Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consideration of S. Res. 563, submitted earlier today.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, has the Senate received the President's veto message on S.J. Res. 68?

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, it has been a little more than 100 days since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the United States. Since then, our Nation has come face-to-face with this full- scale pandemic. Families have hunkered down and changed their routines. Bustling Main Streets have literally come to a halt. Essential workers have taken new precautions to keep the supply chains running. And, of course, brave healthcare providers have stretched the limits of their supplies and their stamina to care for patients. All the while, even with the entire country doing its best to fight this disease, it has stolen the lives of nearly 70,000 of our fellow Americans. Our Nation is facing the most severe pandemic since 1918 and quite possibly the worst economic shock since the Great Depression. And we are facing them at the same time. This is a historic challenge, and the Senate is helping the country meet it. In early March, we passed an initial response to help communities handle the outbreak. We spent billions of dollars to enhance our public health response, to promote development of vaccines and treatment, and to help the healthcare providers and small businesses in places that were bearing the brunt of the virus. Just days later, we delivered billions more in phase 2. It sought to expand access to testing and to help workers. Then we built the historic CARES Act, the largest rescue package in America's history, and then passed it without a single vote in opposition. It sent more than $2 trillion in direct money to American households, support for employees' paychecks, stability for major employers, and resources for the healthcare fight itself. Predictably, these huge, historic efforts have encountered some challenges along the way. There is no way the Federal Government could make years' worth of small business loans in a few weeks or rapidly cut checks to most American households without any hiccups at all. But on the whole, it has been encouraging to see Congress, the administration, the Federal Reserve, and the American people--all of us--leap into action together to help our country. Our work is making a difference. But, ultimately, we know there is no policy Congress could pass, nor any amount of money we could spend, that would keep the entire economy glued together if these blunt shutdowns continue indefinitely. So while our legislation has rightly poured money into short-term help for the economy, we have also made sure to invest in the tools and tactics we will need to contain and beat the virus so that our country can step back toward normalcy: testing, tracking, treatments, and the race for a vaccine. Our task in the weeks ahead will be to keep seeking thoughtful solutions that are not just for the very short term but will help pivot toward a phased reopening and recovery. We will need to ask not only how we endure each week but also how we foster recovery on the other side. Early February feels like it was about 2 years ago, but the truth is, it was just 12 weeks ago. American workers and families were in one of the most prosperous economic moments in our history. Wages were growing. Unemployment was near a 50-year low. Formerly discouraged Americans were being drawn off the sidelines. The country was buzzing-- literally buzzing--from coast to coast. The American people built that. It is our job to help them build it again. As we carefully consider what may come in the weeks ahead, we will need smart and targeted policies to help jump-start our economic engine, not unrelated ideological wish-list items that would gum it up even further. The country will need pro-growth, pro-certainty policies--pro-growth, pro-certainty policies. The last thing we need is for the political left to view this national crisis as an exploitable opportunity to achieve other goals they have wanted for a very long time. That is how, for example, former Vice President Biden has repeatedly described the pandemic. Here is what he had to say: ``an incredible opportunity . . . to fundamentally transform the country''--``an incredible opportunity . . . to fundamentally transform the country.'' This cannot be about ideological transformation. It needs to be what will actually work for the American people. Here is just one example of a commonsense policy Republicans will insist on. Even as the entire country is rallying behind healthcare workers and small businesses, trial lawyers are already looking for ways to line their pockets by suing the very people we are bending over backward to help. As one recent Washington Post column put it, ``[f]ear of COVID-19 lawsuits is not [some] mere Republican reflex''--a Washington Post column: ``[f]ear of COVID-19 lawsuits is not [some] mere Republican reflex.' It went on to list all sorts of lawsuits that are already pouring in. This kind of hostile climate would create yet another major headwind we cannot afford. Republicans will be insisting on strong legal protections for the frontlines. We will not let our historic recovery efforts be diverted so that taxpayers foot the bill for the biggest trial lawyer bonanza in our history. Our discussions in the weeks ahead do not need to be partisan or contentious. There is nothing partisan about the coronavirus, and there is nothing partisan about the inspiring example being set by citizens across our country. In my home State of Kentucky, we are proud of a father-daughter duo in Breathitt County. They both came down with the virus. They both beat it and then turned right around and started donating plasma to the race for new medicines. We are proud of the family resource coordinators of Fayette County Public Schools who are collecting donated household supplies to add to weekly food deliveries for thousands of students and families. These stories only scratch the surface in the Bluegrass, and I know every one of my colleagues has stories of their own to tell. We are all in this together. We have stepped up to meet the challenge. Let's continue to stand together for our country.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. 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.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 6; 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 following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Evanina nomination; further, that if cloture is invoked, all postcloture time expire at 2 p.m. in relation to the Evanina nomination; and finally, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the Senate is back in session. In this unusual period for our Nation, it has been more than 5 weeks since the full Senate last convened. As I explained on March 25, right before we passed the CARES Act 96 to 0, the Senate has kept right on working this whole time. We have monitored the implementation of that bill--the largest rescue package in American history--and strengthened it where necessary. We passed further legislation to provide even more economic assistance, even more support of testing, and more relief for hospitals and healthcare workers. This deadly coronavirus does not take days off, and so the U.S. Senate has not either. For more than a month, we were among the many Americans who have found creative ways to telework and continue doing our jobs remotely. But now the time has come for us to continue conducting our Nation's business in ways that are only possible with Senators here in the Capitol. For this work period, the Senate will shift out of the ranks of those Americans who are working remotely and into the ranks of the Americans working in essential sectors who are listening to expert guidance and modifying their routines and ultimately continuing to man their posts to keep the country running. If it is essential that brave healthcare workers, grocery store workers, truckdrivers, and many other Americans continue to carefully show up for work, then it is essential that their U.S. Senators carefully show up ourselves and support them. I want to thank the dedicated men and women who worked hard to develop solutions so the Senate can take these careful steps back toward in-person operations: Dr. Brian Monahan and the entire Office of the Attending Physician, well done; everyone in the Offices of the Architect of the Capitol, the Sergeant at Arms, the Secretary of the Senate, and our colleagues on the Rules Committee and their staff. Of course, the teams who support our networks and telecommunications were working hard day and night during these weeks of remote work. Even more broadly, I want to recognize and thank all--all--the essential Senate staff who are here with us today in person so the Senate can function. Whether they be staff members in our own offices and committee offices, all the nonpartisan professionals who serve the institution itself, and, particularly, our facilities employees, custodians, food service staff, and, of course, the men and women of the Capitol Police, we are grateful for your service, and, more importantly, your country is grateful for your service. You are literally helping our government function in the midst of this crisis. The Senate is back in session because we have important work to do for the Nation. Critical posts throughout the Federal Government--from public health to national security and beyond--remain vacant. Qualified nominees who have been held up for too long already have become even more necessary in these uncertain times. On the floor and in committee, the Senate will be acting on key nominations that relate directly to the safety of the American people, oversight of our coronavirus legislation, and more. We need to continue to maintain and safeguard our domestic nuclear resources. That is our first nominee, Mr. Feitel. We need to keep protecting our Nation against foreign intelligence services. That is another nominee we will be moving soon, Mr. Evanina. Those around the world who wish harm on Americans are not going to give us a free pass until the pandemic is over, so the Senate needs to overcome obstruction and continue to act. I don't think anybody could seriously argue that filling critical national security posts is not essential Senate business. But to any of my colleagues who may wish that we did not have to devote floor time and rollcall votes to these kinds of nominations, I would simply say: I agree with you. I agree with you. Unfortunately, for more than 3 years now, my colleagues in Democratic leadership have used across-the-board obstruction to force floor time and even cloture votes for the kinds of sub-Cabinet level nominations that used to travel easily by voice vote. If any of my colleagues on either side wish that we could recover the Senate's tradition and spend less floor time on these sorts of nominations, I would invite them to share their view with the distinguished Democratic leadership and invite them to change their tactics. But as long as floor time and rollcall votes remain the only way for the Senate to fill important posts, that is what we will do. We cannot let nuclear watchdogs or counterintelligence leaders stay on the sidelines. The Senate is going to be as smart and safe as we possibly can, and we are going to show up for work like the essential workers we are. Our bosses are the American people, and they are counting on us to keep on serving. It is good to see the Chair and all of our colleagues again. I am grateful that all 100 of us have come through the last several weeks safely and in good health. Let's work together, across the aisle, and get some more work done for the American people

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory call be waived.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. 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.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 5; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; further, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Evanina nomination. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate recess from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly conference meetings.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 111.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I object.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6322, which was received from the House.

Mr. McCONNELL. 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.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the majority leader and the senior Senator from Alaska be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions through Monday, May 4, 2020.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. As if in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be discharged of PN1250 and that the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations: Executive Calendar Nos. 545, 546, and PN1250.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, en bloc; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.