If Essential Workers Continue Clocking In, so Must Senate to Act on Next Relief Bill

Yesterday on the floor, I discussed the Senate’s return to legislative session and feedback I received from Texans on Congress’ response to the coronavirus pandemic. Excerpts of my floor remarks are below, and video can be found here.

There have been some who’ve questioned the wisdom of the Senate coming back to Washington and convening, but I think we need to be here, and we need to do our jobs. We know how to do this safely. We know how to social distance.

It's appropriate that we show up, and we do our job, and we protect the American people and do everything we can to defeat this virus from a public health standpoint, but also to do what is necessary to maintain a lifeline to the economy and the workers that are an essential component of it.

Our heroic health care workers are physically and mentally exhausted from this fight, but yet they continue to serve day in and day out. I want to express my gratitude, and know I speak for others, when I say thank you for the heart that you've put into your job, for the sacrifices you've made, spending time away from your families so that you can help ours.

Over the past several weeks, like every senator, I've had the privilege of speaking with my constituents all across the state of Texas about the impact of this virus as well as Congress' response.

We have a big job ahead of us.

I’ve returned back to the Senate with a long list of ideas and feedback.

I hope we can retain the same sense of bipartisanship that has guided us through the legislation we passed so far.