October 20, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6331 Housing and Urban Development to es- from Massachusetts (Ms. WARREN), the STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED tablish a pilot program for public-pri- Senator from Maine (Mr. KING) and the BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS vate partnerships for disaster mitiga- Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. By Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mrs. tion projects, and for other purposes. SHAHEEN) were added as cosponsors of GILLIBRAND, Mr. MERKLEY, Ms. S. 4799 S. Con. Res. 49, a concurrent resolution DUCKWORTH, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, At the request of Mr. CRUZ, the mandating procedures to ensure ade- Mr. SANDERS, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. names of the Senator from Florida (Mr. quate precautions against COVID–19 in CARDIN, and Mr. KAINE): SCOTT), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Senate buildings. S. 4819. A bill to improve the health HAWLEY) and the Senator from Georgia S. RES. 679 of minority individuals, and for other (Mrs. LOEFFLER) were added as cospon- purposes; to the Committee on Fi- At the request of Mr. BRAUN, the sors of S. 4799, a bill to require the im- name of the Senator from Louisiana nance. position of sanctions with respect to Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, there is (Mr. KENNEDY) was added as a cospon- forced abortions by the Government of no shortage of examples showing how sor of S. Res. 679, a resolution express- the People’s Republic of China. our Nation systemically fails commu- ing appreciation and support for essen- nities of color and other minorities, S. 4805 tial employees with disabilities or who At the request of Mr. CRUZ, the but the events of 2020—namely COVID– are blind during the COVID–19 pan- 19 and the killings of Black Ameri- names of the Senator from Iowa (Ms. demic and beyond. ERNST) and the Senator from Arkansas cans—have brought heightened atten- (Mr. COTTON) were added as cosponsors S. RES. 680 tion and urgency to addressing inequi- of S. 4805, a bill to create a point of At the request of Mr. CORNYN, the ties and disparities throughout our na- order against legislation modifying the names of the Senator from Massachu- tion. Tragically, these inequities and number of Justices of the Supreme setts (Mr. MARKEY) and the Senator disparities pervade our health care sys- Court of the United States. from Delaware (Mr. COONS) were added tem, resulting in poor health outcomes and barriers to care for far too many S.J. RES. 14 as cosponsors of S. Res. 680, a resolu- tion condemning the People’s Republic communities. At the request of Mr. RUBIO, the Mr. President, I believe that of China’s use of military aggression to name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. healthcare is a right—not a privilege— change the status quo at the Line of PORTMAN) was added as a cosponsor of and that this right should extend to ev- Actual Control between India and S.J. Res. 14, a joint resolution pro- eryone in our Nation. Yet, this is not posing an amendment to the Constitu- China. the case. Our Nation falls short in en- tion of the United States to require S. RES. 689 suring that right to everyone regard- that the Supreme Court of the United At the request of Mr. RISCH, the less of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual States be composed of not more than 9 names of the Senator from Idaho (Mr. orientation, socioeconomic status, im- justices. CRAPO), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. migration status, or any other factor, S.J. RES. 76 MERKLEY), the Senator from Texas which is why I am reintroducing the At the request of Mr. CRUZ, the (Mr. CORNYN) and the Senator from In- Health Equity and Accountability Act names of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. diana (Mr. BRAUN) were added as co- (HEAA). This bill is a comprehensive PORTMAN), the Senator from Iowa (Ms. sponsors of S. Res. 689, a resolution blueprint of bold policy solutions that ERNST) and the Senator from Arkansas condemning the crackdown on peaceful address a wide spectrum of health eq- (Mr. COTTON) were added as cosponsors protestors in Belarus and calling for uity concerns. Despite progress made through the of S.J. Res. 76, a joint resolution pro- the imposition of sanctions on respon- Affordable Care Act, health care access posing an amendment to the Constitu- sible officials. tion of the United States to require remains a problem in the U.S., with that the Supreme Court of the United S. RES. 709 minority communities disproportion- States be composed of nine justices. At the request of Mr. GRAHAM, the ately facing barriers to coverage. S. CON. RES. 49 names of the Senator from Louisiana HEAA expands access to health care for many communities in need includ- At the request of Ms. KLOBUCHAR, the (Mr. KENNEDY), the Senator from New names of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Hampshire (Mrs. SHAHEEN) and the ing immigrant communities, rural communities, and of particular impor- DURBIN), the Senator from New Jersey Senator from Kansas (Mr. ROBERTS) tance to my state, citizens of the Free- (Mr. MENENDEZ), the Senator from were added as cosponsors of S. Res. 709, ly Associated States who are living in Vermont (Mr. LEAHY), the Senator a resolution expressing the sense of the our country under the Compacts of from Maryland (Mr. CARDIN), the Sen- Senate that the August 13, 2020, and Free Association. ator from Rhode Island (Mr. WHITE- September 11, 2020, announcements of the establishment of full diplomatic re- We know that diversity in our health HOUSE), the Senator from Wisconsin care workforce can improve health out- lations between the State of Israel and (Ms. BALDWIN), the Senator from Con- comes, and yet racial and ethnic mi- the United Arab Emirates and the necticut (Mr. BLUMENTHAL), the Sen- norities remain underrepresented in State of Israel and the Kingdom of ator from Hawaii (Mr. SCHATZ), the our health professions. HEAA seeks to Bahrain are historic achievements. Senator from Maryland (Mr. VAN HOL- address the lack of diversity in our LEN), the Senator from New Mexico S. RES. 716 health workforce through loan repay- (Mr. UDALL), the Senator from Massa- At the request of Mr. MURPHY, the ment programs and health professions chusetts (Mr. MARKEY), the Senator names of the Senator from Nevada (Ms. fellowships. The bill would also help from Oregon (Mr. WYDEN), the Senator ROSEN) and the Senator from South providers better serve a diverse patient from California (Mrs. FEINSTEIN), the Carolina (Mr. SCOTT) were added as co- population with culturally and linguis- Senator from Hawaii (Ms. HIRONO), the sponsors of S. Res. 716, a resolution tically appropriate health care services Senator from Nevada (Ms. CORTEZ designating the week of October 5 through investments like cultural com- MASTO), the Senator from Colorado through October 9, 2020, as ‘‘Malnutri- petency education and expanded lan- (Mr. BENNET), the Senator from Vir- tion Awareness Week’’. guage access services to assist the over ginia (Mr. KAINE), the Senator from Or- 12 percent of Hawaii residents and egon (Mr. MERKLEY), the Senator from S. RES. 745 about 8 percent of people nationwide Connecticut (Mr. MURPHY), the Senator At the request of Mr. CARDIN, the with limited English proficiency. from Ohio (Mr. BROWN), the Senator names of the Senator from Indiana Women, children, and adolescents from Minnesota (Ms. SMITH), the Sen- (Mr. YOUNG) and the Senator from Ne- often face additional barriers and dis- ator from Arizona (Ms. SINEMA), the vada (Ms. ROSEN) were added as cospon- parities in accessing information, Senator from New Hampshire (Ms. HAS- sors of S. Res. 745, a resolution hon- health education, health services, and SAN), the Senator from New Mexico oring the life, legacy, and example of coverage. HEAA aims to dismantle (Mr. HEINRICH), the Senator from Ne- former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak those barriers and address a range of vada (Ms. ROSEN), the Senator from Il- Rabin on the 25th anniversary of his infant, maternal, sexual, and reproduc- linois (Ms. DUCKWORTH), the Senator death. tive health needs, particularly for

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:04 Oct 21, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A19OC6.063 S19OCPT2 ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE S6332 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 20, 2020 marginalized and underserved commu- S. RES. 748 (2) the State of Washington and the city of nities. For example, HEAA would in- Whereas, on October 6, 2020, the Seattle Seattle for their enthusiastic support of vest in sexual health education for un- Storm women’s team (referred to women’s professional basketball; and derserved, minority, and LGBTQ youth in this preamble as the ‘‘’’) (3) the continuing progress toward ensur- won the 2020 Women’s National Basketball ing equity in men’s and women’s professional and link them to services related to sports. positive health behaviors. The bill also Association (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘WNBA’’) Championship; f seeks to address our country’s trag- Whereas the 2020 WNBA Championship is ically high maternal mortality rate, the fourth national championship that the SENATE RESOLUTION 749—DE- particularly for Black women, who Seattle Storm has won and the second na- NOUNCING THE MADURO RE- have a maternal mortality rate three tional championship that the team has won GIME’S EFFORTS TO HOLD to five times that of White women. in 3 years; FRAUDULENT LEGISLATIVE HEAA would expand services to preg- Whereas the Seattle Storm won the final ELECTIONS, THE ABSENCE OF nant and postpartum women, develop game of the 2020 WBNA finals with the larg- ACCEPTABLE CONDITIONS TO maternal health initiatives in rural est margin of victory in the history of the ENSURE FREE, FAIR, AND WNBA finals; TRANSPARENT ELECTORAL areas, and establish a program to ad- Whereas, during the 2020 WNBA playoffs, dress implicit biases and cultural com- the Seattle Storm bested the Minnesota PROCESSES IN VENEZUELA, AND petency in providers. Lynx women’s basketball team in the WNBA THE FURTHER EROSION OF VEN- HEAA doesn’t stop there. The legisla- conference finals and beat the Las Vegas EZUELAN DEMOCRACY tion would also expand and promote Aces women’s basketball team in the WNBA Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. MENEN- mental and behavioral health services finals; DEZ, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SCOTT Whereas the Seattle Storm led the 2020 for minority communities, increase of Florida, Mr. CARDIN, and Mr. KAINE) Federal resources for diseases that dis- WNBA season in points per game, assists per game, and three-pointers; submitted the following resolution; proportionately affect minorities— Whereas the players of the 2020 Seattle which was referred to the Committee such as heart disease and diabetes in Storm championship team, including Sue on Foreign Relations: Native Hawaiians—and improve data Bird, , , Natasha S. RES. 749 collection and reporting so we can Howard, , , Whereas the regime of Nicola´ s Maduro is more completely recognize and address , Epiphanny Price, Mercedes undertaking efforts to hold fraudulent legis- health disparities. In Hawaii, these in- Russell, , , and lative elections for Venezuela’s National As- vestments through HEAA will help , exhibited extraordinary sembly in December 2020 that will not com- combat diseases like viral hepatitis, teamwork; ply with international standards for free, Whereas Breanna Stewart— which disproportionately affects Asian fair, and transparent electoral processes; (1) received the WNBA Finals Most Valu- Whereas the Maduro regime is seeking to Americans, Native Hawaiian, and Pa- able Player award for the second time in use fraudulent legislative elections to under- cific Islander communities, and better 2020, having received that award and the mine Venezuela’s sitting democratically understand the health disparities faced WNBA League Most Valuable Player award elected National Assembly; by Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, in 2018, and Whereas, as codified under section 112 of and Pacific Islanders through (2) was named the 2020 WNBA Comeback the VERDAD Act of 2019 (22 U.S.C. 9702), it is disaggregated data collection. Player of the Year after missing the 2019 sea- the policy of the United States to recognize Finally, HEAA addresses the ‘‘social son with a torn Achilles tendon; the democratically elected National Assem- determinants of health’’—non-medical Whereas Alysha Clark received the 2020 De- bly of Venezuela, elected in December 2015 and sworn in on January 2016, as the only le- factors like the environment, housing, fensive Player of the Year award; Whereas — gitimate national legislative body in Ven- education, and economic stability that ezuela; ultimately affect individual and com- (1) finished her 17th season in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm, having played in Whereas the United States Government munity health. HEAA would require every WNBA Championship series game in and members of the international commu- non-health federal agencies like De- which the Storm has participated; nity have rightly denounced the Maduro re- gime’s efforts to hold fraudulent legislative partment of Housing and Urban Devel- (2) leads the WNBA with 2,888 career as- elections in December 2020; opment, Department of Transpor- sists; and tation, Department of Agriculture, and Whereas, on October 13, 2020, members of (3) has played more WNBA games than the Lima Group—including Bolivia, Brazil, Environmental Protection Agency to other player in the history of the WNBA; Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guate- work together to improve the social de- Whereas, during the 2020 WNBA season, the mala, Haiti, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, terminants of health. Seattle Storm was led by Head Coach Gary Peru, and Venezuela—issued a joint declara- Achieving health equity is achievable Kloppenburg and Assistant Coaches Ryan tion on the Maduro regime’s efforts to hold and to do it we must make bold, sub- Webb and ; legislative elections in December 2020 that stantial investments in transforming Whereas the players of the Seattle Storm expressed ‘‘firm rejection of the continuing were supported during the 2020 WNBA season of the illegitimate regime of Nicola´ s Maduro our health and health care systems. I by the dedicated operational and medical thank my colleagues for joining me in in holding parliamentary elections without staff, including Talisa Rhea, Perry Huang, the minimum democratic guarantees and introducing the bill, and encourage Emily Blurton, Caroline Durocher, Susan without the participation of all political others to join us as we work to level Borchardt, Dr. Michael Erickson, Dr. Jeff forces’’; the playing field and empower every- Cary, Abby Gordan, Dustin Williams, Erica Whereas, on September 17, 2020, the Inter- one in our nation to achieve their full Nash, Hunter Johnson, Mel Cable, and national Contact Group on Venezuela— health potential. Brooke Tyler; whose members include Argentina, Costa Whereas the owners of the Seattle Storm, Rica, Ecuador, the European Union, France, f Lisa Brummel, Dawn Trudeau, and Ginny Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Panama, Gilder, are 1 of just 2 all-female ownership Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United King- SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS groups in the WNBA; dom, and Uruguay—issued a joint declara- Whereas the Seattle Storm has exhibited tion on the Maduro regime’s efforts to hold dedication to making a social impact by legislative elections in December 2020 that SENATE RESOLUTION 748—CON- strengthening communities through the stated that ‘‘conditions are not met, at the GRATULATING THE SEATTLE StormCares partnership, a partnership be- moment, for a transparent, inclusive, free tween the Seattle Storm and organizations and fair electoral process’’; STORM WOMEN’S BASKETBALL in the greater Puget Sound region; and TEAM ON WINNING THE 2020 Whereas, on June 12, 2020, the Maduro re- Whereas the dedication and hard work of gime’s illegitimate Supreme Court unilater- WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKET- the Seattle Storm have inspired and empow- ally appointed new members to Venezuela’s BALL ASSOCIATION CHAMPION- ered girls, boys, women, and men of all ages: National Electoral Council without the ap- SHIP Now, therefore, be it proval of the democratically elected Na- Ms. CANTWELL (for herself and Mrs. Resolved, That the Senate recognizes— tional Assembly; (1) the achievements of the players, coach- Whereas, throughout 2020, the Maduro re- MURRAY) submitted the following reso- es, fans, and staff of the Seattle Storm wom- gime— lution; which was referred to the Com- en’s basketball team, whose dedication (1) sought to coopt and undermine inde- mittee on Commerce, Science, and helped the team win the 2020 Women’s Na- pendent political parties through a campaign Transportation: tional Basketball Association Championship; of systematic persecution; and

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