Feel as little as possible. Lets see how this works out. At the time when we have unemployment figures breaking all records, when we have 10 times theunemployment claims in illinois that we did a year ago , 10 times the unemployment claims in the commonwealth of kentucky that they did a year ago, we leinstead are hearing from the republican side of the aisle the problem with our economy is not unemployment. Its the fact that people who are unemployed are being given too much money. Right now we have a federal benefit package worth 600 a week. That was enacted in the cares act on march 26 that expires in three days. 600 a week federal supplement over the state payment. What republicans have suggested is to cut that 600 federal supplement to 200 and then they turn and say well, but we want to do is to compensate the worker with 70 percent of what they were hurting when they were laid off. Theres a real serious problem here that they are not disclosing to the american people. Back in march when we proposed a similar approach or one that took into consideration the previous wages of an unemployed worker , who told us to stop that consideration . President trump secretary of labor. Secretary scalia came to us and said you dont understand, you cannot make this change in the states because there are 50 different Computer Systems in the Employment Security offices across each and every state in the union. They cannot make this change. The only way they told us secretary scalia told us in march is a flat dollar amount when worker which is exactly whatwe did. The republicans come to us and ignore advice. Ignore the diamonds is dollars we ndsay will come up with an elaborate formula of 70 percent of what you were paid before. As senator schumer said the survey doesnt impossible five or six months before we are ready to do something in that manner. That means for millions of americans currently unemployed, the possibility of only receiving 200 a week untilsomeday in the future when the state unemployment systems can possibly change. Thats the republican approach. And theyve made a big point as senator mcconnell did this morning on the floor on the 1200 check, the cash payment such as we had in march. Im not opposed to that. The president is desperate for it because he gets to sign the checks and he wants his amsignature on the checks out to these individuals. If thats what you want be my guest if its going to help working families a 1200check to a family that was receiving 600 a week , 2400 a month is cold comfort eyand it wont help them pay the bills they face every single month. I only wish that the republicans that were calling for these cuts and Unemployment Compensation for millions of americans, 30 million americans, i only wish they would go home to kentucky and other states and sit down for a meal with an unemployed family and let them tell these republicans what they are facing each and every month untrying to get by. Even with this unemployment check. You seetheres an assumption. Theres an assumption these people have money in savings. Its not reality and in the real world half of American Families have little or no savings to turn to even before this current economic downturn. And that and what theyre going through now and the sacrifices they have to make. Surely Republican Leaders have heard the stories or seen firsthand as i have families showing up at food banks and pantries. Looking for a helping hand. Some of them with their legs down to the ground. Tears in those eyes because they never dreamed they would be in this position and what does the alternative suggests from the republican side . Unemployment compensation for millions of americans atthis moment in history. Ru think small republicans say. We can get through this by doing as little as possible. Is not true. Weve been told over and over again that if we can take our foot off the accelerator to try to move tthis economy out of the ditch, it will crash even further. And we dont want that to happen. We want people to get back to work and businesses to reopen and schools to reopen but weve got to do the right hething in terms of providing compensation individuals. I reject the premise that many republicans bring to this conversation that if youre not rich, you must be lazy in america. I dont thinkunemployed people in this country are lazy people. I think their hardworking people whove been top hand of cards to their Families Together until they can get back to work into a decent job area and cutting unemployment encompensation at this moment in history is cruel, inhuman and finsensitive to the realities these families are facing every single day. There is one provision that came out yesterday that i want to for a moment. For months, literally for months, senator mcconnell has come to the floor and criticized Speaker Pelosi for her efforts to pass theheroes that almost 10 weeks ago. 10 weeks ago the house of representatives under speaker policy passed legislation to provide covid19 relief that we knew was coming because we knew the Unemployment Benefits were going to expire in just a few days. She saw that coming in 10 weeks agodid what was the right thingto do. She mustered her troops. They voted for a majority to vote for a package that moves us forward. That helps state and local governments face the reality of this economy. It helps hospitals, helps individuals pay for their health insurance. A good package and one that i can readilysupport. Enter mcconnell came to the floor frequently, double times a week saying how bad the package was, how terrible it was. While he did nothing. While the republicans opposed no alternative. Its just like the Affordable Care act. Theyve done everything they can hundred 50 times to try to repeal it and never once proposed an alternative. The same is true when it comes to thisrelease. And in the circumstances we received final yesterday this proposal that was brought by senator cornyn and on behalf of himself and senator mcconnell to address the issue of the immunity of corporations for lawsuits that have any relation to covid19. Immunity for these corporations so that they will be held liable. If in fact they are not performing up to the standards necessary to protect employees and customers area 65 pages long. Its a big giveaway to the biggest corporations in america. Ethe republican orbit immunity bill does nothing to protect workers, improve Safety Standards or given business incentives totake proper precautions to reduce the spread ofcoronavirus. In fact this bill does just the opposite. It views workers and businesses at the problem and sets portals that prevent meritorious claims from having a day in court. What the bill would do is impose sweeping federal preemption on the rights of workers and victims to bring cases in state courts for related harm. It would supplant state laws to require businesses to act with reasonable care. Then it would say that businesses are shielded from liability in federal court if they merely make an effort to comply with the weakest available mandatory Safety Standards that apply to them. So long as theyre not grossly negligent. So what are the kinds of Safety Standards the bill would urge businesses to follow aftermarket certainly wouldnt be the guidelines of the centers for Disease Control because thosearent mandatory. So amazingly business can get shielded from liability under this republican approach even if they make no effort to comply with the center for Disease Control guidelines. How does that make us any safer . Not only that but if workers are forcing americans want to bring a meritorious case into this bill this but them through a gauntlet of tort reform obstacles thatmakes it nearly impossible to prevail. A heightened burden of proof. Heightened pleading requirements. Minutes of discovery. Restrictions on joint liability and so much more. The republican bill create sweeping preemption of medical malpractice cases e. Including claims under medical malpractice not even related to covid19. It would upend themedical liability laws of all 50 states for five years. Instead of setting a strong clear and enforceable safety standard like osha Emergency Temporary Standard the republican bill would shield businesses fromregulatory enforcement proceedings under osha, the fair labor standards act, americans with disability and more. The liability immunity under this bill would last for five years from december 2019 through 2024. The fact that republicans are proposing five years of liability immunity to corporations while promising just a few months of assistance for workers tells the whole story about priorities and values. Lets be clear. Republicans have not made the case for why we would even consider federal liability immunity for corporations. Remember under current state tort law if a business has taken reasonable precautions, they wont be held liable for negligence. State laws give business incentives to act reasonably and most businesses do. Also, time and again ive heard senator mcconnell and senator cornyn come to the floor and talk about the zune army of lawsuits. This morning senator mcconnell said an epidemic of frivolous lawsuits. It so happens we keep track of lawsuits filed in the United States of america and we can look to the pleadings in those lawsuits to see how many times they mention coronavirus or covid19. So we know how many lawsuits have been filed. Since the first of the year related to this pandemic. We know that despite the fact that 4 million at least 4 million infections have been established in the United States, 4 million. If you know how many medical malpractice cases have been filed by any of those 4 camillion americans or anyone else . Against doctors, hospitals, providers . What is the epidemic number . We havent been here the exact number of medical malpractice cases filed in the us in the last six months. Six. Six. An epidemic . A soon on me . How about personal injury lawsuits, senator . How many havebeen filed . Listing coronavirus as one of the reasons for these lawsuits . 15. 4 million infected americans, 15 lawsuits and the republicans have come to us and want to turn upside down the immunity and liability questions before the states and the nation area how about unsafe workplace lawsuits. Thats got to be a big category. 4 million infected americans. How many workers have brought lawsuits area 71. And the entire 50 states of america. 71 lawsuits. There is no flood of worker or victim lawsuits. Its a figment of the imagination of senator mcconnell and senator cornyn and kay street. We certainly shouldnt at this moment in time ignore the obvious. Over 20 states have been forward and establish their own standards for lawsuits when it comes to the pandemic. This effort by the republicans would preempt state action. There have been hundreds and hundreds of lawsuits that have been filed, businesstobusiness on questions like insurance liability area you dont have the republicans wanting to stop businesses from filing lawsuits. No,just workers and the people who get sick. Theres no need for the federal government to step in and override 50 states liability laws especially after the federal government has been deferring to states on every other aspect of this pandemic. Testing, pe, masks, stayathome orders. Time and again this president saysleave it to the mayors. Except when it comes to protecting big corporations. The states need to adjust their liability laws they can do so. 28 states have already done. So heres the bottom line. Republican immunity dont would upend state laws, give businesses incentives to cut corners, jeopardize the safety of workers and families and risk further spread of this virus. It is a big business giveaway that is not what americans. Madam president , this is not a small challenge. It is a historic challenge. We should take the republican lead and play small ball. We got to address this hadon. First we need leadership at the top we have not had from the president. He has deferred time and again to governors and mayors and other officials at the local level telling them find your own masks, establish your own testing regimes, find your way out of this crisis. When we needed leadership from the president we did not receive it. America knows that. Why isnt this nation was with five percent of the World Population has 25 percent of the infection cases in the world. Why . What happened here . Why did we follow the lead of other countries that stepped up with president ial leadership. Countries that have found dramatically less infection, dramatically fewer deaths. Thats the reality of where we are at this pandemic. The reality of our economy, we step in on march 26 and passed the cares and weve managed to keep some businesses going area managed to keep millions of unemployed americans together their families are the most difficult tranny in their lives and now at this moment, the Republican Leadership says think small. Dont worry about these families that dont have enough to provide food and shelter. And the basics for their family. Theyll get by with a lot less from 600 a week to 200 a week. They will do just fine according to the republicans. I disagree that our first obligation should be to these working families owing for the toughest time they can ever imagine. Stick with them area be prepared to put the money on the table which we know they will spend right back into the economy. We will see more employment if we follow the republican approach. Needed some 3 million jobs will kill by the republican approach of cutting unemployment. And the consequent downturn in spending by these same families. Lets stick with those families now. They need us. Madam president ideal the floor and suggests the absence of a quorum. Senators are in their weekly party lunch meetings and when they return more debate, by a vote 230 on confirmation of president trumps nominees for us district judge vacancy in louisiana and federal Housing Administration commissioner in the meantime, negotiations continue on the republicans 1 billion package. Watch live coverage when senators return youre on cspan2. Cspan has unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the Supreme Court and Public Policy events. Watch all of their Public Affairs programming on television online. Or listen on our free radio. And the part of the National Conversation through daily washington journal programs. Workthrough our social media feeds. Cspan created by Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. Book tv on cspan2 as top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. Coming up sunday at noon eastern on indepth our life to our conversation with us combat veteran and Rhodes Scholar westmore author of several booksincluding other westmore the work and his latest , five days. The fiery reckoning of an American City area he will be taking your phone calls, Facebook Comments and to on afterwards, founder and president of environmental progress Michael Shellenberger on what he calls apocalyptic environmentalism area interviewed by Columbia University earth and reckoning. Watch book tv on cspan2 day. You live now to capitol hill where congressman john lewis lies in state at the top of the capitals front stairs. The casket is outside the capital due to thecoronavirus pandemic. Irishman lewis served 17 terms in the h