Transcripts For CSPAN U.S. Senate Sen. John Cornyn On Coronavirus Aid Package 20240713

Churches are moving services online. Professional sports teams are hitting pause on their regular season. Airlines are canceling flights. Churches are moving services online. And many main street businesses are closing their doors. I know that all of this is disorienting and alarming, but while these measures arent normal, it is a sign that we are heeding advice from the experts, people like dr. Fauci, organizations like the center for Disease Control it is a sign that we are doing what we can Disease Control. It is a sign that we are doing what we can to slow down community spread. It is a sign that we are together and making progress and hoping that we will get through this together. Toficult decisions that need be made by elected officials and Business Owners and Community Leaders when they decide to shut down normal parts of our daily lives, these are not easy decisions for them to make. Despite the publichealth benefits these closures will provide, we arelives, these arey decisions for also expecting other serious, mainly economic consequences. Our economic engine is being brought to a halt as people are staying home rather than producing. And Small Businesses and their employees in particular are feeling the impact. As a manager at a pizza place in fort worth, texas and has been in the Service Industry more than 20 years. Still, he said he has never been in a situation like this one. Saturday, his pizza place had half the number of customers they have come to expect. Stephen starks has experienced a similar struggle. In november he opened a restaurant in new braunfels, texas, north of san antonio, a european cafe and bistro. For any newar restaurant is bound to be tough. As luck would have it, a week after they opened, and oven broke and had to be replaced. For an uptickping in tourists which would mean more business, but instead the pandemic has kept every body at home. Bump inhan a positive Business Revenue for his young restaurant, it is down 60 . Staffesult he had to cut and hasnt hired replacements for employees he recently lost. This is a familiar struggle for millions of americans who are unable to go to work during this pandemic, and are facing serious Economic Uncertainty about their future. Industry,he service especially those who rely on temps, our hardest hit. I am glad to say that soon the senate will take action to provide additional relief. As the presiding officer notes, we passed an 8. 3 billion dollars emergency package to help fast andk discovery of a vaccine make sure our Health Care Sector is prepared for what is coming, or at least better prepared. Passed theas now Families First Coronavirus Response act, which we are in the process of taking up and will hopefully finish this week. And i expect there will be a third installment, a stimulus package that treasury secretary mnuchin will be up here on the to trylking about today, to help employees and employers and entire industries survive this economic trauma. But the Families First Coronavirus Response act will help protect both the physical and Financial Health of our country by supporting workers and their families impacted by the virus. It will remove financial barriers for texans who need access to coronavirus testing, regardless of income or insurance coverage. Iis is one of the things that have talked to our Governor Abbott about. Things there are two texas needs, more testing and more protective equipment, personal protective equipment, ppe, in order for this testing to take place. And while it is still true, according to the center for Disease Control, that you should not be tested unless you are experiencing symptoms and were referred by a health care provider, it is clear more testing is going to be needed, and indeed we have heard from the president and Vice President and the administration in general that we expect a huge ramping up of the capacity to knowpeople, so they can whether they are positive and need to stay in isolation, or possibly need health care treatment, or whether, like the president and senator graham, they test negative, obviously with the peace of mind that comes with that. This legislation removes all financial barriers for that testing, and for those who have private insurance, it requires all plans cover the costs of testing, including the costs of a provider, and Urgent Care Center and emergency room visits in order to get tested. Calls forcdc Protocol Health care providers to make a diagnosis based on symptoms, that would then lead to a test. Those are the same zerocost measures that would apply to those covered by medicare, medicaid and tricare. It also requires the National Disaster medical system to reimburse the costs of testing for patients who are uninsured. In short, no one will have to pay to be tested for the coronavirus. Period. The legislation includes a range of provisions to provide Financial Security for those unable to work, and that is because they are protecting the Public Health. It will create a new federal Emergency Paid Sick leave program for those impacted by the coronavirus. Any means that any texan, american who is diagnosed, quarantining or caring for a dependent impacted by this virus, will be able to take 14 and of paid sick leave, many texas workers will be able to access 12 weeks of paid leave for virusrelated longterm absences. These protections include workers who stay home to care for loved ones, including staying home with their kids due to school closures. Bill also makes changes to Unemployment Insurance. It will temporarily waive requirements for workers to prove they are actively searching for work during the Public Health Emergency Response , and it will provide 1 billion in emergency grants to states to support processing and paying Unemployment Insurance benefits. In other words, we know that people are staying home because their employers have told them their businesses have been shut down. Even though they are not sick, they are suffering financial loss. The purpose of this is to make sure that, through the vehicle of Unemployment Insurance, that they do get some money so that they can take care of their necessities and keep putting food on the table. Also takes serious steps to strengthen Food Security for those struggling with reliable access to healthy meals. This is one of the things i heard from a friend of mine in west texas just today, concerned about the food banks that provide a safety net for people without access to regular healthy food. Send 400 Million Dollars to local food banks, which are supporting those low income families across the country, including in places like west texas. We know Older Americans are most vulnerable when it comes to the coronavirus, and many are afraid to leave their homes at the risk of getting sick. Provides 250ion Million People for the Senior Nutrition Program to provide homedelivered meals for lowincome seniors. It provides 500 Million Dollars for federal food stamps and provides flexibility on work requirements, so those who lose their job or arent able to work will receive assistance when they need it the most. Banks andd the food the school lunch program. The u. S. Department of agriculture last week approved a request with regard to school lunches. Millions of texas children are currently eligible for free lunch programs, but when schools closed, they dont get access to that nutrition. U. S. Department of agriculture, texas schools can continue to serve free meals to lowincome students, even when schools are closed. Includes ation also range of measures to support healthcare workers, veterans, Small Businesses and countless texans who are struggling financially as a result of this pandemic. Racing we are all against the clock to respond to important, and it is for congress to act promptly to demonstrate to the American People that we understand the problem and that we are using every tool in our toolbox to respond to this crisis on their behalf. Event, whether a Natural Disaster or pandemic, we need an allofgovernment response. All of us need to cooperate and work on the same page, moving as efficiently as we possibly can. Families first Coronavirus Response builds on the 8. 3 billion dollar emergency spending bill signed into law by President Trump this month. The nationalements Emergency Declaration made by President Trump last week, and Governor Abbotts disaster declaration for the state of texas. That is why i plan to support this bill when a vote is scheduled. I know there are other senators who have said they have good ideas, and many are intriguing and i think would make a positive addition to this legislation, but i think in times like this, the thing we need to do his Work Together to function expeditiously to get becauseislation passed, we know there is going to be another installment, a third installment to respond to the coronavirus. Perhaps those other good because we ideas could be included in that additional legislation, which we will pass before we recess. I was interested to see the majority leader say we will not recess until we take up and pass that third installment. I think his sense of urgency and sense of determination and focus as well is well justified, and i congratulate him for that. I think we ought to all pull together in a similar spirit of unity. The trumpthank administration, especially treasury secretary mnuchin, for working so quickly with Speaker Pelosi to build this package so we can provide relief for American Workers and families as soon as possible. This is not the first bill to strengthen our response to the coronavirus, and it will not be our last. There is a bipartisan commitment to passing the third phase, to strengthen our economy and support the industries and businesses that have been hit hardest by this pandemic. Leader mcconnell has made clear his commitment to finding a cold, bipartisan solution to the economic challenges we are facing and will continue to face in the months ahead, and i am proud to support this effort. While conversations continue regarding the next phase of our Coronavirus Response on what that may look like, it is time to pack the Families First Coronavirus Response act, and that we provide this needed