Protests

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I come to the floor today with the remarks I had prepared while home in Wyoming last week, but first I need to comment on the tragedy that is facing our Nation today.

Anyone who has seen the video of George Floyd being murdered-- murdered--has to be heartbroken. The peaceful protests that followed-- peaceful at first--about police abuse against any--any--American are important and are necessary. These peaceful protests about George Floyd's death have been hijacked, though, by violent criminals. Anyone who sees the video of the wanton destruction and the looting and the rioting and the arson knows that those who are involved have no respect for the people they are harming. They dishonor the memory of George Floyd, and they dishonor the cause for which the demonstrators and the protesters first took to the streets.

Those who would desecrate the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Veterans Memorial, and the church that every President has worshipped in going back to James Madison--those are people who are set on undermining our Nation Coronavirus

My goal today is to come to the floor to talk about rebuilding our Nation--rebuilding our Nation as we recover from coronavirus.

Last week at Memorial Day services in Wyoming, I reflected on America's heroes and the sacrifices so many have made for the rest of us.

As I talk with people in Wyoming and travel the State, I am reminded how self-reliant, how resourceful, how independent, and how resilient we are as Americans.

Well, the worst of coronavirus does now seem to be behind us. People want to get back to work. The economy, forcefully shut down by the government, is now showing signs of life. Businesses are starting to reopen. As we say in the West, it is time to get back in the saddle. We are going to fully reopen our communities, and we are going to do it smartly, safely, and soon. Every Governor needs to speed, not impede, the process so people can return to work.

Just as important, our children need to get back to school. It is critical. Parents know how important it is for our students and our kids to be back in the classroom. The lockdowns have been hard on young people. Our kids miss their teachers, they miss their friends, and they miss their normal activities.

Every child learns differently. Many children are having trouble learning at home, and others are having difficulty learning on the screen. Some kids are basically teaching themselves.

What happens if an at-risk child misses an entire year of school? And what about the impact on child welfare?

I published an op-ed last week entitled ``Coronavirus Collateral Damage.'' In it, I noted that pediatricians are very concerned that with the shutdowns, a significant number of child abuse cases are going undetected and unreported.

Thankfully, schools are figuring out safe ways to reopen. The Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee is holding a hearing this week on going back to college safely, and next week we are going to hold a hearing called ``Going Back to School Safely.''

Most of the K-12 schools and colleges hope to reopen this fall. Research tells us that young people are better able to deal with the virus and are less likely to suffer symptoms of the disease.

Nevertheless, the California State university system has decided to keep all of its campuses closed for the fall semester--every one of them. They say they will not open any of them again until after New Year's. California's university system is the country's largest and serves about half a million students. They have campuses throughout the State of California, and they are taking a one-size-fits-all approach, treating every campus as if they are all identical. In my view, that decision is misguided.

To date, nearly two-thirds of U.S. colleges plan to reopen this fall. That is according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which is researching the universities and talking with them, finding out exactly what is going on from school to school.

Universities across the country are rolling out responsible reopening plans aimed at protecting students as well as staff.

Back at home, the University of Wyoming in Laramie is advancing a bold fall reopen agenda and plan. The university has asked the Governor for $79 million in Federal coronavirus relief funds to help support the effort. Some of the safety measures being discussed include single dorm rooms, smaller classes, enhanced cleaning, and required staff and student coronavirus testing every several weeks.

In a recent statement, the University of Wyoming president stressed ``the importance of an on-campus educational experience.'' The president of the University of Wyoming, Neil Theobald, has pledged to ``bring our students back to campus safely and protect the health of our community to the highest extent possible.''

Last week, two university presidents in Indiana published op-eds discussing their decisions to reopen this fall.

Writing in the Washington Post, Purdue University president and former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels said that failing to reopen would be ``an unacceptable breach of duty''--an unacceptable breach of duty. He said Purdue based its decision on current scientific data showing COVID-19, while very dangerous for the old and the sick, ``poses a near zero risk to young people.'' To keep the community safe, Purdue is taking a number of steps, including making its campus less dense. Purdue will require one-third of the staff to work remotely.

The former Governor said that personal responsibility is key. He goes on to say: ``Upon arrival in August, each Boilermaker will receive a kit including face masks and a thermometer for daily temperature taking as well as the Protect Purdue Pledge.'' President Mitchell Daniels said: ``Forty-five thousand young people--the biggest student population we've ever had--are telling us they want to be here this fall.''

Only a week after California's decision to stay closed for the fall and the rest of the year, the University of Notre Dame made headlines by announcing it will reopen this fall.

Writing in the New York Times last week, Notre Dame president, Reverend John Jenkins, said: ``Educating young people--the future leaders of our society--is worth risking a good deal.''

Notre Dame is going to open August 10--2 weeks earlier than they had planned--and to limit the back and the forth, the Fighting Irish will forgo their fall break and end the semester before Thanksgiving. Other safety measures being considered include masks, social distancing, aggressive testing, temperature checks, contact tracing, and remote options for at-risk students and staff. Father Jenkins noted that the school's decision is guided by science but also took courage and common sense.

These schools have sought the best possible medical advice. They are following Federal public health guidelines, and they are committed to protecting the vulnerable.

This is all new territory. There is no manual. Every community faces a unique set of challenges. Every school must chart its own course. Still, we can all agree that during this difficult and challenging time, America's schools must stand with their students, and not just for the well-being of the students but for others as well. Colleges are critical for the economic health of entire communities; hence the name ``college towns.'' Universities are major employers, often the best local source of stable jobs. Many university jobs are also on the line this fall. The college shutdowns have also shut down Main Street. For many small businesses, losing graduation weekend alone was a crushing blow. Can mom-and-pop businesses sustain another lost semester?

Taking away people's educational opportunities, social supports, and livelihoods has a real, negative impact.

Here is the bottom line: We have learned that we can protect people from the virus and we can get back to normal life.

For the good of the whole society, it is so critically important that we reopen now. It is time for America to get back in the saddle again.

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