S2470 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 18, 2020 the disturbing details of which are con- evolving threats from Russia to China, fault of their own. Almost 1.5 million tinuing to come to light every day. Our to terrorist groups, and for ensuring Americans are sick, and nearly 90,000 action on that subject is not finished. the intelligence community’s impor- have died. Yet Senate Republicans Thanks to leadership from Senator tant work is not tainted by partisan have decided to take the month off RUBIO, we passed legislation to con- bias or political weaponization. from the coronavirus. tinue ratcheting up the pressure on the We have a busy week ahead of us. The American people may be won- Chinese Communist Party. In this case, This pandemic is not going to defeat dering: What is the Republican-led our bill will shed new light and impose itself; a careful reopening will not plan Senate doing instead of addressing this new consequences for the egregious itself; and our Nation’s other chal- urgent national crisis? What could be abuses against the Uyghur people and lenges are not about to politely step more pressing? What is the Republican other Muslim minorities. We also con- aside in the meantime. All kinds of Senate doing in the midst of the crisis? firmed well-qualified nominees to im- American heroes across the country Well, Leader MCCONNELL has sched- portant roles at the National Counter- are tackling the coronavirus head on. uled five rightwing judges for the floor intelligence and Security Center, the We are going to do all we can to keep of the Senate, and the Republican Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the them safe and supported while they do. chairman of the Homeland Security Committee will be holding a hearing Department of Homeland Security, and f the Department of Housing and Urban designed to slander the family of the Development. RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME President’s political opponent. Is the In other words, we have done more The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under chairman of Homeland Security calling for the American people in 2 weeks on the previous order, the leadership time in FEMA to find out if our hospitals have enough PPE? No. He wants to this side of the Capitol than the House is reserved. of Representatives has done in the last echo Kremlin-backed conspiracy theo- f 2 months. In the two months that the ries in order to go on a fishing expedi- House Democrats have spent away CONCLUSION OF MORNING tion to smear Joe Biden’s son. from their duty stations, they have BUSINESS We all know this is what the Presi- seemingly given themselves just one dent focuses on instead of the COVID The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning crisis, but must our Republican col- assignment—to draft an enormous po- business is closed. litical messaging bill and brand it as leagues gamely follow such an absurd, coronavirus relief. f diversionary, and untruthful agenda? I guess so. It is a shame. Yet, even on this basis, they have EXECUTIVE SESSION failed. The 1,800-page doorstop that Even more shameful, the company that the Senator from Wisconsin wants Speaker PELOSI dropped last week was --- appropriately greeted as the legislative EXECUTIVE CALENDAR to issue a subpoena for is voluntarily cooperating and providing relevant equivalent of a standup comedy. There The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under were tax hikes on small businesses in documents to the committee. Did you the previous order, the Senate will pro- hear that? They want to make a big the midst of a small business crisis, ceed to executive session to resume and there were targeted tax cuts for show of subpoenaing, but the company consideration of the following nomina- says it will cooperate. It is a show. It is the wealthiest people in the bluest tion, which the clerk will report. States. There were two separate tax- a sham. It has nothing to do with The legislative clerk read the nomi- COVID and everything to do with payer-funded studies on diversity and nation of Scott H. Rash, of Arizona, to inclusion in the market for marijuana. Kremlin-backed rumors that they want be United States District Judge for the to use to divert attention from the In sum, it was a $3 trillion wish list District of Arizona. slapped together in a clumsy effort to President’s poor showing on COVID. Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I never let a good crisis go to waste—se- The subpoena is just for show. It is not suggest the absence of a quorum. necessary because the company will co- rious work here in the Senate and par- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tisanship pointlessness over in the operate. It is a way to kick up dirt for clerk will call the roll. exclusively partisan purposes. House. The legislative clerk proceeded to The Senate will stay on course and It would be bad enough if they were call the roll. continue our serious work at this seri- doing this when COVID–19 wasn’t rag- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask ous time. Tomorrow morning, our col- ing, but with COVID–19 raging, to unanimous consent that the order for leagues on the Committee on Banking, spend time doing this instead of focus- the quorum call be rescinded. Housing, and Urban Affairs will hear ing on the way to get relief to people— The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without from Secretary Mnuchin and Fed unbelievable. It is a low point for that objection, it is so ordered. Chairman Powell on the latest status committee, a low point for the Senate. This is what is on the Senate Repub- of the CARES Act implementation ef- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER licans’ agenda in the midst of historic forts. The Homeland Security and Gov- The Democratic leader is recognized. unemployment and a national crisis: ernmental Affairs Committee will meet CORONAVIRUS five rightwing judges and the exploi- this week to consider the nomination Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, tation—a show, mock hearing for par- of Brian Miller to serve as Special In- for the third week in a row, the Repub- tisan mudslinging. America is in crisis, spector General for the pandemic re- lican majority in the Senate has no and Senate Republicans are rear- covery programs. The Special Com- COVID-related business on the agenda. ranging the Nation’s deck chairs and mittee on Aging will be examining the For the third week in a row, Leader trying to put them in a political as- challenges facing American seniors MCCONNELL has scheduled zero votes on legislation having to do with the crisis. sembly. during this pandemic as both the virus The Chairman of the Federal Re- Senate Democrats have had to re- itself and the social distancing meas- serve, Jay Powell, appointed by Presi- lentlessly pressure our Republican col- ures take a heavy toll on older Ameri- dent Trump, said last week that we are leagues to secure even the most rou- cans. Of course, we will continue to up- looking at the worst recession since tine oversight hearings on the pan- hold our responsibilities beyond the World War II. Yesterday, Mr. Powell demic. If we had not pressured them, I scope of COVID–19. We will consider warned that layoffs would continue for doubt there would be any hearings at more nominations to the Federal Elec- several months and that unemploy- all, and they are few and far between. tion Commission and to the Federal ment could reach 20 or even 25 percent. The hearings will be the only work we bench. He said: Tomorrow, our colleagues on the In- will have done in the Senate on telligence Committee will vote on re- COVID–19 in the entire month of May, If we let people be out of work for long pe- riods of time, if we let businesses fail unnec- porting the nomination of JOHN and the Republican majority has had essarily, waves of them, there’ll be longer RATCLIFFE to serve as Director of Na- to be pressured into doing even those. term damage to the economy. The recovery tional Intelligence. This role is essen- There are now more than 35 million will be slower. The good news is we can avoid tial for monitoring and countering Americans out of work through no that by providing more support now. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:17 May 19, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G18MY6.002 S18MYPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE May 18, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2471 Mr. Powell went on to encourage pol- Instead, Leader MCCONNELL has said sure our government is working for the icymakers to provide greater assist- that Republicans have yet to feel ‘‘the people. That is what they are there to ance to families and implement meas- urgency of acting immediately’’—Her- do: Hold government accountable for ures to keep workers in their homes. bert Hoover redux. Instead, his party is waste and fraud and abuse. But if they He also pointed out if State and local slowly preparing legislation to give actually do their jobs and say that the governments don’t receive additional legal immunity to big corporations President is doing something wrong, he aid, they will be forced to lay off public that put workers in dangerous situa- fires them. employees and cut back on public serv- tions. Is that the No. 1 problem on The President can’t handle the truth ices at the worst possible time. every American’s mind? Is that the No. and will not tolerate oversight of his Mr.