December 10, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7381 can also get CORY in the occasional RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME Everyone knows that this bipartisan pickle. I remember recently that just The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under proposal is the only real game in town months after the Senator was sworn in, the previous order, the leadership time at the moment, the only proposal with he and I were on a codel together in the is reserved. enough bipartisan support to, hope- Middle East. I think the itinerary was fully, pass both Houses of Congress be- something like eight countries in 6 f fore the end of the year. Everyone days. CONCLUSION OF MORNING knows that, it seems, except Leader At one point, we were waiting to BUSINESS MCCONNELL, who continues to stand in meet with a foreign leader. As every- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning the way of bipartisan progress and who one else was just waiting patiently in business is closed. seems to wake up each morning with a this grand palace, CORY spots what new round of outlandish reasons why looks like a stray piece of paper lying f Democrats are somehow to blame for on the floor. Earnestly thinking he LEGISLATIVE SESSION all the world’s ills. should leave the place better than he As the bipartisan group of Senators found it, CORY bends over and picks up continue to work toward a final agree- the trash—except, it wasn’t trash. Just NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- ment, I want to address an incredibly then, the Monarch rolls in with a color TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR false equivalency that has been drawn guard—a color guard that is looking 2021—Conference Report—Resumed between two provisions: providing aid anxiously for the floor marker that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under to State and local services—essential was supposed to indicate where to stop the previous order, the Senate will re- State and local services—and granting marching. Luckily, the only diplo- sume consideration of the conference sweeping immunity to corporations matic fallout was a good laugh by all. report to accompany H.R. 6395, which that put their workers in harm’s way Actually, good laughs tend to follow will be stated by title. during the pandemic. CORY in his wake. Our colleague finds You will hear voices say: Democrats The senior assistant legislative clerk humor in the ‘‘everyday’’ like few can want to fund State and local services read as follows: and shares it freely. while Republicans—that is, Leader The committee of conference on dis- I understand one of his favorite sto- MCCONNELL—want a corporate liability ries concerns a chat in the well with agreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H.R. shield. Each side wants something that yours truly and former Senator Orrin 6395), to authorize appropriations for fiscal the other side doesn’t want to accept. Hatch. CORY was filling me in on his ef- year 2021 for military activities of the De- But as I said, this is a false equiva- forts to legalize marijuana in States partment of Defense, for military construc- lency, incredibly false, for two reasons. like his. Orrin comes by, and sensing tion, and for defense activities of the Depart- First, State and local aid has broad an ally, I pulled him in. I said: ment of Energy, to prescribe military per- bipartisan support, totally unlike the Orrin, is this true? What the heck is going sonnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for Republican leader’s liability provision, on out West? other purposes, having met, have agreed that which is expressly partisan. Let me say the House recede from its disagreement to that again because it is important. Without missing a beat, our friend the amendment of the Senate and agree to from Utah, a member of the LDS the same with an amendment and the Senate There is strong bipartisan support for Church, shook his head sadly and said: agree to the same, signed by a majority of State and local aid. There is not the ‘‘First, it was tea. Then, coffee. And the conferees on the part of both Houses. same broad bipartisan support for now this!’’ (The conference report is printed in sweeping corporate immunity. Second, the two policies are not re- CORY’s version of this story comes the House proceedings of the RECORD of complete with his finest Hatch and December 3, 2020.) motely equivalent in terms of impor- McConnell impersonations. Believe me, tance or relevance to what is going on RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER he has the voices down pat. in our country right now. When we talk For 6 years, Coloradans have been The PRESIDING OFFICER. The about providing Federal aid so the represented by this remarkable person Democratic leader is recognized. States don’t have to cut essential serv- who lives and works with relentless CORONAVIRUS ices, we are talking about saving lives, focus and infectious joy: globe-trotting Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, and we are talking about saving jobs. diplomacy, a thick stack of signature with each passing day, we get another We are talking about boosting the bills signed into law, and generational round of news underscoring how costly economy. According to the Congres- accomplishments that were only pos- this pandemic has been. Yesterday, sional Budget Office, money for State sible because he was here. over 3,000 Americans—3,000—died from and local government creates the best CORY likes to say himself: ‘‘Not bad COVID–19, the highest single-day death bang for the buck for the economy for a boy from Yuma, CO!’’ We know toll to date. from any spending Congress is consid- what he means, but I have to observe If you were making a list of some of ering. that CORY’s roots and his accomplish- the deadliest days in American history, State and local aid is a policy with a ments are not in conflict—quite the your mind would jump to Gettysburg, nationwide reach. It would solve a real, contrary. It is only because CORY Antietam, Pearl Harbor, or 9/11. You immediate problem. On the other hand, GARDNER is exactly who he is that he is can now add to that somber list last when Republicans talk about giving able to do what he does. Thursday, Wednesday, last Tuesday, corporate indemnity, they are talking CORY, everyone knows darn well your last Friday, and yesterday. Each day, about a solution in search of a prob- transition is no ‘‘retirement.’’ This is a nearly 2,500 Americans or more lost lem. To date, there have been 20—only brief pause between great chapters. I their lives to COVID in the course of a 20-some-odd personal injury lawsuits bet Jaime will call it a victory if she, single day. filed in the entire country. Alyson, Thatcher, and Caitlyn can just Now time is running out for Congress The bottom line is, one provision get you to sit still—just sit still—and to finish our most pressing priority: solves a real problem in our country; stay home through the holidays. passing an emergency COVID relief bill the other does not. The two sides are But we all know it will take about 5 to help American families in need. not remotely equivalent, and it is not a minutes before you have found a dozen Right now, there is one clear path to trade that makes any sense in terms of new ways to keep doing big things, getting an outcome: a bipartisan group the well-being of the American people. winning victories on behalf of others, of Senators and House Members who Now, I know the Republican leader and paying forward the ways in which have reached an initial agreement on and Senate Republicans want to help you have been blessed. Colorado and another emergency relief bill. In the small businesses and re-up the popular your country aren’t finished with you spirit of compromise and for the sake PPP to help prevent businesses from yet, not by a long shot. So thank you of getting something done for the folding and American workers from for everything. We will miss you badly American people, Speaker PELOSI and I being laid off. So do I. So do Demo- around here, but we can’t wait to see have endorsed those efforts as a frame- crats. Well, guess what. State and local what course you chart next. work for a final bill. relief is also about American workers VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:37 Dec 11, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10DE6.003 S10DEPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE S7382 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2020 getting laid off too. If you want PPP so mine our democracy by indulging man. And soon journalism led to poli- small businesses don’t lay off people, President Trump’s wild conspiracy tics. He served as chief of staff and ad- why wouldn’t you want State and local theories about a stolen election. viser for several Kansas Governors, be- aid so governments don’t lay off peo- Here in the Senate, the chairman of coming then the State Republican ple? They are the same people who the Homeland Security Committee an- chairman. need to feed their families, pay their nounced yesterday that next week he In 1952, my dad was asked to head up rent, pay their mortgage, and get on will convene a hearing on ‘‘election the Citizens for Ike campaign, which with life.