Lord, were grateful that though wrong seems strong, you continue to rule. Fill our lawmakers with reverence and trust in your prevailing providence. May that reverential awe keep them on the path of courage, integrity, and wisdom. Lord, remind them that you have invited them to seek and discover your might. You declared in psalm 50 15 call me in the day of trouble, and i will deliver you. We praise your holy 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 madam president. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley one minute for morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley the house of representatives has passed a bill thats kind of like a onesizefitsall for elections. That everything ought to be run out of washington, d. C. Contrary to what weve done in this country for 240 years where we have had 50 States Running the elections. So i want to refer to what happens in the state of iowa. Last week, iowans voted in record numbers in our june primary. In most elections, about 40 of iowans choose to vote by absentee ballot. This year in our primary and understandably because of the pandemic, the vast majority casts their vote by absentee ballot. A state decision, a personal decision, not something dictated by washington. Now, as i have already referred to, there are those here in washington, d. C. And the congress and maybe outside of the congress saying that unless the federal government mandates states adopt a whole new centralized, nonoptional vote by mail system before november, americans will not be able to vote from home. Iowas successful primary election shows that the absentee Ballot System already in place in our state, in most states, run by iowa county auditors is up to the task. Weve proved that. Every iowan who wants to vote absentee in november can do so, and those who want to vote in person can also do so safely. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer madam president . The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer so, madam president , as protests over the deaths the death of george floyd continue, house and Senate Democrats came together yesterday to unveil sweeping reforms to our Nations Police departments. The justice and policing act was not only a response to the recent protests but a reflection of years of failed efforts to root out injustice and racial bias in our Law Enforcement. The bill would ban the use of choke holds and other tactics that have left black americans dead. It would limit the transfer of military weaponry and equipment to Police Departments. It would change the Legal Standard to make it easier to hold Police Accountable for misconduct when they used deadly force on american citizens. And through increased data and transparency as well as important modifications to training and practices, it would help prevent Police Misconduct in the first place. This is a very strong bill and rightly so. I give tremendous credit to senators booker and harris and so many others who contributed as well as the black caucus led by karen bass and chairman nadler of judiciary. They have put together a very strong bill. And the reason is simple. The moment does not call for half measures. Hundreds of thousands of american protesters are not asking us to chip away around the edges. They want bold reform and meaningful changes to a system that all too often delivers unequal justice for too many black americans and that has existed that way for too, too long. Well, that kind of bold reform and meaningful change is what the justice and policing act will deliver, meaningful change and democrats are going to fight very, very hard to make this proposal a reality. Now, of course, in the senate its ultimately up to leader mcconnell to decide what proposals if any come to the senate floor. Thats his prerogative as majority leader. But for two weeks leader mcconnell has refused to respond to my request for the senate to consider a Police Reform bill before july 4, the end of the current work period. I have heard the republican leader speak to the frustrations that swept the nation. I trust he is aware of the many abuses that have been allowed to persist unchecked in our Police Departments. Where is leader mcconnell on actually doing something about it . And, of course, theres another crisis of the moment, the covid pandemic. According to reports in the press, leader mcconnell has told the Republican Caucus not to expect another relief bill until late july at the earliest. This is happening even as some states begin loosening restrictions on business and travel but even as that happens, our economy is hampered by severe depressionlevel unemployment. While the number of new cases is falling on the east coast, the number of cases remains steady in much of the country and is increasing in a good number of states. And were coming to a whole lot of cliffs. States are preparing their budgets in advance of the new fiscal year in july. If they dont get help soon, they may be forced to make severe cuts to public service, and thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions would be laid off of hardworking state and local officials who our communities depend on. And there are other cliffs as well. The moratorium, the threemonth moratorium on eviction expires. Unemployment expires july 31. There are so many cliffs here. And make no mistake about it, covid is related to Racial Justice as well. In the heroes bill, for instan instance, hazard workers, frontline workers get extra pay, hazard pay. More than 40 of them are minorities. These are the people on our front lines. Rental assistance for people who might be evicted, a large percentage of minority folks do not cannot afford to own a home and rent so we must act on that as well. So the kind of Racial Justice that were talking about, the kind of inequality that exists, some of it, a good chunk of it would be relieved if we passed the heroes act, the covid four bill. So both of these are important to do. Racial justice, civil rights, a global pandemic, an economic disaster, these are not merely issues of the month but of this moment in american history. Its truly a time of historic challenge and leader mcconnell and the Republican Senate are missing in action. No commitment to consider Police Reform. No urgency to provide our country relief despite the upcoming cliffs that are going to be soon upon us. There are still four weeks remaining before july 4. I say to leader mcconnell, commit to a Police Reform bill on the senate floor. Work with us on another emergency package that can come to the floor as well before july 4. We have waited too long already. For weeks we democrats have had to relentlessly pressure our republican colleagues to even hold the most routine oversight hearings. The republican majority on the Homeland Security committee in particular has wasted time these past few weeks trying to smear the family of the president s political opponent instead. Here we have a major crisis, a major crisis on the health front, on the economic front, on the Racial Justice front, and what are so many of our republican friends doing . Raising back already discredited conspiracy theories, to go after the president s political opponent at a time when americans are calling for unity and coming together and doing something about our problems . Its a shame. And members of and the Homeland Security committee will finally today conduct a hearing with the people with a fema administrator for the first time in so long. This crisis has been raging for months. More than eight weeks ago we passed a 3 trillion bill. Why has it taken so long to have any oversight at all . But finally, members of the committee will have the opportunity to press Administration Officials as to why in the early days of the pandemic the distribution of p. P. E. And other critical medical supplies was marked about i so much confusion, secrecy, incompetence and delays. In fact senators warren, blumenthal and i formally requested an investigation into project airbridge, the name of the trump administrations fake medical supply chain project which by reports was a failure. Why arent we looking into why that went wrong and how we can correct it . We have lost too Many Americans, frontline workers, hospital and pledge pen nel to the horrible covid19 disease. Well never know how many we lost because we werent better prepared with the necessary protective equipment. The trump administrations failure should be investigated so it does not make the same failure again. Meanwhile, america is still waiting for the president to even acknowledge the issue of Police Violence an Racial Justice that are driving protests across the country and across the street from the white house. The president appears to be too preoccupied trying to emulate president nixon, of all president s. He is too occupied with his own political precariousness to try to bring the country together. As former defense secretary mattis wrote, donald trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American People. Does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. But, he said, we can unite without him. And do that, we must, as americans. And those words were not written by some liberal democrat who theyll call names at, cast dispersions on, never discussing the argument. It was written by our great military leaders, former defense secretary general mattis. Every day every day provides fresh evidence that this country will have to unite in spite of the president , not because of him. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell several times now i praised the Peaceful Demonstrations protesting Racial Injustice and the killings of black americans. Im grateful that after several harrowing days of looting and riots, Law Enforcement restored order and helped these Peaceful Protesters be heard. Notwithstanding the far left calls to disban the police all together, the memory of george floyd and Breonna Taylor can move us to combat residual racism. I need to discuss a different pressing problem that concerns americans constitutional rights. Its becoming clear to Many Americans, including many who appreciate and applaud the recent protests that our National Life during this pandemic has slid toward a double standard. For weeks state and local leaders put normal American Life totally on ice and asked citizens to prioritize fighting the virus. For weeks the Mainstream Media heaped scorn on any small citizen protest, outdoor gathering or even the suggestion that other important values might require a reappraisal of certain restrictions. Well, the American People did their part. They made necessary sacrifices that clearly helped the country and they are ready continuing doing their part as our reopening carefully proceeds. But now Many Americans feel theyve just sewn those seen those pass titus pass titus recommendations disappear because a new cause. A month ago small protests demonstrations were condemned as reckless and selfish. Now massive rallies that fill entire cities are not just praised but, in fact, are called especially brave because of the exact same health risks that brought condemnation when the cause was different. People just spent the spring watching their Small Businesses dissolve or canceling weddings or missing religious observances for the longest spells in their lives or missing the last days of a loved ones life and then missing the unit ral. Never funeral. Never were the American People told about any exemption for things they felt strongly about. I have no criticism for the millions of americans who peacefully demonstrated in recent days. Their cause is beyond righteous. It is the inconsistency from leaders that has been baffling. The same governor of michigan who argued that letting people carefully shop for Vegetable Seeds would be too dangerous during the pandemic now poses for photo graphs with groups of protesters. Here in the descriskt of columbia, the mayor celebrates massive street protests. She actually joins them herself. But on her command churches and houses of worship remain shut. The Largest Church buildings are subject to the ten person limit the mayor deems inessential. The rights of free speech and Free Assembly and religion are First Amendment rights. They have the same constitutional petigree. Prayer is still too dangerous. Politicians are now picking and choosing within the First Amendment itself. Last week one county in californias bay area seriously attempted to issue guidance that allowed protests of 100 people but still still kept all other social gatherings at 12 people and banned outdoor religious gatherings all together. Banned outdoor religious gatherings all together. Figure that one out. These governments are acting like the coronavirus discriminates based on the content of the peoples speech but it is the leaders who are doing that. It impossible to avoid the conclusion that local and state leaders are using their powers to encourage constitutionally protected conduct which they personally appreciate while continuing to ban constitutionally conducted conduct which they personally feel is less important. In new york city the mayor makes no effort to hide this subject activity of. He recounted our racism and compared it to a devout religious person and said sorry thats not the same question. The American Peoples constitutional liberty do not turn do not turn on a mayors intuitions. They do not get to play red light green light within the First Amendment. The First Amendment is not an alacart menu ma leaders may that leaders may sample as they please. Mass protests are continuing to be applauded but small religious services should be banned. These prominent democrats are free to let social protests outrank religious in their own consciousness if they choose but they do not get to impose that are ranking on everyone else. That is precisely the point of freedom of conscience. That is precisely the point of the First Amendment. Weeks ago citizens sued the mayor of louisville, kentucky, when he tried to ban drivein easter services. A brilliant district judge had to remind him and the whole country that in america faith can never be shoved into second class. It seems at least for a few local leaders they still need to learn that lesson. I hope they learn it soon. The American Peoples response to the coronavirus was courageous and patriotic. On the advice of experts, our nation sacrificed a great deal to protect our medical system. Politicians must not repay that sacrifice with constitutionally dubious double standards. Now, madam president , on an entirely different matter. Yesterday our colleagues voted overwhelmingly to advance the Great American outdoors act thanks to the guiding leadership of colleagues like senator daines and senator gardner. We have a rare opportunity to take a huge step forward for our nations cherished treasures. Every year Americas National forest, battlefields and public lands draw hundreds of millions of visits from across the country and around the world. Hunters and anglers, backpackers and climbers, bird watcher rs, and road trippers, school groups, and scientists. Across hundreds of millions of acres theres room for recreation and conservation alike. And where our nation makes its natural wonders possible, local communities thrive. According to the National Park service, park visitors contribute to more than 40 billion in economic output in adjacent towns from local hotels to restaurants to the Outdoor Industry itself they support nearly 330,000 jobs. It would be difficult to overstate the importance of our public lands and the lives of the American People. And when the Senate Passes legislation to secure permanent funding for keeping them safe and accessible, well be ushering in a Bright Future for american recreation and conservation. At the same time, and just as importantly, well be addressing the areas where decades of funding levels for routine maintenance have not kept pace, leaving some of our parks