A QUORUM CALL. MR. McCONNELL: MR. McCONNELL: WELL, MADAM
PRESIDENT, I HAVE AN UPDATE FOR
THE INFORMATION OF ALL SENATORS
AND FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND IT’S GOOD NEWS.
ITS GOOD NEWS FOR THE DOCTORS
AND USER INS INMAN ROOMS AROUND
THE COUNTRY WHO ARE WAITING FOR
MORE MASKS AND MORE FUNDING.
IT’S GOOD NEWS FOR FAMILIES ALL
ACROSS AMERICA.
AT LAST, WE HAVE A DEAL.
AFTER DAYS OF INTENSE
DISCUSSIONS, THE SENATE HAS
REACHED A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT
ON AN HISTORIC RELIEF PACKAGE
FOR THIS PANDEMIC.
IT WILL RUSH NEW RESOURCES ONTO
THE FRONT LINES OF THE OUR
NATION’S HEALTH CARE FIGHT, AND
IT WILL INJECT TRILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF CASH INTO THE ECONOMY
AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO HELP
AMERICAN WORKERS, FAMILIES,
SMALL BUSINESSES, AND INDUSTRIES
MAKE IT THROUGH THIS DISRUPTION.
AND EMERGE ON THE OTHER SIDE
READY TO SOAR.
THE BIPARTISAN CARES ACT WILL
SQUARELY ADDRESS EACH OF THE
FOUR BIG PRIORITIES THAT I LAID
OUT IN OUR LEGISLATION AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS ABOUT A
WEEK AGO.
IT WILL RUSH FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE TO AMERICANS THROUGH
DIRECT CHECKS TO HOUSEHOLDS FROM
THE MIDDLE CLASS ON DOWN AND
THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT AND
CREATIVE EXPANSION OF
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DURING
THIS EMERGENCY.
IT WILL DELIVER HISTORIC RELIEF
TO MAIN STREET AMERICA THROUGH
HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN EMERGENCY LOANS SO MORE SMALL
BUSINESSES CAN SURVIVE THIS AND
KEEP PAYING THEIR WORKERS.
IT WILL HELP SECURE OUR ECONOMIC
FOUNDATIONS AND STABILIZE KEY
NATIONAL INDUSTRIES TO PREVENT
AS MANY LAYOFFS AS POSSIBLE.
WHILE KEEPING BIG COMPANIES
ACCOUNTABLE AS BOTH SIDES HAVE
SOUGHT TO DO.
AND OF COURSE IT WILL PUSH MAJOR
RELIEF TO HOSPITALS AND HEALTH
CARE PROVIDERS, INVEST IN NEW
MEDICINES AND VACCINES SO WE CAN
BEAT THIS VIRUS FASTER AND HELP
GET MORE EQUIPMENT AND MASKS TO
THE FRONTLINE HEROES WHO PUT
THEMSELVES AT RISK TO CARE FOR
PATIENTS.
IN EFFECT, THIS IS A WARTIME
LEVEL OF INVESTMENT INTO OUR
NATION.
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH ARE
GOING TO DEFEAT THIS CORONAVIRUS
AND RECLAIM OUR FUTURE.
AND THE SENATE IS IS GOING TO
MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE
AMMUNITION THEY NEED TO DO IT.
I’M THRILLED THAT WE’RE FINALLY
GOING TO DELIVER FOR THE COUNTRY
THAT HAS BEEN WAITING FOR US TO
STEP UP.
I’M RELIEVED MY DISTINGUISHED
DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE READY
TO TAKE YES FOR AN ANSWER.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG WEEK FOR
THE SENATE, BUT IT’S BEEN A MUCH
LONGER WEEK FOR THE HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO FIND
THEMSELVES IN THIS STRANGE, NEW
REALITY.
WHERE EVERY MORNING BRINGS NEW
WORRIES ABOUT THEIR HEALTH,
ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONES, ABOUT
WHETHER THEIR JOB OR SMALL
BUSINESS WILL STILL EXIST AT
THIS TIME NEXT WEEK.
SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, HELP IS ON
THE WAY.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ALREADY
RISING TO THIS GRAVE CHALLENGE,
AND THE SENATE IS ABOUT TO
FOLLOW SUIT.
WE’RE GOING TO PASS THIS
LEGISLATION LATER TODAY.
MR. SCHUMER: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE
MINORITY LEADER.
MR. SCHUMER: MADAM PRESIDENT,
AFTER FIVE DAYS OF ARDUOUS
NEGOTIATIONS, AFTER
SLEEP-DEPRIVED NIGHTS AND
MARATHON NEGOTIATING SESSIONS,
WE HAVE A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT
ON THE LARGEST RESCUE PACKAGE IN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
THIS IS NOT A MOMENT OF
CELEBRATION BUT ONE OF
NECESSITY.
WE HAVE THE ANGUISH OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WONDERING ABOUT
THE FEW OF THEIR HEALTH, THE
HEALTH OF THEIR LOVED ONES AND A
THE ECONOMY NECESSITATES US TO
DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP THEM AND
HELP OUR COUNTRY.
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,
DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD TWO PRIMARY
GOALS -- A MARSHALL PLAN FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AND
HOSPITALS ON THE FRONT LINES AND
PUTTING WORKERS FIRST.
THE AGREEMENT NOW AFTER THESE
FIVE DAYS REFLECTS THOSE
DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES, AND WE
ARE PROUD THAT THEY ARE NOW PART
OF THIS LEGISLATION.
LIKE ALL COMPROMISES, THIS BILL
IS FAR FROM PERFECT, BUT WE
BELIEVE THE LEGISLATION HAS BEEN
IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY TO
WARRANT ITS QUICK CONSIDERATION
AND PASSAGE BECAUSE MANY
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WERE
WILLING TO DO THE SERIOUS AND
HARD WORK, THE BILL IS MUCH
BETTER OFF THAN WHERE IT
STARTED.
DEMOCRATS HAVE SUCCEEDED IN
MAKING THE BILL SUBSTANTIALLY
BETTER ON MANY COUNTS.
HERE ARE FOUR MAJOR PILLARS OF
THE BILL.
FIRST, A MARSHALL PLAN FOR OUR
HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL NEEDS.
THERE IS MUCH MORE MONEY FOR OUR
HOSPITALS, FOR OUR NURSES AND
PHYSICIANS, FOR OUR NURSING
HOMES, FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH
CENTERS TO DO THE JOB THEY NEED
TO DO.
OVER $130 BILLION.
SECOND, WORKERS FIRST.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING PUT OUT
OF WORK THROUGH NO FAULT OF
THEIR OWN.
THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEIR
FUTURE IS GOING TO BE LIKE.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PAY THE
BILLS?
WELL, WE COME TO THEIR RESCUE,
AND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART OF
THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE PROUD
TO HAVE DEVISED -- WE CALL IT
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ON
STEROIDS.
EVERY AMERICAN WORKER WHO IS
LAID OFF WILL HAVE THEIR SALARY
REMUNERATED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SO THEY CAN PAY THEIR
BILLS, AND BECAUSE SO MANY OF
THEM WILL BE FURLOUGHED RATHER
THAN FIRED, IF THEY HAVE
BENEFITS, THEY CONTINUE, AND
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, THEY STAY
WITH THE COMPANY OR SMALL
BUSINESS.
AND THAT MEANS THAT COMPANY OR
SMALL BUSINESS CAN REASSESSABLE
ONCE THIS AWFUL PLAGUE IS OVER
AND OUR ECONOMY CAN GET GOING
QUICKLY.
THIRD, STRICT OVERSIGHT,
TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY
OF ALL LOANS MADE TO CORPORATE
AMERICA.
WE NEED OVERSIGHT.
WE NEED TRANSPARENCY.
EVERY LOAN DOCUMENT WILL BE
PUBLIC AND MADE AVAILABLE TO
CONGRESS VERY QUICKLY SO WE C
SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING,
WHAT THE TERMS ARE, AND IF IT’S
FAIR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND AN OVERSIGHT BOARD, AS WELL
AS AN I.G., TO MAKE SURE THINGS
ARE DONE ON THE LEVEL.
FOURTH, REAL RESOURCES FOR OUR
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE LAST
DECISIONS WE HAD TO MAKE.
$150 BILLION TO GO TO STATES AND
LOCALITIES WHO ARE SO
HARD-PRESSED BECAUSE OF ALL THE
NEW EXPENSES THAT COVID-19 PUTS
UPON THEM AND BECAUSE THEY’RE
NOT GETTING THE RESOURCES THEY
USUALLY GET, TAXES ARE DELAYED
UNTIL JUNE.
AND FINALLY, REAL, REAL HELP FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES.
MY DAD WAS A SMALL BUSINESSMAN,
AN EXTERMINATE.
I KNOW HOW SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE
WORRY AND SUFFER.
THEY WILL BE LOANS.
THEIR EMPLOYEES WILL BE PAID BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHILE
THEY’RE CLOSED BECAUSE THEY
DON’T HAVE CUSTOMERS OR
SERVICES.
AND THEY CAN, TOO, BOUNCE BACK
AFTERWARDS.
SO THIS AGREEMENT IS REALLY AN
OUTSTANDING AGREEMENT.
TO THEM, TO ALL AMERICANS I SAY,
HELP IS ON THE WAY.
BIG HELP AND QUICK HELP.
WE’RE GOING TO TAKE UP AND PASS
THIS PACKAGE TO CARE FOR THOSE
WHO ARE NOW CARING FOR US, AND
HELP CARRY MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
THROUGH THESE DARK ECONOMIC
TIMES.