[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 218 (Monday, December 21, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I just want to make a couple of brief 
comments about the legislation we are going to be voting on, we hope, 
tonight.
  I will talk about, for purposes of time, not the spending bill or the 
spending portion, the so-called omnibus. I will talk about the COVID-19 
relief provisions. I won't go through all of them, obviously, but there 
is a lot of good news for many Americans in this legislation.
  The consensus on unemployment benefits will help a lot of Americans: 
$300 per week for all Americans receiving unemployment benefits through 
March 14. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program is extended to 
help self-employed individuals, gig workers, and others in 
nontraditional employment.
  The economic impact payments for Americans across the country: $600 
for individuals making up to $75,000 a year and $1,200 for couples 
making up to $150,000 per year, as well as a $600 payment for each 
dependent child. That means a family of four would receive $2,400 in 
direct payments.
  The Paycheck Protection Program, so-called PPP: $284 billion for the 
first and second PPP forgivable loans.
  There is more money for transportation, more money for health, and, 
in particular, money for the procurement of vaccines and therapeutics, 
as well as money for vaccine distribution.
  Education is funded for more than $80 billion; emergency rental 
assistance, $25 billion; the Postal Service, $10 billion; childcare, 
$10 billion--both very important.
  The ones I am especially grateful for, even though on a lot of these 
I would vote for higher numbers--a lot of us would--are the nutrition 
provisions: $26 billion in agriculture and nutrition funding. Half of 
that will be used for direct payments to farmers who have suffered 
losses due to the impact of the pandemic. The remaining 13, the other 
half of the 26--$13 billion will be used to combat food insecurity, 
which is on the rise due to the economic impact of the pandemic.
  There is a lot in here that is positive for American families, for 
workers, for small businesses, and for so many other needs. It took way 
too long. This is months overdue. There are gaps in it.
  I think this is a 3-month bill to help folks get through January, 
February, and March. I think we will need another bill after that. And, 
obviously, I am very disappointed we don't have dollars in here to help 
nursing homes, which I fought very hard for. We will keep up that 
fight.
  It doesn't have the direct help to State and local governments, even 
though there are provisions that will help States but not nearly 
enough.
  So it is far, far from perfect, but I think it is important that we 
pass it to provide direct help to people who have challenges, whether 
it is with employment or running a small business or supporting their 
families.
  The last point I will make on this is that we gather here today--and 
we hope the vote will be tonight before midnight, but we don't know. 
But it is just ironic that today is the 21st of December, the winter 
solstice, the darkest day of the year.
  I was noting this weekend Elizabeth Dias wrote an op-ed, a very 
thoughtful op-ed, in the New York Times about winter and all of the 
ways different cultures have dealt with the darkness and the severity 
of winter. But here is what she says, and I hope it provides a context 
for what we are about to pass and what we must do in the months ahead 
when the virus is still raging and the death number keeps climbing. 
Here is what Elizabeth Dias says:

       The great irony of winter is that the moment darkness is 
     greatest is also the moment light is about to return. Each 
     year the winter solstice comes with the promise that the next 
     day will be brighter.

  In this season of hope and this holiday season, we hope and we pray 
that this legislation will bring some light to people's lives, that it 
will give them a sense, in addition to having a vaccine available now, 
that brighter days are ahead.
  We can't underestimate the darkness that has engulfed so many 
families, but we hope tonight that we provide at least a measure of 
light to all the darkness that so many families have faced
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to engage in a 
colloquy with my friend and colleague from the State of Delaware, Tom 
Carper.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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