In an increasingly rare showing of bipartisanship, Congress has moved very quickly to send two coronavirus-related spending bills to President Trump’s desk in two weeks and is feverishly working to put together a third, blockbuster package that could be worth upward of $1 trillion.
Trump’s signing of the second coronavirus bill, which will provide $100 billion worth of paid sick leave, unemployment help and free virus testing to Americans, comes as the coronavirus pandemic is hitting close to home on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Ben McAdams, D-Utah, were the first two members of Congress to test positive for the disease officially known as COVID-19.
“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better,” Diaz-Balart said in a statement on his diagnosis. “We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
Congress is certainly working together. The Senate managed to pass the House coronavirus bill without amendments by a 90-8 margin, sending it to Trump’s desk just two days after the House passed a technical fix to the legislation.
The expedited passage of the House legislation was a stark departure from the usual interaction between the chambers. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the self-styled “Grim Reaper” for the House’s “socialist agenda,” has been at odds with House Democrats since they took control of the lower chamber in early 2019.
However, in this case he seemed to put that all aside, saying on the Senate floor, “This is a time for urgent bipartisan action, and, in this case, I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers.”
And even before the Senate ushered through the second bill, members of Congress and the Trump administration were falling over each other to offer up ideas for another piece of legislation.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, each proposed different ideas for how the government could send checks directly to Americans who are financially strapped because of the economic slowdown. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., confirmed Tuesday on Sirius XM’s “The Michael Smerconish Program” that a “one-time distribution of $1,000 to every adult citizen” was “being seriously discussed.”
Gabbard, by the way, has just finally announced that she will be ending her campaign for president, saying on Wednesday, “Today, I’m suspending my presidential campaign, and offering my full support to Vice President Joe Biden in his quest to bring our country together.”
Even though I am bothered by the fact that this will increase the national deficit, the need for immediate action trumps (pun intended) my concern. I am frankly amazed that such cooperation in Congress has been accomplished in spite of the seemingly endless TDS on display the past three-plus years!
Where’s the Beef?
Amazing that Congress reaction was so swift, maybe it’s another effort to fool the people again. I’m sure the liberal congress has their corrupt evil hands in the Coronavirus distribution in a last ditch effort to eliminate Trump the best President this nation has ever had or will ever have.
I’m not sure I agree with it, but at least it’ll do some good. I remember when the limp wrist fucker was in charge. He doubled the debt, with nothing to show for it.
Good job Mitch McConnell, and the rest of the senators for helping pass the corona virus bill. You showed that you are human with feelings for the American citizens. God bless you all and President Trump who I am sure will approve this bill.
OK???? Who voted NO Run’em outta town on a rail
Congratulations to the American people, for the first time in a long time our elected officials have put their personal interest aside and passed legislation that is 100% for the benefit and saving of our nation and her people. There is no reason this relationship cannot continue after this crisis goes down in history. When I was a young lad our Sunday school class used to sing a song that went something like this: If your friends are my friends and our friends are God’s friends if we all pull together how happy we’ll be! And last but certainly not least, Thank you to our legislators for stepping up out of their cesspool of bias and putting the American people first. We will get through this trial and be stronger yet! GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Screw Congress impeach every last one of the frigin idiots haven’t worked all year but was able to do this what’s in it for them has to be something dam sure didn’t do it for the country
I think the government should pay the employer and the employer pays the employee the amount of hours they would have work each paycheck
to ensure the fastest, safest way to distribute the money, individual and married couples, would be to use the IRS records for mailing address and/or bank account
I would like my check what ever it is to be sent to my bank account, not distributed by the IRS, How can we get this done.