Tim Kaine: “returning to the latest coronavirus emergency aid package--currently, the package doesn't exist. There have been no…”

“returning to the latest coronavirus emergency aid package--currently, the package doesn't exist. There have been no bipartisan negotiations on it since last Friday. That is disappointing to all of us who are here, ready and willing to negotiate and vote for a strong bipartisan relief package. The House of Representatives passed its strong package back on May 15, now nearly 3 months ago. Today is August 12. There was some hope that maybe COVID-19 cases were ticking downward. At the end of May, there was some hope that maybe the economic devastation was reducing, but COVID cases did not tick down over the summer as some had hoped. In fact, they have ticked up in many parts of the country, and the Senate has not taken any votes on the House bill or indeed on any bill. That is disappointing. More than that, it is disappointing for millions of Americans who are in the midst of hard times right now. They are worried about their own health or the health of their loved ones. They are worried about whether they will receive unemployment benefits or how they will make rent or mortgage or how their children will get an education. We know in this body we can transcend politics as usual to address the coronavirus because we did so in March by passing the CARES Act, even as Members of the body, including me, were getting coronavirus as we were having those negotiations.…”