Congressional Democrats moving to pass a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill without Republican support unfortunately was not surprising, according to Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., on Newsmax TV.
Democrat congressional leaders submitted a joint budget resolution Monday that would allow them to use the arcane reconciliation procedure and negate any possible Senate filibuster.
"This is continuation of the theme we've seen from President [Joe] Biden since inaugural day," Johnson told host Lyndsay Keith on Spicer & Co. "Listen, like millions of Americans, I was optimistic when he was talking, in his inaugural address, about unity, unity, unity. I mean, I do think America could use some of that right now.
"But then within a few hours after completing those syllables, then he's signing all of these executive orders, including a number that kill thousands of America jobs."
In Johnson's opinion, a $1.9 trillion rescue package is not needed right now.
"The vaccine is getting out there, the end is in sight, the non-partisan congressional budget office says even without [a relief package], we would still have an economy that is going to recover quickly," Johnson said. "I mean, c'mon, let's do what the country needs rather than just dumping bushel baskets of money out all over the country."
Despite the congressional Democrats' move, Biden met with a group of Republican senators at the White House on Monday in an effort to discuss next round of coronavirus relief. GOP lawmakers had proposed a plan that included $1,000 stimulus checks with tighter income limits compared to the $1,400 checks proposed by Biden, and just $20 billion for schools compared to $170 billion in the White House plan.
Johnson was asked what numbers would be acceptable to Republicans like him.
"The reality is, the economy in South Dakota is doing really, really well, and our schools have done a good job of keeping the kids in the classroom," he said, "making the investments with the first two rounds of federal dollars that they needed so the kids could be there and be safe.
"The things I would have to get [are] additional investment in a vaccine rollout and, frankly, anything beyond that, I would just want to make sure that we'd open up the economy and open up schools more quickly. That does take $2 trillion."
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