Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as if in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged and the Senate proceed to the consideration of PN1419, PN1528, PN1529, and PN1659; that the nominations be confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the McConnell substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of Calendar No. 12, H.R. 266.

Mr. McCONNELL. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Now, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned in accordance with the order of April 16, 2020, for previously ordered pro forma sessions.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent to be recognized, notwithstanding the order for a pro forma session today.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to receive H.R. 6322 from the House.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, earlier today, leaders in both Chambers and the administration reached a bipartisan agreement to supplement the historic CARES Act. At the core of our agreement is $320 billion more for the Paycheck Protection Program, which is already saving millions of small business jobs and helping Americans get paychecks instead of pink slips. This is even more money than we had first requested a while back. In the intervening time and at our request, this new money puts a special focus on community banks and credit unions. Separately, thanks to the hard work of Senator Collins and Senator Rubio, the bill supplies $60 billion for additional economic injury disaster loans; and because of Senator Roberts, Senator Daines, and our other colleagues from rural States, it will be clear that farmers and ranchers will be eligible as well. Senate Republicans wanted more funding for Americans' paychecks nearly 2 weeks ago before the program even shut down, but in the days that our Democratic colleagues delayed these urgent funds, additional Federal help for hospitals, healthcare providers, and testing became timely as well. Republicans have always supported more medical funding as soon as it was necessary, so I am proud this package will provide roughly $75 billion more to fund hospitals and healthcare providers in this crisis. Thanks to Chairman Alexander and Chairman Blunt, there is an additional $25 billion for State-led--State-led--COVID-19 testing plans and for research, development, and other testing support for key Federal agencies, such as the CDC, the NIH, and BARDA. This is a significant package. It does just what I outlined the evening we passed the CARES Act back in March. The Senate is continuing to stand by the American people, watching the CARES Act go into effect, and adding funding when necessary to key programs that are working well. It is unfortunate that it took our Democratic colleagues 12 days to agree to a deal that contains essentially nothing that Republicans ever opposed. In my view, it is indefensible that Main Street small businesses and their workers had their assistance cut off for partisan leverage. That was the word of choice for one leading House Democrat: ``Leverage.'' The American people cannot be political leverage. I am glad we are now poised to move ahead. Senate Republicans are prepared to pass the bill. It is my hope the entire Senate will be able to pass it as soon as possible, potentially as soon as just a few minutes from now. Before I conclude, I want to share my gratitude for the people whose efforts allow us to produce these vital pieces of legislation on a crash timeline in these most unusual circumstances. A lot of talented people worked day and night to produce this bill: in the administration, Secretary Mnuchin and his staff at the Treasury Department and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows; here in the Senate, our Members on both sides, our committee and leadership staff on both sides, and the incredible team players in the Office of the Legislative Counsel--these are nonpartisan staff who serve the institution and our country. As usual, we literally would not have this legislative text without their extraordinary help. These are unprecedented times for the entire Nation, and the Senate is no exception. So I want to thank everyone--those who worked remotely from their kitchen tables, those of you here in the Chamber right now, the Capitol police officers who protect the place day and night--I thank you all, and more importantly, your country thanks you. Now, let's just get this done. Let's move ahead and get it done for the American people.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent there now be up to 15 minutes of debate each for Senators Schumer, Paul, Cardin, Lee, and Sullivan; further, that the time be for debate only and upon the use or yielding back of their individual times, I be immediately recognized with no intervening action.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Paul be recognized to speak for up to 5 minutes and offer a unanimous consent request and that, following his remarks, I immediately be recognized with no intervening action.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be recognized, notwithstanding the order for a pro forma session today.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, it has now been 4 days since the Paycheck Protection Program ran out of money. Republicans have been trying to secure more funding for this critical program for a week and a half now. At this hour, our Democratic colleagues are still prolonging their discussions with the administration, so the Senate regretfully will not be able to pass more funding for Americans' paychecks today. However, since this is so urgent, I have asked that the Senate meet again tomorrow in a new session that was not previously scheduled, and the Democratic leader has agreed to my request. Colleagues, it is past time--past time--to get this done for the country. Mr. President, if I may, the Senator desires to speak for a few minutes.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for a pro forma session only, with no business being conducted, on Tuesday, April 21, at 4 p.m.; finally, I ask that when the Senate adjourns on Tuesday, April 21, it next convene on Thursday, April 23, under the order of April 16.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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 to be recognized, notwithstanding the order for a pro forma session today.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, 1 week ago, I warned that the Paycheck Protection Program was running out of money and tried to pass a clean funding bill. Senate Democrats blocked it. So here we are a week later with absolutely no progress. This morning the program ran out of money and shut down, just as I warned a week ago. Even now, Senate Democrats are still blocking funding. Every Senate Republican was ready to act today--today--but Democrats have not let us reopen the program. So, look, it is absolutely surreal to see Democratic leaders treat support for workers and small businesses as something they need to be goaded--goaded--into supporting. This really should be above politics. Five million more Americans lost their jobs just last week. That makes 20 million layoffs in just 1 month. Americans need Democrats to stop blocking emergency paycheck money and let this job-saving program reopen. I hope our colleagues will come around soon.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Now, Mr. President, as if in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that the order of March 26 with respect to Executive Calendar No. 556 be modified to occur on Monday, May 4, with all other provisions of the previous order remaining in effect.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma sessions only with no business being conducted on the following dates and times; and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Monday, April 20, 2 p.m.; Thursday, April 23, 5:30 p.m.; Monday, April 27, 8 a.m.; and Thursday, April 30, 1 p.m. I further ask unanimous consent that when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, April 30, it next reconvene at 3 p.m. Monday, May 4; and 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, upon the closing of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the Feitel nomination, under the previous order; finally, I ask to renew the appointments authority of the order of March 26.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. 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. I ask unanimous consent to be recognized, notwithstanding the order for a pro forma session today.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, our Nation continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic. More than 400,000 Americans have tested positive. Nearly 15,000 have lost their lives. Nurses, doctors, and EMTs are fighting this disease literally day and night, and important public health measures are creating an economic catastrophe. This morning, we learned that 6.6 million more Americans filed for unemployment in just the last week. That means more than 16 million Americans have lost their jobs in only the last 3 weeks, a tragedy that is hard to even comprehend. As one journalist put it, we are facing a healthcare crisis with an economic crisis strapped to its back. That is why, 2 weeks ago, the Senate passed the largest rescue package in American history. The bipartisan CARES Act funneled more than $2 trillion into bold programs to help households, fund hospitals and healthcare providers, and keep paychecks coming. Before we adjourned, I said the Senate would stay nimble and prepare to react quickly as the legislation came online, so that why we are here today. Much of the CARES Act is still being implemented, but one key program--one key program--is already up and running. It is the Paycheck Protection Program from Chairman Rubio, Chairman Collins, Senator Cardin, and Senator Shaheen. It gives small businesses emergency capital so that workers can keep getting paychecks instead of pink slips. Just a few days after the program opened for business, $100 billion in loans have already been committed. That is 30 percent of the total funding spoken for in just the first few days. I say that is very good news. It means this job-saving program is attractive to small business. Employers can access it. But it also means we need more funding, and we need it fast. Soon, I will ask unanimous consent to increase the funding for the Paycheck Protection Program to a new total of $600 billion. I am not talking about changing any policy language that both sides have already negotiated together several weeks ago. I am literally talking about deleting the number 350 and writing 600 in its place. Let me say that again: We are not talking about making any policy changes; we are literally changing the number 350 to 600. That is all we are suggesting here today. That, by definition, is a clean bill. I want to add more money to the only part of our bipartisan bill that is currently at risk of running out of money, so I was surprised to see this simple proposal met uneasily by the Democratic leadership. The distinguished Democratic leader and the Speaker of the House sought to use this crucial program to open broader negotiations on other topics, including parts of the CARES Act where literally--listen to this, Mr. President--literally no money has gone out the door yet--no money has gone out the door yet. The Democratic leadership has suggested they may hold Americans' paychecks hostage unless we passed another sweeping bill that spends a half trillion dollars, doubling down on a number of parts of the CARES Act, including parts that have not even started to work yet. The country cannot afford unnecessary wrangling or political maneuvering. Treating this as a normal kind of partisan negotiation could literally cost Americans their jobs. We are in a situation right now where passing a bill means either unanimous consent or a voice vote. Everyone knows--everyone--there is zero chance that the sprawling proposal that our Democratic friends have gestured towards could pass either Chamber by unanimous consent this week--no chance. The President has already indicated he would not sign it. The country needs us to be nimble--nimble--to fix urgent problems as fast as we can, to be able to have focused discussions on urgent subjects without turning every conversation into a conversation about everything. We need to patch holes as we see them and keep moving forward together. Everybody in the Senate voted to send historic funding to hospitals and healthcare providers. Everyone supports funding hospitals. I am in favor of even more funding for hospitals and providers down the line. I have been talking to a number of them, as I am sure our colleagues have, over the last couple of weeks. But certainly, we need to see the existing funding begin to work before we know what additional resources may be needed. I have been urging Secretary Azar to push this money onto the frontlines as soon as possible. I am glad tens of billions are going to go out tomorrow. There is only one part of the CARES Act that is already--already--at risk of exhausting its funding right now--only one part of the CARES Act is at risk of exhausting its funding right now: the Paycheck Protection Program. We are asking small business owners across America to place their faith in us. We are asking them to keep workers on payroll because Congress, the Treasury, and the SBA will have their back. We must not fail them. My colleagues must not treat working Americans as political hostages. This does not have to be, nor should it be contentious. We don't have to divide along the usual lines so soon after we came together for the country. To my Democratic colleagues, please--please--do not block emergency aid you do not even oppose just because you want something more. Do not block emergency aid you do not oppose just because you want something more. Nobody believes this is the Senate's last word on COVID-19. We don't have to do everything right now. In fact, our posture of needing unanimous consent does not even permit us to try to do everything right now. We cannot play games with this crisis. Let's pass more noncontroversial funding for Americans' paychecks. Let's do it today, and then let's continue to work together with speed and bipartisanship. We will get through this crisis together.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Now, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the bill at the desk. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. I object.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would just repeat that all the amendment I offered would do is change the amount in the bill--that is all--to respond to the obvious emergency we have with the Paycheck Protection Program.