Crisis. Our goal has been to provide a comprehensive response addressing not just the medical priority spells of Economic Impact on so Many American families. Weve provided funding for the testing, for medical care, personal protective equipment for frontline medical personnel. For vaccine and treatment development, for veterans, nutrition programs, for first responders, for Unemployment Benefits, for elementary schools, high schools and colleges, for farmers and ranchers. For the Paycheck Protection Program to help Small Businesses keep employees on the payroll and when the program ran out we provided another 310 billion to ensure as many Small Businesses as possible were able to take advantage. The act also appropriated 293 billion for direct payments to american citizens to help them get through this difficult time. A at this point can madam president , Government Agencies are focused on getting all the aid that we passed out the door. Some programs that the Paycheck Protection Program have been up and running practically since day number one. More than 4 million businesses have applied for or already receive forgivable loans in the Paycheck Protection Program enabling millions of workers to keep their jobs. The vast majority of direct payments to american citizens approximately 130 million so far have been sent out. Others are still in the process of getting out the door. The department of agriculture recently announced it will use the act plus other money to issueme dirt payments to farmers and ranchers affected by the crisis. These payments are expected to reach farmers and ranchers in late may or early june. Over the course of four coronavirus bills, we provided morede than 500 billion to stae and local government. Thats equal to roughly 25 of the yearly operating budget of the 50 states combined. That includes 185 billion for Unemployment Benefits, 150 billion for general release funds for states, localities and tries, 45 billion for the Disaster Relief fund, nearly 26 billion for nutrition programs, 13 billion for school districts, 4 billion to help the homeless, more than 1 billion foror first respondes and madam president , there is so much more. On top of that, congress directed the Federal Reserve to provide an additional 500 billion in loans to help states and municipalities manage cash flow issues during the pandemic. A lot of the money that we have provided have already been sent to states while some is still in the process of being disbursed. Meanwhile states are in the process of figuring out how to spend the money that theyve received. Ed some they spend and some they have not which brings me to an important point. My friends across the aisle are pushing for more money, more money. Yesterday the house of representatives unveiled a three chile and other Coronavirus Relief to. Thats right fo i am president , 3 trillion. But we have not yet seen the effects of the money that weve provided already. Its difficult to understand how democrats can call for an additional 3 trillion of money i might have borrowed on the backs of younger workers and our children and grandchildren when they havent even seen with existing funds have been used for or whether theyve been used at all. Nobody is questioning that we may need. Additional money to address this crisis. Republicans have already stepped up and appropriated 2. 4 trillion of the entire federal budget for 2020. That is an extraordinary amount xtof money. But these are extraordinary circumstances. And they call for an extraordinary response. Its important to remember that every dollar of what they have appropriated for the crisis is borrowed money into todays Young Workers and our children and grandchildren are going to be paying for this. We are putting an incredible burden on the younger generations. And we have an absolute obligation to make sure that they are only appropriating what is needed. The way we find out is by monitoring thear implementationf the 2. 4 trillion o monthly rushing into putting trillions more but before we knew where they were needed. Once the money has been fully allocated we will have the sense of where we might need to appropriated additional funds. Its also important to remember there are other things we can do in congress besides borrowing money. Yesterday the leader came down to the floor to talk about the Liability Protection for Health Workers and businesses and others on the front line. As the leader noted, hundreds of related lawsuits have already been filed around the country and of these lawsuits represent a real threat to our economic recovery. Doctors and hospitals, for example, a are making extraordinary efforts to protect patients and Health Care Workers that are still reluctant to resume for the fear of being sued if a patient were somehow exposed to the disease in the process of receiving care. Businesses are worried that they could be held r responsible if e of their employees develops the virus even if the business took every reasonable precaution to discourage infection. There is obviously a place for lawsuits than individuals and businesses engage in gross negligence or intentional f misconduct we need to make sure medical professionals and Small Businesses and others can get back to running their operations and employing americans without worrying an army o of trial lawyers is about to descend. There will be other things we can do to help americans get back to work and to deal with the effects of the virus without, madam president , spending trillions of dollars. Everything from Regulatory Reform to ensure the frontline volunteers dont face the price textiles. The is likely that we will have to appropriate more money for the virus response. But as i have already said, it is absolutely essential that we consider and only spend money where it is truly needed. My friends across the aisle tend to think the government money into programs arand programs aro every crisis. They are happy to throw it around without thought for the consequences of future more than one democrat has indicated that they would like to take advantage of this crisis mato remake america in their own far left image. That, madamre president , is nota responsible response. Republicans will continue to do everything we can to help americans through this crisis. We w are committed to meeting te countrys needs while spending taxpayer dollars responsibly and with him i did the burden we are placing on the younger workers and future generations of americans. We have more difficult days ahead of the country is strong and so are the American People and we are going to get through this. Madamadam president , i yield the floor. The democratic leader is i recognized. Think you madam president. I came to the floor this morning to listen to the statements made by the other side of the aisle with reaction to the proposal senator of kentucky repeated the theme on the issue of the liability facing businesses and others because of the virus pandemic. Hes gone so far as to declare that its a red line that bars any further assistance to state and local governments and other entities until we address the socalled viability question. He is gone shes gone so far ase will refuse to fund the money that has been proposed by the democrats to help the police, firefighters, paramedics and teachers unless we provide guaranteed Business Community from the lawsuits senator mcconnells guaranteed business immunity is an invitation sadly for irresponsible corporations to cut corners when it comes to protecting workers as well as protecting their customers. The threatpl would result in moe people being infected by this virus and more people getting sick, exactly the opposite of what we should be doing in this manner of the policy. We also hear today but from senator mcconnell and senator thune that there is no urgency in continuing to provide assistance across america because of our economic crisis the hope that it could publichealth crisis. I couldnt disagree more on both counts. The red wine guaranteed business immunity as well as the argument that they have done enough. Let sit back and wait and see what happens. I couldnt disagree more. We had a hearing in the committee. Senator Lindsey Graham held a hearing into the title was examining liability during the pandemic. That took place yesterday afternoon. They hav had spoken about the concerns of businesses about lawsuits against them they went so far as to call than afl tidal wave in the senate when it came to the lawsuits included in covid19. Tell me about the tidal wave of the lawsuits and here is what we discovered about the socalled tidal wave of lawsuits. 958 related cases have been discovered in tracking database of that filed this year. How many of the lawsuits were being brought against hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses, medical professionals, nine lawsuits. We added other cases its up to 36 cases out of 1. 3 million americans have been diagnosed, 36 cases. Thats not to say that they are all serious or frivolous. They are giving tha the pair inn unhealthy unsanitary. Isne that one of the avalanchesf lawsuits that senator mcconnell is talking about . Ninetyfive contract cases, 79 civil rights cases. We take a look at the civil rights cases being filed and mentioned this before an that cy of them are being filed by businesses arguing that they should be allowed to reopening of. Im surprised that they didnt refer to the caravan of trial lawyers coming up across america. It just isnt fair. One of the better witnesses, and i would be happy to concede was a person brought in by the republican senators. In addition to be being vague and difficult to follow , he was looking for and stated sworn testimony were guidelines for a safe workplace and Business Base one place in the reason came up this morning when senator schumer came to the floor to say we want to see cdc guidelines released so individuals know how to deal with on the workplace. The rejection for these guidelines you cant have it both ways and argue to have guaranteed business immunity from liability and then say there are no guidelines go that is not a defense in any lawsuit with a social distancing plastic shields, wearing masks. Those are good differences that might be part of canceling guaranteed immunity but no guidelines from the government what is is a smart practice that makes the job next to impossible the numbers given yesterday that did show a tidal wave go the president of the united commercial dworkers testified our committee and during that course eat less 162 workers in grocery stores, Food Processing and Meat Processing, 161 162 died. A meatpacking plant i know about my faith inin college months in a meatpacking plant dirty and hot and dangerous work elbow to elbow i saw firsthand im sure it has changed the fundamentals are there that is the dangerous place in america is Meat Processing 162 deaths and 25000 workers and did so far so talk about a tidal wave take a look at what those workers of Meat Processing are facing right now. Some are trying to do the right thing to make the workplace better and safer isolate all of them there are good people making good decisions but they need the guidelines and standards of the cdc and ultra one osha. And in this pandemic in a sensible fashion that is fair to business and workers as well. Guaranteed immunity to businesses is the answer is plain wrong. Many take advantage of the protection and cut corners where people arent acted with more bad results conscientious businesses on the republican side in the Senate Judiciary committee from mr. Smart is asking for portal standards. Let me say a word about the heroes act released yesterday by a speaker c. She asked for more money to be spent we have to decide if its worth spending or giving more direct economic payments to families across america . I supported president trumps call does the senate believe the 1200 is the end of the story people struggling facing unemployment and hardships . The flat of people food banks tells us people need more resources to provide the basics with her family because senator mcconnell was that with urgent need will take a look in kentucky he was the a lot of People Democrats and republicans and independents facing hardships to say its not urgent to provide money to hospital hospitals, even in an illinois small town rural. One illinois hospitals are struggling even without infections the struggle because of the economy are leery about Going Forward with elective surgery. Keep in mind if you have a hospital or a remote rural area from a cold virus if you turn to elective surgery the old medical practice requires you test the patient to see if they are positive. Hospitals i talked to are also testing the driver who takes the patient home after the procedure clearly need testing even if those not directly affected can get back in business to keep those leftdoublequote a tragedy it is to lose hospitals in rural areas. Speakeral policy calls for additional funds for these hospitals i think there is a sense of urgency to that senator mcconnell does not to honor those that are working on the front lines to make sure they can continue to surface and risk their lives to trade to the patients, that is of clarity and a sense of urgency in speaker multidehe ws his responders and Health Workers and others a helping hand. So in the world is on the frontlines of the battle against is National Emergency or pandemic exits the doctors of course suggested it, its got to be a bad idea, is just plain wrong and selfish. Look at her proposals on their merits. They mirror what we have started to do with the cares act and need to continue to do. As i said yesterday, you dont build a bridge halfway across a river. You build it all the way. Lets build it to the point where our economy can rebound where our economy can rebound and the nurses but also his responders of policemen and firefighters if they dont provide the resources because of the pandemic there will be cutbacks is that have an answer this National Emergency with a sense of urgency as well i know a couple of my colleagues are here to speak they need to stick with this program and to stand by those individuals to get by and stand by those is the Unemployment Insurance with additional federal help while looking for a job and waiting for the economy stand by the Small Businesses that cannot survive. Otherwise this is wrong and selfish. Look at these souls they mirror the cares act. Dont build a bridge halfway across the river all the wayeote y system, and to businesswomen and businessmen throughout our country. To fight the coronavirus. And the damage that it has done to our Public Health and also to our economy. We have spent and will spend, because all of the money is not yet spent, about 3 trillion. Thats three, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero dollars. That is 3,000 billion i dont know billion dollars. We dont even take in that much money in a year. We take in in revenue about 90 of that. So we borrowed the money. I voted for the bills. We had to do it. The Federal Reserve, through its lending facilities, including but not limited to its 13. 3 lending facilities, will probably spend at least another 3 trillion. I asked one of the senior officials at the Federal Reserve yesterday, and he told me that in the past two months, the Balance Sheet of the Federal Reserve has doubled. Now, many of the transactions affected by the Federal Reserve, of course, are loans, but we all know that all the loans arent going to be paid back. And since the Federal Reserve cant lose money, we are going to have to appropriate probably even more money than we appropriated in the cares act to backstop those losses. So were up to 6 trillion, lets say. Speaker pelosi, as you know, mr. President , has introduced a new bill that would spend another that of course we will have to borrow. Some americans think the money that we dont go the issue treasury securities which is a bond and to borrow money from people in Many Americans and then have to pay the money back so now were at 9 trillion go 9 trillion. And told her that one total debt is at 28 million. Speaker pelosis bill will not pass the senate in its present form go you have to be a senior at the university of one thing it cost 3 trillion and it will expand the Affordable Care act which is controversial in the senate and change election laws dramatically for some have suggested it will basically federalize elections and take them away that i think is 4 billion that will dramatically change the immigrationor laws for the coronavirus pandemic with hundreds of millions of dollars those were in our country illegally. Some like that some want that is controversial. Speaker posses bill will release many federal prisoners during the virus unless the gbureau of prisons can show that those prisoners will not go out and commit a Violent Crime. They have to do with the mr. Being released will not go out and commit a Violent Crime that is an impossible standard its very. Cannabis i dont know how you feel i think it mentions it 28 times. And finally Speak