In response to today’s vote on the emaciated COVID relief package, Protect Our Care’s Coronavirus War Room Director Zac Petkanas released the following statement:
“Today, Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans voted on the most lackluster package possible which does more harm than good and still couldn’t get it passed.
Trump’s failed coronavirus response drove the economy into the ground and led to more than 60 million Americans filing for unemployment insurance, but this measure would actually cut unemployment benefits even further, provide no assistance for families desperately trying to stave off eviction, and only offer pennies on the dollar compared to more meaningful comprehensive relief proposals.
“It didn’t need to be this way. For months, Trump’s allies in the Senate refused to take action on the HEROES Act passed by House Democrats in May which addressed these and other issues. Instead, they headed home for a nice, long summer vacation – without an ounce of care for the millions of Americans who would struggle without assistance during the pandemic.
“While Republican Senators did nothing, Donald Trump was actively making things worse by misleading the American people about the danger of the virus which has now caused more than 190,000 needless American deaths, more than 6 million Americans to fall ill, and millions more to face the devastating consequence of his economic collapse.
“So it’s long past time for Congressional Republicans to get serious about passing meaningful relief like the HEROES Act instead of just taking symbolic votes to cover their reelection chances. Until they do, they own this disaster as much as the White House does.”