March 26, 2020
Congress Exploiting Crisis To Spend Recklessly
Just when you thought Republicans and Democrats were working together, all comradery flew out the window over the weekend. Many House and Senate Republicans were willing to pass the first two phases of an economic stimulus package drafted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Senate Republicans then drafted a third phase called the CARES Act (S. 3548) that included stimulus checks to every American, federal loans to airlines and small businesses, and deferment of student loans among other provisions. While the legislation was questionable among conservatives, Senate Republicans and Democrats worked for days to introduce this legislation.
As Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was scheduling a vote, Pelosi met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Shortly after, all 47 Democrats stopped the bill from moving to the floor for a vote. Pelosi had her own bill to introduce.
Short of fairies and unicorns, Pelosi attached a far-left fanatical wish list to the 1,119-page bill. The provisions are as follows:
- Bans the federal government from making rules for 30 days
- Creates a digital dollar and requires banks to keep digital wallets
- Includes language of the Green New Deal which forces airlines to offset carbon emissions and post how much carbon they are emitting per flight
- Increases the amount of federal money that each individual or family receives depending on their income
- Waives $10,000 in student loans
- Puts $60 billion into schools and universities
- Increases the amount of unemployment funds
- Forces companies receiving federal funds to provide a $15 minimum wage for those working during the pandemic
- Cancels Presidential executive orders that have protected businesses from unions
- Mandates nation-wide early voting and same-day voter registration
- Expands immigration visa stays and funding for sanctuary cities
- Permanently expands Obamacare
- Bails out the postal service
- Mandates that businesses who receive federal aid because of COVID-19 adhere to diversity standards for at least 5 years including forcing corporate boards to have a certain number of women or minorities as members
- Collective bargaining for federal employees
- Mandates minimum retirement funding for community newspapers
- Forces an expansion of minority banks and credit unions
- Allocates $35 million to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
You can read more summaries of the bill from Conservative Partnership Institute’s Rachel Bovards Twitter thread, this Axios article, and an article from The Federalist.
Pelosi’s Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act would cost taxpayers $2.5 trillion and even more in freedoms. President Trump promised that it he nor any Republican will ever approve of such a bill. While that is a relief, the sheer fact that Democrats would take advantage of Americans at their most vulnerable is appalling. There was a sweeping disease within the Democrat party long before Coronavirus made its debut.
In a turn of events, Pelosi met with McConnell and Mnuchin to reach a deal on the Senate CARES Act. While much of the Democrat pork has been left out of the compromise, the bill will still cost taxpayers at least $2 trillion. In addition to the original provisions, Democrats added $25 million to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, $13 million to Howard University alone, $75 million for Public Broadcasting, $50 million to the Office of Museum and Library Services, $75 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, and $350 million.
As they have tried to rush this through, drafters made multiple errors that held up the bill. One error allowed Planned Parenthood to receive money under small business loans. Another incentivized businesses to lay off employees. The final draft fixed the Planned Parenthood error canceling any funding they would receive, but the latter error was never corrected. Republicans offered an amendment to counter this, but it failed. The entire bill passed unanimously.
The Senate bill will go to the House for a vote and many members are skeptical of passing it. While these measures are moving quickly and erratically, Eagle Forum will keep you updated. Follow our social media accounts on Facebook or Twitter to receive the latest news.