The challenges we face. Lord, we can meet these challenges with your power that transcends human understanding. When you whisper, dangers flee into the darkness. The sound of your footsteps causes tribulations to hide. Almighty god, permit our lawmakers to be aware of your providential guidance. May they depend on you to lead them according to your will. Give them the wisdom to trust you when they cant see the road before them, believing that you will be their light in the darkness. We pray in your great 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. Mr. Grassley mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley permission to address the senate for one minute in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley americans from coast to coast hunkered down to stop the sprez of the virus spread of the virus. Office workers, including my staff here in washington, adapted to work from home. But not all americans can do their job from home. Many must work away from home to provide essential services for our communities. Im talking about workers who harvest, process, and deliver our food, the crews who provide Sanitation Services and keep our communications, transportation, and energy grids running around the clock. Americas postal workers and Truck Drivers who deliver mail and transport goods across the country, the Grocery Store clerks and factory workers who make toilet paper, diapers and Consumer Products we cant live without. On behalf of iowans and the rest of america, i thank the front line workers who are on the job working away from home in the line of duty. Thank you all for your service and sacrifice. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell the senate is back in session in this unusual period of for our nation. Its been more than five weeks since the full senate last convened. Now as i explained on march 25, right before we passed the cares act, 960, the senate has kept right on working this whole time we monitored the implementation of that bill, the largest rescue package in american history, and strengthened it where necessary. We passed further legislation to provide even more economic assistance, even more support for testing, even more relief for hospitals and Health Care Workers. This deadly coronavirus does not take days off, and so the u. S. Senate has not either. For more than a month we were among the Many Americans who have found creative ways to telework and continue doing our jobs remotely. But now the time has come for us to continue conducting our nations business in ways that are only possible with senators here in the capitol. And so for this work period the senate will shift out of the ranks of those americans who are working remotely and into the ranks of americans working in essential sectors, who are listening to expert guidance and modifying their routines and ultimately continue to man their posts to keep the country running. If its essential, the brave Health Care Workers, Grocery Store workers, Truck Drivers, and many other americans continue to carefully show up for work, then its essential that their u. S. Senators carefully show up ourselves and support thim. I want to thank the dedicated men and women who worked hard to develop solutions so the senate can take these careful steps back toward inperson operations. Dr. Brian monahan and the entire office of the attending physician, well done. Everyone in the office of the architect of the capitol, the sergeant at arms, the secretary of the senate; and our colleagues on the rules committee and their staff, of course the teams that support or networks and telecommunications were working hard day and night during these weeks of remote work. I want to recognize and thank all all the essential senate staff who are here with us today in person so the senate can function, whether they be Staff Members in our own offices and committee offices, all the nonpartisan professionals who serve the institution. In particular, our facilities employees, custodians, food service staff, and of course the men and women of the capitol police. Were grateful for your service, and more importantly, your country is grateful for your service. You are literally helping our government function in the midst of this crisis. The senate is back in session because we have important work to do for the nation. Critical posts throughout the federal government, from Public Health to National Security and beyond, remain vacant. Qualified nominees who have been held up for too long already have become even more necessary in these uncertain times. On the floor and in committee, the senate will be acting on key nominations that relate directly to the safety of the American People, oversight of our coronavirus legislation, and more. We need to continue to maintain and safeguard our Domestic Nuclear resources. That is our first nominee, mr. Feitel. We need to keep protecting our nation against foreign intelligence services. That is another nominee well be moving soon. Those around the world who wish harm on americans are not going to give us a free pass until the pandemic is over. So the senate needs to overcome obstruction and continue to act. So, mr. President , i dont think anybody could seriously argue that filling critical National Security posts is not essential senate business, but to any of my colleagues who may wish that we did not have to devote floor time and roll call votes to these kinds of nominations, id simply say i agree with you. I agree with you. Unfortunately, for more than three years now my colleagues and democratic leadership have used acrosstheboard obstruction for the kind of subcabinet level nominations that used to travel easily by voice vote. So if any of my colleagues on the other side wish that we could recover the senates tradition and spend less floor time on these sorts of nominations, i would invite them to share that view with the distinguished democratic leadership. But as long as tactics and roll call votes is the only way to fill important posts that is what well do. We cannot let nuclear watchdogs or Counter Intelligence leaders stay on the sidelines. So, mr. President , the senate is going to be as smart and safe as we possibly can, and were going to show up for work like the essential workers that we are. Our bosses are the American People, and theyre counting on us to keep on serving. Its good to see the chair and all of our colleagues again. Im grateful that all 100 of us have come through the last several weeks safely and in good health. Now lets Work Together across the aisle and get some more work done for the American People. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order the senate will proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination which the clerk will report. The clerk nomination, Nuclear Regulatory commission, robert j. Feitel of maryland to be Inspector General. Mr. Mcconnell i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call mr. Schumer mr. President. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer mr. President the presiding officer we are in a quorum call. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer mr. President , the senate convenes a session this evening during a trying time for our nation. As we speak, millions of our citizens are respecting stayathome orders and doing their part to stop the spread of this pernicious disease. Millions of newly unemployed, depending on the actions we take here in congress to stave off financial disaster. More than one million americans have been tested positive for covid19. More than 67,000 lives have been lost. My home state of new york has been hit the hardest. The loss of so many precious lives, the suffering of so many families unable to comfort or even say goodbye to a loved one has been extremely painful, enough to break your heart. At the same time while we are grieving, were also inspired by the bravery of our doctors and nurses, Health Care Workers, First Responders and other daily heroes, many of them immigrants on the front lines of this crisis. To them, we owe an extraordinary debt of gratitude, an enormous thank you that i hear out the windows of my apartment and many in new york at 7 00 p. M. When we applaud them as they change shifts every night, an act that brings isolated new yorkers together. But more than that, this congress, this senate must deliver the people of our country relief. We have come together on several occasions to pass historic legislation in this time of crisis. They passed 960, which shows that this body can come together in a time of crisis, which should give americans some hope and some solace. But let me be very clear, our work is far from over. The republican leader hats called the senate has called the senate back into session despite the fact that the District Of Columbia appears to be reaching the peak phase of this Public Health emergency, despite the risks we face by gathering here in the capitol, despite the risks faced by security guards, cafeteria workers, janitors, and the staff who operate the floor of the senate. I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you and all of those capitol hill workers for being here today, for doing their jobs so that we may do ours. But, mr. President , if we are going to be here, if we are going to make these fine people come in to work in these conditions, let the senate at least conduct the nations business and focus like a laser on covid19. At the moment, the republican leader has scheduled no significant covidrelated business for the floor of the senate. Tonight, we will vote on a nomination to the Nuclear Regulatory commission. Later this week, the republican majority on the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing for a manifestly unqualified, totally divisive rightwing judicial nominee. When the topic of covidrelated legislation has come up, leader mcconnell has simply drawn partisan lines in the sand. First he suggested states and localities should go bankrupt. Let them go bankrupt. He has since realized his mistake and walked that back. But then only a few days later, the leader blocked the leader vowed to block any bill that does not include legal immunity for big corporations that operate unsafely and put workers in harms way. The republican leader said that his red line in a future relief package is not a National Testing program. Its not more help for Small Businesses or Housing Assistance for families. Its not rescuing our health care system. Leader mcconnell wont support new legislation to fight this evil disease unless it gives big corporations legal immunity. Judicial nominees, legal immunity for big corporations. In all due respect, republican leader, these are not the nations most urgent priorities right now. There are much more pressing issues that deserve not only the senates focus and attention but should be the subject of bipartisan negotiations for the next emergency relief package known as covid 4. Here are just a few. Our Health System is under enormous strain. We need more money to flow to hospitals, Community Health centers, nursing homes. Essential workers, many on low wages, worked longer shifts at great personal risk. They deserve hazard pay. Each first of the month brings new rent payments to families suffering financial hardship, relief for renters and homeowners must be on the agenda. And state and local governments are stretched to the breaking point. Imperiling the jobs of teachers and firefighters, police officers, food inspectors, other public employees. State, local, n and tribal governments deserve federal support. So as we begin to contemplate to return to normal Economic Activity down the road, one thing is certain. We are not testing nearly enough americans, not nearly enough to know when the moment to safely reopen our country has arrived. Despite the length of this crisis, now measured in months, the administration has yet to develop an adequate National Strategy on testing. These are urgent issues we should focus on. These are problems the American People want us to come together, democrat and republican, to solve. These are the topics, not red lines in the sand on ideological wish lists that we should be debating and negotiating for a future bill. The republican leader himself acknowledged there isnt enough testing on the front lines, but he has reconvened the senate to do nothing to address the problem. As we return to work under the cloud of crisis, Senate Republicans should concentrate on helping us recover from covid19, not confirming rightwing judges or protecting big businesses that threaten to put workers at serious risk. The administration has done a very poor job of implementing parts of the cares act and the most recent supplemental emergency legislation. So democrats have urged our republican colleagues to at a minimum hold hearings on the implementation of covidrelated legislation passed by congress. Its a positive step that Senate Republicans are now beginning to follow our request and considering scheduling some oversight hearings in the coming weeks, with Key White House Coronavirus Task force officials. These hearings are very important. Congress can make laws but only the executive can implement them. But a timehonored responsibility of congress, given to us by the founding fathers, is oversight to make sure that the executive is executing the laws. So we need to hear from dr. Fauci and dr. Birx, secretary mnuchin, chairman powell. We need to know why so many Small Businesses are having trouble getting loans while larger and more wellconnected businesses are not. We need to know why Unemployment Insurance checks are failing to get to workers. Maybe above all, we need to know why we still dont have enough tests. Months ago, in early march, heres what President Trump said. Quote, anybody who needs a test, gets a test. It was a lie then. It remains a lie now. Administration officials promised 27 million test kits would be available by the end of march. It is now may and it still hasnt happened. The president continues to pressure states and businesses to reopen, but he refuses to take responsibility for the one thing that would allow them to do it safely, testing. Do you know what the White House White house knows its safe to hold a press conference . They test all the reporters before allowing them into the briefing room. What does the white house do before the president holds a meeting with Business Leaders . They take everyones temperature and then administer a coronavirus test. Why on earth is there not a plan for the rest of the country, the whole country, not just the president and the white house . Many experts, most experts, say that we need far more tests than we have. If we had been on the same track as countries that use nationwide testing to stop their outbreaks like south korea, canada, we would be testing two Million People a day right now and already tens of millions would have been tested. Some experts say we should increase capacity to 30 million tests per week later this year. Others are calling on it to be even higher. Right now, we are testing only 230,000 people a day. A drop in the ocean compared to whats needed. We need Testing Capacity now, but we will also need it later. Some believe that covid19 will resurge later in the year, perhaps with a vengeance. There were reports today that the c. D. C. Has projected a growing number of deaths from coronavirus into the summer, and yet we still dont have adequate testing or even an indication that the administration is focused on the problem. If god forbid this virus comes back in the summer or the fall, the best way to deal with it is testing, short of a vaccine which we wont have by then. Testing, we dont have it. The lack of a National Testing strategy, the painfully so buildup of Testing Capacity, the gross exaggerations of success by the administration has gone on for too long. This Administration Needs to take on responsibility for a National Testing regime and deliver on it immediately. It is in the eyes of most experts the best way to deal with the Current Crisis and certainly the best way to prevent a future crisis from growing out of control. So, mr. President , there can be no doubt that this will be one of the strangest sessions of the United States senate in modern history. Our offices will be empty. Our staff