[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 27 (Thursday, February 10, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S640-S641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BLACK HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of Black 
History Month.
  Black History Month provides an opportunity for our Nation 
collectively to reflect on and celebrate the contributions and legacies 
of Black Americans. And while we have chosen this month, February, to 
engage in collective celebration, we must also remember that we benefit 
from the contributions and legacies of these great Americans every 
single day.
  Today, I would like to focus my remarks on our Nation's black 
entrepreneurs. From Madame C.J. Walker to Baltimore's own Reginald F. 
Lewis and beyond, Black entrepreneurs have long been vital to the 
success of the American economy.
  Unfortunately, throughout history, those who seek to hold back the 
progress of the Black community view the successes of Black 
entrepreneurs as a threat.
  One need only look to the 1921 Tulsa Massacre--a dark incident in our 
Nation's history that has belatedly entered our collective 
consciousness.
  White residents of Tulsa, OK, bombed, burned, and destroyed the 
Greenwood District. In addition to an untold number of lives lost--
estimates range from dozens to hundreds--the riot destroyed homes, 
churches, schools, and businesses in the district. At the time, 
Greenwood was known as ``Black Wall Street'' due to its thriving Black 
middle class and successful businesses, and its destruction was one of 
the worst instances of racial violence in our Nation's history.
  It is with instances like Greenwood and the dozens like it in mind 
that I stand here today because while Black entrepreneurs no longer 
work under the threat of such violence, they still face many 
longstanding systemic barriers.
  My late friend and mentor, former Congressman Parren J. Mitchell, 
believed very strongly that the Federal Government had an important 
role to play in our efforts to right these historical injustices and 
support Black entrepreneurs.
  In 1977, Congressman Mitchell fought to pass an amendment to a $4 
billion Federal public works program requiring city and State 
recipients to set aside 10 percent of the funds for minority-owned 
businesses. He would go on to call the amendment his proudest 
congressional accomplishment.
  I was incredibly proud last year to build on his legacy by working 
across the aisle and finally codifying the Minority Business 
Development Agency, MBDA, and giving the agency the resources and 
leadership necessary to help support entrepreneurs in the Black and 
other minority communities.
  This accomplishment is particularly important in Maryland, as the 
Presiding Officer knows, since we are the home to the highest 
concentration of minority-owned businesses in the country.
  While we have made progress, we must also continue working together 
to address these systemic inequities.
  At the height of the pandemic, we came together to create the 
Paycheck Protection Program, the PPP program, and we worked in a 
bipartisan manner to improve the program once it became clear that it 
was leaving far too many of our most vulnerable small businesses 
behind.
  We invested in non-bank financial institutions like the community 
depository financial institutions and microlenders. We strengthened 
relationships between the Small Business Administration and our 
Nation's historically Black colleges and universities and minority-
serving institutions. We created grant programs that reduced structural 
barriers instead of reinforcing them.
  Recent studies have shown that these policies directly address the 
inequities present during the phase 1 PPP, which favored larger 
businesses. Through thoughtful policy, we made the program more 
equitable with the share of loans made to minority-owned businesses 
during phases 2 and 3 of the program in proportion with their overall 
share of small businesses.
  As I speak here today, the Senate is still trying to find a path 
forward on President Biden's Build Back Better budget, which implements 
many of the lessons we have learned over the past 2 years. The bill 
contains many key provisions that will provide the SBA and the MBDA 
with resources to empower Black entrepreneurs even more.
  For instance, the Build Back Better Act would create a direct loan 
program at the SBA. It would create a new Uplift Accelerator program to 
deepen the relationships between SBA and HBCUs, and it would make the 
SBA existing loan products more accessible and affordable.
  The pandemic has demonstrated that when we come together to address 
the problems in our society free from partisanship and in good faith, 
we are able to make great strides. It also confirms that the Federal 
Government has a key role to play in addressing the historic injustices 
that have harmed--and continue to harm--Black entrepreneurs and the 
Black community at large.
  This Black History Month, let us commit to pairing our words with 
actions, just as we did during the pandemic. We need to enact these 
proven policies as quickly as possible. We cannot let this opportunity 
pass us by.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                     Tribute to Judge John Gerrard

  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the 
distinguished career of a Nebraska public servant, U.S. District Court 
Judge John Gerrard.
  After just over 10 years on the Federal bench in the District of 
Nebraska,

[[Page S641]]

he announced Monday that he will move to senior status starting next 
year. Judge Gerrard's impressive career has spanned more than four 
decades, and it is not over yet. After his successor is confirmed, he 
will remain on the bench with a reduced caseload.
  Judge Gerrard is a native Nebraskan. He grew up in Schuyler and 
attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. He left the good 
life, temporarily, to pursue an MPA at the University of Arizona and a 
JD at the University of the Pacific in California.
  I am grateful that he came home to Nebraska after law school. In 
1981, Judge Gerrard began his career in private practice in Norfolk. A 
year later, he also began serving as a part-time city attorney for the 
neighboring community of Battle Creek. That was the start of 40 years 
and counting of selfless public service.
  In 1995, he was appointed to the Nebraska Supreme Court by then-
Governor Ben Nelson. He was just 41 years old at the time, making him 
the youngest-ever Nebraska Supreme Court Justice.
  After more than 15 years on our State's highest court, he was 
nominated by President Obama to the Federal judgeship he holds now in 
2011, serving as chief judge for 3 of those years.
  At every turn, Judge Gerrard has used his respect for the law to 
advance the greater good of Nebraskans and all Americans. During his 
time on the bench, I have appreciated hearing his views about many 
pressing judicial matters. His perspective as a sentencing judge has 
also been crucial in helping me to unpack how proposed legislation in 
Congress would affect Federal judges.
  It has been an honor to know Judge Gerrard and to work with him for 
over a decade. He is an accomplished, skilled, and respected jurist, 
and I am glad that he has chosen to continue his service after moving 
to senior status.
  Everyone who knows Judge Gerrard can attest that his wisdom extends 
far beyond the law. He has never failed to impress me with his keen 
observations about life. He is a good man with a servant's heart, and I 
am proud to call him a friend.
  On behalf of all Nebraskans, I would like to thank him for his four 
decades of dedicated public service. I look forward to working with 
President Biden to confirm a district court judge who will live up to 
Judge Gerrard's legacy of ruling fairly in accordance with the 
Constitution.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                Red Cross National Blood Supply Shortage

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, last month, the American Red Cross began 
sounding the alarm on a national blood crisis, the first they have ever 
declared. COVID-19 has added extra volatility to the blood supply, and 
this shortage strains hospitals and patient care throughout America.
  We continue to face that critical blood supply shortage today, with 
Kansas's blood supply standing at a 1- to 2-day inventory.
  I have heard from medical professionals--doctors, nurses, others in 
Kansas about the tough decisions rural doctors and healthcare providers 
are having to make, including canceling surgeries, blood transfusions, 
and possibly not delivering babies because bleeding complications may 
require blood that these facilities just don't have.
  My hometown of Plainville, KS, has a population of about 2,000. We 
are fortunate to have a county hospital with dedicated healthcare 
professionals and physicians. One of my hometown physicians, Dr. 
Sanchez, who I am told is not on Facebook very often but posted his 
plea--his plea for people to donate blood.
  Dr. Sanchez's Facebook post says--this is his story: Today we had to 
tell a patient with heart disease that the blood transfusions that had 
prolonged his life with marked improvement in quality could no longer 
happen at Rooks County Health Center. My patient and his son were 
understandably upset. It just so happens that the same patient was told 
a few days previous that the melanoma cancer that he beat for 40 years 
back returned. And now no blood transfusion.
  The doctor said that the hospital is considering canceling surgeries, 
possibly even not delivering babies. Our stock of common blood type A-
positive and donor O-positive blood units are down over 30 percent, 
from six units to four units. Universal donor O-negative blood has been 
in short supply for months and maybe for years. Blood supplies are 
usually replenished at the American Red Cross every 3 weeks, but we 
have had no new units given or replaced.
  That is one doctor, one hometown, one hospital--but it is people. It 
is people in Kansas. It is people in this country whom we know and care 
for, people we love, people in our families, and people we don't even 
know.
  The most vulnerable patients among us rely on blood donations for 
transfusions to support essential treatments such as those of battling 
cancer or living with chronic diseases. There is no substitute. There 
is no alternative.
  Our Nation can turn to the absence of blood donations. The only 
answer is for each of us stepping up to donate, helping to end this 
crisis and contribute to saving lives of those in our communities.
  The shortage is severe, and it is affecting Kansas health providers 
and their ability to care for their patients. It will cost us lives.
  Kansans pull together in times of need, and I encourage everyone in 
Kansas and across the country to donate. In the United States, every 2 
seconds someone needs blood or platelets, and donating blood is one of 
the most tangible actions we can give to help save lives.
  Donation centers provide specific guidance on blood donation process 
and safety measures taken within their centers. You can find a location 
that is accepting blood donations near you, and you can visit the 
American Red Cross website.
  So this is a plea that we all consider donating blood to help save 
the lives of our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow Americans.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Cortez Masto). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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