Absence of a quorum. Madam president , across our country were seeing cities, schools, businesses, and other organizations take the necessary and serious precautions to keep the American People safe from the spread of the coronavirus. School districts, colleges, universities are canceling inperson classes, churches are moving to services online, professional sports teams are hitting pause on their regular season, airlines are canceling flights and many main street businesses are closing their doors. I know that all of this is a little disorienting and certainly alarming. But while these measures arent normal, it is a sign that were heeding advice from the experts, people like dr. Fauci, organizations like the center for Disease Control. Its a sign that were doing what we can to prevent or at least slow down community spread. And its a sign that were standing together and making progress ultimately expecting that we will get through this together. The difficult decisions that need to be
Organizations take the necessary and serious precautions to keep the American People safe from the spread of the coronavirus. School districts, colleges, universities are canceling in person classes. Churches are moving to services online. Professional sports teams are hitting pause on the regular season. Airlines are canceling flights and many mainstream businesses are closing their doors. I know that all of this is a little disorienting, and certainly alarming. But while these measures are not normal, it is a sign that we are heeding advice from the experts come people like dr. Fauci, organizations like the center for disease control. Its a sign were doing what we can to prevent or at least slow down community spread. Its a sign that we are standing together andin making progress, ultimately expecting that we will get through this together. The difficult decisions that need to be made by elected officials and Business Owners and Community Leaders when they decide to shut down normal
Breathe your strength and peace into our senators and use them for your glory. May they continue to totally depend on you knowing that with your mighty power you will surround them with the shield of your blessing. Holy god, your goodness will prevail until the end of time, we pray in your great 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. The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley i request one minute to address the senate in morning business. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Grassley as the coronavirus spreads, u. S. Federal health and intelligence agencies are working hard to protect the public. Its critical that their hard work not go to waste. Federal Health Agencies must have access to all Intelligence Community information
Churches are moving services online. Professional sports teams are hitting pause on their regular season. Airlines are canceling flights. Churches are moving services online. And many main street businesses are closing their doors. I know that all of this is disorienting and alarming, but while these measures arent normal, it is a sign that we are heeding advice from the experts, people like dr. Fauci, organizations like the center for Disease Control it is a sign that we are doing what we can Disease Control. It is a sign that we are doing what we can to slow down community spread. It is a sign that we are together and making progress and hoping that we will get through this together. Toficult decisions that need be made by elected officials and Business Owners and Community Leaders when they decide to shut down normal parts of our daily lives, these are not easy decisions for them to make. Despite the publichealth benefits these closures will provide, we arelives, these arey decision
Overall number in the law, the budget control act, requesting basically a little bit over 1 trillion. 1. 1 trillion as the law allows for. Within that number, he really departed from the budget control act numbers, and he requested a lot more for defense programs. About 54 billion for security related programs. And covers that with an equal amount of cuts in nondefense spending, 54 billion. So thats a violation of the budget control act there. But more than that, its very politically unpopular. Yes members really like the , defense spending increase, but they dont like taking it out of nondefense programs agriculture cut more than 20 . Transportation, federal housing programs cut 15 . Labor, health, Education Programs cut similarly. State Department Programs cut tremendously. And congress is rejecting that. They dont really have their own plan nailed down. While they are inclined to give a lot more to defense, they are not as interested in those nondefense spending cuts. It matters of