• $500 billion in emergency loans for businesses and municipalities.
• Increased unemployment by $600 per week for four months, which will help gig economy and other furloughed workers
• $150 billion for hospitals treating coronavirus patients, with $100 billion going directly to the hospitals, $1 billion to Native American Health Services, and the remaining to increase the medical equipment supply.
• Another $150 billion will go to state and local governments who have been dealing with the impacts of the coronavirus and $8 billion will go to tribal governments.
• One-time $1,200 check will be sent to adults who make $75,000 or less, married couples earning up to $150,000 will receive $2,400, and a $500 payment will be sent to cover every child in qualifying households.
• $367 billion to provide loans to small businesses.

 
Despite the relentless attacks from Democrats and the media, a strong majority of America is behind President Trump’s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.
 

• ABC/Washington Post poll: 66% express confidence in the federal government’s ability to handle the outbreak.
• Gallup poll: 60% approve of the President’s response to the coronavirus. The Gallup poll also showed an increase in the President’s approval rating among independents and Democrats.
• Hill-Harris poll: 61% of voters say President Trump is taking strong measures to slow or stop coronavirus spread.
• ABC/Ipsos poll: 55% approve of the President’s management of the crisis.
• CBS News poll: 53% say the President is doing a good job of handling the outbreak.

 
Bottom Line: By signing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act into law, President Trump is keeping his promise to fight for every American and to always keep America First.

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The White House
  Issued on: March 27, 2020

Statement by the President

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 748, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” or the “CARES” Act (the “Act”).  The Act makes emergency supplemental appropriations and other changes to law to help the Nation respond to the coronavirus outbreak.  I note, however, that the Act includes several provisions that raise constitutional concerns.

Section 15010(c)(3)(B) of Division B of the Act purports to require the Chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to consult with members of the Congress regarding the selection of the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director for the newly formed Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.  The Committee is an executive branch entity charged with conducting and coordinating oversight of the Federal Government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.  I anticipate that the Chairperson will be able to consult with members of the Congress with respect to these hiring decisions and will welcome their input.  But a requirement to consult with the Congress regarding executive decision-making, including with respect to the President’s Article II authority to oversee executive branch operations, violates the separation of powers by intruding upon the President’s power and duty to supervise the staffing of the executive branch under Article II, section 1 (vesting the President with the “executive Power”) and Article II, section 3 (instructing the President to “take Care” that the laws are faithfully executed).  Accordingly, my Administration will treat this provision as hortatory but not mandatory.

Section 4018 of Division A of the Act establishes a new Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) within the Department of the Treasury to manage audits and investigations of loans and investments made by the Secretary of the Treasury under the Act.  Section 4018(e)(4)(B) of the Act authorizes the SIGPR to request information from other government agencies and requires the SIGPR to report to the Congress “without delay” any refusal of such a request that “in the judgment of the Special Inspector General” is unreasonable.  I do not understand, and my Administration will not treat, this provision as permitting the SIGPR to issue reports to the Congress without the presidential supervision required by the Take Care Clause, Article II, section 3.

Certain other provisions (such as sections 20001, 21007, and 21010 of Division B of the Act) purport to condition the authority of officers to spend or reallocate funds upon consultation with, or the approval of, one or more congressional committees.  These provisions are impermissible forms of congressional aggrandizement with respect to the execution of the laws.  The Congress may affect the execution of the laws only by enacting a new statute in accordance with the requirements of bicameralism and presentment prescribed in Article I, section 7.  My Administration will make appropriate efforts to notify the relevant committees before taking the specified actions and will accord the recommendations of such committees all appropriate and serious consideration, but it will not treat spending decisions as dependent on prior consultation with or the approval of congressional committees.

Finally, several provisions (such as sections 3511(d)(4) and 3862 (creating section 744N(d)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) of Division A of the Act) purport to require recommendations regarding legislation to the Congress.  Because Article II, section 3 gives the President the authority to recommend only “such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient,” my Administration will continue the practice of treating provisions like these as advisory and non-binding.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 27, 2020.


March 27, 2020

Remarks by President Trump at Signing of H.R.748, The CARES Act

Oval Office

4:10 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you all very much.  This is a very important day.  I’ll sign the single-biggest economic relief package in American history and, I must say, or any other package, by the way.  It’s twice as large as any relief ever signed.  It’s $2.2 billion, but it actually goes up to 6.2 — potentially — billion dollars — trillion dollars.  So you’re talking about 6.2 trillion-dollar bill.  Nothing like that.  And this will deliver urgently needed relief to our nation’s families, workers, and businesses.  And that’s what this is all about.

And it got a 96 to nothing.  And, I don’t know, what was the number in Congress?

PARTICIPANT:  A voice vote.

THE PRESIDENT:  A voice?  It was fantastic.

PARTICIPANT:  I think it was just as close.

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s pretty amazing.  That’s about the same thing.  Right, Kevin?

LEADER MCCARTHY:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  So, that’s fantastic.  But I want to thank Republicans and Democrats for coming together, setting aside their differences, and putting America first.

This legislation provides for direct payments to individuals and unprecedented support to small businesses.  We’re going to keep our small businesses strong and our big businesses strong.  And that’s keeping our country strong and our jobs strong.

This historic bill includes the following:

• $300 billion in direct cash payments will be available to every American citizen earning less than $99,000 per year; $3,400 for a typical family of four.  So a family of four: $3,400.
• And then $350 billion in job retention loans for small businesses, with loan forgiveness available for businesses that continue paying their workers.  The workers get paid.
• Approximately $250 billion in expanded unemployment benefits.  The average worker who has lost his or her job will receive 100 percent of their salary for up to four full months.

So, things like this have never happened in our country.

• $500 billion in support for hard-hit industries, with a ban on corporate stock buybacks — we don’t let them buy back the stock; we don’t let that happen — and tough limits on executive compensation.
• Over $100 billion to support our heroic doctors, nurses, and hospitals.  And you see what’s happening.  And I want to thank, while we’re here, also the incredible job that’s done by the Army Corps of Engineers and by FEMA.  It’s been incredible.  They did four hospitals in two days or three days, in New York.  And they’re, like, incredible structures.  What a job they’ve been doing.  And they’re doing them all over the country.
• $45 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, supporting our state, local, and tribal leaders.
• $27 billion for the development of vaccines, therapies, and other public health response efforts, including $16 billion to build up the Strategic National Stockpile with critical stockpiles.  And I’m going to — we have tremendous supplies coming into the stockpile, and you’ll be seeing that and hearing about it in a little bit because we’re doing a news conference at 5:30 on what’s happening.

We’ve had tremendous results on the respirators.  We’ve had great results on just about everything we’re talking about.  Boeing just announced that they’re going to be making the plastic field shields — the actual shields, which are hard to come by, and they’re going to be making them by the thousands a week.

And the ventilators, which is probably the most difficult because it’s like — it’s like building a car — we will be announcing thousands of — are going to be built and we have them under contract and we have fast deliveries.  As you know, we delivered thousands to New York.  And unfortunately — they were delivered to a warehouse, which was good — unfortunately, they didn’t take them, but now they’re taking them.  New York is now taking them and redistributing them around the areas that they need.

So you have also $3.5 billion to states to expand childcare benefits for healthcare workers, first responders, and others on the frontlines of this crisis, and $1 billion for securing supplies under the Defense Protection Act.  And, as you know, I’ve enacted the act.  We’ve used it three or four times.  I pulled it back three times because the companies came through, in the end.  They didn’t need the act.  It’s been great leverage.

I have instituted it against General Electric.  We thought we had a deal for 40,000 ventilators and, all of the sudden, the 40,000 came down to 6,000.  And then they talked about a higher price than we were discussing, so I didn’t like it.  So we did — we did activate it, with respect to General Motors.  And hopefully, maybe we won’t even need the full activation.  We’ll find out.  But we need the ventilators.

I said hello today — I called him — a wonderful guy, Boris Johnson.  As you know, he tested positive.  And before he even said hello, he said, “We need ventilators.”  I said, “Wow.  That’s a big statement.”  And hopefully, he’s going to be in good shape.

I just spoke to Angela Merkel, and she’s quarantined also.  She is right now, for a period of two weeks, being forced to stay in her house.  So this is just an incredible situation.

Last night, I spoke to President Xi.  We talked about the experience that they had in China and all of the things that have taken place.  And we learned a lot.  They’ve had a very tough experience, and they’re doing well and he’s doing well.  President Xi is doing very well.  But we learned a lot and we have great communication together.

We’re going to be sent great data from China — things that happened that they see that — you know, they’ve had a — they’ve had an early experience, and we’re getting all of that information.  Much of it has already been sent.  It was sent yesterday and sent to our scientists to study.  So we’ll have more on that also.  We’ll be discussing that at 5:30.

I just want to thank the people behind me.  They’ve been incredible friends.  They’ve been warriors.  They — there’s nobody tougher or smarter than the people standing alongside of me.  And I think I want to start off by asking Mitch and then Kevin to speak, and then we’re going to go through a few of the folks in the room if they’d like to say something.

But, Mitch, I’d like — I’d love to say a few words because you — this man worked 24 hours a day for a long time.  This is the result.  It’s the biggest ever — ever approved in Congress: 6.2 bill- — $6.2 trillion.  So, you know, we used to get used to the billion.  It used to be million, then it was billion, now it’s trillion.  And it’s going to go a long way.  It’s going to make a lot of people very happy.

Mitch McConnell, please.

LEADER MCCONNELL:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Let me just say this is a proud moment for our country, for the President.  The Republicans and the Democrats all pulled together and passed the biggest bill in history in record time.

I also want to thank Kevin McCarthy and our leaders on the Republican side in the House who helped speed this through to passage.  The American people needed this rescue package, they needed it quickly, and we delivered.  It’s a proud moment for all of us.  Mr. President, thanks for the opportunity to be here.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  I’d love to shake your hand, but Anthony would get angry at me if I did that.  (Laughter.)  So I better not do it.  I can’t — it’s so natural.  I just want to go back and shake his hand.

They’ve done such an incredible job.  Kevin, please.

LEADER MCCARTHY:  Yeah, I do want to start.  I want to thank all — the real — the real answer to America is: We’re listening to you.  You do your part, and we’re going to do ours, and that’s exactly what’s happening today.

What Leader McConnell did was amazing.  He made it bipartisan, bicameral.  Everybody was involved.  I wish we could have signed this earlier this week; maybe there wouldn’t be as many people who are out of work.  But this will put people back to work.

I also want to thank Secretary Mnuchin.  You’ve done an amazing job, and we thank you for that, and all the team that’s here.

Look, as I said in my speech, the virus is here.  We didn’t ask for it.  We didn’t invite it.  We didn’t choose it.  But we are going to defeat it together because we’re going to work together, and this is the first start of it.  The hospitals will get money — the money they need.  The small businesses will be able to hire their employees back.  That is a grant; you don’t have to borrow from that place.  The other businesses get a retention to keep your employees on.  This has something for everything.

And to the task force and the Vice President, all the work that you’re doing with this President, this will be the needed resources you need as well.  And thank you for that, and thank you for your leadership, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT:  Very special.

Mike Pence?  Mike?  Could you please say something?  You’ve been working very hard, in charge of our task force.  And then I’d like to ask Steve to say a few words.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Thanks for giving me the opportunity just to express all of our appreciation and the gratitude to the American people for the accomplishment that’s reflected in the legislation that you’ll sign in just a few moments.

You told the American people that we would do whatever it takes.  You called on the Congress to step forward to make coronavirus testing free for every American, to make paid family leave available.

The Congress, with the leaders gathered around us here, stepped forward in a bipartisan fashion and delivered.  But today, every American family, every American business, can know that help is on the way.

And I want to thank Leader McConnell for his yeoman’s work in really forging a bipartisan bill in the United States Senate.  I want to thank Leader McCarthy for his great work.  But as the President said, I also want to thank the Democrat and Republican leadership across the House and Senate.  This is an American accomplishment.  And, Mr. President, it’s exactly what you asked the Congress to deliver for the American people.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much, Mike.  And Steve Mnuchin, you know how hard he’s been working.  And, Steve, please say a few words.

SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Mr. President, thank you very much for your leadership and for the Vice President’s leadership.  You made it very clear to us, last week, we should think big, that this was a war on the virus, and that we should have the resources to protect American workers and American business.

And I’d like to thank the Senate.  It was a great honor, Mitch, to work with you and everyone on a bipartisan basis to get this done.  This is going to be a great thing for the American workers.  And, Kevin McCarthy, thank you for all the work in the House did to pass this quickly.

So, at Treasury, as I’ve said, we are committed to move forward quickly, and we’re going to get money in people’s pockets quickly.

Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT:  Great job, Steve.  Gene?  Please.

SECRETARY SCALIA:  This is a great day for American workers, protecting American workers, American jobs.  It’s been a hallmark of this presidency, and this bill today is another very important step in that direction.  It includes unprecedented support for American workers who’ve lost their jobs, through no fault of their own because of this virus, and gives them, as near as we could, the same wage they would have gotten, through unemployment insurance if they’d been able to keep their jobs, for up to four months.

I think even more important, it includes $350 billion in loans for small business, but it’s structured in a way to incentivize them to keep their workers on payroll so that those loans could be forgiven at the end of the period.
And it comes on top of legislation the President asked — signed last week for paid leave for workers who have to be at home because of the virus.  Paid leave reimbursed in full, dollar for dollar, to the employers.  It’s the first federal paid leave law for the private sector ever.  And that also was achieved on an unprecedented, bipartisan basis.

This is the third major bipartisan piece of legislation in three weeks — three bills, three weeks — to address this virus.

So again, I want to thank the President for his leadership, his commitment to American workers, the Vice President as well, and Leader McConnell, and also my colleague, Secretary Mnuchin who did work so hard to help you get this done.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Gene, very much.

Dr. Fauci, you may want to just say for a minute what hit the world.  Something hit the world, and the world maybe will never be the quite same.  But we’re going to make it a great place anyway.  But certainly, you could maybe say a few words about it, please.

DR. FAUCI:  Well, thank you, Mr. President.  And I want to thank everyone involved in this.  This is what America is all about: a bipartisan approach, with your leadership, to do something that’s sorely needed by the American people.

Dr. Birx and I and all of our medical people here are fighting the virus directly.  But the virus has an impact on the American people, both directly by illness and death, but also indirectly, because many of the things that we have to do to suppress the virus has a negative impact because of what we’re doing.  To give them relief economically is absolutely essential.

So I feel really, really good about what’s happening today.  Thank you all very much.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Tony.  Thank you very much.

Deborah, perhaps you could say a few words or so about —

DR. BIRX:  Well, thank you, Mr. President.  Dr. Fauci covered it very well.  As many of you know, I worked for him and he was my mentor 40 years ago.

I think whenever we start with one of these very serious diseases and a pandemic, the President’s first goal was ensuring the health of the American people, and that’s why we put out these very strong guidance.

It’s been a pleasure to work with the economic team here because they understand data in the same way.  Economic data and health data is very similar in how you have to interpret it in a very granular way.  And I think recognizing that the health of the American people is first, but the economic value of the nation is also critical.

And I just want to thank all of you for what you’ve done for the American people today.

THE PRESIDENT:  Great job you’re doing too.  Thank you.

Kevin, please.

REPRESENTATIVE BRADY:  So just 20 days ago, I don’t know that anyone could have imagined how hard we’ve been hit medically or economically.  But 20 days ago, I don’t think anyone could have imagined Congress pulling together so quickly and so forcefully behind what the President identified we needed for this country.  This is a proud moment for all of us.  And it’s just an example of what leadership can provide here in the White House, and then how we can respond as a Congress.

So thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership.

THE PRESIDENT:  And I’m just saying, as Kevin is saying that, 20 days ago — a couple of days longer than that, maybe — we had a smooth-running, beautiful machine.  We had the greatest economy in the history of our country.  We had the highest stock price we’ve ever seen.  It went up, I think, 151 times during the course of the presidency.  And then we got hit by the invisible enemy, and we got hit hard.  But it wasn’t just us, it was 151 countries, I think, as of the — as of this morning.

And you call Germany and speak to Angela — she’s in quarantine.  And as you know, Boris was diagnosed that he’s positive.  And all of the things that are happening, it’s hard to believe what’s gone on just in a short period of time.

And because of the talent behind me and lots of other talent in government, what we’ve done — this is a big part of it, obviously, but not the biggest part.  Everybody has pulled together.  Our nation has pulled together.  The spirit is incredible.  The people have pulled together more than anyone and better than anybody.  And they’re doing really, really well.

But just to think how life can change where you go, 20 to 22 days ago, everything is perfect, we’re looking forward.  I’m saying, “When are we going to hit 30,000?  I want 30,000.”  That means more jobs and more everything.  And then, one day, we get hit with this thing that nobody ever heard of before.  Nobody ever even heard of before.  And now we’re fighting a different battle.

But I really think, in a fairly short period of time, because of what they’ve done and what everyone has done, I really think we’re going to be stronger than ever.  And we’ll be protected from a lot of this.  A lot of the things, Anthony, that we’ve done now — that we’re doing now — are going to protect us in the future if this should happen again.

DR. FAUCI:  Absolutely.

THE PRESIDENT:  From testing to so many other —

DR. FAUCI:  Vaccines.

THE PRESIDENT:  Even stockpiles.  Right?

DR. FAUCI:  And vaccines.

THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, the vaccines, hopefully.  And vaccines, cures, therapeutics — whatever you want to call it — it’s a lot of progress.  And I think on that score, I think we’re going to do a lot of progress on vaccines.  We’re making, perhaps, a lot of progress on cures and therapeutics.  We’ll be letting you know.

Anybody else have anything?  Greg, please.  Go ahead, fellas.

REPRESENTATIVE WALDEN:  I would just say, I’ve never seen you shy away from a challenge.  Your leadership and your policies and this great team brought America this enormous economy.  And guess what?  You get to do it again.  This bill is the next step in that, and we can build back this economy with your leadership and with the healthcare team you’ve got here too.  We’re doing the right thing for the American people, and they know that.  I can tell you that from the ground.  It’s not easy.  It’s not easy.

THE PRESIDENT:  No, it’s not.

REPRESENTATIVE WALDEN:  We don’t want to shelter in place, as Americans.  We want to be out, especially northwest.

THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.

REPRESENTATIVE WALDEN:  But we know we have to do this for the safety of our relatives and families and our community and our country.  So thanks for your leadership —

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.

REPRESENTATIVE WALDEN:  — and the great team you’ve assembled.

THE PRESIDENT:  Appreciate it very much.

REPRESENTATIVE CHABOT:  On behalf of small businesses, they’re the backbone of the American economy.  About half the people that work in America work for a small business, and they’re hurting out there right now.  I’m from Ohio.  I’m the ranking member of the House Small Business Committee.  And back there, nonessential small businesses are shut down.

Without this legislation, it’s questionable whether they would reopen.  Because of this legislation, they now have a great chance of that.  And those people that work for small businesses, who are shuttered now, will be paid.  That’s really important.  This wouldn’t have passed without your leadership, Mr. President.  Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  And, you know, Eric worked so hard.  You all know Eric.  And he was at Steve’s side the whole way.  And where is our man?  Do I see Larry?  Yeah, Larry.  The two of them.  How about Eric and then Larry say a couple of words and (inaudible.)

MR. UELAND:  Well, thank you very much, Mr. President.  I really appreciate it, and Mr. Vice President, as well.  So you encouraged your team to be bold, be brave, and go big.  And we certainly delivered today.  (Laughter.)  $6.2 trillion is tremendous.  So we’ve made sure that we can reassure Americans that their paycheck is protected and that their earnings are protected.  We’ve made sure that we can provide significant reinforcement to the American economy as a result of your leadership.

And, finally, looking ahead to address the virus, we’ve included significant resources in order to ensure that those therapies and ultimately that vaccine can come online as quickly as possible.  So, protecting the public health and protecting the economic health of America is what you’ve directed us to do.  And together, with the team, we’ve worked hard to deliver today.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  And Steve is going to work very hard on getting the money out quickly, and hopefully it can be distributed very quickly, especially when they have some old computer equipment that they have to use.  But you’re going to work on that very hard.

SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  We are indeed.

THE PRESIDENT:  Larry, please.  Larry Kudlow.

MR. KUDLOW:  Oh, thanks, sir.  Just hats off to Mitch McConnell who did an amazing job, and House leadership as well.  And I agree with the bipartisanship.  I want to give special thanks to my friend Steven Mnuchin, who I think did an extraordinary job.  We were up there helping him out in one spot or another.  But he’s indefatigable and got it done.

And I’ll just say this, Mr. President: A few months ago, this economy was roaring and we’ve hit this — literally, this bug, this virus.  And we will deal with it.  And I think the assistance bill here, which does have growth incentives, will help lead us back to a very strong economic rebound before this year is over.

Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  I think that too.  I think we’re going to have a tremendous rebound at the end of the year — toward the end of the year.  I think we’re going to have a rebound like we have never seen before.  Even now it wants to rebound.  You can see it, feel it.  It wants to rebound so badly.

And, you know, we’ve had those really big — I guess, the biggest-ever stock market surge two days ago.  And yesterday, it was great.  Three biggest days in the history of the stock market.  It wants to rebound so badly, but we have to get rid of the bug, we have to get rid of the virus.

Now, I’m going to sign this, and it’s a great honor — $6.2 trillion.  I’ve never signed anything with a “T” on it.  (Laughter.)  I don’t know if I can handle this one, Mitch.  (Laughter.)  We can’t chicken out at this point, can we?.  (Laughter.)  I don’t think so, huh?

All right.  Thank you all.

(The CARES Act is signed.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Good.  I wanted them to be a nice signature. (Applause.)  Come on, fellas.  Come on over here.  Elaine.  What a job she’s doing with transportation.  How’s transportation?  Okay?

SECRETARY CHAO:  Fine.  You always talk about the supply chain.

THE PRESIDENT:  I do.

SECRETARY CHAO:  It’s really important.

THE PRESIDENT:  I do.

SECRETARY CHAO:  This bill is going to help the supply chain and the workers.

THE PRESIDENT:  Anthony?  Thank you.  Thanks, Tony, very much.  Bob Lighthizer, thank you very much.  Bob was a little less involved in this.  He’s too busy making trade deals.

Okay?  You have one?  You definitely have to have one.  Go ahead.  You’re all set.

Thank you, everybody.  So we’re going to have a 5:30 news conference in the same location.  Seems to be doing quite well.  And we appreciate everything.  And we really appreciate the fairness, at least from most of the press.  We really do.  Thank you very much, everybody.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.

Q    Mr. President, there was that rare moment of agreement today between you and Senator Kerry over —

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s right.

Q    — this issue with Massie.  Can you expand a bit on that?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, he made a little joke about a man named Congressman Massie.  I thought he was totally out of line — Congressman Massie.  Because of that, I guess a lot of people had to come back, and they had to go into a place, which, frankly, we’re not supposed to be at, you know, in light of — of what we’re doing with Deborah and Tony and all of the professionals.

So people had to come back, and just no reason for it.  So John Kerry made a little joke out of it, and I agreed with his joke.  And I said, I never knew he had that kind of a personality.  But we actually put it up, and he was right.

Okay, we’ll see you in a couple of minutes, folks.  Thank you very much.

END

4:33 P.M. EDT

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
March 27, 2020

Pelosi Floor Speech in Support of H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  Below are the Speaker’s remarks:

Speaker Pelosi.  Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the distinguished Democratic Leader Mr. Hoyer for yielding and for the manner in which he has enabled so many of our Members to participate in this debate today.  Thank you, Mr. Hoyer, for your leadership on the legislation and also for leading us today.  And I thank Mr. Brady for his leadership as well, for facilitating this conversation.  And I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for keeping us reasonably on time, as much as possible for Congressional Members.  Thank you for the strength of your authority as Speaker Pro Tempore today.  I thank all Members on both sides of the aisle for the seriousness with which we have all taken this important challenge.

Mr. Speaker, last week, His Holiness Pope Francis said, in his world prayer, he said, ‘Enlighten those responsible for the common good, so that they might know how to care for those entrusted to their responsibility.’  That is His Holiness' quote.  And that is the responsibility that we all have.

Today, as we have all acknowledged, our nation faces an economic and health emergency of historic proportions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the worst pandemic in over 100 years.  As I proceed with my remarks, I want to say to our colleagues, who are watching the proceedings from their chambers in the House, to come forward and come to the Gallery and listen from here, so that when the time comes we will be prepared to proceed.  The distinguished Leader on the Republican side, Mr. McCarthy, and Mr. Hoyer have sent a communication to all of you to that effect.  But it is very important that you come now.  The sooner you come, the shorter my remarks will be.

[Laughter]

And I want to thank the distinguished Leader on the Republican side for his leadership throughout all of this to achieve a bipartisan legislation and to do so as expeditiously as possible in the House, in the House, so that the message will be clear to the American people that whatever concerns we may have and whatever we want to do next, right now we're going to pass this legislation.  And that is because so many American families have been touched by this crisis.

More than 82,000 Americans so far have fallen sick – a number certain to surge as testing goes forward – which is already the most in the world.  We've gone past China and Italy.  More than 1,200 Americans have tragically died.  It gives you chills just to think of it.  Millions of workers are losing their paychecks, including more than, as has been mentioned on both sides of the aisle, 3.2 million Americans who filed for unemployment last week alone.  A staggering, record-shattering figure.  Countless health care workers, first responders and others fighting on the front lines in this crisis are at great personal risk.

The American people deserve a government-wide, visionary, evidence-based response to address these threats to their lives and their livelihoods, and they need it now.  Again, I acknowledge the bipartisanship in which we – on which we bring this legislation to the Floor.

Last night – late Wednesday night, as the Leader acknowledged, the Senate unanimously passed legislation which transformed, in our view – since you acknowledged, Leader McConnell, I will acknowledge our distinguished chairmen on our side, which – they transformed a Republican, corporate-focused bill into a Democratic, workers-first focus.  And we salute our chairs, working in a bipartisan way and in a bicameral way, across the aisle, across the Capitol, we are able to dramatically expand Unemployment Insurance and defeated attempts on the Senate side to claw back the $600 per week added benefits that would provide essential relief to the record number of Americans losing their jobs.

And I salute Chairmen Richie Neal and Bobby Scott for the work that they did on this.  I know this is the work of the Ways and Means Committee.  And successfully achieve full direct payment for workers, this is so important, ensuring that working class American families will be eligible to receive as much as $3,400 dollars for a family of four.  I thank, again, Mr.  Neal and Madam Chair of the Financial Services Committee, Maxine Waters, who – both of them had bigger proposals.  But, nonetheless, advocating for all this.

By the way, I would suggest, instead of saying it's going to take a few weeks for the checks to get there, that the Administration electronically transfer those direct payments immediately.

We ensured in the bill that any taxpayer dollars given to industry goes first and foremost to workers.  Workers' paychecks and benefits, not used to pay CEO bonuses, stocks, fund buybacks or dividends and the rest.  And I thank – and we have secured robust special oversight that will hold the Administration accountable for this.  And I thank the distinguished Chair of the – where did he go?  Energy and – the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee, Mr. DeFazio, for his leadership in that regard.  I will not try to find all of you because you may be in the Gallery as we are encouraging Members to come.  Here we go.

We're also proud – again, I want to salute the Congresswoman Waters for the work, for the holding – having the oversight provisions in the bill for the account that is going to be spending money out.

We're also proud to have secured truly historic investment of hundreds of billions of dollars in hospitals, health systems, state and local governments, ensuring that they have the tools they need to combat the virus.  I salute Chairman Pallone, Congress – Chairwoman Lowey of the Appropriations Committee and Chairwoman DeLauro for making so much of all of that possible.  And when we talk about state and local government, I want to express pride in our own Governor, Gavin Newsom.  He was on the front line of attacking this, as well as my own Mayor Breed who has disciplined us to shelter in place.

For small businesses, thank you, Congresswoman – Madam Chair Velazquez.  And working in a bipartisan way, we want fast relief for those in need, including by securing $10 billion for SBA emergency grants of up to $10,000, and making payroll costs, rent, mortgage interest and utility costs eligible for SBA loan forgiveness.  And for the first time, we have grants from the SBA and, thanks to Secretary Mnuchin – he is facilitating this by not just all of the loans going through the SBA, but going through banks with the SBA, which makes this all go much faster.

For our students, we've passed payments for – paused payments for federal student loan borrowers, paused the payments, and suspended wage garnishment and negative credit reporting during this time for that and for so many other things relating to our students.  I thank Bobby Scott, our Chairman of Education and [Labor].

And for our veterans, you heard earlier all of these chairmen make these presentations.  For our veterans we secured nearly $20 billion dollars in funding to improve VA’s readiness with equipment, tests and additional care, as, again 571 veterans and 185 employees have now tested positive.  I thank Chairman Takano and others on the Committee for their leadership.

For our homeowners, renters and homeless creditors, again, I thank – and consumers, I thank Chairwoman Waters for her leadership there.

Since the beginning of this crisis, we have fought to ensure that our nation's response puts families first.  As we go through this.  So the first two bills – that we worked in a bipartisan way on – were about addressing the emergency.  The first bill was about testing, testing, testing, to ensure that everyone in the country would have access to free testing, among other things.  It had in there issues that relate to research for vaccines, research for a cure, but many other things, addressing the emergency.  In the second bill, which also focused on the emergency, we have masks, masks, masks and many other provisions focused on the emergency.

But taking us to this bill today, which is about mitigation.  The distinguished Mr. DeFazio would say, ‘first we had emergency, then we had mitigation.’  Doesn't mean we're finished with emergency.  But it's moving on to mitigating some of the economic and health damage caused by it this pandemic.

Next, we'll move to recovery and hopefully that will be soon.  Always, though, addressing the emergency and the mitigation needed.

How are we coming, Mr. Leaders?  How are we coming with our Gallery?

Speaker Pro Tempore.  The House is not in order.

Speaker Pelosi.  As we have all said universally, and we say it almost all the time that we come to the Floor, no bill is perfect.  No bill is perfect.  But we want to make sure that at least it comes part of the way to being sufficient.  I do think that we should, when we're considering a bill, appreciate for what is in the bill rather than judge it for what is not in the bill.  But we do know that we must do more.

There's been a constant communication among all of our Members – I'm sure on both sides of the aisle –  when you're at home or here, with doctors, health care providers, laborers, small businesses, nonprofits, faith groups and scientists on the daily needs and developments in your communities.  The on-the-ground reports and clear-eyed thinking we have are essential to crafting our approach to all of this.  So, again, listening to Members on both sides of the aisle and the comments here today, as well as the input you have been giving in the legislative process we know that this cannot be our final bill.

Yet, this bill, again, is – I think Bobby Scott called it a down payment.  We must advance a fourth bill to address the continued needs.  For our fight against the coronavirus, our state and local governments will need vastly more support for preventing, preparing for and responding to the crisis.  Our hospitals and health systems still need vast infusions of funding so they can treat those in need.  We must do more for our health care workers – and this has been a current theme on both sides of the aisle, our gratitude for our health care workers.  They are our heroes.  We're thankful and grateful to them.  We pray for them.  But we need to do more for them than just to say those words.

Our front line health care workers, and whether they're emergency need, our firefighters, our law enforcement, face a dire lack of medical and personal protective equipment – PPE – personal protective equipment.  That's the reference.  When you see PPE, that's what it is.  We must ensure that the President uses the Defense Production Act to its full extent to provide the tools that we need to combat this crisis.

All workers are risking their lives on the front lines of this fight and need stronger OSHA protections to keep them safe.  Thank you, Mr. Scott.

This week, for example, for example – and you probably all have examples – this week we learned of the tragic death of Kious Kelly, a nurse manager in New York who died in the line of duty from coronavirus.  He and his fellow nurses risked their lives without proper protective equipment, because the hospital supply simply did not have enough.  Nurses were given a single plastic protective gown to use for an entire shift when protocol called for a change of gowns between interactions with patients.  Other nurses were forced to resort to tying bandanas over their faces in place of proper equipment.  And still others even began tying plastic garbage bags around disposable scrubs they were given in place of proper scrubs for extra protection.  As Mr. Kelly's sister said, ‘His death could have been prevented.  I'm angry.  He was healthy.’

And now our nurses, doctors, health care workers and first responders need action.  We have to make sure they know that help is not only on the way, but it is a priority for all of us.  These people risk their lives trying to save other people's lives.  Then they take home what they interacted within an infected environment – take home.  This is just asking far too much.

Our families our workers, our retirees still need more money in their pockets to protect their income security, with increased SNAP.  One thing we couldn't get in the bill was the increased – the fifteen percent increase in food stamps for our children, for our seniors, for those who qualify.

Bigger direct payments – I hope that we'll be in agreement.  I know that Richie and Maxine had the idea of ongoing direct payments, so bigger direct payments.  Pension protections – we had a protection in the legislation.  It was supported by everyone.  The President of the United States supported it, but Senator McConnell said he would save it for the next bill.  So, that's why I'm mentioning it, for the next bill.

And then we need more expanded family and medical leave.  Let me give you an example.  Come on, my colleagues, to the Gallery.  Let me give you an example.  If your parent is sick, but had an ongoing caregiver in the home or went to a senior health center on a daily basis, and because of the virus that caregiver couldn't come or that health center was closed, you would be able to give – you would be able to take family and medical leave.

However, as in the case of many Members here, if your mom or your dad are healthy, and they contract the coronavirus, you would not be able to take family and medical leave.  But we would like that to say, ‘It’s for those who cannot care for themselves – who cannot care for themselves.’  It just doesn't make any sense in my view.  So in any case, we need that and without exception.

And all Americans need free coronavirus treatments so they don't have to fear the high cost of a hospital stay.  When we said the tests were free, it didn't mean the test is free but the visit to the doctor is not.

So, in the days and weeks to come, Democrats will continue to advance legislation to meet the urgent needs of all affected by the coronavirus.  I keep saying the coronavirus because in this – people say, ‘How come we didn't do this or that?’  Because this is specific to the coronavirus challenge that we have.

I just want to say a word about our children as I close.  So many of our children – I want them if they are paying attention – distinguished Congresswoman Brooks mentioned the children.  We are so sad for them that they cannot be fully engaged in school as they were.  Some have access to remote learning and the rest.  And this has had a deep impact on American life as it affects our children as well.

When I see that some graduations have been canceled – and hopefully not so many more if we can get through this – and they – I’ve been, as a mother of five, grandmother of nine personally, but officially in my leadership role, I have seen hundreds of thousands of graduates.  And what's exciting about it personally and officially is to see the excitement of the families when their child graduates.  But when that family happens to have someone on the stage who is the first in the family to graduate, the pride, the joy, the patriotism, all of it is so exuberant and many of them will be deprived of that experience of seeing that child walk across the stage.

Let's try to get this.  We have the best minds working 24/7, all hands on deck to find a cure.  Let's make sure that we give them the resources they need to do so.  But at the same time, that we obey the science that says shelter in place or whatever it happens to be.

As we go forward, let us pray.  Let us remember what His Holiness told us, what he told us was that we have a responsibility for the common good.  So, let us pray for all the ones who have lost family members and others struggling with the illness now.  Let's pray for our heroic health care workers and first responders who are risking their lives to care for the sick every day; the men and women in our factories making more medical supplies and personal protective equipment; the farmers, producers, grocery workers keeping food on the shelves; our truck drivers; postal workers; everybody who is contributing to the effort; and the scientists, as I say, all hands on deck, 24/7 for a solution.

Congress must show the same courage, same resilience, same strength and with a great unity and urgency to put families and workers first.  Let me, again, thank everyone who had anything to do with this, and that means almost everybody in this room.  Let me thank the Senate Democrats and Leader Schumer for his work, as you acknowledge Leader McConnell.

Let us, again, return to the words of His Holiness, Pope Francis.  ‘May we enlighten those responsible for the common good so that they may know how to care for their – those entrusted to their responsibility.’

With that I hope we have the biggest possible vote for the American people to show them that Congress' heart and the country's heart is full of love for the American people.

And with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.