Vote vote the presiding officer are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote . If not, the yeas are 71, the nays are 21. The nomination is confirmed. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the president will be immediately notified of the senates action. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell on monday, republicans introduced a 1 trillion proposal to give American Families more Coronavirus Relief. Most urgently, the republicans want to continue a federal supplement to state Unemployment Insurance which is set to expire, as we all know, tomorrow. If our democratic dleetions had acted colleagues had acted with the urgency struggling people deserve we could right now be finishing up a major bipartisan package for kids, jobs, and health care. If our democratic colleagues had acted with urgency, unemployed americans wouldnt be facing a total elimination of this extra help. But instead jobless americans are staring down this cliff because Speaker Pelosi and the democratic leader have to negotiate. Theyve refused to move one inch from the speakers farleft proposal that was so absurd and so unserious that their own moderate democratic members began trashing it the instant it came out. This is the multitrilliondollar boondoggle that would tax and borrow in order to provide a massive tax cut to rich people in blue states, the salt giveaway. Fund diversity studies of the legal pot industry and do 1,000 other things with no relationship whatsoever to the crisis. Just a few minutes ago our colleague from wisconsin tried to get consent to continue the unemployment assistance to prevent it from expiring tomorrow, and the democratic leader objected unless he got to pass the entirety of the massive wish list. Republicans want to continue this aid before it expires, but the democratic leader says let them eat salt. This is what was written about their proposal, quote, privately several House Democrats concede the bill feels a little more than an effort to appease the most liberal members of the caucus, end quote. And yet now Speaker Pelosi and the democratic leader have declared that unemployment americans will not get another cent, not another cent unless the senate agrees to pass the entire bill that even democrats say is ridiculous. This is their position. Unemployed people, schools, hospitals, and American Families will not see another dime unless they get to cut taxes from millions in brooklyn and san francisco. Thats what this is about, mr. President. Sure theyll call republicans names for wanting to make sure the assistance doesnt pay people more not to work, but the democratic leader gave away the game this morning. He said on the floor that he now opposes even continuing the aid at the 600 level. They want jobless aid to expire tomorrow, speeder. Lest we forget a few days ago multiple Democratic Senators and the Democratic House majority leader said they were prepared to land somewhere south of 600. Military pell democrats said they were multiple democrats said they were open to continuing the aid at a level that doesnt pay people more to stay home, but the democratic leader has not only refused to talk, he has gone even further and declared he will not even let the aid continue at 600. The democratic leader has tried to rule out every option except the capital, concept except leaving the capitol today and begin this weekend with the unemployment set to expire. These arent the actions, my friends, that would lead to any geament. Agreement. They arent the actions that will actually make a law. Im not sure my democratic colleagues really agree that hurting unemployment people is their sides best political strategy, but if that is their position, theyll have to vote on it for the entire country to see. In just a moment im going to make the senate vote on a privileged moment. It will be a motion to proceed to legislation which would be used to prevent the unemployment aid from expiring. There are a number of views on both sides of the best way to accomplish that. The bill would be amendable. Nobody who actually wants to negotiate, nobody who actually wants a bipartisan outcome would be disadvantaged by merely proceeding to the debate. Weve had enough rope a dope. Weve had enough empty talk. Its time to go on the record. Well see who wants a bipartisan outcome for the country and whos trying their hardest to block one. So, mr. President , i move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Mr. Schumer i ask to be recognized to respond to the leader. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer thank you, mr. President. Well, weve had a lot of words from the leader. None of them talk about reality. One picture equals all his words. Schumer, pelosi, mnuchin, meadows in a room negotiating where the republican leader cant even show up because his caucus is so divided, in his own words. 20 of his members dont want to vote for anything. And now faced with a crisis that they created. For ten weeks, ten weeks we have asked the leader to negotiate. And now finally theyve woken up to the fact that were at a cliff, but its too late, too late because even if we were to pass this measure, all the states, almost every state says people would not get their unemployment for weeks and months. All because of the disunity, dysfunction of this republican caucus. And of the leader, afraid to negotiate because he doesnt have his people behind him. The bottom line is very simple. This new proposal moves things even backward. Instead of a 30 cut from what people are getting, its a 33 cut. And we all know that the proposal that is in existence now has kept millions out of poverty. Now, we hear talk from the other side this creates the deficit. This increases the deficit. We cant spend money. Well, id remind them of the 1. 5 trillion tax cut for the rich, tax cut for the rich. No one even thought about the deficit then. But when it comes to average folks, working people, we dont hear a thing. Unemployment is a crisis. There are many crises. All your states, the parents are saying why cant we open our schools safely. They need dollars. We cant negotiate that proposal. People are being thrown out of their homes. Thats a cliff that happened thursday. Nothing for that. The bottom line is very simple. This is the worst Health Crisis in a hundred years. This is the worst economic crisis in 75 years. And unfortunately, at this great moment of terrible trouble in our country, our republican friends are paralyzed and when they want to do something, its a stunt, not a real negotiation that they know wont pass because their backs are against the wall and the American People, just look at the data, know whos to blame. And know who doesnt want to help people. So the bottom line is very simple. We democrats know what the problem is and we are unified. We have a very strong proposal. And to look at the things in that proposal with the callousness that my friend, the republican leader, has done, to say that this is all politics when people are being thrown out of their homes and we want to give them shelter, when people are not being able to feed their children and we want to give them food, when Small Businesses, men and women who have struggled cant keep their businesses going, and we hear nothing. Our proposal, the one the republicans objected deals with these problems in a serious, significant, and, yes, expensive way. But we know whats going on the other side of the aisle. It was said by my friend from indiana, let the private sector do it. Well, my friends, this is a moment where the private sector cant solve the problem. This is a moment when we do need strong, active, and bold relief, something that this caucus has been running away from, ignoring for far too long. My fellow americans, we are in an enormous crisis. We are stepping up to the plate on this side of the aisle. Please let your senators know on the republican side of the aisle how deep this crisis is, how painful it is for people, and to step up to the plate, get in the room and negotiate a real deal and stop doing stunts that simply are political, get it off my back that you know cannot pass. I yield the floor. Mr. Mcconnell i move to proceed to legislative session. The presiding officer the question is on proceeding to the legislative session. All in favor say aye. Those opposed no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The motion is agreed to. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President , i ask the chair to lay before the senate the message to accompany s. 178 and i ask for the yeas and nays. The presiding officer is there a sufficient second . There appears to be. There is a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. Vote vote vote vote vote the presiding officer are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote . If not, the yeas are 47 and the nays are 42. The motion to proceed is agreed to. The clerk resolved the bill from the senate, s. 178 entitled an act to condemn gross human rights vitals in turkish muslims in xinjiang and harassment of these communities inside and outside china do pass with an amendment. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell i move to concur in the house amendment with a further amendment number 2499. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk the senator from kentucky, mr. Mcconnell, moves to concur in the house amendment to the bill with an amendment numbered 2499. The presiding officer the senator from arizona. Ms. Mcsally mr. President , i deployed to washington to be a pragmatic Problem Solver and for the past five and a half years i made it my mission in congress to better the lives of hardworking arizonans. In a time of toxic shpt, this is no easy feat. It requires me to reach across the aisle to find where the ven diagram overlaps. Today im calling on my democratic colleagues to be pragmatic, to meet in the middle on what we should agree on. Im asking senators to extend expanded unemployment bistles for seven days while Congress Comes up with a solution. Who could be against that . With the first of august approaching, americans out of work are counting on us for cash so they can pay their rent and put food on the table for their families. And while some states will get the expanded checks, we understand for the next week or two, arizonans have gotten their last expanded check. These arizonans are in my neighborhood, live on my street. They work paycheck to paycheck before this once in a century pandemic hit. Im here to tell them washington, d. C. s dysfunction and bickering is alive and well. Congress once again is using hardworking americans as pawns in their political games. For the many arizonans out of work right now, mr. President , this is not a game. Americans, arizonans are calling out for help, and its time we deliver it. So what im offering today is a simple sevenday extension of the extra 600 a week for unemployed americans while we work through our differences on how to move forward and see americans through this first in a century crisis. This is a reasonable proposal. Who could possibly be against this . I understand as we work to defeat this virus which we will and support the economic recovery for our country, we need to incentivize people to return to work safely when they are able. And there are agreements in this chamber on what that looks like, what the ultimate dollar figure or percentage will be, where we land and for how long. Well, i know today Congress Needs to do their job and to prevent this desperately needed extra lifeline from fully expiring. In this uncertain time, everyone is doing the best they can. To make ends meet, to help each other, to help our neighbors, to stay safe. Everyone, that is except congress. Americans have lost their livelihoods out of no fault of their own due to this cruel virus, should not be Collateral Damage of political maneuvering. Im calling on the senate, lets do what we were sent here to do. Lets do our job. In the face of the virus, weve asked millions of americans to go back to work when they can safely, to make hard decisions, to do what they were hired to do. Its time for the senate to do the same. This is a reasonable request. It is simply a sevenday extension of the expanded Unemployment Benefits while we continue to work out our differences. Who could possibly be against this . Therefore, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of my bill at the desk. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered and laid upon the table. The presiding officer is there objection . Mr. Schumer reserving the right to object. The presiding officer the democrat leader. Mr. Schumer now, mr. President , this u. C. Request is clearly a stunt, a oneweek fix cant be implemented in time, and the senator knows that. Plus, there are many other problems arizonans have in addition to this one. Arizona parents are worried that schools wont open safely. Arizona renters are worried theyll be evicted from their apartments. Arizona parents are worried that they cant feed their kids. Arizona businesses, Small Businesses are worried that they wont have the necessary help. All of those things are in the heroes act. Plus not a oneweek extension, which cant even be implemented, but an extension until january 31. So i would ask my colleagues to tell arizonans whether she supports the heroes act or not, which goes much further and is much stronger on unemployment and many other issues. I object. The presiding officer objection is heard. Ms. Mcsally mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from arizona. Ms. Mcsally thank you, mr. President. This is disappointing and a political stunt and a game. And for all the normal people watching out there who dont understand why washington is so dysfunctional, were just looking for a sevenday extension so they can get another check and pay their rent. I ask who could possibly be against this. Well, we found out. Its the senator from new york. You can click the tape or put his picture on your refrigerator when you open it up, because its the minority leader whos against this on his path to try to become the majority leader and thats unfortunate. Arizonans deserve better. Thank you, mr. President. The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer mr. President , i am going to ask once again that our republican colleagues support the heroes act. This is a dramatic crisis affecting all of america in many different ways. We democrats have come up with a bold, strong plan, supported by the vast majority of people, average middleclass people. Our proposal deals with the issue of unemployment all the way through january 31. Not a oneweek stunt which cant even be adapted in time. Our proposal deals with schools and their ability to open. Our proposal deals with Small Businesses. Our proposal deals with so many of the issues facing america. Our colleagues on the other side, we know, are tied in a knot. Our colleagues on the other side cant come to an agreement on anything. They did an empty shell bill because the only thing they could support was an emptyshell bill with nothing inside of it. Well, thats not what the American People want. They want action. I would urge the republican leader to start negotiating in good faith and in seriousness. I would urge the president to do things about testing and tracing also in the heroes bill. I would urge we rise to the occasion of this enormous crisis we democrats are doing that in a bold and strong way. We havent heard anything from our republican colleagues. So i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of my bill at the desk. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar 455, h. R. 6800, the heroes act, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The presiding officer is there objection . A senator mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from ohio. Mr. Portman weve already had this debate once today when the democratic leader chose to offer this motion knowing that of course its not serious. What hes talking about here, just after having rejected a very commonsense proposal, which is a oneweek extension for the Unemployment Insurance by the way, at 600, which is exactly what the democrats say they want. They want to keep it at 600 even though, as we know from numerous studies, that means that for many people, in fact 68 of the people on Unemployment Insurance based on the university of chicago study, for 68 of those folks theyre making more on Unemployment Insurance than they can make at work. And i think all of us here in this chamber want to be sure that folks are taken care of. In fact, we just voted on legislation to provide the ability to be able to debate this very issue and other issues. But to say that people should be making substantially more for not working rather than working is something that i think even a lot of my democratic colleagues do not find acceptable. But instead the majority leader is once again offering the heroes act as hes done before. This is the housepassed legislation that was passed actually a while ago, during different times, but its 3. 5 trillion. Thats what the c. B. O. Says, 3. 5 trillion. That makes it of course the most expensive piece of legislation ever passed by either body any time in our history by far. By the way, it has a number of provisions that have nothing to do with covid19. So here we are in the middle of this crisis. In many places its getting worse, not better. We do need to act but we need to be sure were acting in an effective way and putting things out there, many of which have nothing to do with covid19. It has immigration policies there. We can debate those separately. Immigration policy issues are very contentious and are tough things for us to resolve in any context, but certainly we shouldnt put it in the covid19 bill. It has unprecedented mandates on the states that says to