Heals Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, watch the news or read the newspapers, and you will know that there are a lot of deliberations going on to help with the problems that we have of people being unemployed, the pandemic we are fighting, and getting the economy up and running. While those negotiations are going on, every once in a while, some of us on this side of the aisle try to get things to help people who have needs.

A few days ago, the Democratic leader objected to one of these attempts, which was a short-term extension of the Federal unemployment supplement that was created by this body as part of the CARES Act. Remember, the CARES Act passed unanimously by this body back in March. Those things are running out, and we are trying to get them extended. This effort to get this short-term extension was to provide for Americans who need the continued help while talks continue about a longer extension and even more relief.

Common sense ought to play a role. There doesn't seem to be any downside to a temporary extension, but there apparently was a political upside to the other side's blocking it. I hope we can work together and that the Democratic leader will let his Members work with their Republican colleagues on a path forward. This partisan ``my way or the highway'' approach just doesn't work, particularly in a body in which it takes 60 votes to get things done. These objections are not how we got the CARES Act passed in the first place, and it is not how we will continue to deliver for the American people now if we don't get more cooperation.

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