Some progressive lawmakers are pushing back against the $908 billion coronavirus aid package, saying it doesn’t go far enough to help Americans, Fox Business reports.
"It is unacceptable that the proposal does not even do what the CARES Act did and provide, at the very least, a $1,200 direct payment to working-class Americans and $500 for their kids," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement last week. "Tens of millions of Americans living in desperation today would receive absolutely no financial help from this proposal. That is not acceptable."
The cash payments would cost an additional $300 billion, according to Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat, and excluding the checks was the only way to reach agreement with Republicans.
“The $1,200 check, it cost we believe nationally $300 billion to give you an idea,” he said on ABC's "This Week." “The Democrats have always wanted a larger number, but we were told we couldn’t get anything through the Republicans, except this $900 billion level.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., tweeted that COVID-19 relief “needs to directly help everyday people. People need stimulus checks & UI."
"Canada did $2,000/monthly. The US is the richest nation on earth and a 2nd stimulus check is getting blocked bc GOP want corporate bailouts & austerity in 'exchange' for it," she added.
Democrats were pushing for a $2.2 trillion aid package.
The proposal is expected to include about $300 per week in bonus federal unemployment payments, providing relief just as emergency aid payments at regular benefit levels are set to expire at year’s end. It would extend a freeze on evictions for people who cannot pay their rent and reauthorize the Paycheck Protection Program to give a second round of subsidies to businesses struggling through the pandemic.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said it was “unbelievable” that a stimulus check wouldn’t be included.
"Maybe if everyone in the US incorporated as an LLC, Mitch McConnell would actually do something for them,” she tweeted.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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