Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. One final matter, evictions. Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced that the CDC will adopt an eviction moratorium to provide critical protections for another 60 days as our country continues its path towards full recovery. I applaud everyone who made it happen, from the President to the CDC, to Speaker Pelosi, to Senator Brown, as well as several of my Democratic colleagues in the House, including a brave band of New Yorkers, including Congress Member Ocasio-Cortez and Congressman Jones. Above all, Representative Cori Bush gets huge credit--one person who changed things for tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people, and everyone who stood with her as well. As I explained yesterday, while this moratorium is an important safeguard to protect millions of American families in danger of evictions, it is not the only piece of the puzzle. Once the moratorium comes to an end--whenever that is--there is still a fundamental challenge of making up for a year of lost rent and lost mortgage payments. Congress considered this problem very early this year. I pushed for, and we passed, along with Senator Brown and so many others, substantial rental and mortgage assistance in the American Rescue Plan. Unfortunately, State governments have been really uneven about distributing that crucial assistance. A few States--the State of Illinois, the State of Texas--have done a pretty good job, but many have not. Unfortunately, one of those that has done a very poor job distributing this money is my home State of New York. Simply put: State governments, especially New York, must do a better job of distributing the $47 billion Congress appropriated for emergency rental assistance. The money is there, but far too little has gone out the door. In New York specifically, Congress sent more than $2 billion to help renters in New York; and, inexplicably, some reports indicate less than 0.5 percent of New York's allocation had been received by tenants and landlords as of a week ago. Today, I am sending a letter with colleagues in the New York delegation to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, calling on that office to hurry up to fix the inexcusable delays in rental assistance and immediately begin disbursing these funds. We need to understand why New Yorkers are having such trouble navigating the process to get the money they need. There have been reports of frustrating crashes and glitches on the online application process, confusing instructions, and very little support to help the applicants, even though the money has been there for several months. The clock is ticking to fix this mess. The State moratorium expires in less than a month, and the CDC's moratorium will give only one more month of protection after that. New York State needs to act quickly, and we expect a response by August 9 as to how we can get a handle on these delays and, most importantly, get the money to New Yorkers faster so they can pay the rent. By the way, many landlords, particularly small landlords, depend on this as well. If you worked hard--let's say you are a bus driver and you own a three-family house. When the tenants in your house don't pay you, you don't have any cushion and you have to pay the mortgage. So this bill will help with that as well, this proposal. Right now, there are 6\1/2\ million Americans who are behind in their rent. According to the New York Times, over 400,000 renters in New York City alone owe a collective debt of $2 billion. Congress did its job by making sure that we have money in place to help these Americans avoid evictions. Now the States need to step it up to make sure that this money gets into the hands of renters as soon as possible. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that if cloture is invoked on Executive Calendar No. 50, the Lee nomination, all postcloture time be yielded back and that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate vote on confirmation at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Republican leader, not before Saturday, August 7, 2021; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, Thursday, August 5, be waived.

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

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

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, we are working on an agreement. As you know, we have been working all day, but we aren't there yet as work continues on the agreement. I am filing cloture on both the substitute and the underlying bill for a Saturday vote. If we come to an agreement yet tonight, which is our preference, we will have additional votes on amendments. I believe we are very close to an agreement and see no reason why we can't complete this important bipartisan bill. I urge both sides to continue working diligently to make it happen. Cloture Motion

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise today with some sad, some horrible news about the passing of a great friend, Rich Trumka, who left us this morning. The working people of America have lost a fierce warrior at a time when we needed him most. Just yesterday, Rich was lending his support to the striking miners in Alabama. Following in his father's footsteps, he worked in the mines. He went to Penn State, earned his law degree. He didn't practice. He didn't go to some fancy place. He went right to work for the United Mine Workers, which he lead for so many years, and then he became head--first, secretary-treasurer--of the AFL-CIO. He had in his veins and every atom of his body the heart, the thoughts, the needs of the working people of America. He was them. Rich Trumka was the working people of America. He never had any airs. He never put it on, and he cared about his fellow workers so. He was a great leader. He knew that the labor movement and working people had to expand and be diverse. One of his passions as a labor leader was immigration reform, which I talked to him about repeatedly because they were working people, too, no matter where they came from or what they looked like. It is just horrible news. I will have more to say about it later, but I wanted to inform my colleagues that we have just lost a giant, and we need him so. We will remember him forever, and his memory will, I know, importune all of us to do more, even more, for the working people of America, who Rich Trumka so dearly and deeply loved. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, before my remarks, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote on the Lee nomination occur at a time to be determined today by the majority leader following consultation with the Republican leader.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Benjamin Lockshin, a detailee in Senator Brown's office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of today's session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, all week, as we all know, Senators have worked together to move forward on the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Since the text of the bipartisan proposal was finalized on Sunday, both sides have had extensive opportunities to offer amendments. Senators have certainly taken advantage. So far, the Senate has considered 22 amendments on this bipartisan piece of legislation. We considered 14 amendments yesterday alone. Of the 22 total amendments, more than half have been offered by our Republican colleagues. Clearly, the Democratic majority has given Members who were not part of the bipartisan group a chance to make their mark on this important bill. Taking a step back, this Senate has operated much differently under Democratic leadership this year than it did under Republican leadership over the past 6. We have had bipartisan bills on the floor, open for amendment, and all 100 Senators are participating in the legislative process. The anti-Asian hate crimes bill and the USICA bill were both major bills that worked in a bipartisan way with amendments, as is this bill. We have taken more amendment votes this year than nearly any year in recent memory. In fact, we have had more rollcall votes on amendments this year, only halfway through, than during the past 2 years, where the Republicans were in charge, combined. In other words, in one-half of the year in 2021, where Democrats got in charge, we have had more amendments than in all of 2019 and 2020. So any talk that we are not working the Senate, whenever we can, in a fair, bipartisan way is just wrong--just wrong. Consider this: At this point in the calendar year in 2017, the first year of a Republican President and a Republican Senate majority--a one- to-one comparison to our current political configuration--the Senate held rollcall votes on 10 amendments--10--at this point in the first year of the Trump Presidency. On this bipartisan infrastructure bill alone, the Senate has held rollcall votes on 17 amendments. In 7 months, the 2017 Republican majority allowed rollcall votes on only 10 amendments, and we have done almost double that number in the past 7 days alone. This is how I promised the Chamber would function under a Democratic majority. I promised it while we were fighting to get that majority, and we are fulfilling that promise now that we have it Legislators should actually have a chance to legislate. No one can deny that we kept our word here in the Democratic majority. Today, we will consider even more amendments, and then, hopefully, we can bring this bill to a close very shortly. Our goal is to pass both a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a budget resolution during this work period, and we will stay here to get both done.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. 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, following the remarks of Senator Portman.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, before I close, I have some brief remarks. First, on the bill that just passed, let me thank my colleagues for passing this very important bill. It stems from the fact that, in 2018, 20 lives were lost in a tragic limousine accident in Schoharie, NY. The families came from the small city of Amsterdam, the people. They had done just the right thing. It is a group that went out. They knew they might be enjoying themselves, and so they hired a big, long stretch limo. Unfortunately, as the limo came down the hill in Schoharie, it crashed, and 20 people died. I met the families. These were young people in the prime of life. I met one mom. She lost four daughters--four daughters--in this crash. This community of Amsterdam and these families have endured endless tragedy. But instead of cursing the darkness, they have lit a candle, and they are pushing for the fact that there is a hole in regulation. We regulate trucks, and we regulate smaller limos, but when it is a large limo, and they are not sure what it is classified as, then there is virtually no regulation. This legislation fills that hole. The accident was preventable. There was another accident on Long Island--four young women in the prime of life killed in the same way. That was preventable. Now Congress finally has the opportunity to address the gaps and loopholes that have allowed limousines to escape the basic safety standards that cover other vehicles. My amendment--and that with Senator Gillibrand--would ensure that limousines meet minimum safety standards. It mandates seatbelts and seat safety standards, and it will save lives. So I thank my colleagues for supporting this amendment. It is a beautiful thing what these families are doing. The hole in their heart will never go away. The hole in the heart of the whole city of Amsterdam, which lost so many of their vital young men and women, will never go away. But instead of cursing the darkness, they are lighting the candle, and, tonight, the candle was lit thanks to the bipartisan cooperation we have here. So I thank my colleagues.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following Senator Kelly's maiden speech, that Senators Johnson, Peters, and Carper be permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each prior to the start of the vote.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Now, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m., Thursday, August 5; 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; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 3684.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, under the rule, this cloture vote on the nominee will occur 1 hour after convening on Thursday. For the information of Senators, the process of confirming this nominee will in no way interfere with the Senate's continued consideration of additional amendments of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. We already have a vote on an amendment scheduled tomorrow and expect further votes as well.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order. Thereupon, the Senate, at 8:23 p.m., adjourned until Wednesday, August 4, 2021, at 10:30 a.m.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 4; 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; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 3684.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 294.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I might parenthetically add, a great nominee from New York.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 250.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote on the Johnson amendment No. 2245, scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow, occur at 12:15 p.m. tomorrow, August 4.