John Barrasso

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. I yield back the rest of our time.

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I come to the floor today to talk about the work of my good friend and colleague, the junior Senator from Georgia, Senator Kelly Loeffler. Republicans, including the Senator from Georgia, continue to put forward solutions to address one of our country's most pressing problems, and that, of course, is healthcare. As a doctor, I recognize that healthcare remains a top priority for families all across this great country. Senator Loeffler also knows how important healthcare is to families, not just across her State of Georgia but to families all around America. She has a proposal. It is called Modernizing Americans' Health Care. It is a plan, and this plan is another example of the important contribution that she is making here in the Senate to the well-being of the entire Nation. Her plan emphasizes that Americans with preexisting conditions must be protected. My colleague is absolutely right: Everyone knows someone with a preexisting condition. My own wife Bobbi is a breast cancer survivor. She has had three operations. She has had chemotherapy twice, and she has now survived that cancer by over 15 years. That is a preexisting condition. Let there be no doubt: Republicans will always make sure that patients are able to get insurance regardless of their medical condition. Senator Loeffler's plan also recognizes the need for more insurance choices. Americans need the coverage that works for them and their families. It should be available, affordable, and appropriate for them--what they need, not what the government says they have to have. Families need more options. Association health plans let small businesses and community organizations come together with the buying power of large corporations. This helps lower the cost of care. Main Street, I believe, deserves the same opportunity to buy insurance as Wall Street, and that is what Senator Loeffler is proposing. Her plan also lets consumers save more of their own money to pay for healthcare. Right now, as a result of the Obama healthcare law, Americans can only use a health savings account when it is tied to a high deductible healthcare plan. My colleague from Georgia wants to expand these accounts for anyone with health insurance coverage regardless of their type of insurance plan. Everyone knows over the last year--since the Obama healthcare law was passed--that deductibles have continued to keep climbing. We need to give families relief by letting them save more of their own money tax- free through a health savings account. That way, families could use their money to pay for deductibles and other kinds of healthcare expenses that right now they are not allowed to do. As a doctor, one thing in particular that I strongly support, of course, is direct primary care. We have it running successfully in my home State of Wyoming. That is when someone pays your healthcare provider a flat monthly fee instead of a fee every time you visit the doctor or the nurse or the nurse practitioner. Consumers like this arrangement. They like it because it takes the uncertainty out of a doctor's visit. They always know what they are going to pay month to month to month. Providers like it because they get to focus on patients over all of the paperwork that is so often required by insurance companies. I talk to doctors who are tired of practicing medicine and want to retire: What is it you don't like? They love taking care of patients, but they hate the paperwork that comes with it, so often related to the law, the mandates, and the things that happen with trying to comply with the insurance paperwork. A lot more can be done, and we know this as a result of coronavirus in terms of providing healthcare using telemedicine. Especially, Madam President, in your home State and mine, where there are great distances and lots of rural communities, it is a great opportunity for people to receive healthcare from a distance, using the newest technology of the day. I think we have seen much more about telemedicine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients have tried it. They like it. The providers I have talked to around the State of Wyoming like it a lot. There have been issues in the past, though--the issues of how to reimburse and how many visits and the distance. And did they need to come into the office? Would it be covered by insurance? Would it be covered by Medicare? Would it be covered by Medicaid? All of these are issues--hassles--for the patient and the provider, but, to me, telemedicine is now here to stay. These direct primary care practices truly have been on the leading edge of telemedicine because they didn't have to worry about insurance company reimbursements based on the number of face-to-face visits. They could just visit and talk to the patient using telemedicine. Speaking of COVID-19, this plan also ensures that we continue fighting back against this virus. There is tremendous news today about the vaccines--two vaccines, one that is 90 percent effective and one that is 94 percent effective. As a doctor, I will tell you, these are breakthroughs. These are modern-day miracles of medicine. If you think about it, not that long ago Dr. Fauci said that if we could get a vaccine that was 50 percent effective, that would be tremendous. But we are talking much, much higher rates of effectiveness than that. My colleague in her proposal also calls for focus on something we can all support, and that is making drugs and personal protective equipment here in the United States--producing here at home in America. We need to bring the manufacturing of these critical supplies back to our own communities, certainly back to our country. Never again--never again-- should our patients and healthcare workers be held hostage by China or any other nation. Senator Loeffler knows that Americans should not be the sole payers for the innovation that supports the rest of the world. My colleague's plan reinforces the fact that our trade policies must reflect when countries freeload off of American innovation. Finally, she wants to make sure that pharmacy discounts benefit the patients, not large pharmacies' so-called benefit managers. This is a commonsense legislative proposal that will mean lower drug prices for patients who have to take expensive medications. When discounts go directly to patients, Americans will see much lower costs when they pay at the pharmacy counter. This is by no means an exhaustive list of what is in Senator Loeffler's proposal. But I am sure that in the days ahead, the Senate will have a chance to hear more about her important work on healthcare. I look forward to continuing to work with her and all of my colleagues as Republicans get these important policies enacted into law I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today to recognize a significant anniversary for the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts. When they meet next week, the association will celebrate 75 years of service to Wyoming's natural resources. Without question, the forests, streams, and soils in the state have seen immense benefit from the important work conservation district employees do every day. Conservation districts succeed through their work and partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Landowners, farmers and ranchers, government agencies, counties, towns, and other community organizations contribute to the conservation of land and water resources on private and public lands in Wyoming. Local conservation district boards perform as a liaison between local landowners, resource users, and State and Federal governmental agencies. The association helps individuals navigate programs and provides exemplary technical assistance to cultivate productive lands and healthy ecosystems. Agriculture, industry, cities, forests, and wildlife all depend on strong and healthy watersheds. Wyoming has 34 conservation districts in our 23 counties. Each district is run by staff and a board of five supervisors, who serve voluntarily. Conservation districts direct programs protecting local renewable natural resources at the local level. Each district puts its focus on issues important to resource concerns in the county. These range from water quality monitoring and watershed planning to seedling tree sales and living snow fence programs, forest planning and rangeland management to wildlife habitat improvement and endangered species issues. I rely heavily on conservation districts for their expertise in water, conservation, wildlife, forestry, and general land management. As their mission statement says, in part, the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts provides leadership for the conservation of Wyoming's soil and water resources and promotes and protects the quality of Wyoming's waters through responsible conservation ethic. People are the key to conservation district success, from local volunteers to dedicated staff and partners who dedicate themselves to the cause. The association provides valuable insight and expertise to countless projects and issues at the local, State, and national level. One of the best examples is in the recently retired, Bobbie Frank. Bobbie Frank served as executive director of the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts for the last 29 years. Bobbie's list of achievements is long. From being intimately involved in a myriad of water quality issues both at the State and national levels to developing and implementing programs at the local level. Bobbie has received the Wyoming Stock Growers Guardian of the Grassland Award and the Kurt Bucholz Conservation Award. She has also been inducted as a member of the Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame. I look forward to working with the Wyoming Association of Conservation District's new executive director, Hunter Petsch, moving forward. It is without hesitation that I say Wyoming's forests and plains would look much different today if the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts had not unified in 1945. Each municipal water manager, rancher, hiker, forester, hunter, and miner owes a debt of gratitude for the good work of the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts. I would like to recognize several leaders within the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts for their dedicated service to the State of Wyoming. Board of Directors: Todd Heward, President; Dan Rice, Vice President; Ryan Fieldgrove and Wayne Garman, Area I Directors; Levi Clark and Stan Mitchem, Area II Directors; Keith Grant, Area III Director; Reg Phillips and Shanon Sims, Area IV Directors; and Shaun Sims and Coke Landers, Area V Directors. Staff: Hunter Petsch, Executive Director; Kelly Brown, Program Specialist; and Cathy Rosenthal, Watershed Coordinator. Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, of each conservation district: Campbell County Conservation District: Lindsay Wood, Casey Elkins Clear Creek Conservation District: Ryan Fieldgrove, Luke Todd Cody Conservation District: Russ Dwyer, Bobbie Holder Converse County Conservation District: Stan Mitchem, Shelly Falkenburg Crook County Natural Resources District: Wayne Garman, Ted Parsons Dubois-Crowheart Conservation District: Reg Phillips, Todd Hirsch Hot Springs Conservation District: Jim Andreen, Sonja Becker Laramie County Conservation District: Thomas E. Farrell, Kevin Wells Laramie Rivers Conservation District: Ruth Shepherd, Bob Shine Lincoln Conservation District: Erick Esterholdt, Kenny Petersen Lingle-Fort Laramie Conservation District: Don McDowell, Joe Speckner Little Snake River Conservation District: Jack Cobb, Meghan Lally Lower Wind River Conservation District: Nick Biltoft, Richard Denke Medicine Bow Conservation District: Shanon Sims, Ralph Brokaw Meeteetse Conservation District: Tim Morrison, Joe Thomas Natrona County Conservation District: Andrew Anderson, Dennis Scott Niobrara Conservation District: Matt Dockery, Dale Jordan North Platte Valley Conservation District: Art Davis, Mike Carney Platte County Resource Conservation District: Kerry Powers, Levi Clark Popo Agie Conservation District: Tim Wilson, Jeri Trebelecock Powder River Conservation District: Bill Jones, George Renkert Powell-Clarks Fork Conservation District: Floyd Derry, Regan Smith Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District: Arla Strasser, Dan Mika Sheridan County Conservation District: Susan Holmes, Edith Heyward Shoshone Conservation District: Brad Tippetts, Spencer Ellis South Big Horn Conservation District: George Kelso, Walt Hibbert South Goshen Conservation District: Dan Jackson, Boyd Yeik Star Valley Conservation District: Rollin Gardner, Shane Crook Sublette County Conservation District: Coke Landers, Darrell Walker Sweetwater County Conservation District: Mary E. Thoman, Tom Burris Teton Conservation District: Steve McDonald, Nate Fuller Uinta County Conservation District: Kelly Guild, Dennis Cornelison Washakie County Conservation District: Dave Slover, Dan Rice Weston County Natural Resource District: Alicia Redding, David Tysdal I rise today to honor the dedicated professionals who work to keep our ecosystems healthy. My wife, Bobbi, joins me in thanking them and wishing the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts another 75 years of success.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, may I respond?

Mr. BARRASSO. And I appreciate the remarks of the Senator from Georgia, and I come to the floor today also in support of the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. I will state that she is terrific. She is so impressive--so exceptionally well qualified to take on this new responsibility. But the partisanship that she has experienced from Democrats--well, it has predictably backfired on them, certainly by the American people. The majority of Americans of all parties, a majority of Americans have said get her confirmed--put her on the Supreme Court because that is what they saw when they watched the hearings last week--somebody who is ready to serve our Nation and apply the law, not legislate from the Bench. This is an important moment in our history. Judge Barrett, the Senate, the American people deserved a hearing that matched the moment and that highlighted her qualifications and capabilities. Regrettably, Americans got a weeklong lecture by Democrats which turned out to be a partisan infomercial on ObamaCare. This is a law that 10 years on, Democrats are still trying to explain to the American people, still trying to explain how many--all these millions and millions of people who lost their health insurance, trying to explain millions and millions of people whose costs went up--more than doubled Judge Barrett is very clear and has been clear. She has no agenda for any case, and as a judge she considers each case on the merits. There is only one real explanation for Democrats' fixation on ObamaCare during the Supreme Court hearing. They are trying to score political points, appeal to their far-left base before an election. It is shameful. It is a scare tactic. I hear scare tactics and false attacks on healthcare that frighten people. That is not the way we ought to be doing things. They never mentioned that Senate Republicans have voted now five times to protect people with preexisting conditions, including today on the bill that every one of those Democrats voted against with a targeted relief plan. There was a component in that to make sure that people with preexisting conditions were protected and that coronavirus is now listed as a preexisting condition. Every Democrat voted against adding coronavirus as a preexisting condition. Every Republican today voted in favor. So Democrats seem to be trying to make a standard confirmation process about anything other than the qualifications of an exceptionally qualified nominee. The Presiding Officer has seen this, and we have talked about this. These attacks began before her nomination was even announced. She was criticized for being a mom, criticized for having seven children, and criticized for going to church--criticized for going to church. There are Democratic candidates now running for the U.S. Senate criticizing her religion or faith in God. Astonishing. The delay tactics and the defamation has continued. We have seen this before. The American people saw through the Democrats' disturbing attacks on Brett Kavanaugh 2 years ago. Americans rejected the cheap character assassination. They rejected the low road, and now Democrats are leaving open the possibility--and I hear this from Members of this body--Members of this body, as well as candidates for the U.S. Senate. They are leaving open the possibility that if they win the election, if they take the White House, if they take the Senate, of expanding the size of the U.S. Supreme Court--expanding the size from 9 to 11 or 13. They haven't decided yet. The Presidential candidate won't even announce what his thoughts are on it. He won't say. He won't tell the American people. Oh, wait until after the election is over. It is just like it was with ObamaCare, first you have to pass it before you get to find out what is in it. The size of the Supreme Court has been nine for 150 years--since 1869. Ruth Bader Ginsburg said nine is the right number. She said to go beyond that would be politicizing it. But that is what we see happening today with the sorts of threats that we see coming from the other side of the aisle. What do the American people think about that? Well, the New York Times poll this week--58 percent of voters said they are against adding additional members to the Supreme Court. How many favored? Just 31 percent, but they are the liberal activist base of the Democratic Party. That is who they are. Those are the ones who want to call the tune if they have Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House and Chuck Schumer as majority leader and Joe Biden in the White House. That is why Joe Biden won't tell the American people what he plans to do. Let me just get through that Americans can rest assured that Republicans in the Senate are committed to this nominee. Just as the Senator from Georgia has just said and as I have said and others have said, Republicans in this body are committed to this nominee. We will confirm this exceptional Justice regardless of the delay tactics, regardless of the seek-and-destroy mission the Democrats have launched. We are going to confirm this exceptional Justice to uphold the law as written. The Senate will vote, and the Senate will confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. With that, I yield the floor

Mr. BARRASSO. Well, I have something to present, and I have the mic at this point to speak and I would like to complete that. And I know the Senator from Oregon is scheduled to speak after that, so if we could just go in regular order, Mr. President.

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I want to associate myself with every remark that we heard from the distinguished Senator from Georgia. She has shown a strong voice and strong leadership in this, and, of course, she knows that 29 times, as she was trying to explain before being interrupted, that there have been vacancies in an election year of the Supreme Court. It happened. What we know, historically, if we talk about historical precedence, is if the President, asked by the Constitution--told by the Constitution to nominate, and if the Senate is of the same party as the President, generally, that person gets confirmed. But on the other hand, if the President who nominates is of a different party than the Senate--which is what happened in 2016 with Merrick Garland after the Republicans had won the Senate--that nominee, historically, is not confirmed. That is the history going through the U.S. Senate confirmations. The Constitution is clear. The President nominates, then advice and consent by the Senate, and we know what happens there, generally--same party, consent happens; different parties, divided government, and that is what happened in 2016. President Obama was reelected in 2014, but come 2016, the American people voted to put the Republican Party in the majority. So I actually have my dates wrong. It was 2012 that President Obama was reelected, and in 2014, the majority went to the Republican Party. So when a vacancy occurred in 2016, we had, as I stated, the majority-- a President of one party and a Senate majority in the other, and the nominee, through advice and consent, was not confirmed. That is what I am talking about, when I see this ongoing abuse of the nominee, whom I had a chance to meet with today who believes in the Constitution, follows the Constitution, is true on the Constitution-- and that is why the people of Wyoming are so delighted with her nomination and why I am so happy to support her. But I appreciate the Senator from Georgia for letting me come in a little bit on her time. I am just grateful for her leadership and the strong statement she is making on behalf of this very impressive, well-qualified judge. I am really looking forward to voting to confirm her to the U.S. Supreme Court. I apologize to the Senator from Georgia if she has additional remarks to make.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the cloture motion filed on the Newman nomination be waived.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I move to recess.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, first, I would like to commend my colleague, the Senator from Maine, for her absolute, unquestioned leadership in this issue of paycheck protection. She knows, in Maine, as I do in Wyoming, the importance of small businesses to our communities, to our Main Streets, to the vitality of our economies, and she has led the fight from the beginning of coronavirus to make sure our businesses would remain viable; that they would have opportunities to keep people on the payroll; that they can continue to contribute to their communities. She was the one who brought up this idea in the first place, shepherded it all the way through Congress as part of the CARES Act, and continues in that leadership role today. I come here today on the floor to first commend my colleague from Maine and also to talk about the ongoing fight against coronavirus and the plan forward, guided by data and doctors, to put the disease behind us and let all of these small businesses that the Senator from Maine has been working to allow to continue to strive and to thrive. Those in the fight against the virus--and I talk to you as a doctor now--continue to hold our respect and our admiration. They are doing remarkable work in community hospitals and clinics all around the country. And across the country, as a result of the PPP program, our Main Streets are getting a little busier; our economy is gaining strength; kids are going back to school; and even some football is being played. Most importantly, we are learning more about this disease and how we can successfully treat COVID-19. What doctors and clinicians and researchers and scientists have been able to accomplish in such a relatively short period of time is nothing short of remarkable. These men and women are fighting a battle every day in the labs and the hospitals around the world; they are racing against time; and they are saving lives. They are our heroes today at work all across our Nation. An effective vaccine will allow everyone to get back to work and to school. It will also be the protection our most vulnerable Americans desperately need: our seniors, patients with preexisting conditions, anyone confined to a nursing home. Congress has already directed $10 billion for vaccine development. I, for one, and other Members of the Republican conference believe that we should be doing more. A month ago, the Senate tried to begin debate on our plan to finish the fight against coronavirus. The bill we brought to the floor of the Senate would get people back to work safely, would get kids back to school safely, and would put the disease behind us. Instead, Democrats, on this very floor--on this very floor--blocked the focused, targeted bill. Now, this week, Democrats once again are blocking another vote on relief for coronavirus--relief that is needed all around the country; relief that I hear about in Wyoming and, Madam President, you do in West Virginia; relief that our constituents talked to us about as we travel our States. So why are the Democrats blocking this legislation? Well, it must be something significant to make them block giving aid to the American people when the people need it most urgently. Well, maybe this is why: Maybe the Republican bill doesn't include millions of dollars in tax breaks for rich people in New York and California. The Democratic House-passed bill includes those things. Now, the Republican bill doesn't give taxpayer money to people who are in the country illegally, but the Democratic House-passed bill does do that. The Republican bill doesn't bail out States that were mismanaged way before anyone had ever heard of the coronavirus. Well, the Democratic House-passed bill does that as well. The Republican bill doesn't include money for marijuana banking, but the House-passed bill does all of these things. It is hard to believe these are the reasons the Democrats are preventing coronavirus relief from reaching the President's desk, but just look at the differences in the priorities. The Democrats are refusing money for Americans until Congress funds their laundry list of unrelated liberal items for their favored liberal special interest groups. Now, I hope the real reason this coronavirus relief bill is being blocked isn't because of an upcoming election. I mean, I sincerely hope that Americans aren't being used to score political points or to damage political opponents. Surely, that can't be the reason. It would be unthinkable. The Speaker and Senator Schumer need to set aside all of their political demands and focus on the people in need. They need to set aside the wasteful spending that is unrelated to this battle in order to save lives and set aside their opposition to more money for a lifesaving vaccine. Now is the time to make an agreement that would actually benefit Americans today. There is an urgency. We need to act, and we should act now. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, this virus can do its worst, but we will do our best. We are doing our best. We are doing our best to get through this together, to get a safe and effective vaccine, and to get our economy and lives back on track. It is time to pass targeted relief. This is the path forward for America. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I am here today to object to this unanimous consent request on behalf of the junior Senator from Texas, Senator Cruz. As the Senator from Massachusetts knows, Senator Cruz is also deeply interested in this issue. Both Senators have complementary pieces of legislation. They have had the language of their legislation agreed to unanimously by both the majority and the minority of the Commerce Committee. So I would ask the Senator from Massachusetts to reach out to the Senator from Texas, and I understand he is fully willing to work with the Senator from Massachusetts on amending the House bill to ensure that it passes the Senate with the Cruz amendment that would not be objectionable to supporters of this bill. As a result, I object.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss the President's historic choice for the U.S. Supreme Court. The President has nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She would fill the vacancy left by the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This is a powerful and positive appointment by President Trump. Judge Barrett is a brilliant jurist. She has a stellar record, and she has a solid character. She will serve as a role model for an entire generation in the legal profession. She has already been vetted by the Senate. She was vetted and received bipartisan support when she was confirmed 3 years ago to her current court position. Well, that is the definition of ``highly qualified.'' She embodies the qualities the American people want in a Justice. Now, the American people want fair Justices. They want Justices who know that their job is to apply the law, not legislate from the bench. That is what people in my home State of Wyoming talked about this past weekend, when I was visiting at home with the people of Wyoming. They want Judge Barrett, and she is committed, through her time in the legal profession and on the bench, to these very values. So here in the Senate, in this body, we have a job to do, and it is to offer advice and consent. We will hold fair hearings, and we will hold a timely floor vote on Judge Barrett's nomination. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle don't seem to feel the same way about this process. In fact, they have already announced their opposition to the nominee--regardless of how qualified this nominee is who is before us, regardless of the vacancy that exists on the Court, regardless of the spectacle that the American people saw 2 years ago with the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. The Senate minority leader has made his position clear. He appears to be so disturbed by the prospect of a constitutional jurist on the bench that he is willing to upend the core institutions of our Nation. The Democratic Senators are calling on their colleagues to pack the Court--to add two more liberal, activist Justices to the Supreme Court. One Senator tweeted about it this weekend. That is, of course, what they plan to do if they win the White House, the House, and the Senate in the November elections. Now, this would deliver partisan decisions that make law but don't apply the law. Now, for Vice President Biden in the Presidential debate last night, he refused to answer a specific, direct question about this very topic. He refused to reject a position that Democrats are holding that is highly unpopular and highly divisive. And now adding members to the Supreme Court--you know who said that was a bad idea? Well, it was Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She said nine members is the right number; that it works. People shouldn't try to add to that. It would be seen as partisan, political. And, of course, that number has been in place since 1869. Last year, in an interview, she said that nine was the right number. So this isn't something she said a long time ago. It was just last year in an interview with National Public Radio. Democrats aren't going to listen to her. Senior Democrats appear determined to remake the Senate and destroy the Supreme Court in the process. The radical left sees Judge Barrett simply as collateral damage. She is an obstacle to be overcome, no matter the cost. That is why she is being attacked for her faith--for being an active member of her church, for participating fully. She is being attacked as a mother, being attacked for her religious beliefs. The far left, in their haste to attack the judge, never mention that she has seven children. Now, two of those seven children were adopted from Haiti. One of her children has special needs. Judge Barrett is a full-time caregiver, as well as a public servant. She understands the importance of healthcare. She understands how precious life is. She is an outstanding nominee. Two years ago, we considered another nominee for the Supreme Court. Democrats dragged him through the mud. We witnessed a gangland character assassination. I wouldn't be surprised if we see the same thing happen again, and the far left is already demanding it. They are demanding that mud continue to be thrown at this nominee until it sticks--something, anything to undermine her character and to undermine her credibility. Now, I might remind my friends what the outcome of that seek-and- destroy mission was the last time. Justice Kavanaugh's family was put through the meat grinder, and Republicans stood by him. He was confirmed by the Senate and sits on the Supreme Court. The Senate and the American people will not stand for more political gains. We will not accept the dirty tricks that the far left is going to continue to try to pull. Chairman Lindsey Graham has promised a fair process in the Judiciary Committee. The majority leader has indicated full and fair consideration on the Senate floor. We will not yield an inch to the mob. Let me be even clearer. If Democrats continue to smear this outstanding nominee, this mother of seven, this woman of faith, it is going to backfire on them again. They continue such stunts at their own peril. After the Kavanaugh confirmation devolved into a circus, Democrats lost seats in the Senate, and they lost credibility with the public. The American people expect fairness. They demand it for the highest Court in the land, and Senate Republicans will ensure it. We will ensure Judge Barrett is fairly treated. She deserves dignity and respect, and we will ensure that she is heard Amy Coney Barrett appears to have all the qualities I look for in a Supreme Court Justice. She is a model of integrity, intelligence, and of judicial independence. She is highly qualified for the role to which she is nominated, and she will receive a fair vote in the U.S. Senate. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. First, Mr. President, I would like to express my deep appreciation, admiration, and respect to both Senator Enzi and Senator Carper for introducing this legislation to honor Bob Brown. There he is. This is actually a picture of us. I am next to him. When you look at that smile, that is a smile that is as beautiful as the sunrise, as welcoming as a rainbow. What a wonderful man. He was known by many in Thermopolis as Bob Brown, the nicest guy in town. It was his hometown, and it stayed with him from high school-- 1943. This Greatest Generation, Mike and Tom, as veterans--having worn the uniform, borne the battle--know that we are losing the Greatest Generation so rapidly. What a generation--World War II, the European theater, the Pacific theater, returning home, working in the post office. As Senator Enzi said, he was a postal clerk. There was a young lady, Jeralyn, who worked at the local bank, and she would come every day to pick up the mail. She caught his eye, he caught her eye, and they lived and married and were together for 70 years--70 years. They had two wonderful children--Mike Brown and my wife, Bobbi--and a granddaughter, who really was the apple of their eye, Hadley. But this group--World War II and Korea, as the Senators both mentioned--in the Korean war, Bob was part of the 300th, the Cowboy Cannoneers, an incredible unit--Unit Bravery Citation. He was awarded the Purple Heart. He never talked about it. He was very humble. He returned to Thermopolis, just took care of people in the community, to the point of serving as postmaster for many of his 44 years at the post office. People knew him, loved him, and admired him. I know that Mike had a chance to talk to the postmaster in Thermopolis yesterday about what we were going to do. She had actually known Bob, as anyone in town had, and was very grateful for having known him. Last year Bob and Jerry celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. We lost Jerry this spring, and on 9/11 we lost Bob. He passed away at the age of 94. He was surrounded by his loving family. And his daughter Bobbi truly is, as Senator Enzi said, the caregiver. I say she is a saint. People who know her know that to be true. As we talk about this Greatest Generation, of which Bob was a very significant part, we can think back to the history of this country. Mr. President, in the Chair, you are a marine, and you know this. It reminds me of the speech that Abraham Lincoln gave during his first year as President in the White House. On the Fourth of July, there was a flag-raising ceremony, and he gave a very short speech. The speech that Lincoln gave that day was: It is my job to raise the flag. And then to everyone else there, he said: And it is your job to keep it up. Like you, Mr. President; you, Senator Enzi; you, Senator Carper--Bob Brown was one to keep it up. Since we have bipartisan cosponsors and sponsors of this legislation, let me then talk about John Kennedy, who at his inaugural talked about this Nation being willing to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, and oppose any foe. That is Bob Brown, all-American. Ronald Reagan talked about the fact that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not something that we inherited in the bloodstream. It is something that has to be fought for, protected, defended, and then handed down to the next generation to do the same. And that is Bob Brown. This year is Wyoming's 130th birthday, turned 130 this summer. So, 30 years ago, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Wyoming, and George Herbert Walker Bush, then-President of the United States, came to Wyoming to talk about Wyoming and its history. He said: Wyoming is a very special and sacred place. And he said: The values and divisions of Wyoming continue to inspire America. Bob Brown's values and his vision continue to inspire everyone who was ever privileged to know him. May he rest in peace.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today in celebration of Rhonda Zimmerman, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming's 2020 honoree. Since 1978, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming has worked to make a positive difference in the lives of children. Their mission is to inspire all youth, especially those who need them the most. They strive to help young people reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. The programs, leagues, and activities serve the children in our community by cultivating academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship. On October 21, 2020, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming will host the 22nd Annual Awards and Recognition Breakfast. Every year at this event, the Boys and Girls Club honors a member of the community who has made outstanding contributions to their organization, Wyoming youth, and the city of Casper. It is an inspiring celebration. This year's honoree is Rhonda Zimmerman. She is an ideal choice to receive this honor because of her lifelong dedication to our children and families. With this award, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming shows their gratitude for Rhonda's work, which mirrors the Club's important mission. Rhonda has given of her time and talents to the youth of our community for her entire life. Being raised in the Zimmerman family, she was taught the value of hard work and giving back to others. She grew up in Casper, the oldest of her siblings, Mitch, Michael, and Renee, and with her loving parents, Gail, Lois, and later Anne. Their character contributed greatly to Rhonda's Christian values and giving nature. Rhonda attended Casper College, earning an associate's degree in criminal justice and social work and later earned her bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Wyoming at Casper College. Rhonda's passion for her community and the well-being of her neighbors has shown time and again through her work as a counselor at the Youth Crisis Center, the Wyoming Behavioral Institute, and Central Wyoming Counseling Center. In 2011, Rhonda cofounded Casper Family Connections. Their mission is to provide children who are unable to live with one or both parents a safe and conflict-free environment. They provide also for healthy contact with the noncustodial family. They offer parenting classes as well as mental health services on top of their important mission, giving children and families a strong foundation on which to build. Family holds a particularly special place in Rhonda's life. She raised two children, Greg and Kendra. Together, Greg and Rhonda own and operate E&F Towing and Transport in Casper. She also serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming board of directors along with her brother Mitch. Rhonda sets an example everyone can follow. She is the first to offer a helping hand and shows a passion for improving the lives of others. The Code of the West charges us to live each day with courage. Not only does Rhonda embody this principle, but she gives everyone around her the tools they need to live the same. Wyoming, Casper, and the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming are fortunate to have her. It is with great honor that I recognize this outstanding member of our Wyoming community. My wife, Bobbi, joins me in extending our congratulations to Rhonda Zimmerman upon her selection for this special award.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss this unprecedented obstruction that American families are facing from the Democrats. In a time when Congress really should be working toward bipartisan solutions on coronavirus, Democrats keep obstructing--over and over and over again. It does seem to be their singular focus. It seems to me that they are going to continue to obstruct all the way until November 3, election day, putting politics first and American families last. The obstruction has reached levels that has even made Members of their own caucus ``uncomfortable,'' ``alarmed,'' and ``frustrated.'' Now, those are not my words; they are the words of Democrats sitting in Congress, in the United States, in this very building. Democrats are telling their leaders that the leaders are failing them by failing to compromise and work together toward solutions that would benefit the American people. So the bad news for American families is that, last week, Democrats in this body, in the U.S. Senate, blocked, obstructed a targeted coronavirus aid package with policies, amazingly, that the Democrats had at one time supported. But they came here to the floor of the Senate and voted, in lockstep, no--no to children, no to jobs, no to paychecks, no to fighting the disease. They actually blocked relief that would, one, have gotten kids back to school so kids wouldn't fall further behind from the school they have already missed, and it would have let parents get back to work. They voted no. They blocked people getting back to work safely. They blocked paycheck protection money so that paychecks could continue to go and businesses--small businesses--could remain open. They blocked money for vaccines and treatment, for testing, so we could put the disease in the rearview mirror. Now, the good news is that the majority of the Senate did support the legislation to help children and their parents and workers and the small businesses and the medical personnel fighting against the disease. But all those votes came from the Republican side of the aisle. Republicans are united. The Republican bill received 52 ``yes'' votes. All 52 were Republican. Not one single Democrat voted yes, even though the majority of that body had backed the relief efforts. When you talked to them, they said, oh, yes, they are for this and this and this, but they voted on the U.S. Senate floor to block it. It is interesting. They even blocked allowing the Senate to discuss these issues. All we did was come to the floor and say: We have some proposals. Let's discuss them. If you don't like them, offer amendments. We can discuss those, debate those. They even blocked a motion to move to get that bill to the floor of the Senate--step 1 of legislating. They said no. So they may say they want to help the American people, but that is not what happened on the floor of the U.S. Senate. The New York Times had a headline that said: ``Hopes Dim for More Stimulus as Democrats Block Narrow GOP Plan.'' Well, they are right; it is a narrow plan because it is targeted. It is targeted to kids and schools, to workers, jobs, and the disease. It doesn't include all of the extraneous things that Nancy Pelosi and the House put in: money for environmental justice; money for the National Endowment; money for this, that, and the next thing; money for--you name it--direct paychecks to illegal immigrants. That is just the tip of the iceberg when you take a look at their entire list. To me, it was Nancy Pelosi living on ``Fantasy Island.'' POLITICO said of the vote: ``Senate Democrats block Republican COVID relief proposal''--Senate Democrats block--once again, blocking the things that the American families all across this country are asking when they look to Congress for help and relief. USA TODAY had the headline: ``Senate Democrats block $300 billion coronavirus stimulus package, leaving little hope for relief before November''--$300 billion. That is a huge amount of money that could do so much to help our schools, to help our students, to help small businesses, to help our workers, and to help fight the disease. Unfortunately, this has been the record that we have seen coming from the Democrats ever since the pandemic began. While the virus was raging in March, Democrats delayed help for Americans by blocking the CARES Act. The New York Times headline at that time, on March 22, said: ``Emergency Economic Rescue Plan in Limbo as Democrats Block Action.'' So they were blocking it back in March, and they were blocking it last Thursday. In April, as small businesses were forcibly shut down by the government, they were fighting to, one day, reopen their doors--that is all they wanted to do, get back to business; they wanted to keep employees on the payroll--Democrats, once again, blocked funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. This is a wonderful program, Mr. President. Thirteen thousand of these loans were taken in the State of Wyoming by small businesses. I am sure, in your home State of South Dakota, similar small businesses took advantage of this opportunity. Our average loan was about $78,000. These are small businesses that just needed help making the payroll, keeping people working, keeping people on the payroll, looking forward to the days that they could return to business as usual. What was the NPR, National Public Radio, point on this on April 9? It was this: ``Senate Democrats Block GOP Efforts to Boost Small Business Aid''--Senate Democrats blocking aid for small businesses all across the country. Then, in August, as unemployment insurance was set to expire, Republicans asked for consent on this floor to extend the program. Democrats came to this very floor and, once again, objected. So, today, with an opportunity to finish the fight against coronavirus, the Democrats have a full roadblock in place against any further relief. The cold, hard truth that we face is that they have delayed aid, and they have divided this country all year long. I would go so far as to say this has hurt the country; it has hurt families; it has hurt our students; it has hurt our schools; it has hurt our healthcare providers; and it has certainly hurt people trying to recover from the disease. Remember that the year started with the Democrats' completely partisan impeachment farce. We sat here, day after day, listening as the Democrats brought forth charge after charge against the President. That is how we started the year, and now we are ending with their blocking of coronavirus relief. Let me assure the country, Republicans will not let you down. Republicans will continue working to put the virus in the rearview mirror and deliver what we are seeing right now, and it is the great American comeback. It is people getting back to work--over 10 million Americans back to work over the last 4 months. It is an unemployment rate down below 9 percent. It was over 9 percent for 4 months. It is businesses reopening, kids going back to school, a vaccine on the way--great, optimistic ideas and thoughts regarding the vaccine. I met with the Secretary of Health and Human Services earlier today. I am very encouraged and optimistic about a vaccine being available to many at the end of the year. So there is a lot to be optimistic about as the country comes back from the coronavirus because this is the great American comeback. I yield the floor. (Mr. BARRASSO assumed the Chair.)

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor today, the day before we will be voting on a piece of legislation to deal with relief for people, for a country, dealing with coronavirus. I come to the floor today as Americans are looking to us, the U.S. Senate, to provide relief in this ongoing battle against this disease. Republicans, as you well know, are offering a path forward. That is what the American people want. They want a path forward. So tomorrow, the Senate Republicans will move a targeted bill, a bill to help people get back to work, to help kids get back to school, and to deal with and put the disease in the rearview mirror. It is interesting, in watching all of the things that unfold in the U.S. Senate and in the Chamber, that Democrats continue to be playing political games. The Democratic leaders in the House, as well as the Senate, have held up this round of coronavirus relief just as they held up the last round of coronavirus relief. You say: Where is the roadblock? Well, I will tell you. Senator Schumer and Speaker Pelosi have been the roadblocks to relief for the American public. The Speaker has demanded a multi-trillion-dollar blank check to pursue her liberal agenda. It is a liberal wish list, no strings attached. You can go through all of the things that she has asked for. Even the New York Times said it was a liberal wish list, and that is the New York Times realizing that it wasn't a serious piece of legislation. Yet, just last week, when Speaker Pelosi was asked about it and all of the things that are in it, she said: ``We're not budging.'' Her statement: ``We're not budging.'' At the same time, as you look at what is happening in the country, Presidential nominee Joe Biden seems to be, ever so slowly, coming out of his hiding place in the basement. His answer to coronavirus, when the press asked him about this a week or so ago when he just edged out of the basement just a little bit, he said he would shut down the entire country again. That is not what they want in Wyoming. That is not what they want in your State, Mr. Presiding Officer. That would be a recipe for disaster. But that is what the former Vice President, the nominee of the Democrat Party, has said he would do: shut down the country again. We have seen, time and time again, Democrat leaders shrink in the face of adversity. Republicans are facing challenges head-on. It was interesting that, a couple of weeks ago during the Democrat convention, Joe Biden didn't even mention the violence that was plaguing Democrat-run cities all across the country. Not a single one of the Democrat speakers at their convention mentioned the destruction and the looting and the rioting and the violence. Democrat mayors, Democrat Governors, through their words and their actions, are encouraging these riots that are destroying our cities. They have surrendered to the leftwing mob, and, as a result, violent anarchists rule the streets in a number of the cities run by liberal mayors In Portland, OR, police officers have been viciously attacked for 100 days. Innocent people have been murdered in cold blood. We have seen small businesses looted, torched--a lifetime of work up in flames. Democrat mayors are tying the hands of law enforcement, it appears to me, and liberal city officials are defunding the police, calling to defund the police, voting to defund the police. Clearly, they have refused to allow the police to do their job. It is an incredibly dangerous situation, and it is a complete lack of leadership by Democrats. Republicans would defend, not defund, the police. The burning, the looting, the rioting--this must stop. People are fleeing the liberal cities, and they want to move to States like ours. Even some Democrat mayors are fleeing their own homes. Portland's mayor is moving out of his condo building to escape the riots. St. Louis's mayor has temporarily relocated from her home, and the mayor of Chicago, interestingly enough, has banned protests on her block while doing nothing to protect the rest of the city, where the number of fatalities and where violence and murder are breaking records at an alltime high. People expect their elected leaders to keep them safe, but, really, the Democrats need to get their priorities right. They don't have them right. Americans need safety and security so they can get back to a normal routine in their lives. There really is some good news to report, and that is both with regard to coronavirus and with regard to the economy. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that coronavirus is starting to retreat, that positivity rates fell 40 percent from July, that hospitalizations were down 60 percent, and the good news is that researchers are reporting that they are on track to produce a safe, effective vaccine in record time. As a doctor, I will tell you this truly is record time when I think of how long it took--years and years--for vaccines to be developed. Now, we are not out of the woods yet, but we are making significant progress and moving ahead at warp speed. That is one of the things that is going to be on the floor tomorrow with this vote, as we work to get people back to work and kids back to school and the virus behind us, is more money and effort for testing and for treatment and for vaccine development and distribution. The economic news is good. Joe Biden says he would shut down the country again, and this country is opening up and doing remarkably well. The economy added nearly 1.4 million jobs in August alone, 10 million new jobs in the last 4 months. The unemployment rate fell to below 9 percent--8.4 percent. That is down from a pandemic high of close to 15 percent. It is interesting. The experts had it all wrong. The experts said that, heading into the fall, we would have an unemployment rate at over 16 percent. It is now down to 8.4. I compare this to the economic recovery that took so long when President Obama and Vice President Biden were running the economy. We had an unemployment rate of over 9 percent for 30 months in a row--over 9 percent for over 30 months. This time, with the unemployment rate, we are already below 9 percent at 8.4. So the economy is rebounding, the virus is receding, but still there is hardship around the country, and that is why we will tomorrow vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate to deal with the needs of the American people; yet Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in Congress remain focused on a different agenda, and I believe their misguided priorities will hurt, not help, Americans. It is interesting, when I listen to the Speaker of the House, even over 100 Democrats wrote her and openly commented that they should be able to be allowed to vote on a targeted piece of legislation. She refused to listen to them. But we were home for the last period, listening to folks all around my State and your State, and what did we hear them say? They said: We still need help with paycheck protection for our small businesses so they can continue to make payroll. Nancy Pelosi says no. Chuck Schumer says no. They said: We want to get our kids back to school so we can go back to work and our kids will not fall so far behind. Nancy Pelosi has said no. My concern is that, tomorrow, Chuck Schumer will say no as well. People at home said: We need a vaccine. We need more testing. We need treatments. It sounds like, tomorrow, the Democrats may say no to that as well. I look at the list of the things that the Democrats are proposing: more money for sanctuary cities, direct payment checks to illegal immigrants, issues relating to immigration and customs enforcement. That is just the tip of the iceberg. At the same time, with their misplaced priorities, they are blocking justice reform. They did that to the Tim Scott justice reform bill that every one of the Republicans cosponsored. They blocked it and refused to even allow it to come to the floor for discussion. They are ignoring crime. Clearly, the leftwing of the Democratic Party has taken the wheel and has taken a sharp left turn and is headed right off a cliff. The Democrats' misguided priorities lie in stark contrast with Republicans' forward-looking plan. We have targeted coronavirus relief. It is a bill that will help our students, will help our workers, will help our families, will help people with the disease. The Senate legislation sensibly extends small business paycheck protection support to help keep people on the payroll. It ensures that we beat the disease with the money that we have talked about. It gives the schools the tools they need and continue to need to reopen smartly and safely so our kids will not be left behind. I come to the floor to say the contrast is clear. What we are hearing from the opposite side of the aisle are empty Democrat promises, and Republicans are delivering on ours. Senate Republicans are going to stay focused on governing. We are going to do the job the American people elected us to do. The choice could not be clearer: Republicans on a path forward or Democrats with their ongoing partisan obstruction. I appreciate your time and your attention in this critical time as we move forward with the bill that the American public is asking us to pass, that we have Republicans supporting, that fills the needs and responds directly to the needs of the American people. At the same time tomorrow, we will see if the Democrats continue to obstruct or work with us on the solution and a path forward for our Nation. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to remember one of Wyoming's most accomplished and beloved journalists. On Wednesday, August 12, 2020, Kathleen ``Kathy'' Suzanne Brown passed away at the age of 64. In her nearly 40 years as a reporter at the Gillette News Record, Kathy had a profound impact on communities across northeast Wyoming. Kathy spent more than 20 years of her time at the News Record as a sports reporter. She was notably the only female sports reporter in the State for most of that time. Kathy was known for being an extremely thorough reporter. She went above and beyond to profile a majority of Campbell County's student athletes, whether or not they were the star player. When Kathy transitioned to being an education reporter in 2012, I often had the privilege of speaking with her on my regular visits to classrooms around Gillette. Kathy was a true professional, and it was abundantly clear how much she cared for the students she wrote about. Her dedication to journalistic excellence was recognized statewide on multiple occasions. One of the biggest highlights of her career came in 2016, when the Wyoming Press Association named her its Veteran Journalist of the Year. Kathy was also recognized by the Campbell County School District, the Energy Classic Committee, the Wyoming Education Association, and the Wyoming Historical Society for her excellent work. While her passing leaves a huge void in the Wyoming journalism community, her legacy lives on through her more than four decades long record of compelling and insightful stories. Bobbi and I send our deepest condolences to Kathy's mother, Shirley Brown; brothers, Tim, Ben, and John, as well as her newspaper family at the Gillette News Record. On August 14, 2020, Gillette News Record publisher and editor Ann Turner published a moving tribute to Kathy on behalf of the entire News Record staff who knew Kathy best. Ann's sentiments are shared by so many in Gillette and Wyoming's journalism community. I ask unanimous consent that this article be printed in the Record.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I want to start by addressing a few of the things that the minority leader, Senator Schumer, discussed this morning. Last week, Senator Schumer twice--twice--blocked an extension to the Federal unemployment bonus payments. Twice, the Democratic leader threw his hands up, and he said no. He said: Democrats will not support an extension of these benefits--he said--at any level. Why? He said why. He said he wants Republicans to pass his leader's bill. His leader is Nancy Pelosi. It is partisan, and it is loaded. Senator Schumer likes to talk about some of the things in the Speaker's bill, but he carefully avoids much of it because one-third of the spending is completely unrelated to coronavirus--a full one-third. Senator Schumer says we remain far apart. He said that the difference is between ``priorities and scale.'' Priorities and scale. Well, let's look at some of the priorities in the bill that he supports: direct payment checks to illegal immigrants; taxpayer-funded abortions; changes to election laws--permanent; tax breaks for the wealthy in New York and in California; millions and millions more for environmental justice, the National Endowment for the Arts. It is a long, long list. The minority leader's statement was full of metaphors and analogies this morning, but he had very little, if any, substance. The votes we had last week were not what he said--``sham votes''; they were real votes that would have extended real money to real people all over the country. The answer by Senate Democrats, according to their Senate Democratic leader, is a larger Federal Government. That is what they are proposing. The minority leader used the analogy of a leaky faucet. He said that we have to take care of the flood, but he never mentioned actually fixing the faucet. Their bill does exactly that--never gets to fixing the problem; it just gives Americans a larger government. The Republican plan provides 10 times more for vaccine development and distribution than what the Democrats passed in the House. It actually gets at beating the virus. The Democrats say they are rescuing schools and small businesses, but their bill actually zeroes out the Paycheck Protection Program and provides less money for schools. As for understanding the needs of the country, Senate Republicans have passed, in a bipartisan way, $3 trillion in relief, and half of that is still unspent. On the State and local government side, it is ironic to hear the minority leader mention all of his preferred public service workers, but not once in that discussion did he mention police officers. That is because the platform of the Democrats now really is to defund the police. And this is at a time when the murder rate in his own hometown--New York City--is at a record level. I come to the floor to discuss the reckless spending and the partisan obstruction by the Democratic Party. It is the path they have chosen to deal with coronavirus. It is the Speaker's $3 trillion runaway spending spree. Speaker Pelosi says it is her way or the highway, and the Senate Democratic leader, her deputy, Chuck Schumer, has been 100 percent behind her political stunt. At the same time, the Democrats are ignoring what the American people tell us they want and need. They want to resume their lives. People want to resume their lives safely and sensibly, and to do so, they need a safe work environment; they need a safe, effective vaccine; they need their jobs back; and they need their kids in school. Republicans are doing everything we can to provide this. At this time of soaring national debt, we must make sure that every penny we spend is focused on the disease and the recovery. Congress has already approved nearly $3 trillion in combined coronavirus aid. When the Senate passed the bipartisan CARES Act, it was the largest rescue package in U.S. history. Over $1 trillion of the relief money still has not been spent, and at the same time, millions of people who lost their jobs in lockdowns remain out of work. Schools and small businesses face challenges in reopening as well. Congress needs to act, and we need to act now. We want to support people who are most in need and to do it in a way that encourages, not discourages, work. According to the University of Chicago study, two out of three unemployed people are currently making more at home than they would at work. That is due to this $600-per-week bonus payment. It is not common sense. Last week, when Republicans offered a sensible compromise, Democrats rejected it out of hand. They want to continue paying people more to stay home than they would make at work. Democratic leaders are holding the unemployed hostage--as they say, leverage--in their negotiations with the White House. Once again, the Democrats are putting politics above people, slowing the economic recovery, and destroying millions of jobs in the process. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, introduced serious relief legislation. The Republican legislation is targeted, tailored to the emergency. Our bill provides resources for healthcare for kids and for jobs. We safely reopen the economy. We safely reopen schools. We fund testing, treatment, and vaccines. We provide liability protection. We shield the medical community, K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and small businesses from frivolous coronavirus lawsuits. We already see greedy trial lawyers trying to profit from the Nation's pain. Over 4,000 lawsuits have already been filed. An avalanche of abusive coronavirus lawsuits will flatten and flatline the economy as it just tries to awaken. We continue to put the health, safety, and well-being of the American public first. We are doing everything we can to defeat the virus, and we contrast our serious efforts with Speaker Pelosi's pricey, partisan pipe dream. If enacted, her so-called Heroes Act would be a huge waste of taxpayer money--the largest waste of taxpayer money in U.S. history. In fact, her bill costs more than all previous coronavirus legislation combined. It may be her dream; it would be a nightmare for the American public. We can go through the things that are in the Democrats' wish list, and anything I would say here would just be the tip of the iceberg. Let me remind you what POLITICO reported when the bill passed the House. It said: It is a Democratic wish list filled up with all the parties' favorite policies. National Public Radio said the bill marks a long wish list for Democrats. The New York Times said the bill was more a messaging document than a viable piece of legislation. Government doesn't have a spending problem so much as an overspending problem. It is on full display right now as the Democrats promote runaway spending--spending that is unrelated to the challenge before us. Speaker Pelosi is wasting our Nation's time on a far-left fantasy that does not have a single chance in the world of becoming law. Let me be clear. Republicans will hold the line on reckless spending. We need to keep the next relief bill to no more than $1 trillion, and we need to ensure that the bill only includes things directly related to the coronavirus. I am ready to act now. It is essential we get this right. And for the good of the country, this wild, willful, wasteful spending by the Democrats has to stop. I yield the floor. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be able to complete my remarks prior to the scheduled vote.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, first, let me say I concur with the comments by the Senator from North Dakota. I think he makes wonderful points about what is being done in terms of pandemic relief and the issues that we as a nation are facing. As his State and mine are similar, with so many small businesses, and we see the impact and the success related to the Paycheck Protection Program, I just want to associate my beliefs with those that we have just heard expressed from the Senator from North Dakota. Protests I come to the floor today to talk about another epidemic, and that is the epidemic of violence that is sweeping our country. Monday's Washington Post headline warns: ``Protests explode across the country; police declare riots in Seattle and Portland.'' Tuesday's Wall Street Journal editorial is headlined: ``A Weekend of Urban Anarchy.'' ``A weekend of Urban Anarchy.'' In Seattle, on Saturday, rioters blew a hole in a police precinct. They hurled explosives, and they injured 53 police officers. In Portland, rioters threw Molotov cocktails Friday night. Several officers were hit with heavy explosives. The rioters returned Sunday and attacked the courthouse. In spite of what the Democrats say when they call these ``peaceful protests,'' these are not peaceful and they are not protests. This is active violence. This is organized violence, and it is meant to destroy and to intimidate. Portland has now endured 60 days of senseless destruction. These violent protests are a powder keg for our entire Nation. The rioters threaten entire communities. They are ruining lives, and they are ruining neighborhoods. They are wrecking public property, and they are wrecking private property. They burn, they loot, and they kill. Across the country, a number of police officers have been killed. According to the New York Times report, murder rates in our big cities are now up 16 percent compared to last year. In New York alone, murders are up 24 percent. In Atlanta, murder is up 31 percent. In Chicago, murder is up 51 percent. In Chicago, last week, 15 people were shot while attending the funeral of a victim of gang violence. Children are being hurt and killed. A 7-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were among those shot and killed in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. This is a crisis of leadership in our liberal cities. Where are the Democratic mayors? They have surrendered to the mob. Where are the Democratic Governors? They have surrendered to the mob. Instead of leading, they are turning their backs on the safety and security of the law-abiding citizens of our communities. In these liberal cities, mob rule has replaced the rule of law. We are seeing in realtime--in realtime--the result of the radical ``defund the police'' movement that is embraced by many Democrats. We should defend, not defund, the police and law enforcement. Americans do not want to defund the police. According to a recent Rasmussen poll, two out of three Americans oppose cutting police funding. A majority say that they want the Federal Government to help fight crime in these cities. One thing is clear: The violent rioting plaguing our cities cannot continue. The police are being targeted for doing their job, and their jobs come at great personal risk. At the same time, elected Democratic mayors and city council members and Governors refuse to condemn the rioting and the coldblooded murder. It is time for local leaders to restore law and order. It is time to make sure our communities are safe again. The death and destruction lies at the feet of elected Democratic leaders. Each must be held accountable for their leadership failure. I yield the floor. Cloture Motion

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be allowed to complete my remarks before the rollcall vote.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.