Coronavirus

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, anyone who has heard me speak about coronavirus relief going back months has heard one central principle: Let's deliver right away on all the subjects where everybody agrees and argue over the rest later. The solution to this impasse has been in plain sight for a long time now for anybody willing to see it: Agree where we agree, bank that progress, make law, take a whole lot of pressure off struggling people, and then keep debating the areas where we don't agree.

There is no actual reason why the fates of commonsense policies like a second round of the job-saving Paycheck Protection Program had to be linked to the fates of fringe proposals like stimulus checks for illegal immigrants. There is no reason why the fate of funding for vaccine distribution or extending unemployment aid or legal certainties for universities should have been tied to radical ideas like paying people more not to work than essential workers earn on the job.

These linkages have been totally arbitrary, just a political decision that Democratic leaders made many months back. Democratic leaders have tried to create a narrative where it is taken for granted that the most bipartisan, commonsensical relief policies would live or die with their side's most outlandish ideas. Well, that just isn't so.

They have tried to create a dynamic where they move from one made-up number to a second slightly smaller arbitrary number and call it a meaningful concession. The truth is simple. This has always been about policy differences. We have two sides with two different visions for the best way to support our Nation through what we hope will be the last chapter of the pandemic.

That isn't new. We have disagreements all the time. Our system can handle disagreements, but both sides have to be willing to compile their commonalities and make law here, and, up to now, our Democratic colleagues have declined to do that.

Remember, their side said in March this pandemic was ``a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.'' So when Republicans tried to pass commonsense relief measures in July, in September, and in October, as well, our Democratic colleagues actually blocked policies they do not even oppose.

It has been heartening to see a few hopeful signs in the past few days. After months of arbitrary attachment to sky-high dollar amounts that the Speaker of the House claimed were essential--that it would be an insult to settle for a nickel less--those baseless claims have suddenly evaporated.

That is at least movement in the right direction, but the underlying reality is still with us. There are many important policies that have strong bipartisan support. There are many others that do not, and the way to help the country is for our Democratic colleagues to finally let the former group be signed into law while we keep arguing over the rest.

The targeted second round of paycheck protection that we have been trying to establish since July would help a huge number of small businesses survive to the finish line and help huge numbers of workers to keep their jobs. And it can pass the Senate today, probably with 95 votes.

With the apparent success of Operation Warp Speed, it makes no sense to skimp on the systems to distribute and deliver vaccines around the country. Those funds could pass the Senate today, possibly unanimously.

University presidents have made it clear they need certainty for their reopenings. Let me say that again. University presidents have made it clear they need legal certainty for their reopenings. That shouldn't be partisan. Liability protections should be able to pass the Senate today.

A number of our Democratic colleagues have focused especially on several of the unemployment relief programs that are set to expire in a matter of days. I specifically made sure to include those programs in my framework a few days ago. That extension could pass the Senate today.

The House of Representatives is spending this week on pressing issues like marijuana--marijuana--you know, serious and important legislation befitting this national crisis. But here in the Senate, I put forward a serious and highly targeted relief proposal including the elements which we know the President is ready and willing to sign into law. Why should these impactful and noncontroversial life preservers be delayed one second longer?

At long last, let's do what Congress does when we want an outcome. Let's make law on all the subjects where we agree and on all the areas where President Trump is ready to sign bipartisan relief into law.

I promise, our deep differences will still be here to debate. Our disagreements will be right where we left them. But do you know what can't wait? What can't wait are American workers, American small businesses, K-12 schools, the vulnerable Americans and frontline healthcare workers for whom speedy vaccine distribution will literally be a life-or-death matter.

Yesterday, my home State of Kentucky experienced yet another dreadful--dreadful--record-setting day. But Kentuckians also know that hope is in sight. Our State's workers are standing by at the UPS Worldport in Louisville and the DHL Express American Hub in northern Kentucky, key logistics centers that will play crucial roles in sending vaccines all around the country.

Our people are hurting, but they are ready to finish this fight. Congress should not keep them waiting for reinforcements that should have arrived literally months ago.

So compromise is within reach. We know where we agree. We can do this. Let me say it again. We can do this, and we need to do this. So let's be about actually making a law

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