Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, says President Donald Trump's choice to halt coronavirus relief negotiations until after the election was a "huge mistake."
"Waiting until after the election to reach an agreement on the next COVID-19 relief package is a huge mistake," Collins said in a statement. "I have already been in touch with the Secretary of the Treasury [Steven Mnuchin], one of the chief negotiators, and with several of my Senate colleagues.
"When the pandemic began, Republicans and Democrats in Congress worked together successfully to take quick, sweeping action – allocating nearly $3 trillion since March to respond to the crisis and passing the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program I co-authored that has provided more than $2 billion to 28,000 Maine small businesses, helping to sustain 250,000 Maine jobs. That's the same approach we need to take now to continue to provide support for the health and safety of all Americans and the safe, responsible opening of our communities."
Trump earlier Tuesday called off negotiations with Democratic lawmakers on coronavirus relief legislation until after the election.
"I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business," Trump wrote on Twitter a day after emerging from a hospital stay for COVID-19 treatment.
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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