Lord, inspire our senators to know that you are still on your throne working for the good of those who love you. Listen to our prayers and give us wisdom, courage, and integrity that will enable us to glorify you. We pray in your wonderful 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 i ask permission, one minute in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley too often americans are cynical about our political system when all they see legislative gridlock. Yet, iowans were able to set themselves apart working together on Law Enforcement reforms in the wake of George Floyds murder. Every step of the way the iowa process was fueled with input from the grassroots, including those who demonstrated peacefully. The republicanled state house and senate partnered with democrats to unanimously pass reforms in our state, and some of them historic reforms. Governor reynolds filed house file 2647 to bring additional accountability to iowas Law Enforcement officers. These are some of the things that they did. Creating stronger restrictions on the use of chokeholds by Law Enforcement officers. Improving the Law Enforcement decertification process to ensure that those who have been fired or resign after serious misconduct do not work in our state. Strengthen the authorities of iowas attorney general to prosecute officers whose actions result in the death of another, establishing annual antibiased and deescalation training requirements for our officers. We are working on some of these very policies at the federal level. Washington should follow iowas example and pass legislation to help correct wrongs and inspire positive changes in our communities across the country. Senator Lindsey Graham will be leading hearings today on this issue before the judiciary committee. Hopefully we can act. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell madam president. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell this week, like most weeks for a month and a half now, has brought a steady in contrast to the United States capitol. Over in the democraticled house of representatives, the lights are out, the doors are locked. Theres nobody home. With our country facing a once in a century pandemic and historic economic disruption, a major discussion of Racial Justice and all the other important businesses business we were already set to tackle before all of this, the speaker of the house has mostly kept his chamber on the longestrunning spring break in human history. Lots of talk about supposed priorities but few votes. Lots of partisan attacks leveled at republicans from a distance but little action. Over here in the senate the story has been very different. Were holding hearings. Were legislating, were confirming nominees. With precautions we are manning our posts for the country. Tomorrow the senate will begin considering the president s nomination of judge Justin Walker to fill a vacancy on the d. C. Circuit, the secondmost important federal bench in the country. As my fellow kentuckians and i can attest, judge walker is exactly the kind of individual our country deserves to have in such a role. He graduated from duke, assume cum laude assumey cum laude and then harvard law magnum cum laude and clerked on the d. C. Circuit for an impressive judge named Brett Kavanaugh and then on the Supreme Court. He is it a he has a reputation as a leading academic scholar of the law. The a. B. A. Rates him well qualified. He has quickly made a name for himself as a district judge. A few weeks ago when the mayor of louisville tried to cancel Easter Services with dispar yacht dispar at restrictions, judge walker won National Attention for his eloquent defense of religious liberty. This subject becomes more important by the way. The American People deserve to have strong respect for their religious rights including their religious exercise and conscience on one of our countrys highest courts. I look forward to continuing to detail our kentucky pride for judge walker as the week unfolds. And ill take great pride in voting to advance his nomination and to confirm him. But, first, madam president , the senate will pass the Great American outdoors act. It will be a big step in the history of our nations public lands and great news for their future. This bill is the product of a lot of hard work by many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It has two clear purposes. It will restore access and function to parks and facilities that have been neglected and it will secure a stable flow of resources to support recreation and conservation well into the future. Ive detailed in recent days just how Many Americans rely on our nations public lands from the guides and outfitters who cater to the Outdoor Recreation economy to the Restaurant Owners and gateway communities who welcome hundreds of visitors to the researchers who study Historic Sites and unique habitats to the hunters, anglers and sportsmen and American Families who explore millions of acres of open space. It is clear a bright Economic Future for mec is intertwined with this precious resource. So backlog maintenance and delayed upkeep is a real problem. Too often tough budgetary choices have left important facilities worn down and National Treasures inaccessible. Im proud that this legislation before us will tackle these critical missions, but, madam president , you certainly dont have to take my word for it. You can look to the list of no fewer than 60 cosponsors on both sides of the aisle or to the 80 senators who voted to advance consideration of the bill last week or you can you could sample from the ringing endorsements of an improsecutorive Cross Section of conservation advocates. Take, for example, the letter the democratic leader and i received from the last six former secretaries of the interior. Men and women who served under president s of both parties. They came together to tell us, quote, the great the Great American outdoors act will ensure a better, Brighter Future for nature and for all of us. Hundreds of advocacy organizations from the sierra club to the Fishing Association all approve the they say the bill will ensure that our parks and other public lands continue to preserve our nations heritage and recreation opportunities and local communities and economies will continue to flourish. Its not often that were presented with the opportunity to take overwhelming bipartisan action that will affect a monumental part of American Life for so many years to come. And the opportunity in front of us this week comes thanks to the dedicated work of several of our colleagues. In particular, id like to thank senator daines and senator gardner once again for their extraordinary leadership. I look forward to seeing their efforts across the finish line and i urge all members to join me in supporting this bill and securing our National Wonders for generations of americans yet to come. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of h. R. 1957, which the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 75, h. R. 1957, an act to amend the Internal Revenue code of 1986 to modernize and improve the Internal Revenue service and for other purposes. Mr. Mcconnell i 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 shp i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer madam president , yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1 1964 does in fact prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of Sexual Orientation and gender identity. It was a landmark decision that represents a step forward, a big step forward on the long march to full equality for lgbtq americans. We salute that decision. Thats what the Supreme Court should be doing, moving us in a direction of equality and fairness. All too often it doesnt, these days so this was a refreshing breath of fresh air from that court. But the march, of course, is not over. Yesterdays decision welcome as it s. Reminds us that it is, reminds us that today, even in 2020 we havuch work left to do to advance the cause of justice and equality for all americans. Only a few days ago, our laws didnt clearly establish that you couldnt be fired by your employer simply because of who you are and who you love. So yesterdays decision is not the end of the fight. It was one step forward. If its wrong to discriminate against people because of who they love, because of who they are, if its wrong to discriminate against people on the basis of Sexual Orientation and gender, isnt it wrong to if its wrong to discriminate against people on the basis of Sexual Orientation and gender on employment, isnt it wrong on housing . Isnt it wrong on so many other issues . And thats why we need the equality act to pass. The decision is certainly not the end of the fight. Disparities in discrimination on the basis of Sexual Orientation and gender identity still exist in so many aspects of our live, education, housing, public credit, public spaces and services in many other ways. If its wrong to discriminate against people because of their Sexual Orientation and gender on jobs, on employment, its equally wrong in these other areas like housing and education. So we need to pass the equality act that brings that expands the prohibition of discrimination to many other needed areas. Today Senate Democrats will send a letter from our caucus to leader mcconnell urging him to schedule the equality act for a vote on the floor. The house passed it a year ago. Its been languishing in mcconnells legislative graveyard. And i would say to my republican colleagues, if some of the most conservative people around like judge gore sich, justice gorsich, Justice Roberts can come to the conclusion we should stop discriminating, where are you . The Senate Republicans always seem 30 years behind the times. On this issue for sure. I urge the leader, put the equality act on the floor now and lets extend what the Supreme Court did in terms of employment to so many needed other areas. Wake up, my republican friends. The times, they are a changing and discrimination against lgbtq americans should be over once and for all and should be the law of the land in every aspect of our lives. Now, another issue where the Republican Caucus seems to be behind. Since the killing of george floyd sparked nationwide protests, weve been pushing our colleagues in the senate to respond to our National Pain with collective action. This is a moment in American History, the great mass of our people are demanding change in the streets of our largest cities and smallest towns. Now is a moment to reach for real lasting, strong comprehension comprehensive change. We cannot make some changes around the margins so democrats drafted and proposed comprehensive Police Reform legislation last monday. The justice and policing act led by senators booker and harris. With four weeks to go in this current session, we have asked leader mcconnell to commit to a vote on the justice and policing act before july 4. We didnt say do our bill immediately. We asked our republican colleagues to commit to a debate on our bill before july 4, within the next four weeks. But so far we havent heard any indication from the republican majority that well take up comprehensive Police Reform this month. Last night a member of the Republican Leadership said the bill was unlike lay before july 4. Of course, leader mcconnell has also reportedly told his caucus that the senate was unlikely to do another covid relief bill until after july 4. When the it comes to Urgent National priorities, the republican majority is like a broken magic 8 ball that keeps saying, ask again later. Peaceful protests have continued for three weeks, and republican senators want to wait another month, maybe even longer, considering some to consider reform on the floor of the senate . The popular anger over longsimmering issues of Police Brutality and Racial Justice has reached the tipping point. Ness no reason to wait. Ness no reason there is to reason to wait. There is no reason to delay. Theyre playing the same political games that they played after Mass Shootings last summer. Why is it that when it comes to confirming rightwing judges who want to roll back the clock on health care and on voting rights, Senate Republicans always make time. But when it comes to making real chaplains to Police Departments changes to Police Departments, senate preexisting conditions are already making excuses. Democrats who support real meaningful change in our nations Police Departments will not rest until we achieve comprehensive and bold reform. Of course, were also still waiting for the Republican Senate majority to propose anything related to covid19. Only a few weeks ago, leader mcconnell said that another Coronavirus Relief bill was likely during the june work period. Once again, typical fashion of this republican majority, the deadline is slipped. Now we have no time to consider another covid bill before july 4. And this will have very real consequences for the american economy. Leader mcconnell is willing to blow through his own deadlines, but some deadlines will arrive whether the republican leader likes it or not. Whether he likes it or not, his inaction is creating some very steep cliffs for our economy and for the american worker. Funding for the very popular and bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program will run out on june 30. State and local governments need to finalize their budgets by july 4, and many of them will be forced to cut back on Critical Public Services without public support. The moratorium on evictions that we passed in the cares act expires on july 24. The emergency Unemployment Insurance we passed in the cares act expires on july 31. And k12 schools need over 150 billion and as much time as possible to safely reopen this fall. So leader mcconnell, republicans, there are at least five cliffs and many more we face if we dont act soon. The cliff of funding Small Business, the cliff of helping state and local governments, the cliff on evictions, the clifton unemployment the cliff on unemployment, and the cliff on the need for schools to reopen in september today leader mcconnell and i received a letter signed by over 100 economists and scholars, including two former chairs of the federal reserve, three former chairs of the council of economic advisors, two Nobel Laureates urging congress to pass another relief package commensurate with the 16 trillion hole in our economy caused by covid. At a minimum, these distinguished economists wrote, the bill should include, quote, continued support for the unemployed, new assistance to state and localities, investments in programs that preserve employeremployee relationships, and additional aid to stabilize demand. Sounds a lot like the heroes act, which passioned the house of representatives. Which passed the house of representatives but once again is sitting in leader mcconnells legislative graveyard. Economists are telling Senate Republicans to get off the mat and do something before it is too late. Governors from both Political Parties are pleading for aid. Even the chair of the federal reserve, jay powell, appointed by President Trump, is sounding the alarm about the need for another emergency relief bill. When will Senate Republicans finally get the message . When will they understand that unless we do these things, the economy