On the recordAugust 5, 2020
Mr. President, I rise tonight to talk about a couple of issues I know that will be considered--at least I hope will be considered--in the negotiations that are under way. Later in this hour, we will be joined by three of my colleagues: Senator Whitehouse, Senator Blumenthal, and Senator Duckworth. Each of us will be talking about these issues from different perspectives, but all focused on those in our society who are most at risk in the midst of this worldwide pandemic and in the midst of this economic and jobs crisis that we are confronting right now. We know that this is the most difficult public health crisis in a century, and one of largest, if not in the top two, job crises we have ever faced. When we talk about Americans who are most at risk, among them are, of course, older Americans. Tonight, I will spend some time talking about older Americans in nursing homes who are at risk if we don't take action, and people with disabilities who need the benefit of--as do many older Americans need the benefit of--home and community-based services; and, third, Americans who are in communities of color who need the benefit of Medicaid, among other programs that we should be focused on. Let me start with nursing homes. We know that in the context of nursing homes, the skilled care that is provided there is the highest level of care for an older American or sometimes a person with a disability.…





