Bob Casey

Mr. CASEY

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 Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I wanted to speak in particular terms about the American Rescue Plan and in particular about the provision of home- and community-based services. We know that when we speak of these kinds of services, we are talking about services that benefit seniors across the country as well as Americans with disabilities. We are also concerned as well for the heroic frontline workers who provide those services, most of whom--virtually all of whom have been underpaid and, frankly, underappreciated for far too long. Let me start with the provision of these home- and community-based services in terms of the people who are benefiting from these services. Right now, about 4 million Americans receive home care and home health services in their own homes or apartments. Receiving these services at home reduces the likelihood that that older American will be infected by the virus. Serving and supporting older adults and people with disabilities reduces pressure on nursing homes and other congregate settings. We know that these kind of services, the home- and community-based services, make sure that seniors and people with disabilities have a chance to continue to live where they want to live, as opposed to living in a congregate setting. In many cases, that means they will have more contact with their families, reducing the loneliness and social isolation that can be damaging to their mental health. So this American Rescue Plan includes temporary Federal funding to States to increase Medicaid home- and community-based services. If the bill were to pass, an additional $9.3 billion would be made available to States to ensure that workers who provide these services have the protection and resources they need to provide the care and to provide the services. More than 200 organizations from around the country wrote to Congress in support of these new dollars. For months, SEIU, one of the great unions in America representing workers--healthcare workers; the disability community, as well; advocates for older adults like AARP and others--have rallied around the need for this funding. This funding can be used to increase wages for direct-service providers, the workers. It can be used to secure additional personal protective equipment and testing supplies for workers and those that they support. Home- and community-based funds can also be used to help people transition from congregate settings back to their homes. It can also be used to provide services for the 800,000 Americans waiting for this kind of help. For example, Ira Hall from Westmoreland County, PA, just right in the southwestern corner of our State, next to Pittsburgh, in that county, Ira will continue to receive services, and he will receive that service from his direct service worker, Ray Williams. I was able to visit both of these individuals last May during a virtual home visit. Home- and community-based services make it possible for Ira, who has a developmental disability, to live in his own apartment. Ray, who is his direct service worker, helps Ira plan his day and helps him throughout his workday and helps him find the resources he needs to meet his goals. During the pandemic, Ray's support made it possible for Ira to remain in his home and to be safe from contracting the virus. The services Ray provides also helps Ira maintain his physical and mental health. We know that the American Rescue Plan makes it possible for services like those Ira receives and Ray provides. It will also mean the agencies providing these services will continue to operate and provide essential home- and community-based services throughout the public health crisis. Passage of the bill would be a down payment on securing strong and comprehensive home- and community-based services infrastructure, but it is only a down payment. This pandemic has revealed a fragile home care and home health system. These funds should be the first step in creating home- and community-based services infrastructure that can serve seniors and all people with disabilities who want to live in their own homes and remain in their communities with their families, friends, and neighbors. With the passage of this American Rescue Plan, we will be able to address the immediate pandemic needs of older adults, as well as people with disabilities. Let's work to ensure this first step starts to create the path to a robust, comprehensive home care and home health network in every State for every senior and every American with a disability. I yield the floor.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following statement regarding the impeachment trial of the former President be printed in the Record.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the electronic numerical integrator and computer. This anniversary, formally known as ENIAC Day, marks the 1946 dedication at the University of Pennsylvania of the first all- electronic, programmable computer. Invented by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert of the University's Moore School of Electrical Engineering, construction of the computer began in July 1943. After several years of tireless work, Mauchly and Eckert produced a 27-ton computer that occupied 1,800 square feet of floor space and could complete complex calculations near instantaneously. Also due credit are the original programmers of ENIAC, Kathleen McNulty Mauchly Antonelli, Jean Jennings Bartik, Frances Betty Snyder Holberton, Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer, Frances Bilas Spence, and Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum, without whom the operation of the machine would not be possible. After ENIAC, Mauchly and Eckert continued to be industry pioneers and went on to invent UNIVAC, the first commercial computer. Today's Unisys Corporation, which I am proud to note is headquartered in Blue Bell, PA, traces a momentous part of its origins back to J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly and their early inventions. As we mark this 75th anniversary, we marvel at the impact of ENIAC and how far computers have come. While ENIAC was originally intended as a tool to further our national defense, we have come to rely on later iterations of the computer in all aspects of life. Computers enable us to be more efficient, more connected and have transformed the world we live in. I look forward to what the world looks like when we celebrate the 100th anniversary of ENIAC Day in 2046.

Mr. CASEY

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

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise tonight and, again, it is my privilege to come before the Senate, as I have since my very first year here, to celebrate Black History Month in a particular way by paying tribute to a number of Pennsylvanians. I am honored again to have the opportunity to highlight the extraordinary leadership of Pennsylvanians who dedicate their lives to improving their communities and who wake up every day to rededicate themselves to that effort. This year I am grateful to be able to recognize three honorees--Glynis Johns, Justan Parker Fields, and Dr. Ala Stanford--and to recognize each of these individuals in a very personal way in terms of their work in their communities in Pennsylvania. Each of them are having a remarkable impact in their communities. The theme of this year's recognition is ``Bending the Arc: Celebrating Catalysts for Change.'' We know that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke of ``bending the arc'' on many occasions, but, most notably, in his address at the conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965 in March of that year, when he said: The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. Our late and beloved colleague here in the Congress, Congressman John Lewis, carried that same spirit with him. He lived it, and he believed that we will get there someday, get there to a better day for justice. Congressman Lewis also said: We will redeem the soul of America, and in doing so, we will inspire people around the world to stand up and speak out. We know that justice, of course, takes hard work. In the face of adversity and exhaustion, to be the voice that stands up and speaks out, as John Lewis suggested, is not a decision that a person makes once and then just follows a well-worn path. It, of course, requires perseverance. It requires hope and faith. Dr. King reminds us that justice is the--to use his words--is the ``fierce urgency of now.'' Dr. King and Congressman Lewis understood that while the arc of the moral universe does bend toward justice, this is not something to which one can attach themselves a path that you can follow passively. To bend that arc toward justice requires strenuous exertion that often gets you enemies before it makes you any friends. It does not bend on its own but bends only--only--under the weight of acts of courage and the hard work of those who have committed themselves to the struggle for justice and equality. President Obama, as well, in his work every day of his Presidency, did work to bend the arc on issues of racial, economic, and global justice, and he continues to do so in his years as a former President. Congressman Lewis not only gave all of us words to live by and inspiration, he also gave all of himself to the cause of justice. But his example, the example of John Lewis, still serves as an inspiration for the next generation of leaders. It is why Dr. King spent his entire life fighting for racial equality, voting rights, nonviolence, and the rights of the poor. King's work for the lives of others cost him his very own. We should honor his sacrifice daily and not simply during Black History Month. But we know that behind every man and every woman leading the fight for justice stands a multitude. Behind Dr. King, millions labored and labor still for civil rights and voting rights. We saw that this summer when millions of Americans across our Nation took to the streets to condemn the mistreatment of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. And we saw it just last month when African Americans voted in extraordinary numbers in the Georgia special elections to send Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the U.S. Senate. For every leader who rises to national prominence--Dr. King, President Obama, Congressman Lewis, Vice President Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, just to mention a few--there are leaders and communities across the country who are themselves doing transformational work, who are doing their part to bend the arc of the moral universe, and to bend it, of course, toward justice. Today, it is my privilege to highlight three such leaders from Pennsylvania. I will start in my home region and in my hometown, Scranton, PA, Glynis Johns. First, I speak as a son of Scranton, the city I was born in and still live in. I was proud to honor a daughter--or I should say am proud, tonight, to honor a daughter from Scranton, Glynis Johns. Glynis is the founder and CEO of the Black Scranton Project, a nonprofit organization, a local heritage initiative and public history venture dedicated to archiving and celebrating the Black history of our hometown that too often has been overlooked and has been obscured. She received a B.A. and an M.A. in sociology from St. John's University and is currently a doctoral student at Rutgers. Glynis did not always plan to become a local historian, but like so many, she became one because she saw a need, and she responded to it. While working on a research project during her master's program at St. John's, the stories called to her, and she knew she needed to share these stories. For her project, she investigated why the Black community is overlooked and seen as transient in a city like Scranton. She kept uncovering stories through old newspaper archives and historical memorabilia, and she knew she had to return to her hometown to share these stories and rebuild a community. She is proud to shift local perspectives on culture, inclusion, representation, and history within the city of Scranton. As a native and as a resident, I am grateful for her work to uncover these stories for our entire community to learn and to enjoy. I first met Glynis just last year, 2020. It was the Juneteenth Jubilee, which she organized in our hometown, along with her fellow Black Scranton board members. It was both a celebration and a call to action, and that was in the midst of a summer of Black Lives Matter rallies and marches. From the moment I arrived at that event and saw hundreds of, at that time, socially distanced and masked attendees, I saw her dedication. I saw her commitment firsthand. In addition to events like the Juneteenth Jubilee, Glynis and her colleagues at the Black Scranton Project are hard at work on their plan to reopen the Black Scranton Project Center for Arts & Culture. The center will provide a safe, secure, and diverse environment that will lead to equity and inclusion for all residents by offering support like job assistance, career readiness training for adults, and also afterschool and summer programs for children. The plans for the center are ambitious, and I know that Glynis and her team are up for this important task. I am looking forward to walking through the doors of the center to see their work for myself as soon as it opens. Having spaces for the community to come together to learn is necessary. It is necessary to build up and support the community, and I am grateful for Glynis's commitment to do this work in our hometown. I know firsthand how Scranton can benefit from young people like Glynis moving up and dedicating their time to making our city and region a better place to live. We are lucky to have her talents and her drive. We know that in March of 2020, she was named one of the most ``Influential Women of Northeastern Pennsylvania'' in Happenings magazine and was also named a ``Top 20 under 40 Young Business Professionals'' as part of the 2019 honors, and that was in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Business Journal. Glynis has already accomplished so much, and I am looking forward to watching her contributions to our hometown over the years to come. Our second honoree for Black History Month is Justan Parker Fields from the Lehigh Valley, just south of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where the city of Allentown is, and it is right on the New Jersey border. Justan is a resident of the city of Allentown. Following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor just last year, Justan decided to gather a few of his friends in the city of Allentown, in the downtown, to bring attention to these and other injustices against the African-American community. This gathering gained attention across the city and was attended by hundreds, including the mayor of Allentown, the police chief, and elected officials from across the Lehigh Valley. This event gave the residents of Allentown an opportunity to express their thoughts and frustrations surrounding racial injustice, and from there, Justan and his colleagues founded Black Lives Matter Lehigh Valley. They founded it in order to create a platform to initiate real change in their community. Since then, Justan's activism has only increased. He worked to form a collective with other local community and nonprofit leaders in the area to brainstorm about new initiatives for racial justice, for equity, and for equality for Black and Brown residents of the Lehigh Valley, and his work is not going unnoticed. I spoke with Justan and his colleagues shortly after their first event, and over the past year, he has remained in regular communication with my office to discuss the progress that Black Lives Matter Lehigh Valley is making in Allentown and in surrounding communities. He has also provided testimony to the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee, partnered with the city of Allentown to review their use of force policy, and he has also worked with the Allentown City Council to draft recommendations for police reform in the city. His activism has been inspiring to me and to so many others, and I know that that same inspiration draws other young people to his work. His hope is that those who attend his rallies or follow Black Lives Matter Lehigh Valley on social media are motivated to jump-start their activism and their fight for equality. Justan lives in Allentown with his partner Kevin and children, Shyllee and Shamaer. There is no doubt that Justan's work in Allentown is creating a healthier and more inclusive community for his children and others like him. Justan and Kevin have founded Change Now, a local nonprofit that serves families in need in the greater Lehigh Valley. They have hosted food drives, delivered emergency food relief packages to families, hosted a Friendsgiving Dinner for the city, and sponsored Christmas presents for over 100 children. Justan said that if there is anything this pandemic taught him, it was that anyone, any family was just an illness away from needing serious help. Through his work with both Change Now and Black Lives Matter Lehigh Valley, Justan continues to make Allentown and the Greater Lehigh Valley a better place to live. And I thank him, and I know I speak on behalf of so many Pennsylvanians in thanking him for the many contributions to his community and to our Commonwealth. Third and final, going further south to the southeastern corner of our State in the Philadelphia region, Dr. Ala Stanford. As we recognize changemakers this year, I am honored to recognize the contributions of Dr. Stanford. She is an experienced physician, board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both general adult and pediatric general and thoracic surgery. She founded the Black Doctors COVID Consortium. It goes by the acronym BDCC. So many people have heard about them in our State and beyond. This consortium is an initiative established to provide African Americans, who, of course, we know are suffering disproportionately from the incidence of and the mortality surrounding COVID-19--this consortium provides those Americans, those Pennsylvanians, with testing and education. Her work addresses not only the urgency of the present moment due to the pandemic but also a legacy of systemic structural racism that has left the Black community with significant health disparities--I think that is an understatement--and a mistrust of the healthcare system. I have had the privilege of engaging with Dr. Stanford on many occasions. She has provided her subject matter expertise to my office countless times, and she has been an unrelenting and passionate advocate for the communities, the people, and the families whom she serves. It is important to note that Dr. Stanford started the consortium, BDCC, with her own funds, her own money, which is a true testament to her commitment to delivering quality care to Black Americans. Dr. Stanford stepped up at an extremely volatile and uncertain time for the people of our State. This speaks volumes about her leadership and her dedication to addressing the enormous disparity in healthcare, both healthcare access and healthcare outcomes, for African Americans. Last month, I was honored to, again, participate in the annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. King at Girard College, where BDCC set up a testing site, which they have done in every neighborhood throughout the city of Philadelphia. At that event, someone shared a powerful yet sobering quotation of Dr. King. Here is that quotation: In March of 1966, at a press conference ahead of his address to the Medical Community for Human Rights in Chicago, [Dr. King] said that-- And I am quoting Dr. King here-- ``of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhumane because it often results in physical death.'' So said Dr. King about the terrible inequity in healthcare. Visionary leaders and health experts like Dr. Stanford are on the frontlines every single day, working to fix a broken system--a system, frankly, that has been unfair to so many communities of color. However, Dr. Stanford is committed--committed--to making change happen in our healthcare system so it can better serve the African-American community. She and her team have made national headlines and garnered the well- deserved attention and support of many across the Nation as a result of the work of this consortium. So I thank Dr. Stanford for being an advocate, for being an anchor for the community, and, of course, a trusted leader. As I conclude, I think it goes without saying that this year has been a long, difficult, and dark year. I have to say, though, in the midst of all of that darkness and all of the pain--we just left the front of the Capitol in remembrance of the 500,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19--despite all that pain, all that loss, all that darkness, this month of February, which just happens to be Black History Month, gives me some hope. In so many ways, I think our hope can be renewed. While the pandemic still rages, especially in those communities of color I spoke of, we also see that with continued education and leadership and courage, such as someone like Dr. Stanford provides, and, of course, with vaccines available, COVID-19 will begin to recede, and we will once again be able to hug our friends and family members and to move on from this pandemic. So we commend and salute people like Dr. Stanford who are helping us through this difficult time, providing some light in that darkness. Leaders like Justin Parker Fields have stood up to confront injustice and to proclaim to law enforcement and elected officials that the lives of Black men and women matter and are deserving of the same protection as any other life. As we saw people go through the polls this fall voting, and then others voting in January in Georgia, all of these Americans refusing to be intimidated by misinformation and threats, I was more hopeful. Young leaders in communities of color have insisted on telling their own stories and writing them into the book of history that for too long has been kept hidden from them, just as Glynis Johns is doing in our hometown of Scranton. Each of our honorees, and so many like them, have indeed bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice, and for those brave acts, for those courageous acts, we honor them today in Black History Month. May God bless their work.

Mr. CASEY

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

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12 noon, Wednesday, February 24; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; further, that upon conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of Jennifer Granholm to be Secretary of Energy; that the cloture motion with respect to the Granholm nomination ripen at 4 p.m.; that the mandatory quorum call be waived; finally, that the Senate recess from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m. for the all-Senators briefing.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging, having adopted rules governing its procedures for the 117th Congress, have a copy of their rules printed in the Record pursuant to XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Sanding Rules of the Senate.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute to the late Richard L. Thornburgh, a former Pennsylvania Governor and former U.S. Attorney General. Dick Thornburgh was also a hero to the disability community for his longstanding advocacy for the rights and self- determination of people with disabilities. Born in Pittsburgh on July 16, 1932, Dick received an undergraduate degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh Law School before going into private practice. In 1969, President Richard Nixon appointed Dick as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and in 1975, President Gerald Ford appointed him to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Criminal Division. Two years later, he returned to Pennsylvania. In 1978, Dick was elected Governor of Pennsylvania and was reelected in 1982, becoming the first Republican to serve two successive terms as Governor of the Commonwealth. During his time in office, Governor Thornburgh provided a steady hand and a calm demeanor. Most notably, he led Pennsylvania through the Three Mile Island crisis, America's worst nuclear meltdown. He took charge of the crisis and in so doing won praise from President Jimmy Carter and from Pennsylvanians for how he handled the potential disaster. At the time of the Three Mile Island Crisis, Governor Thornburgh said: You have to reassure people. You have to go before the cameras and microphones and tell them what you know and what you don't. You have to stop the rumors and, of course, you have to make decisions. There isn't any Republican or Democratic way to deal with a nuclear crisis. Nobody has ever had to deal with this kind of accident before. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan nominated Governor Thornburgh to be the U.S. Attorney General, a position in which he served until 1991. He resigned in 1991 to run for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania following the tragic death of Senator John Heinz in a plane crash. Governor Thornburgh lost the Senate election to Harris Wofford, who had been appointed to the vacancy 6 months before the 1991 election. Following his Senate run, Governor Thornburgh served a 1-year appointment as Under-Secretary General at the United Nations at the request of President George H.W. Bush. In that role, he sought to bring reform, transparency, and accountability to the United Nations. After his service at the United Nations, Governor Thornburgh returned to private practice but would continue to serve in advisory roles at the State and Federal level, imparting his wisdom and experience in a number of different arenas. Of his many contributions to public life, Governor Thornburgh was especially respected in the disability rights community for his tireless advocacy for the rights and self-determination of people with disabilities. Governor Thornburgh's son, Peter, was injured in a car accident in 1960, a tragic accident that also killed Thornburgh's wife, Ginny Hooton. The accident left Peter Thornburgh, then just 4 months of age, with a significant brain injury that caused physical and intellectual disabilities. Governor Thornburgh is quoted as saying that the accident ``made him think about what he could do with his life to contribute to the world.'' As Attorney General in Bush Administration, Dick Thornburgh helped to shepherd the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, through Congress during a most critical period in 1989. On June 21, 1989, then Attorney General Thornburgh affirmed to the disability community and the Nation the Bush administration's intent to support the passage of the ADA and to sign the legislation when Congress passed the bill. When the ADA passed Congress, Attorney General Thornburgh said that the day was ``one of emancipation, not just for the millions of Americans with disabilities who will directly benefit from this Act, but even more so for the rest of us now free to benefit from the contributions which those with a disability can make to our economy, our communities and our own well-being.'' Walter Cohen, who served as both Pennsylvania's secretary of public welfare and attorney general, stated that Governor Thornburgh was responsible for Pennsylvania creating home and community based services for people with disabilities and for ordering the closure of the Pennhurst State School and Hospital, which had been found to be housing hundreds of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities in squalor. Mr. President, for many Governor Thornburgh is known for his decades of public service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to the Federal Government. He is deserving of this recognition, and the people of Pennsylvania owe him their deepest gratitude for his service. But any discussion of Governor Thornburgh's service would be incomplete if we did not pause to note that because of his efforts, in part, the lives of people with disabilities have been dramatically improved. Our built environment and transportation system have been made available to all people. It is now understood that every child, no matter their disability, has the right to a quality, public education. People with disabilities, rather than living in institutions, are now free to grow up and flourish in the community and setting of their choice. These opportunities may be taken for granted now, but they were hard fought gains achieved through the sweat and tears of the disability community and those who fought alongside them every step of the way. Dick Thornburgh was one of the greatest of these champions. His public service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is worthy of commendation. We extend condolences to Dick's wife, Ginny, his sons, John, David, Peter and William, and to his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I have great respect for my colleague from South Carolina. We are going to serve together on the Aging Committee, leading the committee. I oppose this amendment for some basic reasons. No. 1 is he cited the number of deaths in long-term care facilities across the country. More than 150,000 people are dead in long-term care. The last administration didn't even count those deaths until May of 2020, despite efforts by Members of this body to urge the administration to do that. They never had a plan. They didn't help the States. This is an effort, an ongoing effort, to blame States when the Federal Government dropped the ball when it came to long-term care. I think we can do better than that. We should be helping nursing homes with the resources they need, like resources for cohorting where you can separate a resident with COVID-19 from those who don't have it. We should be providing money for strike teams in ways to help nursing homes. Let's reduce the deaths instead of pointing fingers.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, it is good to see you in that Chair, and I am grateful for this opportunity. I just wanted to raise a couple of issues that are relevant to the budget resolution that we are going to be working on over the next few days and beyond. There are so many issues to highlight. I will only mention two issues--two big issues--but I think, most generally, when I consider what we should do, I think it is my belief that we need a substantial, robust bill to meet the moment that we are in. That means dealing with the pandemic effectively and putting the virus behind us by accelerating vaccinations, making sure that we are taking every step possible to open our schools--to reopen schools, I should say, in some cases. Thirdly, to make sure we are helping those who are vulnerable, whether they are folks without a job or folks who are hungry or their families are hungry--so many other traumas that have been heaped upon our families. There is a lot to do, and that requires a substantial investment, not a limited investment. I will just mention two issues today. One is home and community-based services, and the other is childcare and a particular tax credit that is relevant. Home and community-based services, as many people know, have a huge impact on both older citizens--seniors throughout the country--as well as people with disabilities and even has an impact upon children. I will focus most of the attention, for purposes of today, on the impact on seniors and people with disabilities. If there is ever a time when a care setting that is in the home or in a community was more beneficial to a senior, to a person with a disability--if there is ever a time, it is now. We know that if someone is living in a congregate setting, they are more likely to get the virus. And we know the horrific numbers. Just about 40 percent of the deaths that have occurred because of the pandemic in the United States have occurred in long-term care settings. It is, as of right now, at last count, approaching 150,000 Americans who lost their lives from the virus who were in long-term care settings. I think a lot of seniors--a lot of family members would prefer, often, that their loved one is getting care in a home or in a community setting. The same is true, of course, for people with disabilities. We have a chance in this legislation to finally make an investment in home and community-based services. Do those services exist right now? They do. How do they exist? Pretty much in the United States by way of a waiver, so it is not the standard policy; it is done by waiver. We want to make sure that it is more of a standard feature, really, a choice that people have to get the care in the community or in the setting that they want. It is critically important that we have in the reconciliation instructions a commitment to home and community-based services. We have that now, and we want to make sure it remains in the bill in final form. The other benefit or, I should say, the other priority here is not simply those receiving the care in home and community-based settings; it is those providing the care, those heroic frontline workers who often are not talked about enough who provide this care. Most of the care provided in these settings are provided by low-income women of color who disproportionately make up the workforce and often are making about $12 an hour. They should have a decent wage. They should have benefits, like sick and family medical leave, and they should have access to PPE protection so that they have the protection they need to do their job and to care for those individuals. I see the distinguished majority leader. I yield the floor.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I will continue with the brief discussion about home and community-based services. It is so critical, as I mentioned earlier, to have these services available for seniors and for people with disabilities, and it is also relevant in the life of a child. We know--and as the Presiding Officer knows well in her efforts to provide these services to those in the disability community and among seniors--that it is important to children as well. Medicaid home and community-based services provide over $4 billion right now in support so that children can receive therapy and other necessary services to participate in school, and as I mentioned earlier, we know the impact upon seniors and people with disabilities. So that is the reason we are emphasizing, among many reasons, the investment in this bill for home and community-based services in the context of the pandemic and the devastation of the virus and more broadly. The second issue I will raise--I know we are short on time--is an issue that I mentioned earlier. In addition to home and community-based services, this is an issue that relates to the family's ability to pay for childcare. So it affects the parents as well as the children. It is the child and dependent care tax credit. Obviously, it is an existing tax credit, a credit that parents have been able to rely on, but it is nowhere near robust enough to make it possible for more parents to afford childcare. Here is the reality when it comes to what happens in the midst of this pandemic: We know that families have many reasons they can't make ends meet, but, also, many families have members of their families who want to get back to work. We are told that about 20 percent of working adults say the reason they are not working is that COVID-19 has disrupted their childcare arrangements. So it is both a childcare access and affordability question. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that women accounted for all jobs lost in December of 2020--not most jobs, not some jobs. All jobs lost in the United States were among women. Women lost 156,000 jobs. Their labor force participation rate is at its lowest point in a third of a century. One of the big reasons is childcare. We need to expand the child and dependent care tax credit to give parents the ability to recoup thousands--not hundreds but thousands--of dollars in childcare expenses. That is what my legislation will do. That is what the new administration wants to do, and that is what we should do in this next COVID bill, and there are a lot of reasons for it. I will end with this. Last year, the National Academy of Sciences released a roadmap to reduce child poverty. We have heard of the good provisions in this legislation on the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit and of the substantial impacts they have had on lowering child poverty--one estimate, by half. Also contributing to this and to lower child poverty even more would be to enhance the child and dependent care tax credit. Here are the numbers: 9.2, 9.2, and 518. What do I mean? The National Academy of Sciences says that, if you have a robust child and dependent care tax credit, you can reduce child poverty by 9.2 percent. Guess what happens to wages. There are raised aggregate earnings across the country also by 9.2, but it just happens to be billions--$9.2 billion. Then the 518 refers to the jobs--increased net employment by more than 518,000 jobs according to the National Academy of Sciences. So, among the many, many things we are doing in this bill, we need to invest in home and community-based services and also invest in a much more robust child and dependent care tax credit. I yield the floor.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise tonight to defend the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania--to defend the more than 6.9 million voters who voted in this election--and to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this attempt to disenfranchise the voters of Pennsylvania based upon a lie, a falsehood. That same lie sowed the seeds of today's violence and today's lawlessness here in the Capitol. One of my constituents, Susan, from Lehigh Valley--the community of our State where Senator Toomey lives--recently wrote to my office and, perhaps, said it best: We cannot allow ANYBODY to overturn the legal votes of the citizens of Pennsylvania. This would be the ultimate destruction of our democracy. Susan had it right. We cannot allow ``ANYBODY''--and she put that word in all caps--to overturn the legal votes of the people of our State. Let me address the allegation regarding the Pennsylvania Constitution and the general assembly and somehow that the general assembly didn't have the authority to enact ``no excuse mail-in voting''--that process--for the people of our State. First, the law in question, Act 77, was passed in 2019 and was implemented without any serious question as to its constitutionality. The law was passed by a Republican-controlled general assembly, house and senate. It was only after the 2020 election, when it became clear that President-Elect Joe Biden won Pennsylvania by a little more than 80,000 votes, that some Republican politicians in our State decided to challenge the constitutionality of the law. Second, Act 77 is plainly constitutional. My colleagues allege that the State constitution requires in-person voting except under limited circumstances. This is not true. While Pennsylvania lays out specific situations in which absentee voting is required, there is no in-person requirement in our State constitution. The constitution sets a floor, not a ceiling, for this type of voting. Third, apart from the argument made by my colleague, there is bipartisan agreement across our State--at the local, State, and Federal levels--that our election was fair, secure, and lawful. On Monday, my colleague from Pennsylvania, Senator Toomey, wrote in an op-ed: ``The evidence is overwhelming that Joe Biden won this election.'' There is simply no evidence to justify the outrageous claims of widespread voter fraud or election irregularities that have been suggested by those seeking to overturn the election. There have been 60 cases in court after court, all throughout our State and throughout the country, including in the Supreme Court, that have dealt with this bizarre argument that we know is based upon that lie. In one court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Judge Bibas, appointed by President Trump, wrote: The campaign's claims have no merit. The United States has free and fair elections, which are the lifeblood of our democracy. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here. So said Judge Bibas. Finally, a word about those election officials who did such work. These election officials all across our State--Republicans and Democrats from red counties and blue counties--did their jobs. They are patriots, and these objections are an attack on these Pennsylvania public servants. I will give you one example from Republican Commissioner Al Schmidt, of Philadelphia. He wrote: There really should not be a disagreement, regardless of party affiliation, when we're talking about counting votes . . . by eligible voters. It is not a very controversial thing or, at least, it shouldn't be. After election day, Commissioner Al Schmidt, his family, and his colleagues were subjected to death threats simply because he was trying to do his job with integrity. It calls to mind that great line from ``America the Beautiful": ``O beautiful for patriot dream, That sees beyond the years.'' These election officials, like so many of our patriots--and we heard from Senator Duckworth tonight, a real patriot--did their jobs. Let's support these patriots. Vote against this objection I yield the floor.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I just want to make a couple of brief comments about the legislation we are going to be voting on, we hope, tonight. I will talk about, for purposes of time, not the spending bill or the spending portion, the so-called omnibus. I will talk about the COVID-19 relief provisions. I won't go through all of them, obviously, but there is a lot of good news for many Americans in this legislation. The consensus on unemployment benefits will help a lot of Americans: $300 per week for all Americans receiving unemployment benefits through March 14. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program is extended to help self-employed individuals, gig workers, and others in nontraditional employment. The economic impact payments for Americans across the country: $600 for individuals making up to $75,000 a year and $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 per year, as well as a $600 payment for each dependent child. That means a family of four would receive $2,400 in direct payments. The Paycheck Protection Program, so-called PPP: $284 billion for the first and second PPP forgivable loans. There is more money for transportation, more money for health, and, in particular, money for the procurement of vaccines and therapeutics, as well as money for vaccine distribution. Education is funded for more than $80 billion; emergency rental assistance, $25 billion; the Postal Service, $10 billion; childcare, $10 billion--both very important. The ones I am especially grateful for, even though on a lot of these I would vote for higher numbers--a lot of us would--are the nutrition provisions: $26 billion in agriculture and nutrition funding. Half of that will be used for direct payments to farmers who have suffered losses due to the impact of the pandemic. The remaining 13, the other half of the 26--$13 billion will be used to combat food insecurity, which is on the rise due to the economic impact of the pandemic. There is a lot in here that is positive for American families, for workers, for small businesses, and for so many other needs. It took way too long. This is months overdue. There are gaps in it. I think this is a 3-month bill to help folks get through January, February, and March. I think we will need another bill after that. And, obviously, I am very disappointed we don't have dollars in here to help nursing homes, which I fought very hard for. We will keep up that fight. It doesn't have the direct help to State and local governments, even though there are provisions that will help States but not nearly enough. So it is far, far from perfect, but I think it is important that we pass it to provide direct help to people who have challenges, whether it is with employment or running a small business or supporting their families. The last point I will make on this is that we gather here today--and we hope the vote will be tonight before midnight, but we don't know. But it is just ironic that today is the 21st of December, the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. I was noting this weekend Elizabeth Dias wrote an op-ed, a very thoughtful op-ed, in the New York Times about winter and all of the ways different cultures have dealt with the darkness and the severity of winter. But here is what she says, and I hope it provides a context for what we are about to pass and what we must do in the months ahead when the virus is still raging and the death number keeps climbing. Here is what Elizabeth Dias says: The great irony of winter is that the moment darkness is greatest is also the moment light is about to return. Each year the winter solstice comes with the promise that the next day will be brighter. In this season of hope and this holiday season, we hope and we pray that this legislation will bring some light to people's lives, that it will give them a sense, in addition to having a vaccine available now, that brighter days are ahead. We can't underestimate the darkness that has engulfed so many families, but we hope tonight that we provide at least a measure of light to all the darkness that so many families have faced I yield the floor.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today to express concern over a monumental breach to the Nation's national security infrastructure. Last week, the Washington Post, among other publications, reported hacks of several government agencies by way of the SolarWinds platform over several months. The New York Times, on the 17th of this month, had a headline that included these words: ``Officials Warn of `Grave Risk.' '' But in that report, the New York Times indicated that at least 40 companies, government agencies, and think tanks had been infiltrated. The infiltrated agencies include the Departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security, Treasury, Commerce, Energy, and Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, as well as the National Institutes of Health. That is about seven different entities, if you include the Department of Energy as one entity, in the hacking of different parts of the Department, and there could be more. All the reporting indicates that the hackers are affiliated with Russian intelligence. Russia has proven itself both capable and willing to invade and exploit our digital infrastructure for its own ends. While Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that Russia was behind this damaging breach of our systems, President Trump is casting doubt-- and that might be an understatement. Even in the waning days of his administration, our national security continues to suffer at the hands of the President's deference to Vladimir Putin. I have to say for the record, I hope this number changes, but only about 10 Republican Senators have expressed concerns. I hope that number grows exponentially in the next couple of days. I have to ask: What if this breach occurred under a Democratic President--President Obama, for example? Would there be more than 10 statements or 11 or 12? This should be categorically, roundly condemned by every U.S. Senator of either party. These hacks renew the urgency for additional resources for defensive cyber security across our government. This need is not a new one. In fact, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, C-I-S-A, was stood up within the Department of Homeland Security in 2018 precisely to shore up the U.S. Government's defenses against such hacks, such intrusions. However, as we all know, just days after the 2020 Presidential election, President Trump fired CISA's Director, Chris Krebs, for contradicting the President's own false claims regarding the election. The President has failed to take this hack, this attack on our security, this attack on our government seriously. This hack raises serious questions about the nature of cyber espionage and what constitutes hostile acts by another country. These are questions I look forward to exploring as we learn more about the scope and nature of this latest breach. While both of our countries certainly engage in espionage, we must be vigilant in the protection of our own data and technology from foreign interference, and we need to hear more from Senators on both sides of the aisle about this attack. The second and related issue is the reporting just in the last day or so, reports that the President may be seeking to invoke the Insurrection Act to impose martial law and refuse to step down from the Presidency next month. The reporting indicates that these discussions took place in the Oval Office. I would argue--I think most Americans would argue--that even the mere discussion of martial law, the mere mention of it, the mere invocation of the whole notion of martial law is both harmful and dangerous. Republican Senators, so far, have not condemned these actions that blatantly violate democratic norms. Maybe one, maybe two--I hope that number grows as well--but the silence from the majority party in the Senate on this report is deafening. I would hope that every Senator would roundly condemn the mere mention of martial law. Attempting to seize election machines--that would be the effect of the invocation of martial law if it were operationalized--election machines in a number of States seized by the government of the United States. I have got to ask the question: In America? In the United States of America? Is that what the White House is really discussing? All that America expects--and it is not much--is that Senators of both parties would condemn, in the strongest possible terms, even the discussion of martial law. The Army Secretary and the Army Chief of Staff released a joint statement clarifying, based on these dangerous actions proposed by the President's team, that ``there is no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election.'' It is hard to believe that those officials in our government who help defend our country would even have to say that based upon what the reporting indicates. So I hope that, even in this holiday season, it is made very clear by every Member of the U.S. Senate that this will not be tolerated and has to be condemned. We can't just say: Oh, well, it is another outrage, another insult. It should be condemned, just like the actions of the Russian Government should be condemned as well.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, as we approach the end of another year, I rise to remember all those American men and women who have given what President Lincoln called ``the last full measure of devotion'' in service to this great Nation. I often reflect on the Gettysburg Address when thinking about our servicemembers and veterans. We all know this short, somber speech has reverberated throughout our history with an influence that vastly exceeds the few minutes for which Lincoln actually spoke. In November 1863, President Lincoln stood on the battlefield in Gettysburg to bless those brave soldiers who had fallen in what was the bloodiest battle in U.S. history up to that point. The ``last full measure of devotion'' remark has always resonated with me, as it does with so many Americans, but Lincoln had another message in his address. He said, ``It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.'' Even in moments of mourning, Lincoln charged those still standing to rededicate themselves to the hard work of preserving our Nation's integrity, protecting our fundamental freedoms, and building our families' security and prosperity. In a time of great division, this was no small task, and it today remains one of our urgent and most solemn tasks. The year after the Gettysburg Address, the women of Boalsburg, PA, began a tradition that would carry on for generations. They gathered together to decorate the gravestones of their loved ones who had gone to God. They wanted to reach beyond the pain to show their fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons that their memories endure in the hearts and minds of the living. Honoring the spirit and sacrifice of our military and veterans isn't just about isolated days of commemoration on Veterans Day and Memorial Day each year, it is about the work we do every day to be worthy of their valor, as my father used to say. As we discuss a potential U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, combat the resurgence of ISIS in the Middle East, exercise oversight over other U.S. military engagements overseas, and look to resolve increasingly complicated global crises, we must not forget those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, particularly in the most recent wars. The numbers are important: 7034 Americans have lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with an additional 7 killed in African Command operations since 2001. This includes 300 servicemembers from Pennsylvania--the fifth highest toll of any State. Over 53,000 have been wounded, including more than 2,000 from Pennsylvania. Although this administration refuses to be transparent in its deployment tracking, press reports indicate that approximately 7,500 Americans are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, with an additional 65,000 serving in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia. This year, for the first time in nearly two decades, Pennsylvania did not lose any servicemembers abroad. While I am grateful Pennsylvania did not suffer losses this year, this milestone only serves as a reminder of the grim toll that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have taken on the Commonwealth and the Nation. As families of fallen servicemembers continue to mourn, we must reconsider the nature of our military commitments overseas and recommit to ensuring those who serve are taken care of. These fighting men and women were born into families, not into divisions and brigades. They are sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. Their love for their families is matched only by their devotion to our country. But many more bear the scars of war. Some families have a loved one who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and returned home but was one of the 53,250 wounded. And we must not overlook the unusually high percentage of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have died since returning home, whether from drug overdose or suicide. Thousands of American families continue to pay a terrible price for the courage and dedication of their family members who gave life and limb for this country. As we look to a new year and a new Congress, I am reminded of the moments when policymakers reached across the aisle, putting partisan differences aside to implement ideas that best served the American people. We can think about the establishment of the first system of State veterans homes after the Civil War, enactment of the GI bill after World War II, creation of the modern, Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs under President Reagan, all required foresight and courage to see come to fruition. The year ahead provides an opportunity for further bipartisan cooperation in service of our veterans and our men and women in uniform. Each of us, those who have served and those who haven't, must be a part of the effort toward healing. We can meet today's challenges with the spirit of the women in Boalsburg so many years ago, to remember our past and keep working towards our future. We can continue our work here in Washington, in Pennsylvania, and across the Nation, to ensure we are worthy of the valor of the men and women we commemorate today. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to reflect every day on the sacrifice of those who came before us. As another year comes to a close, we remember and honor those who have laid down their lives for this great Nation. God bless them.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I rise today to unfortunately look back with sadness on the deadly toll of COVID-19 this year. I will focus my remarks on my home State of Pennsylvania, but of course the stories that I will relate about individuals we lost--of course many of them could be told in so many other States. As of today, the middle of today, there have been some 301,264 deaths in the United States due to COVID-19, including 12,890--12,890--deaths in Pennsylvania. While I wish I could recognize and honor the memories of each of those individuals, that recognition, of course, would take longer than I have time set aside on the floor to speak, so instead I will share the stories of just 5 Pennsylvanians who have lost their lives to this terrible disease--5 stories, 5 families, from one corner of our State to the other, east to west, throughout our 67 counties.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I rise to discuss the dangerous practice we have in this country that forces people with disabilities to wait for benefits and healthcare coverage. I would first, however, like to congratulate my colleague, the senior Senator from Rhode Island, for his diligence and persistence in working to eliminate the 5-month waiting period for those who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS. His perseverance is admirable, and I congratulate him for eliminating this misguided policy for people with ALS. My hope is we can expand this victory to eliminate the waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Medicare coverage to all eligible Americans. Forcing Americans to wait 5 months to begin cash benefits and then another 24 months for Medicare coverage is a dangerous policy. In many cases, applicants have little or no income while they are waiting for government benefits to begin. We should not be forcing someone with stage-4 breast cancer or Huntington's Disease or any of the disabilities or diseases that qualify a person for Social Security Disability Insurance to wait to receive benefits. Those who have been determined eligible are American workers who have paid into the Social Security system throughout their lives. We have an obligation to assist Americans in their time of need in a timely manner. When a person receives a diagnosis, bills do not wait 5 months to be paid, healthcare costs are not put on hold for 2 years. Their rent, their utilities, their healthcare copayments come due immediately. Therefore, the benefits these American workers have paid for through their Social Security contributions should be made available to them when they are found eligible. I would again like to congratulate the senior Senator from Rhode Island. His bill is an important step forward for people with ALS and for all people eligible for SSDI benefits. Let's use this moment to move forward and make comprehensive change to the way we administer SSDI benefits to all eligible Americans with disabilities. Every eligible applicant continues to have essential expenses and needs the cash benefits and healthcare coverage provided by Medicare. My bill, S. 2496, the Stop the Wait Act, would eliminate the waiting periods for those eligible for SSDI benefits, regardless of diagnosis. It would eliminate the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits, and it would eliminate the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. It would help keep people from slipping in to poverty and would ensure they have healthcare coverage. Today, let's celebrate the policy victory and the great work Senator Whitehouse has accomplished to improve the lives of Americans with ALS. Tomorrow and for the days to come, let's work to secure that victory for all Americans who are eligible for SSDI. They cannot wait.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CASEY

Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I rise today to urge this body to pass H.R. 1773, the Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act. This bill would honor the American women who joined the workforce in support of the war effort during World War II. Millions of women dedicated themselves to strengthening our Nation and answered the call to action by joining the workforce and learning new jobs. Many of these women built the vehicles, the weaponry, and the ammunition that were critical to the war effort. Whether they worked on assembly lines, addressed the troops' medical needs, or tended to ships and farms, Rosies ensured the country continued functioning during the war while often serving as the primary caretakers for their children. These Rosie the Riveters rose to the challenge and set a powerful example both to working women and for all Americans. Rosies not only faced gender-based discrimination, but Rosies of color fought racial discrimination, all while manufacturing planes, ships, tanks, weapons, jeeps, and everything else that was needed to defeat the enemy in World War II. Today, their example continues to inspire generations to embody the ``We can do it'' spirit. The Rosies are among our Nation's greatest living heroines. They deserve recognition and formal commendation for their service to our country while they are still with us. The Rosies who are still alive are in their nineties, and we need to honor them now. The House version of the Rosie the Riveter Gold Medal Act passed a year ago on November 13, 2019, by unanimous consent and with broad bipartisan cosponsorship. The Senate version, S. 892, which I introduced last year, has 76 cosponsors, including 36 Republicans, as well as all 26 women serving in the Senate of both parties. This body has already made clear its overwhelming support for the bill. Each State contributed to the war effort, and each State has Rosies awaiting this award. I would like to tell you about a Rosie the Riveter from my home State of Pennsylvania. I will just put up a poster of a picture of her. As I said, she is a Pennsylvanian. Her name is Mae Krier of Levittown, PA, Bucks County, Southeastern Pennsylvania. Mae worked in a Boeing factory where she helped make B-17 and B-29 warplanes as a teenager during World War II. Mae is now 94 years old and has been working to recognize and honor her fellow Rosies--not for years; she has been working on this for decades. Mae is a patriot. And Mae is now serving her country yet again during another crisis. She has spent the better part of this year making face masks for those who need them. These polka-dot masks are reminiscent of the bandanna worn by the woman in the famous ``We Can Do It'' poster. Mae is the embodiment of the ``We Can Do It'' spirit. For over 70 years, from the Boeing assembly line where she worked to her sewing machine today, Mae has devoted herself to the betterment of the Nation. She and her fellow Rosies have earned this Congressional Gold Medal. Many of Mae's friends--her fellow Rosies--have passed away without the recognition that they are worthy of. Thousands more are eagerly awaiting the passage of this bill, in addition to the families of the Rosies who have died. This honor has already been delayed for far too long. I urge my colleagues to pass this important, time-sensitive legislation. So, Madam President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged, and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1773.

Mr. CASEY. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.