But from a very grateful nation. For the medical professionals, the doctors, nurses, receptionists, we thank you for going to work. We know the fear that it brings. We know the fear that it brings when you go home to your families. Nd were grateful. To the farmers who make sure we have food grown in america thats safe. Or the Truck Drivers who drivethrough the night to replenish the stores that we walk in to keep our distance, to have the food. The postal workers, the warehouse workers, the clerks inside those stores who every day go to work. You are making a meaningful and measurable difference in the lives of our entire nation. We will be forever grateful. For those who kept us safe, kept us healthy and kept us fed, you deserve a government that strives to meet that very same level of dedication. That is the promise i will make. That we will bring the same dedication that you bring to help others that you dont even know. And we should rise to that occasion. This is a commitment we make to every american. Whether he fight this virus together until we defeat it together. We did not ask for this virus. We did not invite it. It came from a distant land. But together we will defeat it. Not only for our country, but for the world. To do that, Congress Must act. And we will continue to act, even if some in this body want to play politics. Even if we get something held up, we will stay at the table until we bring people together. We want to put people before politics. Our entire effort will be bipartisan. After all, Public Health and a Strong Economy are not a democrat or republican issue. Unfortunately, madam speaker, we watched the other side within our own speaker of the house interject politics where it did not belong. And to an oversight body of our necessary relief funds. I want everybody to understand what the cares act did. The cares act that got held up for more than a week. Yes, at the end of the day, it changed from that one sunday , some got more money. But it didnt change for the who for what the work was going to be done for the people who needed it. Yes, some people, unfortunately, got laid off because it was delayed. It wasnt a bright moment for this body that week. But inside that cares act, not only did we provide resources, we provided accountability. You see, every single committee in congress has an oversight. We have a Committee Just designed for oversight. But we wanted to make something to make sure it was bipartisan. So we created three new entities in the cares act just for oversight. The first is called the Pandemic Response accountability committee. Its made up of inspectors general, not republicans or democrats, they are independent and professional. The second is a special Inspector General for the pandemic recovery. This individual is appointed by the president , confirmed by the senate, and lasts for five years and we gave 25 million to make sure they had the resources to make it happen. But that wasnt enough. We created a third one. Now this one is the congressional oversight commission, with commissioners. The body is appointed by every single leader appoints one. On our side of the aisle, we appointed french hill. Why . First, hes a statesman. He worked at the treasury department. He knows things backwards and forwards so they cant ever fool french hill. I was very excited when i heard on the other side of the aisle you appointed donna shalala, former secretary of h. H. S. This body wont be weighted by one side or the other. All four leaders, republican and democrat, appoint one so its equal. And then you know what happens for a chair . Mitch mcconnell and Speaker Pelosi decide who to become the chair. I think the American Public says thats right. But they dont go and hide inside a corner. They literally report to Congress Every 30 days. I was proud of that accomplishment. Thats what america expects from us. No politics. But the very best put the very best on there and report back. But today when we come back, because it was delayed, to give Small Business the resources it takes to keep people employed, now we added a little politics to the game. You see, today well vote on a new oversight committee. Will it be equal . Will it the same number of republicans and democrats, like the congressional one . No. Will it be the same when it comes to the Inspector Generals, where it wont care about politics . No, sad to say not. You see, this committee will be the only committee weighted politically. There will be seven democrats and five republicans. This committee was announced before they even told you the mission of what this committee should do. They even announced the chair of the committee. Now, i respect the chair greatly, madam speaker. He has one of the best political minds i know. Joe biden will tell you that. You see, our dear friend, congressman clyburn, he should be credited for getting joe biden the nomination. Why he failed in all the other states, South Carolina was critical while he failed in all the other states, South Carolina was critical. He did poll v. I. X. Very well in the endorse politics very well in the endorsement. He turned the tide in the democratic nom nomination. Youll have a nominee and a lot of that goes to jim clyburn and he deserves the credit for what he was able to politically accomplish. We dont question his political abilities, hes the majority whip, he knows how to gather votes, he knows how to make the political argument. But, madam speaker, this is the that ndividual who said the pandemic presented the perfect opportunity to restructure things to fit our own vision. I do not question his appointment. I wonder why this committee. If that was his view, why wasnt he put on the congressional oversight that was equal with the number of republicans and the number of democrats . The public does not want to see politics. Why would we waste our time bringing people back to create a Political Committee . I guess the vote will tell us differently. Its interesting to know why we are here. At 8 30 today we actually found the reason. 4 4. 4 million more reasons why were here. How many of those 4. 4 million would not have gotten a pink slip last week had we listened more than two weeks ago on april 7 when we said the program we created, that was so successful, that was able to do the number of loans in 14 days that it took the s. B. A. To do in 14 years, that there was such a need out there, that maybe we would overcome politics for that one moment, could it be too much to read that it was one simple page . I thought there was a moment in time it would happen. I thought we could say, yes, on a unanimous consent. This is a program we all had just voted for. And surely just two weeks before. Yes, that was tough to get that bill through. Yes, we had to have it held up on the other side, that was wrong, that other millions were laid off. But this was the moment to learn from that mistake on the other side. Before. We did not learn. It was played again. To those 4. 4 million americans that were laid off this week, congress owes you an apology. You did not have to have that happen. To the Small Business owner, i understand this greatly, at age 20 i created my first business. I know where you make these decisions. You make these decisions on the kitchen table. If you ever had a Small Business, you realize youre the first to work, youre the last to leave and youre the last to be paid. You know those who work with you are not just employees, they are your family. You know their childrens name, youre there at their weddings, youre there when they graduate and youre proud of them. You never want to have to say youre going to lay them off. You put everything into your business to succeed, and government told them they had to shut down for the health of the nation. They made a sacrifice. But they got sacrificed for politics last week. Shame on this body. Ive listened to this debate thoroughly. Ive listened to the other side. When you look at what we accomplished in those 14 days of loans, we saved 30 million jobs. We all could have put a tweet out today, not having to have been here, and said we saved 34 million jobs. But no. Four million more lost because somehow people felt good with politics. I listen to debate on the other side. Some said they didnt want to be here today. Have folded and come together. Leverage, ave used political leverage to hold people up. ve even some people on the other side of the aisle said they loved to see it when the price of oil dropped when no one before. It and the idea that millions in our Energy Industry are going to too. Aid off about politics. There will be republicans, emocrats, both that get laid off. Hen, i listen as we come back here, madam speaker, and i tried to listen to the other side. Tried to understand why would you hold it up. Different . I listened to the debate, i leadership talk, it was amazing to me. Only thing it, the i could think what shakespeare deth proteste lady too much, me think. Explain as hard as you can and spend with as much political might as you can laid 4. 4 Million People better to you felt tell Mitch Mcconnell in a out and saved t 30 million jobs that you are a ng to hold it up to prove point, thats not what id want history. N adam speaker, as i said earlier, its our responsibility to act, to put our differences for and do whats right the American Public. Now more than ever, the American People deserve a congress that with leadership, dedication, and resilience. Chamber we do in this that deals with covid should be bipartisan. Legislation to deliberation voting. Yeah, i stayed up to 2 00 a. M. To see what the majority wanted forward. We all work hard to get mr. Speaker. Almost have about the same size districts whose every to ears we take a census figure that out. And our constituents make a decision every two years to lend their voice to the person they them. O represent they did not lend their voice to give that proxy to somebody else hold accountable. That voice to nd wait until 2 00 a. M. To change 200 years of history ecause somebody wanted to have more power than the job of the majority themselves. Were living in one of the reatest turning points in history. This is not a time for ndifference, selfishness, or division. Were going to help america get through this. Together. G to do this and in the end, were going to be stronger, helpedier more united than ever before. Why . Because we are americans and are. S who we debates. Will raise this body plays politics many times. Moment for ot the politics. To say, t the moment lets hold something up even if somebodys going to be publicished, because somehow i will get a political advantage. Inally, when people come together, the question should not be, lets hold more its ok. Because when we come to the floor, well not us. And say it was gone, n were long history will write about this day. Theyll write about that day on 7 when america witnessed something theyve never seen before a one stood chamber in the senate and requested to add exactly what doing today to a program hired in all the places we know and love in our neighborhood. Sent two people in the middle of covid onto the simple hand to say they object. That was the only Thing Holding money up between the and those 4. 4 million who unfortunately went to a different job today, the line. Oyment i dont know how anybody could that. Ud of but madam speaker, im always an optimist. I know whats been before us. Challenge. Today, were going to display to can merican public that we work. Just as those Truck Drivers, professionals, the hecker at my local vonns or the paramedic who comes when the call is requested. Theyre essential. This k its essential to country to show we can do our way. Not in a partisan so when the moment comes, youll have two votes. Voted all of us here into chambers to add three are committees that bipartisan for the accountability of this money forward. The country is asking you to keep that together. A choice. Have now you can cast a new vote to partisan that g weve never seen before. An individual who is one of the best political minds around, virus is more is about restructuring government nd their view than solving a problem. Hen, youre going to have another vote, a vote to continue the funding that we already weeks ago. Than two we this time, after twice holding up money for the just ask all c, i in this chamber to learn from this. Again our old up ability to help and work in a bipartisan manner to not only this chamber, work for the American Public, and solve this problem once and for all. Yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal thank you, madam speaker. Reminder that our job here is ever to acquiesce to the other chamber. By any objective measurement, this is a muchimproved piece of legislation. With that, let me yield to the gentlelady from washington, expressions on behalf of her constituents this week were well noted. For howker pro tempore much time . Mr. Neal 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from washington is 30 seconds. Or ms. Jayapal madam speaker, in we will lost more american lives than we lost during the vietnam war. Unemployed mericans from covid. Body bags piling up and testing and p. P. E. Democrats took a bad republican better, and we made it but this is far from enough. Meet the scale of this crisis with a bold paycheck uarantee that stops mass unemployment and essential workers