The Coronavirus is Exploding

Floor Speech

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Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, the coronavirus is exploding, our hospitals are bursting, and many parts of our economy are hurting. It is no wonder why Fed Chair Powell and so many other economists are warning about the long-term damage that could be done if we don't pass another stimulus package soon.

We passed the CARES Act earlier this year, and that did keep our economy afloat and our poverty rate flat, but because of the pandemic, we are experiencing over 1 million cases a week and 2,000 deaths a day.

Because of that, we are finding ourselves in more self-induced economic comas, just like we are seeing in my State of California and my district on the central coast of California.

We can't wait any longer for another economic package. That is why Democrats and Republicans of the Problem Solvers Caucus worked with a bipartisan group of Senators to come up with a targeted and temporary package of close to $1 trillion to meet our most pressing needs. It is a compromise that can be a way to ``yes'' for both Houses and both sides to come together.

Mr. Speaker, it is going to be a dark winter, so it is our obligation to our constituents to come to the table to negotiate and pass a pandemic relief package to help us get on the road to recovery this spring.

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