[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CORONAVIRUS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on COVID, in addition to the 
confirmation of critical Cabinet nominees, the Senate will soon move 
forward with legislation to address the twin crises facing our country: 
the public health crisis and the economic crisis.
  In December, Congress took the important step of passing interim 
emergency relief to the country, but we left the job unfinished. I 
understand that recent opposition from the political right for more 
spending has increased in volume now that there is a Democrat in the 
White House, but the pandemic doesn't particularly care that there has 
been a change in the administration. The needs of our country are still 
great, and the urgency to act is clearer than ever.
  The Congressional Budget Office told us last fall that the COVID-19 
pandemic has taken more than $17 trillion out of our economy--$17 
trillion. No doubt, Congress has passed substantial relief, but looking 
at the data, we are nowhere close to filling the COVID-sized hole in 
our economy. Expanded unemployment insurance will once again expire in 
March. State and local governments, which have already cut over a 
million jobs, are still reeling from budget deficits and have not 
received direct assistance. The amount of direct payments to the 
American people in the previous bill was regrettably much lower than 
many of us, including myself, wanted. We must continue supporting the 
rapid and massive distribution of the vaccine to finally crush this 
virus once and for all.
  So the Senate is going to press forward on another COVID-relief bill. 
We want to work with our Republican colleagues to advance this 
legislation in a bipartisan way, and the work must move forward--
preferably, with our Republican colleagues, but without them if we 
must.
  We are still in the midst of a once-in-a-century crisis that has 
reshaped our economy and altered nearly every aspect of American life. 
Americans are still getting sick. Americans are still dying. Americans 
are still losing their jobs. We must not suffer timidity or delay. 
There is great urgency to continue the work of COVID relief, and that 
is exactly what the Senate will do.
  I yield the floor

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