John Thune

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, yesterday the Senate passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which is bipartisan legislation that will provide critical relief to American workers, families, and small businesses. Two weeks ago, the Senate passed the first phase of Congress's COVID- 19 response, and that was $8.3 billion in funding for coronavirus research, testing, and medical care. Yesterday's bill was the second phase of that response. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act will ensure that all Americans can access coronavirus testing at no cost. The bill also ensures expanded telehealth access for Medicare recipients during this outbreak, which I strongly support. As a resident of a rural State, I have long been a supporter of telehealth for the expanded healthcare access it can deliver for rural communities. The value of telehealth isn't limited to rural States. During an outbreak like this, for example, telehealth services can help keep patients--particularly vulnerable, elderly patients--out of doctors' offices and hospital waiting rooms. Patients can use a phone call or the internet to check in with their doctors for minor complaints or medication followups, instead of having to venture out and be exposed to possible coronavirus infection. I am very pleased that Medicare patients will have greater access to telehealth services during this outbreak. The largest part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act focuses on providing economic support for families during this difficult time. The bill makes provisions for paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave for American workers, particularly for those who might not otherwise have access to these benefits. It also invests additional money in unemployment insurance where benefits are available for those who need them. I am pleased we were able to pass this bipartisan bill that the House produced, but there is more work to be done. The House bill touches on only a small part of what is needed to help Americans weather the storm, which is why Senate Republicans are currently working to develop the third phase of Congress's response. Our legislation will address three priorities: providing direct, immediate assistance to American workers and families; giving our economy, especially our small businesses, the necessary support to weather the storm; and, of course, most importantly, providing medical professionals with the resources they need to fight this virus. I have been working closely with colleagues on the Senate Commerce and Finance Committees to develop the parts of the legislation that will address tax relief, particularly for small businesses, and support for industries that have been directly impacted by this pandemic, including the airline industry, which has taken a devastating hit from this outbreak. The Senate will be here as long as it takes to get this additional legislation to the President's desk. These are difficult days. This is new territory for most of us, and there is a lot of uncertainty in the air. Americans are worried about their own health and that of their loved ones. They are worried about what this outbreak will mean for their jobs and their financial health. It is a difficult time for our country. We are going to get through this. America has faced big challenges before, and we have come through them even stronger. This time will be no different. I see the strength of America everywhere I look--in the dedicated doctors and nurses putting their lives on the line to care for the sick and our first responders who are always at the forefront of the response to any crisis and the truckdrivers and grocery store employees and delivery workers who keep on doing their jobs in the face of the outbreak, ensuring all of us have the essentials we need. It is also in the thousands of ordinary Americans who are stepping up to help their neighbors--running to the grocery stores for elderly or sick individuals, providing childcare for those who can't telework, and looking out for those who are struggling financially. This is what will get us through. I and my colleagues in Congress will continue to do our part to ensure that our country has everything it needs to weather this crisis and to defeat this disease. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, here in the Senate, we are continuing to move forward with the next installment of coronavirus relief legislation. I expect, later today, we will pass the bill that was passed by the House earlier, and we are looking beyond it to a third bill that will provide additional relief to the American people. As the leader has said, we have three priorities: providing direct assistance to American workers and families, many whose lives have been disrupted and dislocated in jobs, who are feeling a lot of economic harm, economic pain; giving our economy, especially our small businesses, the necessary support with which to weather the storm; and most importantly, providing medical professionals with the resources they need in order to fight this virus. The House bill addresses these priorities to some degree, but it is not a comprehensive bill, and additional legislation is going to be needed. We especially need to ensure that the worker benefit requirements the House bill places on small businesses are accompanied by sufficient support. Small businesses are at the most risk economically during this time, and we need to ensure they have the resources they need to get through this. I am looking forward to continuing to work with my colleagues of both parties on the House bill and on additional legislation. This is a time for all of us to come together to ensure that medical professionals, American businesses, and American families have what they need to combat the coronavirus and to deal with its effects. I can't think of a time at which we have seen schools and businesses close on such a mass scale. It is a challenging time for our country, but if we pull together, we can get through this and come out even stronger. All of us have roles to play in combating this virus--washing our hands regularly and thoroughly, practicing social distancing, staying at home as much as possible, listening to advice from healthcare officials. All of these things are essential to our flattening the curve and limiting the number of infected Americans. It is vital that we keep as many people as possible from getting infected so that our hospitals and medical professionals are not overwhelmed with cases. Our medical professionals are putting their lives on the line every day to care for coronavirus patients. Let's make sure we do everything we can to keep the number of cases they are dealing with as low as possible. In difficult times, Americans rise to the occasion, and I am confident that is what we will do again. I yield the floor.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, the Senate had three priorities for this week: reauthorizing the expiring provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, passing the second phase of our coronavirus response, and initiating a serious discussion about what else we need to do to help Americans address this challenge. I have to say I am glad we have already made progress on all three fronts. On Sunday, several key provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired, including the provision that allows the FBI to wiretap lone-wolf terrorists--terrorists not affiliated with a specific terrorist organization--and the roving wiretap provision that prevents the FBI from having to seek a new wiretap warrant each time a terrorist suspect changes his phone number. Every minute of every day, the men and women of our law enforcement and intelligence communities are working to track terrorist threats and prevent attacks on American citizens. We need to ensure that they have all the tools they need to do their jobs. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act provisions that expired Sunday are key weapons in the fight to keep Americans safe. I am pleased we were able to pass a 77-day extension yesterday and set up a process for consideration of a long-term extension. I strongly support the bipartisan House bill, which combines extensions of these key anti-terrorism tools with new accountability measures that will ensure that law enforcement is held to the highest standards when pursuing surveillance of suspected terrorists and foreign agents. Attorney General Barr has also endorsed the House bill. I look forward to taking up this legislation and debating several issues raised by my colleagues before we are on the brink of another expiration.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Of course, the other thing we are focused on this week is the issue that is at the top of everyone's mind, and that is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. Two weeks ago, Congress passed coronavirus legislation providing more than $8 billion in funding for virus research, testing, and medical care. This week, we are looking to pass the second phase of Congress's response, and that is legislation to continue our investment in medical care and to begin to address the economic impact the coronavirus is having on American workers. The House has reached an agreement with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and Senators are currently reviewing the House's legislation, which arrived here in the Senate just this morning. I look forward to passing that bill this week. As the leader said on Sunday, Senate Republicans believe that any legislation we pass this week is only the beginning of Congress's response to the virus. As this outbreak continues to unfold, other issues will need to be addressed, and Senate Republicans are already planning for legislation to address future priorities, whether they be in the increased funding for medical facilities or measures to provide support for American families and businesses. This is a challenging time for our country, but it is often in challenging times that we see the very best of America. We are seeing that already--in neighbors' ensuring that neighbors are supplied with necessities; in sports figures' donating to ensure that workers at their arenas are still paid even when games aren't being played; in restaurants' helping to feed their neighbors even though their businesses are currently suffering; in companies and arts organizations' acting to provide free resources to families who are hunkering down at home; in the millions of Americans who are providing the essential services we need during this outbreak--from the workers' stocking the shelves at our grocery stores and pharmacies to the truck drivers' delivering needed goods across our country; finally and especially, in our healthcare professionals, from doctors and nurses to sanitation staff, who risk exposure every day to ensure that Americans receive the care they need. When we have come through this outbreak, all of us will want to be able to look back and say that we did everything we could to help keep our fellow Americans safe and slow the spread of this disease. The best way to do that is by following the guidelines that we have been given-- washing our hands frequently and thoroughly, practicing social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, and staying home when advised. Some of these measures may be inconvenient, but they are a small price to pay to flatten the curve and limit the disease's spread. While anyone can be hit hard by the coronavirus, there are a lot of people who are especially vulnerable to complications--from elderly Americans to the many individuals who have preexisting conditions. Let's do everything we can to protect our fellow Americans and prevent our hospitals and our healthcare professionals from being overwhelmed with cases. I am confident that, if we pull together and look out for each other, our Nation will emerge from this challenge stronger. I look forward to working with my colleagues here in Congress to ensure that our Nation has the resources it needs to combat and defeat this disease. I was encouraged to hear our Senate Democratic leader speak about his willingness to work with the Republicans. Obviously, to do anything here in the Senate requires 60 votes, which means we have to have bipartisan cooperation. We have a legislative vehicle, as I mentioned, that contains a number of features that are helpful, I think, in terms of addressing the crisis that we are experiencing, not only on the healthcare front but on the economic front with regard to the hardships that are being experienced by millions of Americans. There is more that we need to do, and those discussions, as I mentioned, are underway, and I am hopeful that we will be able to come to a conclusion, to a resolution, that would be good not only for those Americans who have been hurting economically and who, perhaps, are not working and are not able to get to work, but for those businesses that have shut down--our small businesses that create the majority of jobs in this country--and for, certainly, the healthcare professionals, who, as I said, are on the frontlines every single day. We need to take every step we possibly can to ensure that we protect people from the spread of the disease and ensure that they continue to sustain their economic livelihoods in the midst of this crisis. Many of the things that are being discussed and worked on that will require collaboration with the Democrats and the House of Representatives will need to be approached in a bipartisan way. We need to recognize that the need is great and that the absolute necessity of cooperation is greater than ever. I look forward to working with our colleagues here this week as we move forward in a way that will, hopefully, lead to some very positive results and will address the very critical needs being felt by families all across this country as a result of this coronavirus disease. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Perdue), and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott). Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran) would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that with respect to the Danly nomination, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz) and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Perdue).

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on pending nominations. Committee on Armed Services The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on the Judiciary The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at 10: 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: John Leonard Badalamenti, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida, William Scott Hardy, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, John F. Heil III, to be United States District Judge for the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma, David Cleveland Joseph, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, Anna M. Manasco, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama, Drew B. Tipton, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, Stephen Sidney Schwartz, of Virginia, Kathryn C. Davis, of Maryland, and Edward Hulvey Meyers, of Maryland, each to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims, and Vincent F. DeMarco, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York, Department of Justice. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at 10:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on Veterans' Affairs The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at 11:45 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the following nomination: James E. Trainor III, of Texas, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, last week, Congress provided billions in funding to address the coronavirus outbreak. These funds will help support virus research, testing, and medical care. Congress is now looking at other measures that may be required, including measures to address the economic impact of the virus. The House may consider an economic response measure today, but my understanding is that its bill does not yet reflect an agreement with the White House, which will be needed to move any stimulus package. I want to echo the leader's comments from yesterday and say that this is not a time for partisanship, and it is very important that we work together on matters related to the coronavirus so that we can get needed legislation passed in a timely fashion. More Americans are testing positive for the virus each day--including eight people in my home State of South Dakota--and it is our responsibility as Members of Congress to work together to ensure that our country has the resources it needs to combat and defeat this disease. There is no doubt that things are stressful right now. Americans are understandably worried about their own health and the health of their loved ones. But we have a lot of dedicated people working to keep Americans safe, from nurses and doctors to public health officials. Everyone is focused on making sure we do what we need to do to limit the spread of this virus. And all of us, of course, can help in that effort by paying attention to the guidance we are given, whether it is advice about washing our hands or avoiding large gatherings or a request to stay home for a while. It is a challenging time, but America has been through challenging times before and emerged from them stronger. I am confident that if we pull together, that is what will happen again. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, yesterday afternoon, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem notified me that multiple residents of South Dakota have tested positive for the coronavirus. While this is obviously something we had hoped to avoid, we knew this was a possibility, and South Dakota has spent weeks preparing to deal with an outbreak. Over the next few days, public health officials will be checking into where these individuals have been so that anyone with whom they came in contact can be notified. My staff and I are working closely with the Governor and her team, and I will continue to carefully monitor the situation. At the Federal level, I am focused on making sure that State and local governments have the resources they need to deal with the virus. Last week, I was proud to support bipartisan legislation committing significant Federal resources to the coronavirus fight. I am praying for all of the South Dakotans who are affected by the virus, and I want to thank the healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of this fight. We are lucky to have you.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz).

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz) and the Senator from Mississippi (Mrs. Hyde- Smith).

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, the United States is poised for nationwide deployment of the next generation of internet technology-- 5G. 5G will mark a giant leap forward for internet technology, delivering speeds that are up to 100 times faster than what today's technology can deliver. It will be vastly more responsive than 4G technology and will be able to connect 100 times the number of devices that can be connected with 4G. While that will make it even easier to do the things we do today, like check our email or stream our favorite shows, the biggest benefits of 5G lie in the other technologies that it will enable--precision agriculture, medical and surgical innovations, safer vehicles, and more. 5G is already being deployed. Cities across the country, including Sioux Falls in my home State, are introducing 5G networks. There is still work to be done before 5G can be fully implemented nationwide. A big part of that work is freeing up adequate spectrum to support the technology. Like all internet technology, 5G relies on radio spectrum, or what we commonly call the airwaves. In the United States, radio spectrum is owned by the American taxpayer but is licensed to companies that make use of the spectrum to broadcast TV and radio programs, connect cell phone calls, and transmit internet data. Radio spectrum is divided into bands--low-band, mid-band, and high-band--according to frequency and wavelength. Current wireless technology mostly relies on low-band spectrum, but 5G will require the full range of radio spectrum--low- band, mid-band, and high-band. The United States has done a good job freeing up high-band spectrum for 5G, but we need to free up more mid-band spectrum to see full-scale 5G deployment. Mid-band spectrum is crucial for 5G. It combines strong data capacity with good geographical coverage and allows 5G signals to penetrate buildings in more urban areas. Mid-band spectrum is particularly crucial for rural 5G deployment, as it can provide the coverage and capacity to reach less populated areas. As past chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and current chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, I have been working on 5G for a number of years now. In 2018, Congress passed my MOBILE NOW Act, which laid the groundwork for freeing up more spectrum for 5G. This past November, Senator Wicker and I introduced the 5G Spectrum Act to require the Federal Communications Commission to free up a critical portion of mid-band spectrum, commonly referred to as C band, for 5G use. While Congress did not enact our legislation, at the end of February, the Federal Communications Commission announced it would adopt a framework similar to that outlined in our bill to make 280 megahertz of C band spectrum available for 5G. Currently, C band spectrum is licensed by satellite companies that use the spectrum to deliver programming for television and radio broadcasters, among other things. Under the FCC's new rules, the majority of this mid-band spectrum will be made available to wireless companies for 5G. Satellite companies will still be able to provide all the services they are currently providing by launching new satellites and investing in new technologies to make more efficient use of the C band. The licensees for the remaining portion of the C band spectrum will be returned to the government, which will then offer the spectrum to wireless companies in a public auction. Satellite companies will be reimbursed for the cost of relocating their operations to the upper range of the band, and they will be offered incentives for moving their operations quickly so that space for 5G can be freed up as soon as possible. I was very pleased by the FCC's decision, which I think provides the most expeditious and efficient way to free up the necessary mid-band spectrum for 5G. Some have argued that rather than reimbursing satellite companies, the government should just pull the satellite companies' licenses, but there are a number of problems with that approach. First of all, while it is true that radio spectrum is owned by the taxpayers, satellite companies have invested a lot of money to put the spectrum into service. While they will still have enough C-band spectrum to provide current services, shifting their operations to the upper band of the spectrum will require a substantial investment. It is fair that they be reimbursed for this government-required shift. Furthermore, reimbursing companies and providing incentives for them to quickly free up spectrum is the fastest way to make that spectrum available. Simply demanding that companies relinquish their control of a substantial portion of the C band could tie the government up in litigation for years, while countries like China take the lead on 5G. Finally, setting a precedent for the government to simply seize spectrum licenses would create a significant disincentive for technological investment. Why should companies invest major sums of money in bringing next-generation technologies to market if they are likely to have the licenses on which those technologies depend seized without warning? The truth is that the taxpayers will see a bigger return--for deficit reduction, rural broadband, and other priorities--if companies are incentivized to invest. The United States was at the head of the 4G revolution, and we need to ensure that we are at the head of the 5G revolution as well. Winning the race to 5G will provide huge economic benefits for American businesses and American workers, and it will allow the United States to set security standards for telecommunications networks worldwide. I am very pleased that the FCC has acted to free up mid-band spectrum needed for full-scale deployment of 5G around the country. I will continue to work to ensure that American companies and American workers have the resources they need to bring us into the 5G future. I yield the floor.