E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020 No. 134 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was Our two countries, as you know, have the institutions of American life can- called to order by the President pro a centuries-old relationship. That rela- not stay totally shut down until our tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). tionship will be further strengthened race for a vaccine hits the finish line. f by a comprehensive deal that presents Our Nation needs to smartly and economic opportunities for our farm- safely reopen while keeping up the PRAYER ers, our manufacturers, and our service medical battle. We need to get kids The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- providers to the benefit of both sides of safely back to school and adults safely fered the following prayer: the Atlantic. back to work without losing ground in Eternal God, You have taken care of I will continue to insist that an the healthcare fight. us in the years that have gone. We agreement reached between our two The coronavirus does not care that honor You for Your glory and strength. countries will allow us to reach our full we are divided. The coronavirus will May we place our hope in You and potential as trading partners, particu- not care if Washington Democrats de- never forget that You can also sustain larly when it comes to agricultural cide it suits their partisan goals to let us in the future. trade. relief run dry. The American people are Today, give our Senators the wisdom The United Kingdom has been subject hurting, and Congress should have to trust You in the small things, real- to very restrictive European Union their backs. izing that faithfulness with the least rules that have no scientific basis. We On Monday, I laid down a marker to prepares them for fidelity with the call those sanitary and phytosanitary shape the bipartisan conversations much. As they seek to be stewards of rules. that need to happen now—not a loony, Your justice, mercy, and grace, use I urge the administration to work ideological fantasy like the House them to fulfill Your purposes. Lord, with the United Kingdom negotiators Democrats bill from a few months ago, given them a love for Your wisdom and to achieve greater marketing access which would have cut taxes for rich a passion to be guided by your pre- for U.S. farmers. In other words, I am people, raised taxes on small business, cepts. tired of the EU restrictions that we and provided no additional round for We pray in Your Holy Name. Amen. have had over the last couple of dec- the Paycheck Protection Program. No, f ades on our GMO grains. serious talks actually require a serious PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE I yield the floor. starting point. That is why we wrote a serious bill The President pro tempore led the f containing largely bipartisan policies. Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY It has another round of cash for house- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the LEADER United States of America, and to the Repub- holds—more than $3,000 for an eligible lic for which it stands, one nation under God, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- family of four, with even more support indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. jority leader is recognized. for adult dependents; another round of The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. f additional Federal unemployment ben- efits assistance, which would otherwise LOEFFLER). The Senator from Iowa. CORONAVIRUS Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I simply expire; and another targeted ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, round of the Paycheck Protection Pro- minute in morning business. when the Senate passed the CARES gram to prevent even more layoffs and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Act back in March, we were trying to keep paychecks coming to American objection, it is so ordered. prepare the Nation for economic paral- workers. It has powerful new incen- f ysis and the medical battle of the cen- tives to jump-start rehiring, bring tury at the very same time. Hospitals, down unemployment, and create safe FREE TRADE AGREEMENT healthcare providers, small businesses, workplaces for workers and customers. Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, and working families needed help fast, It has more support for hospitals and now that the United Kingdom has sepa- and the Senate stepped up in historic health providers; more support for test- rated from the European Union, it is fashion. ing, PPE, and diagnostics; and more re- our opportunity to sit down with the For months, our legislation has sources for the sprint toward a vaccine. United Kingdom and do some business. helped cushion the pain of this crisis It has historic support for schools to Therefore, I am pleased that the United from coast to coast, but our Nation is reopen—a higher dollar amount than States and the United Kingdom are not finished with this fight. More House Democrats managed to propose making strides in our negotiations to Americans are dying every day. Mil- in their bill, which costs three times as complete a free trade agreement. lions and millions are unemployed. And much as ours. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S4553 ® Pdnted on recycled papfil. VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:03 Jul 30, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A29JY6.000 S29JYPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S4554 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 29, 2020 And—uniting all three pillars of kids, thought we would be ‘‘finding some legislate until the election and wish jobs, and healthcare—we have legal path forward’’ with a different dollar the American families good luck in protection for medical workers, figure. dealing with the pandemic. schools, nonprofits, and businesses so The day before yesterday, our col- These are not the positions of people that well-connected trial lawyers can’t league Senator CARDIN said: ‘‘What is who are putting the common good get even richer off of stopping the re- the right number? Well, we certainly above politics. These are not the posi- covery in its tracks. understand we don’t want someone to tions of people who actually want to This is a more-than-fair, more-than- have higher benefits than what some- reach an agreement to save Federal un- bipartisan framework for Democrats to one can make working.’’ employment insurance from com- engage with. The only reason I can see At the State level, the Democratic pletely expiring. that Speaker PELOSI and the Demo- Governor of Connecticut agrees. This is The American people deserve better cratic leader would sabotage negotia- what he said: ‘‘I think sometimes it than this. The American people cannot tions is if, as some concluded when discourages work. I would put off afford for Democrats in Congress to they killed police reform in June, they this extra $600 true-up they’re talking have decided in June that they are fin- actually think bipartisan progress for about. I don’t think we need that.’’ ished legislating until November—not the country would hurt their own polit- That is the Democratic Governor of during a crisis like this. The country ical chances. That is why I said a few Connecticut. needs help. The country needs action. days ago that we would quickly learn Like I said, it is not controversial. If Democratic leaders decide they will whether the American people would be The Congressional Budget Office says not negotiate, they will answer to the getting the responsible Democratic that five out of six recipients of this American people. aid—83 percent—receive more to stay Party from March or the cynical, ob- f structionist Democratic Party from home than they made on the job. June that blocked police reform. So Let me say that one more time. The RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME let’s review the early going. Congressional Budget Office says that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under Almost the instant we put out this five out of six recipients of this aid—83 the previous order, the leadership time proposal—which would send thousands percent—receive more to stay home is reserved. of dollars in cash to families and even than they made on the job. We all f more cash to unemployed people—the know that is not fair, and it is not Democratic leader proclaimed that workable in a reopening job market. CONCLUSION OF MORNING ‘‘those Republican, hard-right money We have already heard from small busi- BUSINESS people . don’t want the Federal Gov- ness owners who had trouble reopening The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning ernment to help anybody.’’ because it would be financially irra- business is closed. A trillion dollar proposal for kids, tional for their employees to come jobs, and healthcare just proves Repub- back. f licans don’t want to help anyone. This is why Republicans propose to EXECUTIVE SESSION Yesterday, after meeting with the ad- continue providing Federal aid—con- ministration, the Speaker of the House tinue providing hundreds of dollars per --- said this ‘‘isn’t a negotiation.’’ week—but do it in a more targeted way EXECUTIVE CALENDAR So here we go again. It is the script while providing even more incentives The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under from police reform all over again. for rehiring. the previous order, the Senate will pro- We have had weeks of talk from But now the Speaker of the House ap- ceed to executive session to resume Democrats about the urgency of the parently signals she rejects this bipar- consideration of the following nomina- issue, weeks of Democrats thundering tisan consensus and will not let a pack- tion, which the clerk will report.