The Republican leader has called the Senate back into session, despite the risks we face by gathering here in the Capitol,

despite the risks faced by security guards, cafeteria workers, janitors, and the staff who operate the floor of the Senate.

The Senate is back in session this week, despite health concerns from many members.

Hey, everyone, I'm Dana Bash, CNN's chief political correspondent in for David Chalien,

and this is the Daily D.C. Both sides of the aisle are digging in on the fight

over the next round of coronavirus funding, but with the talks on a phase four coronavirus stimulus

stalled, the focus of the Senate's return to work has been on confirmation and oversight hearings,

including what could be a blockbuster hearing next week with

Dr. Anthony Fauci on the virus response. So joining me now is the man who will chair that hearing

in the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Tennessee Republican Senator Lamar Alexander.

Senator, thank you so much for joining me. It's nice to see you

in your Senate office. Nice to see you, Dana. Thank you. So I want to talk about that upcoming hearing

in a minute. But first, can you just set the scene for us for our listeners on what it is like as a

senator to be back in the Capitol this week? Well, it's strange, but I'm kind of glad to

be back because I was working so hard at home. I was there for five weeks, and I'd get up in the

morning and be on the phone all day for 10 days. I think we should be back. We've got important

work to do. I mean, today we're having a hearing with Dr. Francis Collins on a way to create tens of millions of new diagnostic tests.

That was a part of the bill we passed last week.

We put a billion and a half dollars in to do that.

We need to have a hearing about it.

We've got a hearing, as you just mentioned next week with Dr. Fauci, Dr. Redfield, Dr. Hahn, all the principal people.

And there's no substitute,

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