  It is hard not to think that the Democratic leadership is more 
interested in exploiting this crisis for political gain than in 
actually getting relief to Americans.
  We could have another COVID relief bill ready for passage tomorrow if 
Democrats would just come to the table. It is inexcusable that they 
haven't. But Republicans aren't giving up. We will continue to invite 
our Democratic colleagues to work with us to develop compromise 
legislation.
  I hope that at least some of my colleagues from the other side of the 
aisle will decide that a pandemic is not the time to play politics and 
will work with us to deliver a bill to the American people.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Loeffler). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.