[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 214 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7565]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Coronavirus

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I am encouraged that we are making 
progress on coronavirus relief legislation, but we need to finish up 
and get this bill out the door. The virus is surging around the 
country, and we need to get help to struggling Americans as soon as 
possible. The time for debate is over. Let's get this done.
  We started this week out with a tremendously hopeful moment in our 
COVID fight--the first vaccinations against this virus. It is 
incredible that barely a year since we first learned about the virus, 
we have a vaccine, with more vaccines likely on the way. I have been 
thinking a lot this week about the people who volunteered for vaccine 
trials.
  We have gained a new appreciation this year for a lot of people whose 
work we might have taken for granted in the past--the farmers and 
grocery store workers and truckdrivers who kept food on our grocery 
store shelves; the delivery drivers, whom we have relied on so heavily 
this year, who have brought our packages to us so we can minimize our 
time at the store; all the workers whose jobs can't be done from home--
from electrical workers, to trashmen, to pharmacists--who get up every 
day and put on their masks and go out and keep our country running; 
and, of course, our Nation's medical professionals, who have faced down 
this virus with courage and determination and with great compassion.
  There have been a lot of quiet heroes this year, and the people who 
volunteered for vaccine trials should be high on that list. A lot of 
courageous people stepped forward when we needed them, and we would not 
have a COVID vaccine today without their willingness to help.
  Monday was the beginning of what will hopefully be a decisive victory 
in our COVID battle. We owe that to the hard work and persistence of 
medical researchers, but we owe it also to the vaccine trial 
volunteers, who enabled researchers to complete the process of 
developing a safe and effective vaccine.
  It is no exaggeration to say that the bravery of vaccine volunteers 
could end up saving hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives. I 
doubt we will ever know most of the volunteers' names, but they are 
heroes of this battle just the same, and I am very grateful for the 
opportunity they have given us to defeat this virus.