Debbie Stabenow

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, thank you very much. Let me say again what a pleasure it is to work with my friend from Ohio.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, we truly don't have any time to waste. The American people are in desperate need of help. And I want to start by thanking all of my colleagues who have been working so hard together across the aisle to bring us to a point where we can actually provide some help, albeit temporary, to the American people. So, thank you, and I am pleased to have been involved in elements of that negotiation and appreciate it. But we are stuck right now, and I just want to remind people of a few numbers. More than one in three American adults in a recent survey said they are struggling to pay household expenses, including rent and mortgage. If we don't get something done in the next hours or days, we are going to see thousands of people in Michigan lose their homes in the middle of the winter. There are 7.8 million Americans who have fallen into poverty since June--7.8 million people have fallen into poverty since June. The number of people applying for unemployment keeps rising. There were 885,000 people who filed initial claims last week, and thousands and thousands and thousands of people who are self-employed, who are contract workers, and others, will find themselves with zero support right after Christmas, unless we take action. A recent survey found that one in four small businesses are in danger of closing if the economic conditions don't improve--one out of four. I have talked to so many friends, so many people in Michigan, vibrant small businesses--they put it all on the line for that business they always wanted to have--and now they are barely holding on. They need help, and they needed help before now. They need help now. They are waiting and waiting and waiting and holding their breath. Up to 50 million Americans are struggling to feed their families right now. One out of four American households have experienced food insecurity in this last year--so one out of four households. People who volunteer at the food bank and people who have always contributed to the food bank now find themselves waiting in their car for hours and hours for a box of food in the United States of America. We not only have a health pandemic; we have a hunger crisis going on, and people need help now. On top of that, this past Wednesday, 3,638 Americans died in 1 day of coronavirus, and we are now looking at government services shutting down in less than 12 hours--the backdrop of everything that is happening for Americans. And despite all the good work that has been going on, on a bipartisan basis, we are now looking at less than 12 hours of services for people and to our country shutting down. And why? Because my colleague, the Republican Senator from Pennsylvania, thinks it is more important to take away the Federal Government's ability to help people and help businesses and create jobs than it is to actually help people. Now, I want to say, Senator Toomey and I had a wonderful hearing this week in our HELP Subcommittee on Finance, of which he chairs, and we have been working together doing really important, meaningful things on Alzheimer's disease, and I very much enjoyed doing that. But on this issue--on this issue, at this time, with so many people in pain and so much hardship at this moment-- I don't understand when he said that preventing the next Treasury Secretary and the Federal Reserve from relaunching the emergency credit facilities that support manufacturers and other job providers is ``the most important thing'' in this COVID-19 package. Really? Really? The most important thing in this package is to take away the tools of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve that have been used when we are in crisis, and we need to be a backstop for our businesses in the credit market, when we need to be supporting job providers and jobs? Really? Really? That is the most important thing? Tell that to a mom who is afraid her kids will end up on the street because she can't pay her rent in January, which is what, 2 weeks away. Tell that to the small business owner who is having to lay off their entire staff a week before Christmas. Tell that to a senior citizen who is risking his health by waiting in an hours-long line to get a box of food. Tell that to the healthcare workers who are literally putting their lives on the line right now fighting this pandemic. Really? Taking away economic tools from the Treasury and the Fed are more important than people in our country? Small businesses? Farmers, who have been hanging on? Really? Tell that to the thousands of American families who are preparing for their first holiday without loved ones who have been lost to the virus. Just yesterday, another loss in Michigan--so many losses, thousands of losses--but a dear friend, a sheriff of Wayne County, Benny Napoleon, his family, today, a funeral for a friend as well in Detroit So the most important thing is not supporting families, is not helping people at least get through the winter, at least get through the next several months to put food on the table and a roof over their heads and help their businesses and make sure the vaccines can be distributed and support our healthcare workers and put money into education and all the other things that are needed right now--the most important thing is to have a fight with the Treasury and the Fed because you want to limit what they can do in terms of their powers to help people and to help businesses in a crisis. Our Nation is in a crisis, and we would be in an even deeper crisis right now if it weren't for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve stepped in early during the crisis. Under the current administration, I might add, where nobody was suggesting that we provide these kinds of amendments or restrictions then--under the current administration, under the Trump administration, I didn't hear that debate. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't hear that debate. But thank goodness we didn't have a debate because they stepped in early, taking extraordinary measures to keep credit from freezing up for our businesses. This is the money that businesses use to provide services and keep people employed. And I have to say, as someone coming from a major manufacturing State like Pennsylvania, like Ohio, like Indiana, like Wisconsin, that having the capacity for the Fed to step in and provide some confidence in the marketplace so that our auto suppliers and our other manufacturers could get what they needed in terms of the credit, it was critical to jobs--thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of jobs. The emergency powers that the Federal Reserve passed were put in place during the 2008 financial crisis so that the Fed could respond quickly to the next crisis. Well, here we are in the next crisis. The crisis is all around us, and yet some are laser-focused on taking away the Fed's ability to respond in the future with a new President--not the current sitting President but a future President. This is like a fire department selling off their fire trucks while houses down the street are burning. Now, 2020 has been brutal--really brutal--on families and businesses and communities across the country. And this crisis is not over. I really wish it was. I mean, we have hope because of the vaccines and more effective testing and so on, but this isn't over, and things could get worse in 2021 if we sabotage the very things that helped us this year. If this is how you are setting up a new President to not have the tools to make the economy better, what does that say about what people care about--the people we represent? Because, ultimately, it is about people losing their jobs; it is about businesses. This is more than just about cross-partisan politics. My friend Senator Schatz, who has a way with words, on Twitter, put it this way: We almost have a bipartisan COVID package, but at the last minute Republicans are making a demand that WAS NEVER MENTIONED AS KEY TO THE NEGOTIATIONS. They want to block the FED from helping the economy under Biden. It's the reason we don't have a deal. Is that really the reason we don't have a deal to help people in our country right now? Just cross-partisan politics wanting to set up a way for the next President to fail? Because when colleagues take away tools that a President--any President--and the Federal Reserve have to boost the economy and prevent economic collapses, they are saying they care more about that cross-political fight--make sure somebody looks bad and make sure somebody fails--rather than caring about the people we represent who create the jobs, the businesses, large and small, and the people who have those jobs and the people who need those jobs. Michigan is the proud home to so many small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses that employ thousands of people. I know there are those same businesses across the country, including the State of Pennsylvania, where my colleague is advocating for this. I would urge--strongly urge--at this moment in time, at the end of what has been such a horrible, difficult year for Americans, I would urge my colleague from Pennsylvania and any others supporting him to try stop trying to undermine American jobs and our ability as a country to respond to the economic crisis that is still happening. Let's stop stalling. We need to do our jobs to keep our military going and healthcare and education and transportation and all the other critical services that the Federal Government funds. And we need to pass this critical COVID legislation today and give the American people the help they need and the help they deserve to survive the next few months of this health and economic crisis. A wonderful bipartisan effort brought us to this moment where we can provide a critical lifeline to Americans across our country. It would be a tragedy and an outrage if efforts to undermine our economy and the success of our incoming President stop this urgent help from being passed. We need to get this done now. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to someone who is more than just a colleague. He is more than just a friend. In fact, he has been a true partner here in the Senate, and that has paid huge dividends for farmers, families, and communities across our country. Pat Roberts has been here in the Senate for a long time. Some might even call him an institution. At a recent Ag Committee event, I joked that, as a young man, he advised George Washington on farm policy. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but his legacy can hardly be overstated. He has left a lasting imprint on farm and food policy in this country. He is the only person to have written a farm bill as both the chair of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Those of us who have had the honor of serving alongside Pat on the Senate Agriculture Committee know there is no other place quite like it. It is a place where we leave politics at the door and focus on the ways we can improve people's lives and livelihoods in rural America. We do that because we know agriculture isn't a red issue or a blue issue. Agriculture and food policy affect everyone. And nobody knows that better than Pat. Senator Roberts and I never gave up on passing the 2018 farm bill even when it got tough. At the beginning of negotiations, we made a commitment to work together. We visited each other's home States-- twice, in fact. I arrived in ``The Little Apple'' of Manhattan, KS, wearing K-State purple. A few weeks later, Pat came to Frankenmuth, MI and wore a MSU green tie. Around this time, we also made a commitment to each other to write a bipartisan farm bill. Throughout the entire process, I never doubted that Pat had my back--even when negotiations got tough. Thanks to this partnership, we achieved the most bipartisan bill in history. We first passed our Senate bill by 86 votes, but that wasn't enough. We decided to beat that record and passed the final farm bill by 87 votes, the most yes votes ever. We were able to do that because we have a unique partnership built on trust and mutual respect. And the outcome was a strong, bipartisan bill that provided certainty for all farmers, from wheat farmers in Kansas to cherry growers in Michigan. Part of that certainty is Federal crop insurance--and nobody deserves more credit for the foundation of that important safety net program than Senator Roberts. Pat is also a champion for food security, agricultural exports, and agricultural research, which is why he and I worked together to establish the Foundation for Food and Agriculture in the 2014 Farm Bill. He also understands the importance of protecting food assistance for children and families. I was honored to share the Food Research and Action Center's Distinguished Service Award with Senator Roberts last year for our teamwork. Above all, it has been an honor working with Pat because he is truly one of a kind. From the moment I met him, it became abundantly clear that he wasn't your run-of-the-mill politician. Some say it is his unflappable nature. Others say it is his unique sense of humor. But to me, Pat Roberts is defined by his loyalty, integrity, and dedication to the people of Kansas. He started his career as a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps. And it is clear he has carried that courage and conviction with him throughout his life. He was also a newspaper reporter, which makes sense when you consider his dogged determination, and, for better or worse, his ability to be exceptionally quotable. As a public servant, he is so beloved in his home State of Kansas that he never lost an election, a record of 24-0. If only his K-State Wildcats could be so lucky. Senator Pat Roberts, it has been such an honor to be your partner-- and an even bigger honor to be your friend. So while your retirement is well earned, you will be deeply missed on the Agriculture Committee and here in the Senate. Thank you for all you have done for farmers, families, and the American people.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to honor someone whom I have had the good fortune to serve alongside both in the House and the Senate. In American political history, there are certain names that carry a legacy. There are the Roosevelts, a family of great means who nonetheless understood the deeply personal pain of the Great Depression and helped bring a nation through it. There are the Kennedys, a family that for generations has been near the center of American power and popular culture. And there are the Udalls. Now, the Udalls have never been flashy. They might not be the equivalent of political royalty. You are more likely to find Udalls in cowboy boots and jeans than expensive suits. But they are a family that is deeply devoted to public service, protecting the people and places of the West, and just being some of the kindest, hardest-working, most decent folks you could ever meet. Senator Tom Udall has certainly lived up to his family's legacy during his long career in public service. New Mexico is so fortunate to be represented by him, and I feel so fortunate to have him as a friend. Tom, it has been such a pleasure to work with you on issues including protecting funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, ensuring that our community health centers receive full funding, strengthening rural communities, and improving services for our veterans and our work together on TSCA reform. I have been so impressed by your work on clean energy and on protecting the wild places that make our States so special--and, of course, your important work on reforming the Senate. And I am so grateful for your strong leadership on the Indian Affairs Committee and your hard work on behalf of our Nation's Tribes. You have also set yourself apart through your work on foreign relations and on keeping our Nation safe. I will never forget our trip to Vietnam and South Korea last year. It was such a special moment when Jill organized a Passover Seder for everyone on our plane to Ho Chi Minh City. It brought everyone together to focus on our common humanity and what we are each called to do: serve others. Whatever the future holds for you, I have no doubt that you will continue serving the people of New Mexico and this great Nation. Public service, that is what Udalls do. Tom, congratulations on your retirement, and thank you for a job well done. You have been a true blessing to New Mexico and our Nation.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to someone who hasn't been in the Senate very long, but whose character, compassion, and dedication to justice will leave a mark here for years to come. Many of us are old enough to remember that awful day in 1963 when a peaceful Sunday morning was shattered by a bomb. This attack on the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, carried out by members of the Ku Klux Klan, ended the lives of four young girls: Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair. I was just a little younger than Carole, Addie, and Cynthia, who were all 14. Doug Jones was just a couple of years younger than 11-year-old Denise. When something so unspeakable happens to people you could have gone to school with, been friends with, and grown up with, it sticks with you. It certainly stuck with Doug. He got involved in organizing at the University of Alabama and volunteered on a campaign to modernize the State's courts. After graduating from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, he served as staff counsel on the Judiciary Committee for Senator Howell Heflin, whose seat he currently holds. After time as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and in private practice, Doug was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama in 1997. In that position, he successfully prosecuted two of the four men responsible for the devastation on that long-ago Sunday morning. He didn't just remember those four little girls. Instead, he fought to bring their families some measure of justice and closure--because that is just the type of person Doug is. Doug, your Future Act to permanently fund historically Black colleges and universities will help build a brighter future for students across our country. It has been such an honor to work with you to extend funding for community health centers and to expand access to care and resources to families living with Alzheimer's disease. And millions of Americans have you to thank for a timely vote to save the Affordable Care Act and their healthcare. Doug, you know what really matters: pursuing justice, expanding opportunity, and simply making life better for the people who sent us here. Three days after those beautiful young girls were killed, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered their eulogy. In it, he said this: ``(Their deaths) say to each of us, black and white alike, that we must substitute courage for caution. ``They say to us that we must be concerned not merely about who murdered them, but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy which produced the murderers. ``Their death says to us that we must work passionately and unrelentingly for the realization of the American dream.'' Doug, you might not know yet what your future holds, but you have been working passionately and unrelentingly for the realization of the American dream for your entire career. I have absolutely no doubt that in whatever you do next, Doug, you will continue to be a tireless advocate for justice and equality. Thank you for who you are. It has been such an honor serving with you.

Ms. STABENOW

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

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to remind all of my colleagues about the urgent, urgent need to pass coronavirus legislation. People need help, and they need it right now. I am glad that bipartisan discussions are continuing. I think it is very positive, and I know that many of us are involved in those negotiations. I commend all of my colleagues who are working very hard to get this done. It is critical that we come to an agreement that will help families and that will help businesses and communities get through this rough time, but time is running out, as we know. Our Nation is facing a crisis. Our States and local governments are facing a crisis as they are trying to gear up for an effective and rapid distribution of vaccines. Our local police officers, firefighters, public health workers, and other essential workers face layoffs. The only real possibility that I see of defunding the police is the unwillingness, so far, by the majority leader to support funding local law enforcement in the COVID-19 emergency package that we are trying to get done. We all know that businesses and workers and families are facing a crisis. We simply can't wrap up this session, we can't end this session and go home without responding to the urgent needs of the American people. It has now been 1 week since the last time I was on the floor speaking about the need for more help. In the past week, more than 1 million additional people in the United States have become infected, and an additional 13,000 people in the United States have died because of COVID-19--13,000 moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas and friends and neighbors. We have now seen nearly 290,000 of our family members and friends and neighbors die of this horrible disease. That is like if the entire population of Grand Rapids and Flint, MI, simply disappeared. Meanwhile, millions of families at risk of eviction are 1 week closer to finding themselves without a home in the winter in the middle of a health pandemic. Millions of small business owners have spent 1 more week scrambling to keep their workers on the payroll. Families don't have enough to eat, and they have spent 1 more week wondering where their next meal is going to come from for themselves and for their children. A week is a long time to wait when you are in danger of being homeless or losing your job or being hungry or watching your child who is hungry. We are running out of time. We are running out of time, and so many American businesses, workers, and families are running out of time. On December 26, only 16 days from now--16 days from now, the day after Christmas--vital unemployment programs will end, cutting off benefits that millions of workers need to provide for their families. Somebody who is self-employed, a contract worker, a gig worker, they will receive zero help after that to feed their families and put a roof over their head and pay the bills through this pandemic. Five days after that, on December 31, the Federal Reserves' emergency lending program ends. That will cut off crucial credit that is keeping businesses open and helping State and local governments provide necessary services. Also on December 31, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium ends, putting more people on the street. The Federal foreclosure moratorium and some opportunities for forbearance expire. It is cold in Michigan right now, and it is going to get colder. Imagine how frightening it would be to know that your family is losing their home in the middle of a pandemic in the middle of the winter. The truth is, our Nation is not facing just a health crisis; we are facing an economic crisis; we are facing a housing crisis; we are facing a hunger crisis all at the same time. These expiring programs have been a lifeline for families, for communities, and for businesses during the pandemic. That lifeline is now fraying, and a lack of action here in Washington could cause it to completely snap. There is a lot of talk about numbers right now, and numbers are important, but much more important are the people who need help. They are not numbers. I am thinking of a Michigan mom of two growing boys who has been waiting hours in a line of cars, week after week, to bring home a box of food. I am thinking of a Michigan dad who has been looking so hard for a new job, but nobody wants to be hiring right now, and his unemployment help is almost out. I am thinking of the owner of a Michigan business who had no choice but to lay off half of their workers right before the holidays. I am thinking of a Michigan retiree who is behind on her rent. She could move in with her daughter's family, but their home is already crowded, and she doesn't want to be a burden, and we are in the middle of a pandemic where we are telling people to socially distance to be safe. While we are debating, people are suffering and panicking because they are not sure what they are going to do. People can't wait another week, and we cannot either. This is the United States of America. It is not like we don't have the capacity to fix this right now. It is all about political will. It is about, do we get it? Do we care about people? Do we understand what is happening to people? And are we willing to support the bipartisan effort going on right now that can do something--at least provide a bridge for a few months, through the winter months, into the new year? There is an opportunity going on. There is a lot of hard work going on. There is no excuse not to take this moment and to come together and provide help in what is a COVID survival package for people in Michigan and across the country. That is what this is. We are at a moment where it is up to us to make sure that we get this done, and if not, we should not end this session until we do. Thank you. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to someone who has been more than a colleague, who has been more than just a friend. In fact, he has been a true partner in this Senate, and that has paid huge dividends for farmers and families and communities across our country. Senator Pat Roberts has been here in the Senate for a long time. Some might even call him an institution. In fact, at a recent Ag Committee event, I joked that, as a young man, he advised George Washington on farm policy. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but his legacy can hardly be overstated. He has left a lasting imprint on farm and food policy in this country. As has been said, he is the only person to have written a farm bill as both the chairs of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Those of us who have had the honor of working alongside Pat on the Senate Agriculture Committee know there is no other place like it. It is a place where we leave politics at the door and focus on ways we can improve people's lives and livelihoods in rural America. We do that because we know agriculture isn't a red issue or a blue issue. Agriculture and food policy affect all of us--everyone--and nobody knows that better than Senator Roberts. Senator Roberts and I have never given up on farm bills, and we never gave up on passing the 2018 farm bill even when it got tough. At the beginning of the negotiations, we made a commitment to work together. We visited each other's home States. In fact, twice we visited. I arrived in the Little Apple of Manhattan, KS, wearing K-State purple, which, again on his behalf, I am wearing today. Then, a few weeks later, Pat came to Frankenmuth, MI, and wore an MSU green tie. Around this time, we also made a commitment to each other to write a bipartisan farm bill. Throughout the entire process, I never doubted that Pat had my back, even when negotiations got tough, and he knew I had his back as well. Thanks to this partnership, we achieved the most bipartisan bill in history. As he said, the first time around, it was 86 votes, and then the final bill was 87 votes. That was the most ``yes'' votes on a farm bill ever. We were able to do that because we had a unique partnership built on trust and mutual respect, and the outcome was a strong, bipartisan bill that provided certainty for farmers--from wheat farmers in Kansas to cherry growers in Michigan. Part of that certainty was with special crop insurance, and nobody deserves more credit for the foundation of that important safety net than Senator Pat Roberts. Pat is also a champion for food security and agriculture exports and agriculture research, which is why he and I worked together to establish the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research in the 2014 farm bill. He also understands the importance of protecting food assistance for children and for families. I was honored to share the Food Research and Action Center Distinguished Service Award with Senator Roberts last year for our teamwork Above all, it has been an honor working with Pat because he is truly one of a kind. From the moment I met him, it became abundantly clear that he was not the run-of-the-mill politician. Some say it is his unflappable nature. Others say it is his unique sense of humor. Yet, to me, Pat Roberts is defined by his loyalty, his integrity, and his dedication to the people of Kansas. He started his career as a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps. It is clear he has carried that courage and conviction with him throughout his entire life. As he said, he was also a newspaper reporter, which makes sense when you think about his dogged determination and, for better or worse, his ability to be exceptionally quotable. As a public servant, he is so beloved in his home State of Kansas that he has never lost an election--a record 24 and 0. If only his K-State Wildcats could be so lucky. (Laughter.) Senator Pat Roberts, it has been an honor to be your partner and an even bigger honor to be your friend. So, while your retirement is well- deserved, you will be deeply missed on the Agriculture Committee and in the Senate. Thank you for all you have done for farmers and families and for the American people. I wish you only continued happiness and success as you and Franki and the family move to this next piece of your life. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise this evening with my colleagues from Maryland and with Senator Reed from Rhode Island to pay tribute to someone whom I was lucky enough to have as a mentor when I first entered the Senate. And I want to associate myself with all of the wonderful words of my friends from Maryland. With any new job, there is a learning curve. There are certainly things that you don't know and that you don't even know enough to know you don't know. That certainly is true in the Senate. In 2001, I was a former Member of the House who had just been elected to the Senate. It was an exciting time--a lot of new people to meet, rules to learn, and procedures to follow. One of my new assignments was the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, where Senator Sarbanes served as the chairman. By that time, Senator Sarbanes was already an institution. As my colleagues have mentioned, he introduced the first article of impeachment against President Richard Nixon, as a junior Congressman. And as a freshman Senator in 1978, he was a forceful advocate for treaties that gave control, among other things, of the Panama Canal to Panama. So it felt a little surreal to find myself at the table with a brilliant leader like Senator Paul Sarbanes. But he could not have been more gracious and more generous with his time for me as a freshman Member. He was always willing to answer my questions. He was a wonderful mentor. We, of course, worked on banking issues together, including the crafting of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, where I was able, up close, to watch his legislative mastery. We also worked on public transit provisions in our transportation bill, which was very important for us in Michigan. We shared a passion for protecting our water. My colleagues have talked about the Chesapeake Bay. For me, it was the Great Lakes, and we often talked about the beauty of the lakes, as well as the bay. Senator Sarbanes gave his final speech on the Senate floor on this very day, 14 years ago. He was a humble man, and his remarks were quite brief. He closed, in part, with this: ``I want my colleagues to know how deeply I appreciate their friendship and [their] counsel and how highly I value the privilege of having been their colleague.'' Today, I can say exactly the same words about Senator Paul Sarbanes. He was a statesman, and I was lucky enough to call him my friend. I value the privilege of having been his colleague. I want to offer his family, including Congressman John Sarbanes, all of Paul's friends, and the entire State of Maryland my deepest condolences. We have lost an incredible leader and public servant. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I rise today to honor someone whom I have had the good fortune of working with both in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. Senator Udall and I spent a long time together, and I am very, very grateful. I want to take a step back just for a moment and say that in American political history there are certain names that carry a legacy. There are the Roosevelts, a family of great means who, nonetheless, understood the deeply personal pain of the Great Depression and helped bring a nation through it. There are the Kennedys, a family that for generations has been near the center of American power and popular culture. And there are the Udalls. Now, the Udalls have never been flashy. They might not be the equivalent of political royalty. You might find the Udalls more likely to be in cowboy boots and jeans than expensive suits, but they are a family that is deeply rooted in public service, protecting the people and the places of the West, and just being some of the kindest, hardest working, most decent folks you could ever meet, period. Senator Tom Udall has certainly lived up to his family's legacy during his long career in public service. New Mexico is so fortunate to have been represented by him, and I feel so fortunate to have him as my friend. Tom, it has been such a pleasure to work with you on so many different issues. You talk about the land, and I talk a lot about water. And even though you are not surrounded by the Great Lakes, as we are, you have been as passionate in working with us to protect our beautiful water, as you have with other natural resources. So thank you for protecting the funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Also, I thank him for ensuring that our community health centers receive full funding, for strengthening rural communities, and for improving services for our veterans. I appreciate so much your leadership in the bipartisan efforts, and I was proud to support you and help on tax reform. I have been so impressed by your work on clean energy and on protecting the wild places that make our States so special, and, of course, your work on reforming the Senate and shining the light of day on money and politics. I am so grateful for your strong leadership on the Indian Affairs Committee and your hard work and advocacy--so effective in advocating for our Nation's Tribes. You have also set yourself apart through your work on Foreign Relations and on keeping our Nation safe. I will never forget our trip to Vietnam and South Korea last year. We were, over the Easter weekend, flying in Southeast Asia, and it was such a wonderful moment when Jill organized a Passover Seder for everyone on the plane--what a special moment on this bipartisan trip. It brought everybody together to focus on our common humanity and what we are each called to do, which is to serve others. Whatever the future holds for you, I have no doubt that you will continue serving the people of New Mexico and this Nation, and I believe we have more than benefitted from your leadership. Public service, that is what Udalls do. Senator Udall, congratulations on your retirement. Thank you for a job well done, and so many best wishes to you and your life partner Jill and your entire family. You have been a real blessing not only to New Mexico but to our country. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, first, let me join with so many of my colleagues in wishing our distinguished friend and Senator from Tennessee best wishes. Thank you, Senator Alexander, for your incredible leadership and working across the aisle. So many good things that you have talked about are so meaningful to all of us. I appreciate the way you have conducted yourself with the committees and with Members, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with you. Electric vehicles didn't quite get across the line this year with what we wanted to do in terms of tax cuts, but I appreciate the chance to have been able to partner with you. Certainly, I wish you the best in your next steps in work as you end the year with your family. In whatever you do, I know you will be very successful.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, it might be hard to believe it is actually December. In normal times, a lot of families in Michigan would be focused on getting ready for the holidays, and while Michigan children might still be counting down the days until Santa arrives, their parents have a lot bigger issues weighing on their minds. A Michigan dad has been out of work for months and is wondering how long his family will be able to keep scraping by in the new year after his unemployment runs out. A Michigan single mom whose hours have been cut and who has been unable to pay the rent for months is wondering just how long it will be until her family will be out on the street. The owner of a Michigan small business is wondering if he will see enough of a holiday boost to keep the doors open and his three employees on the payroll. A Michigan retiree who struggles to buy enough groceries is wondering if it is safe to wait in a long line at her local food bank or if that is where she will get sick. Michigan families who have seen almost 9,300 of their grandparents and neighbors and uncles and cousins and friends and community leaders get sick and die from this horrible virus are wondering who is going to be next. The truth is that we are not just facing a health crisis right now-- we are facing an economic crisis; we are facing a housing crisis; and we are facing a hunger crisis all at the same time. Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths keep rising, and we haven't even seen the effects of Thanksgiving gatherings yet. We are seeing unemployment claims tick up, and those are expected to get worse after seasonal jobs will be cut in January. Some studies have estimated that about 40 million renters in the United States are at risk of losing their homes. There are already 10,000 eviction actions that have been filed in a number of States. Those are 10,000 families who need to find new places to live right now, in the winter, in the middle of a health pandemic. We have all seen the massive lines of cars at food banks across the country. In a normal year, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan helps about 14 percent of the population in 22 counties get enough food to eat. This year, it is helping 40 percent to put food on the table. Before COVID-19, the South Michigan Food Bank provided food to about 80 families a week. Now it is helping more than 500 families a week. This is an emergency. These families, businesses, community organizations, and seniors can't just wait around, hoping for a Christmas miracle. They need help now, and it is our responsibility to do it now. That is why I am so pleased that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been working to come together on additional help. There are still a lot of details to work out, but I am hopeful, in being part of the process on the workings of the details, that we are going to be able to come together on an agreement that will help families and businesses and communities get through these tough times. Whatever agreement we reach won't be perfect. We know that. It won't be everything everybody wants. Yet we can't wait because time is quickly running out. On December 26--only 23 days from now--vital unemployment programs will expire, cutting off benefits that millions of workers will need to be able to provide for their families. If you are self-employed, if you are a contract worker, if you are a gig worker, suddenly you will have zero help--zero. Five days after that, on December 31, the Federal Reserve's emergency lending program ends. That will cut off crucial credit that is keeping businesses open and helping State and local governments provide necessary services. Also on December 31, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium expires, and the Federal foreclosure moratorium and some opportunities for forbearance expire. Imagine what it would be like to begin a new year with no roof over your head or your family's, no place for your children to sleep, and no place to stay clean in the middle of a raging pandemic. And on January 1, millions of student loan borrowers will have to resume their payments whether they can afford them or not. These programs have been, literally, a lifeline for families, for communities, for businesses during the pandemic. And while vaccines are on the horizon and we are so happy to hear the progress, this pandemic is far from over. Cutting off this vital help now would be like an ambulance driver stopping 2 miles short of the hospital and making the accident victim get out and walk the rest of the way to the emergency room. We need to face this health crisis, this economic crisis, this housing crisis, this hunger crisis with seriousness and boldness. People in Michigan and across the country are crying out for help. It is time for this body to listen. It is time for Congress to lead. We should not go home until we have passed at least a short-term survival package to help Americans through the next few months. That is our job. That is our job, and we should not go home until that job is done. We are the United States of America--United States of America. Nothing is holding us back from helping our citizens other than people's unwillingness to do it. Nothing. We are the United States of America. There is no reason we are not coming together, and shame on the Congress and the White House if we don't act now to help our citizens. There is nothing holding us back but the political will to do it, and it needs to get done. There are many of us now on both sides of the aisle working to do that, and we need to make sure that people lean in together and get this done. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 227 on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Aileen Cannon to the United States Southern District of Florida. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose cloture. I was unable to attend the roll call vote No. 228 on the motion to confirm the nomination of Aileen Cannon to the United States Southern District of Florida. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose confirmation.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today, I rise as our country faces a monumental choice. It is a choice about who we want to be as Americans and the future we want to build as Americans. All across our country this year, we have seen Americans standing up and speaking out for greater equality and greater justice. Our choice is this: Does the highest Court in the land stand with the people of America as we strive to build a more perfect Union, or does the Court side with the most powerful interests and most extreme views that will take our country backward in our quest for justice and equality? Judge Amy Coney Barrett does not stand on the side of the American people. She does not represent mainstream values--certainly, mainstream values that we cherish in Michigan. Right now, we are in the middle of a pandemic. Over 225,000 Americans have already died, and we are nowhere near getting it under control-- nowhere. Instead of providing help to families, communities, and businesses that are suffering, Republicans are rushing through. Here we are on a Sunday, not talking about how we help people, help our small businesses, help our communities, do what needs to be done to get this pandemic under control. No, we are seeing a rush to get a Supreme Court nominee on the Court that will have disastrous consequences for our Nation, both for today and for decades to come. On behalf of the majority of the people of Michigan, I am strongly opposing this nomination, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Perhaps, nothing is more at risk right now than healthcare--the healthcare that Americans depend on. Exactly one week after election day, the Supreme Court, as we know, will hear arguments in the case that could very well overturn the Affordable Care Act in the middle of a pandemic--in the middle of a deadly pandemic. Republicans in Congress have tried to repeal the healthcare law for 10 years now--10 years. And each time, people across our country, people across Michigan, have spoken out. They have demanded that Republicans protect their healthcare. Healthcare is not political in the eyes of Americans. It is personal. They want us to strengthen and improve healthcare, not rip it away from them. But, unfortunately, Republicans have voted more than 100 times in those 10 years--more than 100 different times--to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and more than 100 times they have failed. So now President Trump has turned the job over to the courts. He expects Judge Barrett to, in his words, terminate the healthcare law. That is the word of the person who nominated Judge Barrett. He wouldn't have nominated her to the Supreme Court if he didn't trust that she would do just that. Judge Barrett has already called the Court's previous decision to uphold the ACA ``illegitimate.'' She publicly criticized Chief Justice Roberts for upholding the law. She said that if the Supreme Court reads the statute like she does, they have no choice but to, in her words, invalidate it. This is not a mystery here about how she is going to vote. It is very, very clear. That would be a disaster for Michigan families, a disaster for people all across our country. Protections for the over 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions--gone. That number is going up every day because of COVID-19. Bans on yearly and lifetime caps on cancer treatments and other critical care--gone. Healthy Michigan, which has helped more than 880,000 Michigan residents get healthcare--gone. The ability for young adults up to age 26 to be covered by their family's health insurance-- gone. You can also say goodbye to guaranteed maternity care so you are going to pay extra if you want to have children and have maternity care, free preventive health screenings, and birth control without copays. Seniors would see their drug prices go up. The ACA closed the Medicare prescription drug--what we call the doughnut hole, the gap in coverage, and saved the average Michigan senior more than $1,300 just in 6 years between 2010 and 2016--$1,300. Seniors would have additional reason to worry. During her confirmation hearing, Judge Barrett refused to say whether she believes Medicare and Social Security are even constitutional. As is often the case, American women would have the most to lose if the ACA is overturned. Remember when simply being a woman was considered a preexisting condition by insurance companies, and we had to pay more? I do. Yet the threat of Justice Barrett goes far beyond insurance rates. The fundamental right for women to make basic choices about our own healthcare, our own health, our own lives would be at risk. Since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, women in our country have had the right to make our own decisions about reproductive choices that are best for our own health and our own family. It is among the rights that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her career defending, and it is not a right that Judge Barrett respects. She has long aligned herself with organizations devoted to eliminating a woman's right to choose. She signed her name to a letter calling for Roe v. Wade to be overturned. During her nomination hearing, she refused to say whether Roe v. Wade is Federal law. At its most basic, Roe v. Wade is about undue government interference. Think about that--undue government interference, which we hear a lot about from our friends on the other side of the aisle. That is something that Republicans deeply oppose, at least when it is corporations that need defending from undue government interference. Reproductive rights are only one freedom, as critical as they are, as that is, that are on the line right now. Over the past decade, we have made major progress in ensuring that our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors aren't discriminated against simply for being themselves. Yet Judge Barrett has openly opposed this progress, including speaking out against the decision that made marriage equality the law of the land. She has even given numerous speeches on behalf of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a rightwing organization that thinks being gay should be a crime. Workers, too, could see their rights evaporate under a Justice Barrett. Barrett would be just one more conservative Justice who will issue rulings that hurt the ability of workers to fight workplace mistreatment and discrimination, and to organize and collectively bargain for wages, benefits, and workplace protections. That is what she did in her decision Wallace v. Grubhub Holdings in which she ruled against workers who were denied overtime wages--against workers who were denied overtime wages that are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act. If a Justice Barrett sides with the powerful against people, I think we all know what that means for the future of our world. During her confirmation hearing, Judge Barrett refused to say whether or not she believes that climate change exists, saying she is not a scientist. You don't need to be a scientist. Just ask people in Michigan about what is happening in our State. The climate crisis is already affecting Michigan agriculture, our environment, our public health, our Great Lakes. A number of crucial cases dealing with the environment are likely to end up at the Supreme Court in the next number of years, and the Court's decisions will have consequences that outlive any of us. Critically important to all American citizens is what Justice Barrett would mean for voting rights and the results of the 2020 election. Let me remind everyone that election day isn't November 3, it is every day up to November 3. People are voting right now. If you have not voted, I hope you do and that you do it safely and do it early, but voting ends on November 3. People are voting as we speak and whether or not those votes are counted could very well depend on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Barrett refused to say whether she believes voter discrimination exists. Voter discrimination. Given that 23 States have passed restrictive voting laws since the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision, it is pretty clear that voter discrimination exists. Judge Barrett has also refused to recuse herself from rulings on cases related to the outcome of the 2020 election, even though President Trump is rushing to make sure that she is there. That is a clear conflict of interest if I ever heard one. There is no right more fundamental than the right to vote--no right more fundamental than the right to vote. Perhaps nobody knew that better than our beloved colleague, the late Congressman John Lewis. He once said this: My dear friends, your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union. A more perfect union; that is what we want, isn't it? That is what we are working toward every day, I hope. That is what Americans have been marching for and speaking out for and bleeding for and dying for as long as we have been a nation. We face a crucial choice. I am choosing to stand with the vast majority of the American people on the side of justice and equality. I urge a ``no'' vote on Judge Barrett. The American people deserve much, much better Mr. President, there is one other thing that I need to do before yielding the floor. I would yield my remaining postcloture time to the Democratic leader. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I rise today to speak on behalf of people and small businesses in Michigan that are being left behind on this Republican bill. As my friend from Florida has said, we can do something. The Senate Democratic leader is going to be offering us an opportunity to vote on something comprehensive that has been passed by the House that doesn't leave small businesses, families, healthcare providers, and the need for testing and tracing behind. When I think about who is being left behind in this bill, I think of the single mom of two boys who is seeing her hours cut, and her paycheck has shrunk, and she is left behind by what we are being asked to vote on right now. There is no need for that. She doesn't know how she is going to keep the lights on. The weather is getting cold. The 83-year-old retiree who is struggling to afford food and who goes to bed hungry night after night is being left behind on what we are being asked to vote on. That doesn't have to happen. We have an alternative that has passed the House that we can vote on and get this done today. The owner of a small restaurant is being left behind. He has been able to stay open by offering takeout, but he is just barely--just barely--holding on, wanting specific help that is available through legislation introduced in the Senate, that is bipartisan, that is not in this bill. He is being left behind. We are talking about the families who thought 2020 would be the year they would finally get ahead, and then COVID hit, and now they are at risk of being evicted and losing their homes that brought their children stability for the first time. There are the Michigan families who have lost loved ones--more than 7,000 grandmas and grandpas and moms and dads, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, cousins, neighbors, and friends. People in Michigan aren't talking about a stimulus bill; they want a survival package because it is survival for them right now. Instead, Republicans have introduced a bill that leaves our urgent health care needs, our families, and far too many businesses behind. This Republican proposal leaves behind the most important thing we need to do right now to get the pandemic under control. President Trump has said that we will wake up one day and COVID-19 will have miraculously gone away. Oh, wouldn't that be great. But we are tired of waiting and getting up every day and being faced with the threat of COVID-19. If we want people to send their kids to school, reopen their businesses, get back to work, be able to go shopping at their small businesses, to be able to eat at their restaurants, then we need to make sure things are safe. Right now, it is not safe. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and deaths are spiking all across the country. The White House is still resisting a national testing strategy, as if it is some kind of giveaway to Democrats instead of public health 101. Meanwhile, millions of people have lost their jobs, which means they have also lost their health insurance, which he doesn't want to address, and our healthcare system is under strain. Our hospitals and our nursing homes are still struggling to get enough personal protective equipment for their employees, for families who want to visit, and for patients. Our healthcare professionals are exhausted, stressed, and at severe risk of burnout. Healthcare needs are left behind in this bill, and so are the needs of our families. Right now, the unemployment rate in Michigan is 8.5 percent--higher than the national average. Since March 15, 2.3 million Michigan residents have relied on unemployment. The extra $600 a week provided in the CARES Act was a lifeline for these Michigan families, and it needs to be extended so they can have a roof over their heads and pay their bills and survive. A survey last month by the U.S. Census Bureau found that 25 percent of Michigan residents thought they would be evicted or lose their home to foreclosure in the next 2 months. We need to act now--now. We have an opportunity. The Senate Democratic leader will give us the opportunity to vote on that bill and act now. Without additional unemployment aid and rental assistance, where will these families go in January when the CDC eviction moratorium expires and they are months behind in rent? This legislation also leaves our children behind. The Republican bills have not provided adequate funding to reopen our schools safely, and millions of parents, including my own daughter and her family and my own son and his family, are juggling, trying to make sure that kids can work online, trying to make sure they are getting the education they need. It is hard. The money that has been provided in the bill, unfortunately, in the underlying bill--there is some, but it comes with strings attached. Schools must physically reopen in order to receive their fair share of funding. So if your school district has decided that COVID cases have gone up and it is not safe for the children to go back to school--they are still paying the teachers, they are operating remotely, and they have all the costs of operating remotely, but if they are not physically there, as President Trump insists on, physically there regardless of the health risk, they would not get the help they need for our children to be educated--quite a change for a political party that likes to talk about local control. But there is one exception. If your child is going to a private school, you get a great big tax credit if you send your child to a private school rather than a public school, like the vast majority of children in our country. Brecken is a 5-year-old kindergarten student in the De Tour area public schools in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She has access to high- speed internet in only one way, and that is if her parents disconnect every other electronic device in their house while she is doing her studies. And the connection isn't great. Brecken and other students in rural areas deserve the same internet connectivity that their city friends enjoy, but the Republicans leave them behind. Democrats have proposed a $4 billion E-rate funding increase to ensure children are able to go to school remotely. We don't want Brecken or any child left behind in this COVID-19 crisis. We can't talk about schools without talking about healthy food and nutrition. They go hand in hand. The average person getting help right now--food assistance--receives $127 a month, which is $1.40 per meal. About 40 percent of our families who are getting even that have gotten absolutely no increased help whatsoever. And we know in the food lines, people who have donated to the food banks all their lives are now sitting in their car for hours sometimes, waiting to go through the food line themselves. Our families need help. Our families are hungry. We can fix that if we pass the bill that the House sent to us. Finally, this legislation isn't just about leaving critical healthcare needs and testing needs behind, leaving our children and leaving our families behind. It leaves far too many businesses behind. Over the past few months, I have met with so many Michigan business owners, mostly over Zoom--restaurants, gyms, entertainment venues, craft jewelry, theaters that have been revitalizing Michigan downtowns. One of the things I love is that not just in big cities but in small towns across Michigan, you will go downtown, and there is now a craft brewery, and then they have rebuilt and revitalized a historic theater, and they are rebuilding the downtown. They have been hit so hard by what has happened with COVID-19. They deserve specific help that they are not getting in this legislation. All small businesses are not getting the help--the kind of help--that they need. We don't want to leave any small business behind, including our minority-owned small businesses in underserved communities and nonprofits. We fought successfully, as Democrats, to add $30 billion in dedicated funding for those who are underbanked or receiving their financial support in other nontraditional ways. That is not in here either. So we need an approach for this pandemic and the economic catastrophe it has unleashed across the country. We need an approach that is serious and is bold--neither of which is what we are about to vote on with this PPP vote--for testing and healthcare, for keeping our children safe so they can get back to school, for our families and all of our businesses. We know that so many have been hit in ways that are different than others, so we need to address all of our small businesses. This is no time to leave any of them behind, and the Republican initiative in front of us does just that. People deserve better. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay special tribute to the proud Michigan residents who have served in our Nation's military and their families. When our country was at risk of fracturing in a brutal Civil War, the people of Michigan volunteered. When fascism threatened freedom around the world, the people of Michigan fought back. And when faced with new dangers--from terrorism to pandemic diseases--the people of Michigan remain willing to put our lives on the line on behalf of the American people. Whenever and wherever our Nation needs us, the people of Michigan always respond. In some families, this spirit of service stretches back generations. The Armsteads are one such Michigan family. Peter Armstead was originally from England, but when his new Nation needed him, he answered the call. He fought during the Civil War and barely survived his time in a Confederate prisoner of war camp in Mississippi. Earl Armstead, Peter's grandson, served in France during World War I, where he was put in charge of destroying enemy bridges. He came home suffering from post-traumatic stress and, like so many of our veterans, struggled to talk about what he had seen. And Robert Armstead, Earl's nephew, also fought in Europe during World War II. He served in the Tank Destroyer Battalion and took part in the Po Valley campaign in Italy. His unit was being readied for the Pacific Campaign when the war ended. All three of these veterans were willing to sacrifice everything in defense of our Nation. This past August, a grateful nation honored them with side-by-side burials at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly. Dr. Robert Armstead II, Robert's son, worked to make this historic interment happen. He believes veterans deserve to be remembered and honored for their service. I couldn't agree more. My own father, who served during World War II, always told me that veterans should not stand at the back of any line. Our Nation must keep its promises to our heroes who have served, whether it is healthcare, education, a chance at a good job, the military recognitions they earned in service, or a place of honor in our national cemeteries, places that Robert Armstead II calls ``sacred holy ground.'' On this Veterans Day and every day, I salute all of Michigan's veterans past and present. I salute their families, who sacrifice alongside them and help ensure that their stories are never forgotten. Thank you.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 184 on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Edward H. Meyers, of Washington, DC, to be judge of the Court of Federal Claims. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose cloture. I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 185 on the motion to confirm the nomination of Edward H. Meyers, of Washington, DC, to be judge of the Court of Federal Claims. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose confirmation. I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 186 on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Andrea R. Lucas, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose cloture. I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 187 on the motion to confirm the nomination of Andrea R. Lucas to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose confirmation. I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 188 on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose cloture. I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 189 on the motion to confirm the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose confirmation.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my personal heroes, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She spent her life in service to the American people, quite literally. Whether the Supreme Court was hearing arguments about civil rights, reproductive rights for women, protecting our environment, our precious water and air, or standing up for our workers, Justice Ginsburg could be counted on to put the needs of the American people first every time. She may not have looked like much of a fighter, but this tiny Jewish grandmother in the lace collar punched far above her weight. The American people were so fortunate to have her on their side of the ring. I feel fortunate as a woman in America. My daughter and my granddaughters, too, have known she was there over and over again, fighting for us That certainly was the case on healthcare. I have said over and over again on the floor of the Senate that healthcare isn't political; it is personal for each one of us. It is personal. Justice Ginsburg understood that in her bones. As a person who had experienced her own health challenges and health challenges in her family, she knew that when a beloved spouse is diagnosed with cancer or a child with a fever needs to go to the emergency room, politics is the last thing on their minds. When people tell me their healthcare stories, they don't start by telling me whether they are a Democrat or a Republican. That is because when it comes to healthcare and the health of our families, it simply doesn't matter. People in Michigan just want to know that if they or their loved ones get sick or are hurt, they are going to be able to take them to the doctor and get the healthcare they need. Unfortunately, with the loss of Justice Ginsburg, Michigan families and families all across the country have an extra reason to be very concerned right now. One week after the election--just 1 week after the election--the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case that could overturn the Affordable Care Act, overturn everything, all of the protections-- including, of course, the preexisting conditions coverage--all of it. By the way, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has weighed in and is in favor of having that happen. Everything is at stake, including coverage for 17 million people through the expansion of Medicaid, where minimum-wage workers right now in States like Michigan that have expanded Medicaid no longer have to pick between minimum-wage jobs and not working and having healthcare. It is so important. Also at stake is the ability for children to remain on their parents' health plans until age 26, which has transformed so many families' opportunities and young people's opportunities, and coverage for preventive services like cancer screening and maternity care. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, you had to get extra coverage for maternity care. It wasn't viewed as basic. It was basic for me when I was having my children, and for women across the country, it is pretty basic. It wasn't viewed as basic, essential care. It now is under the Affordable Care Act. Also at risk are mental health care and treatment for substance use disorders, lower prescription drug prices for seniors, and protections for people with preexisting conditions. It is estimated that about half of Michigan families include someone with a preexisting condition, everything from heart disease to asthma, to high blood pressure, to cancer. Nationwide, we are talking about 130 million people. How many more people now, after COVID-19, will have a preexisting condition? In other words, what happens in the next few months--what happens in terms of filling another Supreme Court vacancy, as well as what happens in the election--could have life-or-death consequences for Michigan families and families across the country. In case anyone has forgotten, we are in the middle of a once-in-a- lifetime pandemic. More than 200,000 Americans have already lost their lives, and unfortunately that number is going up every single day. In my own State, nearly 7,000 people have lost their lives--7,000 moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, brothers and sisters, children and friends. Even though some have survived COVID-19, they may be left with long-term health issues, from heart damage to breathing difficulties, to neurological problems, which, as I said before, creates preexisting conditions. This is not the time to be ripping healthcare away from American families. There is never a good time but certainly not now. Yet that is exactly the scenario we could be facing. As Justice Ginsburg said, ``Health care is not like a vegetable or other items one is at liberty to buy or not to buy.'' When a Michigan single mom discovers a lump and finds out that she has breast cancer, she can't just hope it will go away. When a Michigan senior with diabetes needs insulin, he can't just wait for a big sale and stock up when the price is right. When a child spikes a high fever in the middle of the night, her parents can't just tell her: Well, you know, the money is tight right now, so you are going to have to wait to see a doctor. That is the horror for all of us as parents, that our child will get sick and we won't be able to take them to the doctor. Healthcare isn't political; it is personal. It isn't about policy; it is about people--people. It is about the people in our States who sent us here to fight on their behalf. I sincerely hope that by the time the Senate votes on the next Supreme Court Justice--if, unfortunately, it comes before the people have their say about who should be making that nomination and confirming that appointment--if that is going to be rushed through, jammed through by this Senate, I hope there will be four U.S. Senators on the other side of the aisle who will have the courage to stand up for the people who need healthcare--and, frankly, that is all of us. One thing I do know for sure is that the American people are courageous. Time and again, they have called us and written letters and have even come to DC to make their voices heard. From the amazing Little Lobbyists to ALS warrior Ady Barkan, to my friend Lauren Kovach, who fights so hard to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, these folks would probably rather be spending their time doing something else, but they understand that healthcare isn't a luxury; it is a necessity. This should not be political. It is personal to each and every one of us. Again and again, people across the country have stepped up. They have gotten engaged. They have put their passion to work protecting our healthcare. Their voices and the voices of millions of Americans have made the difference in this Chamber to the majority in this Chamber-- saying no to repealing the Affordable Care Act and ripping healthcare away from millions of Americans. That only happened because people stood up and made their voices known and were actively engaged in saying what was important to them and their families. It is easy to throw up our hands and give in and let the sadness and feelings of loss for Justice Ginsburg and all of the frustrations and chaos and the suffering take over all of us, but RBG would never let that happen. If she were here right now, she would say: No, no, no. This is the moment to focus and engage and to fight even harder. When, as a Harvard Law student, she was asked by the dean why she felt entitled to take a slot that otherwise would have gone to a man, she didn't let that faze her. When she struggled to land a job after graduation, she took to teaching at Rutgers School of Law and hid her second pregnancy under baggy clothes until her contract was renewed. She later challenged the New Jersey law that forced pregnant teachers to quit their jobs. When she was diagnosed with cancer for the first time in 1999, she fought back and kept on fighting for more than 20 years. It is time now for all of us to fight, all of us who care about our freedoms and our very way of life in this country. It is time to fight like our beloved RBG, like she did everyday of her life for us. Justice Ginsburg once said this: ``Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.'' I am asking the American people right now to join us in this fight. This is not a done deal. It is not over, and we all as Senators will be held accountable for what we do. Call your Senators, write emails and letters, talk to your friends and neighbors, and let them know what is at stake--from healthcare and reproductive rights for women to protecting our air and clean water, to the capacity to be able to collectively bargain for wages and safety and benefits, to voting rights and civil rights. We can go on and on. It is all on the line right now. We need to step up and fight and not assume anything is a done deal. We need to hold our Republican colleagues accountable. Don't let them get away with taking healthcare away from millions of people. We did it before when we stopped the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. I think we have to fight now to do the same thing and vote like your life and the lives of your family depend on it, because they actually do. Justice Ginsburg dedicated her life to making our country more fair, more free, and more just. Now is the time to continue her fight for our future, for our children, and for our grandchildren. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise to talk about what we need to be doing certainly to support the farmers across our country. I know Republican colleagues spoke just a while ago about the need to refill what we call the CCC to make sure that we are providing the funding for the October payments for the farm bill. As one of the authors of the farm bill, I certainly know we have to make those payments, and the good news is that there is enough money there now to do that, although we certainly also want to be providing emergency support, disaster support, for growers who have been hit and have had losses as a result of the Trump chaotic trade policies, as a result of what has happened under COVID-19. Our farmers have been hit every which way, including what is happening on climate change and the weather, prices, everything else, and we certainly want to make sure that they have what they need. I want to raise two points today. One is that in order to do that, the USDA should be focusing on a GAO report that was released on Monday that indicated and actually reaffirmed a report that I released with our Senate Democratic colleagues on the Agricultural Committee that, in fact, the payments going out to farmers have not been fair. They have been picking winners and losers; they have been picking regions in the South, big farms in the South, not over the Midwest or our smaller farmers and over many of those who, frankly, have had the biggest losses. So when I hear my colleagues talk about the fact that we need to be supporting farmers and we need to make sure that the farm bill payments go out, I absolutely agree that money is in there right now to do that. If we are going to add other money, I think we ought to be paying attention to what the GAO has now affirmed, which is we should be making sure we are funding those with losses--those who need the help the most in these chaotic times for farmers. But something has now come up today that is even more alarming to me, and that is related to what the Trump administration appears to be considering right now, which is to take at least $300 million in funds, cash aid, and give it to U.S. oil refineries out of the funds we are talking about--that my colleagues just talked about--that were supposed to be going to farmers. We have had 3\1/2\ years of this administration siding with big oil companies over our ethanol producers. And, by the way, ethanol biofuels are about jobs, about clean energy, and about supporting small towns in rural communities. Then, just this week, at the very last minute--it is election year--they announce that they are going to make a decision that will help ethanol and be able to deal with some of the waivers that they have been doing for the oil companies. They announced that earlier this week, and then, guess what. Through the back door, they are going to take--if this is accurate in Reuters--$300 million away from our farmers to give back to Big Oil. Every time we turn around, they are deciding to support Big Oil over farmers in our rural communities. I want to know from colleagues--I had hoped to get to the floor to ask the question directly, and I am certainly going to ask it of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who I know support ethanol and biofuels--when they are advocating for more money in the CCC, are they advocating for $300 million going to the oil companies? Because, oh, heavenly days, we couldn't really side with ethanol. You know, if we really sided with ethanol, they wouldn't be worried about the oil companies who have been fighting this every step of the way, fighting the efforts to support ethanol and biofuels, and fighting the efforts that are critical for jobs in rural communities in my State and all across the country. If they really meant it, they wouldn't be trying, through the back door, to find some way to go back and get hundreds of millions of dollars for the oil companies so they wouldn't be upset. So I find this pretty outrageous today. We are certainly going to dig deep, and, certainly, we are in the process right now of putting together a letter to the USDA. But the reality is that over and over again there is a lot of lip service for farmers and a lot of money going to Big Oil, and there is a lot of lip service to small and medium-sized farmers across Michigan and across the country, while 95 percent of these payments that are being done are going to big operations with political friends in the South. It is not fair. It is not fair. It is creating a situation where too many family farms are barely making it or, in fact, not making it and having to put the farm up for sale, and that is wrong. It is not good for America. It is not good for diversity in agriculture. We don't need just a few huge farms in America. We need to make sure that we are supporting our small farmers and medium farmers. This is the foundation of so much of the economy in small towns like where I grew up in Northern Michigan. What we have seen is an administration that has chosen to basically throw the farm bill out the window. My colleagues talked about the great bipartisan farm bill. I agree. As the partner with Senator Roberts in putting that together, I agree. It was a great bipartisan effort that the USDA has basically torn up and thrown out the window, and instead of creating markets for our farmers and supporting them with risk management, now it is back to big government payments. By the way, let's make sure they are focused on our friends. That is basically what the report from the GAO has shown us. I am very concerned that one more time there is a lot of lip service for farmers, and we are going to see--and we are certainly going to stop this, by the way--$300 million going to oil companies out of our agriculture support fund. It is stunning to me. By the way, I would just conclude by saying that the Secretary of Agriculture has said he didn't have the authority to help the ethanol producers, couldn't help our corn growers, couldn't help our biofuel and soybeans growers--he didn't have the authority. He didn't have the authority to help our farmers, but somehow he has the authority to dip into agriculture support funds to be able to fund $300 million to Big Oil. This is wrong. I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who were here speaking earlier about the importance of supporting agriculture will join us in saying to the USDA: You do not have the authority to use dollars for producers that have been hit so hard by the chaos of their trade policies and every other effort that has gone on in the real world that has lowered their prices and created havoc for our farmers. You don't have the right to take their funds and give them to Big Oil. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Brett H. Ludwig, of Wisconsin, to be U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of cloture. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to confirm the nomination of Brett H. Ludwig, of Wisconsin, to be U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of confirmation. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Christy Criswel Wiegand, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. district judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of cloture. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Hala Y. Jarbou, of Michigan, to be U.S. district judge for the Western District of Michigan. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of cloture. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to confirm the nomination of Christy Criswell Wiegand, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. district judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of confirmation. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Thomas T. Cullen, of Virginia, to be U.S. district judge for the Western District of Virignia. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted to oppose cloture. Mr. President, I was unable to attend the rollcall vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Diane Gujarati, of New York, to be U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of New York. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of cloture.

Ms. STABENOW

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

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise now on behalf of the more than 19 million people in our Nation and half a million people in Michigan who show us every day what service and sacrifice and love of country is really all about. These patriots landed on beaches in Normandy and the Pacific theater, crept through jungles in Korea, shed blood in Vietnam, survived attacks in Iraq, and fought terrorists in Afghanistan. These people are heroes. They love our Nation so much. They are willing to put their lives on the line for our democracy, our people, and our way of life. That is why it is so incredibly shocking and infuriating to hear the President of the United States, the Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, disparage our veterans. President Trump called them losers and suckers--losers and suckers. He said he couldn't understand why anyone would join the military because ``What is in it for them?'' He said veterans who had lost limbs shouldn't be in parades. Why? Because he couldn't handle seeing them. He didn't think people would want to see them. People in Michigan want to see them and thank them and do so every day. We all remember what he said about our former colleague and friend, the late Senator John McCain. President Trump said that he prefers veterans who didn't get captured. My own dad served in the Navy during World War II. He signed up because he believed in a cause bigger than himself. Perhaps President Trump doesn't understand, but my dad was a sailor, not a sucker. About one in four people who have served in our armed services now live with a service-connected disability. President Trump, these veterans are leaders; they aren't losers. President Trump wonders what is in it for them. Well, maybe he should ask them because we all know what they would say. We all know what they would say: pride, duty, honor, the feeling that comes from putting something or someone above yourself. It is becoming increasingly clear that these aren't feelings that the current occupant of the Oval Office understands. My dad once told me something I have never forgotten. In fact, it has influenced my whole life as an elected official. He said that a veteran should never stand at the back of any line for a job, for healthcare, for education, or for the military recognitions they earned. My dad came home after World War II and went to school on the GI bill, and I don't know what would have happened to our family if he had not had that opportunity. So my dad said over and over again that a veteran should not stand at the back of any line. They certainly shouldn't be put at the end of the line by their own President. It is appalling that this even needs to be said, actually. When I heard these comments and heard them verified over and over again in every media outlet from right to left, verifying that, in fact, these were his comments, it was stunning. It was appalling. It made me very angry. Our veterans deserve a place of honor at the front of the line--at the front of the line. They deserve a Commander in Chief who respects them, who honors their service, and, frankly, who gets it. Thank goodness we have people who believe in things beyond themselves. Thank goodness we have people who are willing to stand up for all of us, to keep us safe and stand up for our values and our country. So on behalf of the people of Michigan, I want to say thank you to everyone who has served and everyone who is currently serving our country in our armed services. We are truly grateful for your sacrifice and service and your willingness to stand up and support and defend our country. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I have two items I would like to speak for a few moments on today, but first I want to rise to say how pleased I am that the Senate voted to confirm Judge Hala Jarbou to serve as the Federal judge in the U.S. District Circuit for the Western District of Michigan. Both Senator Peters and I supported her, returned our blue slips, and were very pleased to support her confirmation. I think she will do an excellent job. Her story, Judge Jarbou's story, is really an American story. She was born in Iraq and came to this country as a young girl. She was the first person in her family to earn her college degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree from Wayne State University. She is the first Chaldean judge to serve at the circuit court level in Oakland County, MI, and she is now the first Chaldean-American to serve on the Federal bench. So I am very, very pleased that she was confirmed today. Judge Jarbou greatly values the opportunity she has been given, I know, and has worked to extend those opportunities to others during her career. She is active in the Michigan legal community and in the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and other cultural organizations. She served as a mentor and has worked to increase the diversity of clerks in her own courtroom. Again, I am just very pleased that she was overwhelmingly confirmed by the U.S. Senate today.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I want to thank both of my friends from Oregon. We are Oregon strong on the floor. We have great, powerful, effective Senators from Oregon, and I want to thank Senator Merkley for his words, as well as my colleagues and friends from Delaware and New Hampshire and Maryland. We are on the floor today because we know this isn't just another regular Thursday where you can close up for the week and go home and do whatever is going to be done and then maybe come back Monday, maybe Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. We don't know because we don't know what is happening on negotiations. But, oh, well, there is no real sense of urgency anyway, right? There is an incredible sense of urgency, and, as we have been saying this afternoon, this should not be treated like just another end of the Senate week on a Thursday afternoon. We have the largest health pandemic in a hundred years. As of today, it is about 160,000 deaths in this country. You can't even wrap your head around that: 160,000 people. Yet we are a little over 4 percent of the world's population. We have 25 percent of the deaths. This did not have to happen. This should never have happened. It should never have happened. And to be in a situation where people are acting as if we have got all the time in the world--how many people have to die before we wrap our arms around what is happening and have a national strategy on testing and on contact tracing and a national strategy to make sure we have all of the testing materials and the PPE and everything that our doctors and nurses and other professionals need and we are treating this with the seriousness that it deserves? This is a health pandemic. We have to get our arms around this. We have to be able to manage it until we can get vaccines. We did come together and work together on a bipartisan basis in the beginning. That is what is just so frustrating and disheartening and maddening about this situation we are in now, as we go forward, because it is not done. I wish it was, for my own family and everyone else's. It is not even close to being done, and we have a responsibility to continue to be there and to have people's backs to address the pandemic and all of the economic hardship that has happened as a result of that. Now, in the CARES package, it was comprehensive. It was great that we were able to come together. One of the things was that the Treasury, the Fed, was able to basically have the capacity to have a safety net under the stock market, under our large businesses: Don't worry. Keep investing. We have got a safety net for you. But for somebody on unemployment, somebody who is worrying about feeding their children tonight, tomorrow, the next day--somebody who is worried that the water is going to get shut off or they are going to lose their shelter right in the middle of a pandemic when we tell people, ``stay home and, by the way, wash your hands frequently,'' and then the water gets turned off or you have no shelter and you are on the street or you can't feed the kids, or the additional money--the $600 that was allowing you to pay those bills--goes away, which is about a 60-percent cut, in Michigan, for people getting help--no safety net for you. Unh-unh. There are over 31 million people right now who are on unemployment insurance, and somehow, people want to have us believe that nobody wants to work, that there are over 31 million jobs out there and people just don't want to take them; they just don't want to work. I can tell you that is not true in Michigan. People in Michigan work. We grow things. We make things. We innovate. We build things. People in Michigan work and work hard. It is not their fault that we have a 100-year health pandemic that has pushed everybody back down and taken away the capacity for businesses to be safely open and for people to continue their jobs. People would expect that in the United States of America all of us would care about that and that it wouldn't just be another Thursday afternoon, closing up shop for the weekend or beyond. There is one other thing I want to stress when we talk about supporting communities right now. The President said: It is up to the Governors to step up. It is up to local communities to step up to keep people safe. No national response is necessary. It is the Governors, the mayors, the county commissioners. They have done that. They have done that. They took all of their resources to make sure they could do everything humanly possible to make sure they could help people be safe: Get the PPE, create a way for people to get testing, do all of the other things to help people. Now, for the Senate and for the President of the United States to say that we have no responsibility to step up and have their back and support them is incredibly irresponsible. What I find so interesting--who are we talking about locally? We want the restaurants to open. Yet you have to have a food inspector before you can open the restaurant. In Michigan, that is funded through the county--through county government. We are concerned about first responders--police and fire and 9-1-1 call centers and all of the people who respond to keep us safe. Do you know who the largest group is that will be losing their jobs without help for local communities and States? It is the first responders and law enforcement. In fact, I had a very prominent police leader in Michigan tell me that the only people he saw trying to defund the police were Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell because they didn't and aren't--the Senate Republicans aren't willing to step up to support funding for first responders, as well as the public health department, as well as the teachers, as well as everyone else involved. These are not normal times. These are not normal times in terms of the health risks for families. These are not normal times in terms of our economy and what is happening--not even to count the fact that racial disparities are on full display now in front of us in every part of our economy and services. This is not a normal time. This should not be a normal Thursday afternoon in the U.S. Senate. Every single one of my Democratic colleagues feels a sense of urgency and panic about what is happening. People need help. There are incredible hardships, and they deserve that help. The U.S. House of Representatives passed help over 2\1/2\ months ago. Senator McConnell at the time said that he felt no sense of urgency. In fact, he suggested that States and cities go bankrupt. That is one way to do it: Lay off all the police officers, firefighters, food inspectors, teachers. People in our country--and I know people in Michigan--feel an incredible sense of urgency to both manage and get beyond this healthcare pandemic, which is not going to be easy. It is going to take all of us working together. But they are anxious to do that, and they are anxious to open up the economy safely and to open up our schools safely and to know that there is some sense of normalcy that we can count on again. That is going to take all of us working together on a bipartisan basis to get it done. It is going to take a sense of urgency, a sense of responsibility for the role that we play at this moment in time in the history of our country and people's lives. It is going to take a lot of hard work. It is going to take political will more than anything else because the other things we can do. We have to decide we to want to do them. I hope very, very soon that Senator McConnell, our Senate Republican colleagues, the President and the White House decide that they want to work with us to really get things done for people all across our country. I yield the floor.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, it is Thursday afternoon, and it looks like any other Thursday afternoon. There is no sense of urgency. The leader, Senator McConnell, has sent folks on their way for the weekend, and there is no agreement on the COVID-19 survival package, which is what it really is for so many families. We are in a situation where it is another week of not focusing on how we get unemployment extension passed or how we deal with hungry families or make sure people are going to have a roof over their head or support our small businesses or our small family farms or our first responders on the frontlines and others in cities and towns and in States who are providing public services essential to us--people who are in jobs who may lose their jobs if we can't get them the support they need. That is not happening. There are a few nominations--a couple of nominations of judges. Let's put a few more ideologically extreme, rightwing judges on the bench. No sense of urgency. We are here on a Thursday as if it were just regular business. Over 2 months ago, Senator McConnell said he felt no sense of urgency to act on what the House passed, no sense of urgency at all. Over 2\1/ 2\ months ago, the House of Representatives passed a critical survival package to continue to tackle the pandemic, including testing, supporting our hospitals and nurses and doctors and communities on the frontline who are trying to maintain, manage, and keep us safe--save lives. Senator McConnell said he felt no sense of urgency. He certainly has demonstrated no sense of urgency since that time. He is not even in the negotiations that are going on right now. But this isn't a regular Thursday for folks in Michigan. No. This isn't a regular Thursday, like ``Ho-hum, let's go home for the weekend or longer.'' We have 1.8 million people on unemployment benefits. By the way, we don't have 1.8 million jobs right now that they could get. These aren't folks who just don't want to work. The jobs aren't there because of what has happened with the pandemic and the necessary closures and the challenges going on for businesses large and small. We certainly want to support them to safely be able to reopen, but we have 1.8 million people who, this week--this Friday, as opposed to last Friday--this Friday, tomorrow, when they get help through unemployment, it is going to be about a 60-percent cut--6-0, not 6--a 60-percent cut. Their rent didn't go down 60 percent. Their food didn't go down 60 percent. Their utility bills didn't go down 60 percent. The other things they need to take care of their families didn't go down 60 percent. But their income is going down 60 percent because there is no sense of urgency in this Senate. The Republican majority sees no sense of urgency. It is just another Thursday afternoon. There is no sense of urgency to help people who are trying to figure out what to do right now because everything collapsed when the pandemic hit and their business closed or other challenges took over so they are not able to work right now. What are they going to do? It is not just another Thursday afternoon for them. It is not just another Thursday afternoon for the single mom of two kids in Michigan right now who, frankly, could very well be deciding whether she eats tonight because it is so important that the children eat. She can't do both, so she will go hungry one more time so the kids can eat. We have a hunger emergency in this country right now. It is not just another Thursday for those folks, although they have spent too many Thursdays feeling hungry. It is not just a Thursday for the person who, right now, is probably in their car--maybe they have been there 2, 3, 4 hours--waiting in the food bank line to get some groceries to take home. They used to donate to the food bank, and now they are in a situation in which they have to go to the food bank. They never thought in their wildest dreams that would happen, yet it has. They feel a sense of urgency. It is not just another Thursday afternoon in the Senate for them. They feel a sense of urgency for today and tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday and Monday and on into however long it is going to take to be able to bring our colleagues together. It would be humorous if it just weren't so outrageous to hear colleagues talk about how we need to get something done when the House of Representatives passed a bill 2\1/2\ month ago, the Heroes Act. It came over here and has just been gathering dust on Senator McConnell's desk. We know that negotiation takes time. We know you always have to compromise, and that should have started 2 months ago or a month ago, not after somebody is losing 60 percent of their income trying to hold it together for their family. By the way, we tell people to go home--shelter at home--but their rental protections go away, their mortgage protections go away, and you put more people on the street. That makes a lot of sense in the middle of a health pandemic when we want people to stay home Every move that has happened in this Senate since the House acted has been too little too late, and it is causing more and more devastating consequences as a result of that. I will tell you who doesn't think it is another Thursday, just a normal Thursday afternoon, is 85-year-old retirees I know who are trying to figure out how to get their medicine versus their groceries. By the way, they haven't been out of their house in over 4 months. They are trying to stay connected with their families but are terrified of what is happening. Will what is happening right now be the rest of their life? They certainly feel a sense of urgency for us to act. The moms and dads who want their kids to go back to school safely and are trying to figure it out are saying: Come on. This cannot be my child's education versus their safety. It has to be both. That is not exactly rocket science. It has to be both. I am excited about the Tigers playing now--and their baseball league--and I am excited about the NFL. But if those guys can get tested every day, why can't our teachers? Where are the priorities here? Do they feel a sense of urgency? I can tell you that my son and daughter and their families and my grandkids feel an incredible sense of urgency. They want to go back to school to see their friends. They want to do it safely. They know it has to be safe. It is not either-or. They feel a sense of urgency. They would love this to be just another Thursday afternoon when we end the week and everybody goes home. It is not that for them as they are trying to figure out where they go for childcare or their school. It certainly isn't just another regular day for the teachers trying to figure out what to do. They went into teaching because they love children. They want to teach. They also know they may have their own preexisting conditions. They also have their own children at home. They have to think about their own exposure and how they can be teaching, which they want to do, but it has to be done safely because of all the other issues in their lives as well. I think about the small business owner. We have so many in Michigan. We have the most incredible entrepreneurs in Michigan in every small town as well as in big cities. There are people who poured their hearts and souls and capital and second mortgage on the house and maxed out their credit cards to have the small business they wanted. They are certainly not happy it is just another Thursday afternoon ending the week in the Senate. They are desperate to know how to keep their doors open and the three employees on the payroll. We have done some good work in a bipartisan way on that, which needs to continue. Yet that small business person and the people I talk to in Michigan feel an incredible sense of urgency. I talk to our family farmers who work night and day, battling the weather and low prices and chaotic trade policies. I have talked to someone raising livestock who can't find a processor that they need right now to make the food for hungry families. They certainly feel a tremendous sense of urgency. The reality is that there are millions of people across this country who don't understand what is not happening here--why there is no sense of urgency, why there hasn't been a willingness to come together. Why didn't it happen 2\1/2\ months ago? What is going on? It appears that too many people don't care. This is the United States of America. We are one of the wealthiest nations in the world. We invented the assembly line. We put our footprints on the Moon. We are seeing what is happening today. We should never have gotten to this point right now where people are losing 60 percent of their income on unemployment benefits, are hungry trying to feed their kids, worried about losing the roof over their head or their small business or the family farm. We should never have gotten to this point, but here we are. It has been more than 80 days since the House passed the Heroes Act-- more than 80 days. Since that time, our essential workers, who deserve hazard pay, have been waiting. Those providing public services in our cities and towns and in States have been waiting for the support they need so that they don't lose their job and we don't lose those public services. Our businesses, our schools, our farmers all have been waiting, waiting, waiting. The reality is it is because it is just another Thursday--just another Thursday afternoon in the U.S. Senate. Senator McConnell has made it very clear that they are just going to have to wait some more. Right now, we should be voting on an important survival package for people in our country. We should be investing whatever it takes to manage and get our arms around this virus, do the testing, provide the healthcare, remain laser focused on getting vaccines. People should have confidence that everything humanly possible is being done and that there is a sense of urgency here. I feel a sense of urgency. My Democratic colleagues feel the sense of urgency. Through the actions on this floor, we do not see that the Senate Republican majority feels the sense of urgency that every single person in Michigan feels right now. We need to take action. People are tired of waiting. They can't afford to wait any longer. This is about their lives and their livelihoods. People need help. The Congress, working with the President, needs to provide that help, and there is no excuse not to act. I yield the floor.