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




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on COVID, by all rights, the Senate 
should not be spending its time this week on so many nominees, 
especially such unqualified nominees, while COVID-19 is surging 
throughout the country.
  The urgent need for another relief bill has been confronting the 
Senate since March of this year. The Republican leader put the Senate 
on ``pause,'' as he said, all summer, while the virus got worse and 
worse. And when he finally decided it was time to do another bill, he 
crafted a partisan, emaciated proposal that fell drastically short of 
what was needed to address a burgeoning health and economic crisis.
  Now, President-Elect Biden has urged the Senate to pass a 
comprehensive bill that actually meets the needs of the American 
people. He pointed to the HEROES Act, and that is the right focus. We 
need a comprehensive bill that meets the needs of the American people, 
but, of course, we would want to sit down and negotiate with our 
Republican colleagues.
  The Republican leader should come to the table and negotiate with 
Democrats on a bipartisan COVID relief bill with a bipartisan process 
that addresses all of the challenges we now face.
  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for the quorum call be rescinded.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 ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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