It, a Public Health crisis, the covid19 coronavirus threat to the United States and all of our families. Many of us who came back to washington this week were weary because we had been warned to stay in our homes as long as possible, stay out of circulation, not to gather in workplaces unless absolutely necessary, and all of us thought if we were going to return, we hoped the priority would be this looming crisis in america, this Public Health crisis, but, sadly, as we bring this weeks legislative activity to a close, little, if anything, has been said or done on the senate floor or in committee to address the judiciary of the moment. What are we going to do to protect americans and their families . Senator mcconnell brought us back for a hearing for one of his favorite judges, a federal judge in kentucky, a young man who was an intern in his office, and he is now trying to promote him to the secondhighest court in the land. In the ordinary course of business this would not be unusual. It might have drawn some questions because of the qualification of this individual. But attention has been given to it as people compare it to the real issues that we should be facing. You think about the issues before us, one of them is very imminent. Across the street from the United States senate is the Supreme Court building. Pending before the Supreme Court at this moment is a lawsuit brought by President Trump and republican attorneys general from across the United States to abolish the Affordable Care act. To abolish an Affordable Care act that provides Health Insurance for 20 million americans and also provides protections in the Health Insurance policies for another 135 million americans. A law which basically says, if you have a preexisting condition, you cant be denied insurance coverage. At this moment in our history, at this moment as we face this health crisis, it is unimaginable that the republican position is to eliminate Health Insurance protection for 20 million americans and to lessen the protections in Health Insurance policies for 135 million more. So far 1. 2 million americans have been diagnosed as infected with the covid19 virus. Sadly, some 70,000 americans have died. Whats going to happen in the days and months and years ahead if the republicans have their way and if preexisting conditions return to Health Insurance . Will there be a day when you or your spouse or your parent or your children will be asked if you were ever diagnosed positive for covid19 . Will this be a disqualification in the future if we dont have the protection when it comes to preexisting conditions . Thats not out of the realm of possibility. How can the republicans be thinking that this is the right moment in history to abolish the Affordable Care act and the Health Insurance that 20 million americans count on and 135 million americans in their own Health Insurance plans take advantage of . It is exactly the wrong moment. There was an effort to abolish this Affordable Care act, they like to call it obamacare on the floor of the senate in the last two years and i still remember when john john mccain, the late senator from arizona, came to the floor in the early hours, gave a motion for a novote and that was the end of the story when the republican abolition effort ended with that voted. You would think they learned that lesson when senator mccain and other republicans said we cannot eliminate this without something to replace it. They didnt then and they dont now. Attorney general barr warned the white house not to go forward with this lawsuit pending in the Supreme Court. He understood it was unwise from a policy viewpoint, it was unwise politically. Imagine, if you will, in the weeks and months ahead, should this Roberts Court decide to abolish the Affordable Care act in the midst of this Public Health crisis. I cant think of anything more catastrophic when it comes to these 20 million families and their Health Insurance protection and the 100 million plus who count on this protection against discrimination for preexisting conditions. Thats the reality of what we face, but its not the only reality. A decision was made this week which is almost impossible to understand. There was a telephone Conference Call involving leaders from all around the world. And these leaders came together to discuss something were all praying for, the discovery of a vaccine that will protect us from this coronavirus. They wanted money pledged, some 8 billion. Norway pledged 1 billion, the European Union pledged 1 billion. And when they went around the table, there was a chair that was empty. The United States of america wasnt at the conference. The president made a conscience decision that we would not engage in this conversation about the discovery of this lifesaving vaccine. Why . What was he possibly thinking . This notion of america first, which we hear over and over again has some value, of course, but when it comes to a global pandemic, when it comes to a global challenge, when it comes to the fact that over 90 countries around the world are searching for that vaccine, when it comes to the fact that most of us dont really care where it is found as long as it is found and the sooner the better, and that we have access to it for americans, as well as everyone else, thats the bottom line. It isnt about america being first and only when it comes to the vaccine. Even the Senate Republican leader said this morning, we cant retreat from the world. Its so appropriate to this global vaccine conference. Two americans were involved in this conference in this virtual Conference Call, bill and melinda gates. We know his background, his Great Success at microsoft and his commitment with his wife ever since for Global Health issues. They were at the table speaking for the United States and i want to personally thank them for being there. But we should have been there as well. The president of the United States should have been on the Conference Call. He saud have said the United States will help find this vaccine, we will be at the table when we talk about producing it in quantity so it makes a difference for everyone in the world, including the United States, and we will be here when we apportion those vaccine doses so we make sure that americans have their fair share and we can protect our own country. You want to reopen the economy, mr. President . You want to liberate america from the c. D. C. Suggestion that we shelter in place . You want to liberate us truly, then join in this conference and this conversation among leaders across the world to find this vaccine. I hope we can finder it in the United States. We have i hope we can find it in the United States, we have a lot of talented people searching. But if another country finds it, lets applaud that. If its an effective, safe vaccine that protects us, let us applaud whatever country finds it, including the United States of course. But if its found in another country, were not going to be part of the conversation as long as this president folds his arm, juts out his chin and says im sorry, the who, World Health Organization is at the table and we want no part of them so were staying away. Pride cometh before the fall, mr. President. You cant expect the American People to fall with you because of your own source of pride. We should deal with the reality of what we face in this world. Let me say a world about the state and local governments because as we consider the next round of legislation to help this economy, we certainly want to make certain that Unemployment Insurance would be available for the millions of americans, over 30 million americans who are unemployed. The current round of Unemployment Insurance is set to expire around the first of july. We want to make certain that Small Businesses that are receiving forgivable loans, so that they can be poised and ready to reopen, go into business, put people back to work, thats supposed to end around the end of june. I pray that this whole controversy and this crisis is behind us by then, but we know better. We know it will take some time to get the economy back in gear. Lets make sure that we renew our commitment to the people of this country, the families of this country, the families in this country, but dont forget the others counting on us. Dont forget the First Responders. How often have we stood up and responded and praised police, firefighters, paramedics, medical professionals and nurses who have stepped up in the midst of this crisis and showed extraordinary courage, some giving their lives in the process. Well, part of their future depends on us in the next bill. Are we going to stand up to make sure that state and local governments which have been hard hit by this crisis as well when it comes to their own revenue, will get a helping hand . God forbid we reach a point where because of the shortcomings of state and local revenue we have to lay off police, firefighters, health care workers, teachers. Is that what we want to do at this moment . A few a few weeks ago, rather, when he was asked, senator mcconnell said we should consider bankruptcy. Bankruptcy for state and local governments that cant pay their bills. What a disaster that would be. You want to see america cart wheel into a recession leading to a depression, bankruptcies from one end of america to the other by state and local governments would do just that. And the damage it would do to First Responders that have to be laid off as a result of it, the police and the fire and the teachers is incalculable. We cant let that happen to america. A bankrupt america is an america headed for a depression. When senator mcconnell suggested that, i thought to myself, he hasnt thought this through. He cannot be saying that to the teachers in kentucky and the police and the fighters and the medical professionals who count so much on our support. Madam president , at this point there are things we can do and must do. My checklist would include hazard pay for those that i mentioned, including the health care workers. Most importantly, a dramatic increase in testing. We have about onethird of the test kits we need to put america back to work. We look at situations like the ones facing us in the Meat Processing facilities. It created a real hardship on consumers across america, but dont forget the producers of livestock in south dakota and illinois and in tennessee. They are producing the pork and beef that would be headed to the processing plants and the plants are closed down. A downturn in demand for sure, but also working conditions which need to be addressed directly so that theres safety in the workplace for all american workers. When the Senate Republican leader comes to the floor and talks about we dont want anybody held responsible or liable for their conduct or misconduct during the course of this, i think hes not thinking through clearly what hes talking about. In this situation, we certainly wouldnt want to deny to nurses who are seeking protection with protective equipment masks and gloves and gowns you wouldnt want to deny them a day in court if necessary. You wouldnt want to say to workers who are in a dangerous situation in the workplace they couldnt collect workmans compensation if injured or sick. When i hear the republican leader talk about covid19 lawsuits, the lawsuits i just described both relate to covid19 and both call for simple fairness when it comes to protecting workers and families over large corporations. The Senate Leader has come to the floor so many times and saie lawyers in america. Thats the fight we want to pick . Its time for us to come together and not make that a red line against continued cooperation. Madam president , i stand here today in the hopes we will come back into session, if we do next week, and truly address the covid19. We have wasted a we could be doing so much more. I hope the Senate Republican leader who sets the agenda for the senate will go home to kentucky, and as he goes home to kentucky and talks to the families there, and i will in illinois, we both come back with the realization that the number one priority in this dangerous world is the danger at our doorstep. Let us get this under control. Protect the families and individuals across america so that we can resume the path to greatness that. Mr. Thune madam president. The presiding officer the senator from south dakota. Mr. Thune madam presi,