President is prepared to take. U. S. Park police and others near Lafayette Park used tear gas, flash bang grenades and rubber bullets to aggressively push back a peaceful crowd 30 minutes before the d. C. Curfew went into effect. Why was this assault undertaken . It wasnt to step inside st. Johns church and offer a prayer for george floyd, his family, or the countless other americans who have been victims of police brutality. It wasnt to reflect on the pain and division that is rife within our country and to contemplate what action he could take to heal our nation. Like president lincoln often did during the civil war. The president crossed the street, aggressively cleared Peaceful Protesters for a photo op that meant to say he was strong and he was in charge. Unfortunately for him, it had the opposite effect. President trumps rhetoric and some of the events that have occurred are not ones that many of us ever thought we would see on american streets or hear from an american president. They are the words and actions that happen in authoritarian states, words and actions that past americans have condemned, past president s have condemned, words and actions that violate the democratic norms our nation has stood for and american servicemen have died for. While the president does have the authority to call up military personnel under the insurrection act, it does not mean he should. It was last invoked in 1992 when california governor pete wilson requested federal military assistance from president George Herbert walker bush to respond to the l. A. Riots following the acquittal of Police Officers for the beating of rodney king. Before that instance, the act was invoabd in the 1950s and 1960s to enforce civil rights laws and end segregation in the south. The insurrection act serves as an exception to the broad principle embedded deeply in american democracy and history that the active armed forces should not be used to enforce state laws or to exercise police power reserved to the states unless absolutely necessary as a last resort. The act is, by design and tradition, rarely invoked. The insurrection act envisions that when active military forces are used to supplement state Police Forces to enforce state laws, they do so only at the request of the governor or legislature who are ultimately responsible for the execution of the laws in the state, and in the present moment, i am not aware of any governor or Legislature Calling for federal Government Support to step in and take control. Put simply, if they need help, i have no doubt they will ask for it. The president s ability to invoke the insurrection act without the governor or state legislature requesting assistance rests on a need to enforce or protect federal law, which is not the case here. If President Trump were to invoke the insurrection act today absent a request from a state, it would only be to further his own political interests. He would be using active military forces as a political and propaganda tool in contravention of everything our military stands for. Using the insurrection act on a whim risks politicizing the military. The militarys mission is to defend and serve the constitution and american people, regardless of who is in office. Bringing the military into domestic politics risks a rupture in the sacred trust between the civilian and military leadership and undermines fundamental american values. As former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general Martin Dempsey stated shortly after the 2016 president ial conventions, if senior military leaders, active and retired, begin to selfidentify its members or as members or supporters of one party or the other, then the inherent tension built into our system of government between the executive branch and the legislative branch will bleed over into the suspicion of military leaders by congress and a further erosion of Civil Military relations. Over the last few years, that erosion has increased steadily as recent events have made eminently clear, and this erosion is a toxic force that will underlie one of the most essential ethics of the American Military. Soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, coast guardmen serve the constitution, not the president. That is the oath many of us took as young men or women. That is the oath that defines the military of the united states, unlike many other countries, fortunately for us. Now, according to press reports, secretary of defense esper told senior military leaders to stay political in these turbulent days, but i would urge secretary esper to heed his own advice. Traditionally, the secretary of defense, while a cabinet member and appointed by the president , has taken a nonpolitical stand, staying away from Campaign Events and avoiding either the potential of a political photo op, once the civilian leader of the military joins the political fray, it is difficult for the military to stay neutral, as general milley discovered monday evening. Our nation is in crisis, but it is not a crisis that can or should be solved by American Military force against its own citizens. I think if you asked any young man or woman who took the oath to join the forces in the united states, whatever branch, was he doing it to go fight americans . No. He is doing everything he can to protect america, to protect the system of government, and ultimately, ultimately the constitution. That is the oath we take. The strength of this nation and the Great American experiment in Representative Democracy goes far beyond our military strength. It goes to our civil traditions, our constitution, our sense of civic responsibility, and our ability to constantly evolve and improve ourselves, even from our earliest days stained with slavery. We need leaders who will listen and commit to change and then implement that change. We need leaders who will not exacerbate the problem but will seek to solve it and bring people together as our greatest president s have done throughout our history. In short, we need leaders who are builders, not destroyers, and until those leaders emerge, im afraid the tumult will continue. It is my fervent hope that this nation finds a way to peace soon. And with that, mr. President , i would yield the floor and i would note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call quorum call the presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent the further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell back in march, as the coronavirus pandemic began to grip our country, the senates historic cares act set up the Paycheck Protection Program to help protect American Workers from layoffs during the crisis. Thanks especially to its chief architect, senator rubio and senator collins, the p. P. P. Has literally saved tens of millions of american jobs. Our colleagues bold policy has metropolitan the mailboxes of working families in all 50 states have continued to bring people their regular paychecks instead of pink slips. Through the end of may, this Remarkable Program has delivered more than half a trillion dollars to keep American Workers on payroll all across our country. One recent survey found that more than three quarters, three quarters of all Small Business owners have applied for a p. P. P. Loan, and more than 90 of those applications have received one. The senate has always committed to standing behind this Popular Program. Back in april when it ran low on funds, we worked together to add more resources and today were passing another piece of legislation that makes a few targeted changes to the program. To help workers and Small Businesses through these lengthy shutdowns that are just now beginning to ease, were increasing the loan forgiveness period from eight weeks to six months. Since keeping workers on payroll obviously requires Small Businesses to stay afloat in the first place, were expanding firms ability to use these funds to meet obligations like their rent, their mortgage, or their utility bills. But we maie overall requirement to avoid layoffs to keep the strong protection for workers in place. And we are providing the payroll tax deferral for the Small Businesses involved. This is a bipartisan bill that passed the house overwhelmingly. Im proud the senate is sending it on to the president s desk to become law. I want to thank senator collins and senator rubio once more for their leadership in authoring this Historic Program in the first place. They have kept right on with their essential leadership, carefully monitoring the policy as its taken effect. I know they have identified further technical fixes in addition to the issues were addressing today, and i hope and anticipate the full congress will look at addressing those as well in the future. I also want to thank senator daines, nor tillis and senator gardner for their hard work on these modifications. The senate delivered for workers and Small Businesses when we first passed the cares act. We delivered again when we added more money to this Popular Program back in april, and were delivering again today. Mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that the letter i send to the desk be printed in the record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer mr. President. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer well, this is a very good day because very much needed improvements to the p. P. P. Program will now pass the senate as they passed the house 4171. The p. P. P. Program was desperately needed by Small Business, and it was not in the original proposal of our republican friends or of the president , but we worked very hard and pushed hard to get this done, and i want to salute senators cardin and shaheen for their efforts. The program was not at all perfect. When it first rolled out, too many of the big shots got money and not enough of the Small Businesses. The moms and pops, the butcher, baker and candlestick maker, and nonprofits were not entitled. I pushed very hard to get nonprofits including church related nonprofits, religious nonprofits in the bill. They can now benefit from the bill just like the Small Businesses can. And we democrats said there has to be some money set aside not just to give more money in covid 3. 5 to the existing businesses that had connections with bankers, but to the smaller businesses. And 125 billion was set aside. That was a very good thing. And now it has changed from a program that has gone mainly to those that had good connections to bankers that were well connected to many smaller businesses as well. In the second round, states that really needed the help got a greater percentage of the help, like my state of new york. And so this program has been one that democrats have been initially very positive about and helped propose and write but constantly worked on improving it to make it better and better and better. That improvement continues today. The House Democrats put together a bill that would deal with the kinds of problems we continue to see. Eight weeks is running out soon, yet Small Businesses may not get all the money, may not be able to use the money when the program runs out. Extending it to 24 weeks like vital. In many states like mine in new york, only 25 of the money could go to o. T. P. S. Expenses other than personnel expenses. That wasnt enough. This bill moves it up to 40. Our republican friends had resisted that. Im glad now they have seen the light. And you will have the loan, if you dont convert your loans and get them forgiven, it will be five years that you have to pay back, not two. Lots of Small Businesses said they couldnt dare be able to pay them back in two. These are among the most important changes in the bill as well as some others. Now im glad our republican friends have relented and passed the bill here as we are about to close session for this week. It passed the house. We democrats have been pushing to get it done for the last three days. There were some problems on the other side. Im glad they have been worked out. I want to thank senator johnson. He had problems but we talked on the phone repeatedly and worked those problems out with the help of senator cardin, and this is an improvement thats muchneeded and comes at the last minute, but not too late, because so many businesses, eight weeks will expire so soon, and now its extended to 24 weeks. So im glad this bill passes. Im glad we can do it by unanimous consent. We democrats are fully in support of this. Every democrat, had no problems moving it forward. And i know it will help a lot of Small Businesses. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h. R. 7010 which was received from the house. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk h. R. 7010, an act to amend the Small Business act and the cares act to modify certain provisions related to the forgiveness of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, and so forth and for other purposes. The presiding officer is there objection to proceeding to the measure . Without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time. The presiding officer is there objection . Without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i know of no further debate on the bill. The presiding officer is there further debate . If not, the question is on passage of the bill. All in favor say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The bill is passed. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the provisions of rule 22, the cloture motion with respect to the pack nomination ripen at 11 40 a. M. Tomorrow, with 20 minutes of debate under the control of senator menendez prior to the vote. I further ask that if cloture is invoked on the pack nomination, the postcloture time expire at 1 30 p. M. Tomorrow. Finally, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president immediately notified of the senates action. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of s. Res. 606 submitted earlier today. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk Senate Resolution 606, designating may 5, 2020, as the national day of awareness for missing and murdered native women and girls. The presiding officer is there objection to proceeding to the motion . Without objection, the senate will proceed. Mr. Mcconnell i know of no further debate on the measure. The presiding officer is there further debate . If not, all in favor say aye. Opposed no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The resolution is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell i ask unanimous consent the preamble be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell now, mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its Business Today it adjourn until 10 00 a. M. Thursday, june 4. Further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and morning business be closed. Further, following leader remarks the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the pack nomination under the previous order. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the previous order. The presiding officer the Senate Stands nominations. S its possible they will consider smallbusiness relief later in the week more live Senate Coverage of members return here in cspan2. On thursday the Senate Judiciary committee made sense to talk about authorizing subpoenas for those in the fbi investigation into possible ties between the Trump Campaign and russian officials. Watch live at 10 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan. Online cspan. Org, or listen live on the free cspan radio app. With the federal government at work in d. C. Throughout the country use the congressional directory for Contact Information for members of congress, governors and federal agencies. Order your copy online today at cspan store. Org. Now, part of today Senate Speeches on the protests around the country and the pandemic response. Several senators commented including ohio democrat and urban Affairs Committee ranking member, brown, who said quote the president turned the arm of the state on Peaceful Protesters. And went onto say of his republican colleagues, quotes you choose the adjective, timid, cowardly, spineless republican colleagues in the senate just remained silent. How offended with they have been if a democratic president had done with this president does and failed to do. These remarks elicited a warning from the presiding officer, Nebraska Republican ben under rule 19 not to impugn another senator or senator was in debate. This is about an hour. Madam president i went to issue of internet traffic and how that has been impacted by the coronavirus how it has impacted our lives during the coronavirus. Before i do that i want to respond to a few things the democrat leader just mentioned because again he pointed out that the Republican Senate is not doing work here. Hard to fathom how he can possibly come to that conclusion. The democrat run house of representatives is out of session for the entire month. The entire month of june