The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Almighty god, open our eyes to your movements in our midst. Remind our lawmakers that you have brought us through times more challenging than what we now face. Keep them from being intimidated by this global pandemic, as they cling to your promises and trust the unfolding of your triumphant providence. Continue to protect them and order their steps. Clothe them with the armor of integrity, shield them with your truth, and guide them with your power. We pray in your strong name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i ask to speak one minute in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley i will bet all of our fellow senators have been hearing from businesses, hospitals, nursing homes, local civic business and political leaders about the issues they are facing right now due to the Coronavirus Health crisis. So likewise, i have been talking to family and friends back home in iowa. I find that they are banding together to support one another, and in times of strife, iowa can count on each other. We have got to give special attention to the hard work of our medical professionals and First Responders, how they are under immense pressure, going above and beyond to serve their communities. I believe that theyre doing gods work, keeping the American People safe and healthy. So i thank our medical professionals and First Responders for their dedication to their communities and send my encouragement to keep up their essential work in the days and weeks ahead as we see ourselves through this virus pandemic that were in. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President , senators have now spent days engaged in vigorous bipartisan discussions among ourselves and with the administration. Earlier today, i hosted a productive meeting in my office with the democratic leader, the speaker of the house, the House Republican leader, and the secretary of the treasury. These intense conversations have built a piece of legislation that is as bold and as big as the American People deserve. As thoroughly bipartisan as our process demands. Now what we need to do is to move forward. This National Crisis is not going to wait around if Congress Slips back into conventional politics or haggles endlessly over the finer points. Every day, more americans jobs are disappearing or coming ever closer to the brink. Every day, more Small Businesses are faced with hard decisions that could change local communities literally forever. Every day, Major American Companies that employ countless people are seeing their commerce crushed by their own government for the sake of Public Health. Every day, doctors and nurses and Health Care Professionals will keep reporting to work and treating patients whether or not congress has their back. The risks to our country grow every single day that we do not act. The needs of hospitals and Health Care Providers grow every day that we do not act. Thats why we have worked around the clock to craft a major bipartisan relief package. Thats why were going to hold our first procedural vote in just a few minutes. So that we can keep moving forward, because this virus is not going to wait for politics as usual. These past few days have brought unity and Bipartisan Energy here to the senate. I think members on both sides agree its been very encouraging. Since Senate Republicans released our initial framework to give some structure to these discussions, both sides have worked hard to create something that can pass the senate, pass the house, and be signed into law by the president. The bipartisan product delivers strongly on each of the core priorities we identified at the outset. It puts urgently needed cash in the hands of American Workers and families. It delivers historic and rapid relief to Small Businesses so they can make payroll and keep people employed. It helps stabilize Key Industries to avoid layoffs wherever possible. And preserve the greatest economy in the world for when we come out on the other side of this. And, of course, it sends a massive, massive new infusion of resources to the front line of the medical response. That is what we have to do mr. President , inject a significant amount of money as quickly as possible into households, Small Businesses, key sectors, and our nations hospitals and health centers. This bill would do that and it would do it fast. The compromised product also contains many ideas that our democratic colleagues brought to the table. It balances the administrations focus on sending direct cash to americans. It balances the administrations focus on sending direct cash to americans as quickly as possible, with our democratic of colleagues focus on bolstering state and Unemployment Insurance programs, it places conditions which our democratic colleagues have sought on the loans that would flow to major businesses, conditions which the president has also endorsed. And both parties have made sure to keep strengthening the resources that will be pushed out to the front lines. The bill includes 75 billion in a Newspaper Fund for in a new fund for hospital and Health Providers and more than three quarters in the appropriations section, nearly 200 billion, will not stay in washington but will go straight to state and local priorities. So what we have is a compromise product which contains ideas, contributions, and priorities on both sides and which could become law as soon as tomorrow, as soon as tomorrow. In other words, its just about time to take yes for an answer. Were now at a point which every american who has ever negotiated anything would recognize, whether they purchased a home or bought a car or negotiated for their small business. We are at the point where both sides have come a long way toward each other, and each side has to decide whether to continue elbowing and arguing over the last several inches and risk the whole thing or whether to shake hands and get it done. Thus far h throughout this crisis, the senate has risen to the occasion. It was just a few days ago when the Senate Republican majority moved expeditiously to pass the House Democrats phase two legislation, even though many of my colleagues on this side of the aisle and i had serious reservations and would have written it very differently. We passed it anyway, basically written on the house side. Nevertheless, as i just said, i pushed the speakers legislation through the senate because urgency and results matter during a National Crisis. Because imperfections notwithstanding, it was the right thing to do for our country. So look, look, i hope and anticipate that a similar agree of bipartisanship and urgency will be reciprocated now. I understand the speaker said following our meeting this morning that she may simply give up on these bipartisan talks and begin writing her own separate bill. Perhaps thats related to the remarks of one of her senior House Democratic leaders who reportedly told colleagues a few days ago, quote, this is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision. A tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision. Well, i sincerely hope that nobody actually views this crisis in such a cynical manner. This is not a political opportunity. Its a national emergency. Thats why we have engaged in days of bipartisan talks to get to this point. Its why its time to move forward. Americans dont need to see us haggling endlessly. They dont need us to jeopardize all the progress weve made over the past several days for the sake of some 11th hour brinkmanship. The American People need an outcome and they need it tomorrow. They need us to vote to advance this legislation today and pass it tomorrow. As i said yesterday, congress should take inspiration from our own constituents. We should be inspired by our own constituents. Look at what theyre doing. Even during this pandemic, the American People are showing the world the soul of our country. In my home state of kentucky, the official motto is united we stand, divided we fall. And every day i hear about new ways kentuckians are standing united even if they have to stand six feet apart. I recently heard about a resident of Campbell County in Northern Kentucky named debbie buckley. In her day job, debbie works for the local government but recently she heard about some students at a nearby university who were still living in the dorms even though inperson classes have been canceled. Some had to remain in the area for work. Others were International Students who couldnt get home. Their situations were completely uncertain. The local shelves were not fully stocked, so debbie decided to do something. She put out a call for help and kentuckians answered the call. Churches, restaurants, neighbors all pitched in with food and supplies. Debbie drove all over Northern Kentucky checking those donations and then delivering them to these young people. Shes found everything a College Student could need canned goods, mike wavable meals and even airheads candy, which im proud to say are made right there in kentucky. So theres so many stories like this pouring in from all over our country. Americans are stepping up to the plate. Americans realize this is no time for selfishness and no time for division, but a time for solidarity and generosity and, yes, courage. Americans are rising to the occasion. The senate must do the same. Lets move this legislation forward this afternoon as the last few discussions begin to wind down, and then lets get this done tomorrow. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call the presiding officer the senator from south dakota. Mr. Thune mr. President , is the senate in a quorum call . The presiding officer we are. Mr. Thune i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Thune mr. President , we just learned our colleague rand paul has tested positive for the coronavirus. Our thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery. Well consult with the attending physician at the capitol about appropriate measures for those who have been in contact with the senator. But this is the kind of situation that americans across the country are dealing with right now and it underscores the importance of acting immediately to deliver more relief for the American People. Mr. President , the senate has been working around the clock over the past few days to put together a third round of coronavirus legislation. We are close to delivering a major bill that will deliver more relief to families, businesses and put more resources into the hands of medical professionals. Mr. President , this is a big bill, but this Situation Requires a big and bold response. Across our country American Workers and american businesses are struggling. Families are scared. Businesses have been forced to drastic liqueur tail or close their operations and social distancing has become a Public Health priority. Workers are wondering how long they will be getting a paycheck. Small businesses are worrying about whether theyll be able to reopen their doors when all of this is over. Key industries have taken a massive economic hit. A major response is required. The package we put together addresses a number of priorities. Putting emergency cash into the hands of American Families and American Workers quickly in a way that ensures that those most in need get the maximum level of support. Delivering relief to Small Businesses to keep their workers employed. Injecting stability into the economy to help bridge this crisis and to limit layoffs. Providing new resources for state unemployment programs to help workers displaced by this emergency. And most importantly, most importantly, mr. President , continuing to deliver resources to the Health Care Workers fighting to stop this pandemic. This package is the product of bipartisan input and i hope it will receive overwhelming bipartisan support in the senate. Republicans and democrats have already come together to deliver two Coronavirus Relief bills. Its time for us to come together again to deliver this legislation. As the leader said yesterday, the American People need help and they need it now. This bill will provide them with relief. Mr. President , these are challenging times. Theres a lot of stress and uncertainty and americans are understandably worried. We are going to get through this. There may be difficult days ahead, but we are going to come out the other side. All around this country americans are standing up to meet this challenge. We have our heroic Health Care Workers who are putting their lives on the line to care for the seriously ill. Our First Responders who got their name because they are always the first on the scene in any crisis. And new heroes, Grocery Store employees, truck drivers, delivery people, pharmacy employees, people we may have taken for granted before but wont again. Everywhere i look in my state i see south dakotans helping other south dakotans, and its the same all across this country. People looking out for their neighbors, providing meals for those in need, offering child care, help to those who cant telework, running errands for the elderly or those with compromised health systemses who cant leave the house. I read about young people in south dakota who held up signs at a retirement home who cant leave because of the risk of virus transmission. We are going to get through this together. I and my colleagues in the senate are going to keep work to working to deliver the resources need to confront and defeat this disease. Madam president , id yield the floor. The presiding officer the leadership is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to h. R. 748, which the clerk will report. The clerk motion to proceed to h. R. 748, an act to amend the Internal Revenue code on highcost sponsored health coverage. Mr. Alexander mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from tennessee. Mr. Alexander in a few minutes the majority leader will permit the senate to act to deal with this Unprecedented Health care crisis that were facing. Our message to the American People is this, this is about your paycheck. This is a collection of the best ideas that Democratic Senators and republican senators have that we believe will generate millions in economic support that will, number one, keep payroll checks coming, number two, relieve the Financial Burdens of americans, and number three, begin to contain this covid19 virus. The legislation that well be voting on will contain about 1. 7 trillion in federal spending and it will authorize the Federal Reserve board and the treasury to generate trillions more in liquidity and credit support for companies of all kinds to try to keep payrolls coming. But in the end, mr. President , the only way to end this crisis that we have, the only way to get the American Economy moving again is to contain the disease, and this will require, as soon as possible, adopting a new goal, and that goal should be test every american who needs it for covid19. Test every american who needs it for covid19 as soon as possible. Then isolate and care for the few that are sick and fasttrack treatments and vaccines so that americans can go back to work and go out to eat and resume a normal life again. This legislation will make all covid19 tests free. Mr. President , the government has shut down the economy to fight this disease and the government has to help pay the cost of the suffering that this disease has caused. But the sooner we make more tests available and stop telling americans not to get a test the better. Just yesterday, a California Company announced a 45minute test that could be taken in a Doctors Office while still while getting a flu shot, taken at the same time you get your flu shot. Expanding test