[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 212 (Tuesday, December 15, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7475-S7476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Coronavirus

  Madam President, on a separate issue, I have given a big part of my 
life to this institution, the Senate, and I respect what we have been 
able to do on many occasions. Through honest give-and-take and 
compromise, we have been able to bring legislation to this floor to 
debate it, to consider amendments, to pass the legislation, and, 
ultimately, not only make a law but change the lives of Americans. We 
are at that moment where we need it again. And 10 of us--5 Democrats, 5 
Republicans, as well as House Members--decided 3 weeks ago that enough 
was enough; we needed to show some leadership and try to work out a 
compromise between us for another COVID relief package. You see, it has 
been 9 months since we passed what was known as the CARES Act on the 
floor of the Senate, 96 to 0--overwhelming, unanimous, bipartisan 
decision--to spend about $3 trillion not only to fight the pandemic but 
to restore our economy.
  Thank goodness we did. It really gave us an opportunity to do 
something for America when it desperately needed it. We thought that 
the threat of the pandemic would soon ebb away, but it did not. It was 
not gone in 6 months, and it isn't gone today. In fact, in some places 
in America, it is worse now than ever. My State of Illinois, despite 
the heroic efforts of my Governor and many others, is suffering with 
infections, hospitalizations, and, sadly, too many deaths. That is the 
reality of where we are today.
  So this group of 10--5 Democrats, 5 Republicans--has been meeting for 
3 weeks. We even met on Thanksgiving Day. We did a Zoom call and had 
some conversation about a phase of this that might be important for us 
to consider. I tell you that because we did produce a work product--one 
that I think is worthy of consideration immediately on the floor of the 
Senate. It was an effort to reach a spending target of $908 billion to 
provide immediate assistance across the board in the United States, to 
extend unemployment benefits where they are desperately needed; to give 
help to businesses--some $300 billion in new lending authority; to 
provide additional funds for SNAP, the food stamp program, which many 
desperate families turn to in order to feed their children; help to our 
farmers; help to the renters who would be facing eviction under their 
leases if we were to do nothing; help to hospitals and nursing homes 
and clinics, for we all know they are on the frontline of this battle; 
money for the testing of those who suspect they are infected with 
COVID-19; and more resources for the logistics of vaccinations.
  The CDFI Program is an effort to extend lending authority, 
particularly in desperate communities that are battling both poverty as 
well as this pandemic. There is $5 billion for mental health, and we 
certainly know we need it, for the psychological pressure that America 
is facing is obvious in so many ways. There is over $80 billion in 
education and $10 billion in childcare. We can't overlook the fact that 
many can't return to work because there is no childcare that they trust 
with their kids. There is help, as well, for expanding broadband. As 
our kids have to turn to remote learning in many places in America, 
broadband has to become a fact of life across this Nation. There is $45 
billion in the whole transportation system network that has been 
devastated by this economic downturn. There is $10 billion for those in 
our Postal Service. They are working harder than ever, and we want to 
make sure that the men and women of the Postal Service, who do such a 
remarkable job, know that we have their backs. There are also 
extensions of spending authority for the CARES Act.
  These are just a few of the things that we considered over the 3-week 
period, and we came up with a bill that spent $748 billion. There were 
two items that were not included in the base consensus bill because we 
couldn't reach a consensus on them.
  State and local government assistance I support completely. I know 
what my cities and my counties and what my State have gone through. 
They need help. We couldn't agree on including that in the package at 
this moment. I hope this changes even today.

[[Page S7476]]

  Finally, on the issue of liability and immunity from liability, this 
has been one that has been raised by Senator McConnell for months. He 
has basically said that nothing will move until he gets a provision, 
which I find objectionable, that was originally offered by Senator 
Cornyn.
  Here is what it comes down to: Should people be able to go to court 
if they believe that they have been harmed or that members of their 
family have died as a result of the wrongdoing of people during this 
COVID-19 pandemic? Some argue that businesses should not have that 
possibility hanging over their heads, and that is what Senator Cornyn 
used as a basis for his provision, which makes it almost impossible for 
anyone to recover for any losses during COVID-19. Others believe that 
we need to show an even-handed approach to this on both sides: If we 
are going to be fair to businesses that are legitimately, in good 
faith, trying to protect their employees and customers, we should also 
leave the possibility open that those who are responsible for their 
actions need to be held accountable in court. I think it is a simple 
and basic provision that there be equity on both sides, not just for 
plaintiffs but also for defendants.
  We tried mightily during the last several weeks, and I want to salute 
my colleagues who engaged directly in that effort: Angus King, of 
Maine; Tim Kaine, of Virginia; Chris Coons, of Delaware; Dick 
Blumenthal, of Connecticut; Maggie Hassan, of New Hampshire. We offered 
a variety of options that we thought were reasonable and served the 
purpose of justice, but we couldn't reach an agreement.
  The others on the Democratic side who were part of this overall 
effort deserve mention in the Record. I don't want to miss anyone, but 
I want to include, certainly, Joe Manchin, of West Virginia; Mark 
Warner, of Virginia; and Jeanne Shaheen, of New Hampshire. To all of 
them, I thank them for bringing forth this measure.
  Now it is going to be in the hands of leadership. I hope we can call 
it up this week. We should not go home without it
  I yield the floor.