[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 5, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1964-S1965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

  Mr. SCHUMER. And I ask unanimous consent to resume executive session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.

[[Page S1965]]

  



                               H.R. 4373

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I want there to be no mistake about what 
just happened here on the Senate floor. Republicans blocked a 
bipartisan bill that would provide vaccines, testing, and therapeutics 
for the American people.
  Yesterday, a group of Democrats and Republicans announced we had 
reached a bipartisan agreement for COVID relief funding, but today, a 
majority of Senate Republicans have blocked this critical and much-
needed funding from going forward.
  Vaccines, therapeutics, and testing were negotiated in good faith. 
And it should not--they should not be held hostage to extraneous, 
unrelated issues. This is too important for the health of the American 
people. But that seems precisely what some Republicans want to do.
  This is a potentially devastating vote for every single American who 
is worried about the possibility of a new variant rearing its nasty 
head within a few months.
  It is devastating for any American who, in the future, looks for a 
vaccine or a booster shot, only to be told supplies have run out.
  It is devastating for anyone looking down the line to get tested 
because they feel sick or want their families safe and discover no 
tests are available. It is devastating for anyone who--God forbid--
falls seriously ill but can't access lifesaving therapeutics because 
the Federal Government can't purchase new supplies because of the vote 
our colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle just took.
  Too many Republicans seem to want to play politics at a time when we 
need to work together to pass legislation our country desperately 
needs. Republicans voted no on vaccines for kids. Republicans voted no 
on tests for new COVID variants. Republicans voted no on therapies to 
save lives and make us less sick.
  Have we learned nothing from the last 2 years of living with this 
horrible disease? Have Republicans learned nothing about how lack of 
preparation could damage our economy? This money--the money that they 
rejected today--will go a long way to keeping our schools, our 
businesses, our churches, our communities running as normally as 
possible.
  If we want to stay at normal, we need these dollars. Without these 
dollars, the risk of schools closing, of businesses closing, of public 
transportation closing is too large.
  Should a future variant rear its nasty head--should a future variant 
rear its nasty head--Americans will know who voted against more 
funding. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
  This was a $10 billion agreement that was fully paid for. If there is 
another surge, it costs us 10 times that if we are behind the curve 
again.
  I hope Republicans will get serious about this. It should not be so 
difficult for them to do something so good and important for our 
country. There is still some time. I hope my Republican colleagues 
change their tune quickly.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado.