Tag: Senate GOP

The Senate Stimulus Proposal in Response to Coronavirus Fails to Meet the Moment

Center for American Progress logoAs they work to pass a bill to address the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19—and the efforts to contain it—Congress and the White House must achieve two urgent tasks. The first is to provide the tools necessary to get the public health crisis under control. The second is to offer economic relief to workers, families, small businesses, and others. Millions are facing a sudden and, in some cases, complete drop in their income as a result of the measures states, cities, and the country as a whole have taken in service of the public health response.

The Senate Republican bill fails to meet this moment. It is ambitious in providing bailouts to large corporations but does nothing to protect workers at the firms being rescued. It hands out corporate tax cuts from wish lists crafted long before this crisis began. In fact, the bill includes provisions that effectively deepen the corporate tax breaks that were provided in the 2017 law signed by President Trump—even providing some retroactive tax cuts that are essentially unrelated to the crisis at hand.

But the bill falls far short in addressing the immediate and acute pain that is being felt by many of the workers, families, and communities being hit hardest by the COVID-19 virus. It entirely ignores the means we have at the ready to directly support workers who have been laid off or seen their income drop to zero. It neglects families who are struggling to get food on the table in an uncertain time. And it fails communities that are being stretched to the brink to address health and economic crises simultaneously. Where it does provide relief to families and individuals in need, it provides too little, and cruelly leaves out or provides less to those who are likely to face the greatest strain. Continue reading.

Secret recording reveals top GOP senator privately warned of deadly coronavirus weeks ago — even as he kept public in the dark

AlterNet logoThree weeks ago in late February, right-wing media — from radio host Rush Limbaugh to Fox News and Fox Business — was full of Republicans and supporters of President Donald Trump insisting that the mainstream media were exaggerating the threat of coronavirus in order to harm Donald Trump’s presidency (Fox, like Trump, has since shifted its tone). But it was also three weeks ago, on February 27, that Sen. Richard Burr, the North Carolina Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, was privately warning about how dangerous coronavirus was. And National Public Radio (NPR) has obtained a recording of Burr’s disturbing assertions.

According to NPR’s Tim Mak, Burr addressed the COVID-19 threat at a private luncheon organized by a North Carolina group called the Tarheel Circle. And Burr, in the recording, is heard warning that coronavirus is “much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we’ve seen in recent history. It’s probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.”

Burr’s comments, according to NPR, “raise questions” about why that private audience was getting a “a more frank assessment than the general public” was getting at the time. The recording, Mak noted during a March 19 appearance on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” was provided by “an attendee who became alarmed about Burr’s dire warnings” and “began to record.” Continue reading.

Senior GOP senators object to direct payments at caucus meeting

The Hill logoPresident Trump’s signature proposal to send $1,200 direct payments to the public received pointed pushback from senior Senate Republicans at a meeting Thursday where GOP negotiators unveiled their version of a $1 trillion stimulus plan.

The most controversial element is a plan to send out $1,200 checks to people earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000, and to phase out the subsidies quickly after those thresholds.

Despite the pushback, GOP senators still expect Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to unveil the GOP plan on Thursday. Continue reading.

GOP divided on next steps for massive stimulus package

The Hill logoSenate Republicans are divided over how to structure a massive stimulus package that could wind up costing nearly $1 trillion, likely slowing down how long it will take to get the relief bill to President Trump’s desk.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pledged Tuesday that the Senate will not leave town until it passes the bill, but doing so will be a huge undertaking.

Republicans disagree over fundamental questions such as whether to make direct payments to Americans who miss paychecks because of the crisis or to all adults in a bid to boost the economy more generally. Continue reading.

Conservatives Worry Too Much Coronavirus Relief Will Make People Lazy

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) says he’s worried about “incentivizing people to not show up for work.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is concerned that if the federal government steps in too much to help workers affected by the coronavirus crisis, it will make people lazy.

The House has passed legislation that would offer paid leave for some workers if they or their families are affected by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Johnson, in comments in USA Today on Monday, said he was worried about “incentivizing people to not show up for work.” Continue reading.

Senate could push through ‘Phase 3’ coronavirus rescue plan this week

Steven Mnuchin will meet with Republican senators to discuss the plan Tuesday.

Even before Congress has finished work on a second stimulus bill to deal with the coronavirus crisis, senators from both parties and the White House are already talking about a third package, which will come with a price tag that runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

And few people, from President Donald Trump on down, are complaining about the cost — knowing the country faces a potentially unprecedented economic hit from the pandemic.

But perhaps the most shocking fact is that the normally slow-moving Senate could pass the “Phase 3” bill this week, according to several GOP senators. Continue reading.

McConnell Has a Request for Veteran Federal Judges: Please Quit

New York Times logoThe Senate majority leader has encouraged judges thinking about stepping down to do so soon to ensure that Republicans confirm their replacements this year.

WASHINGTON — Running out of federal court vacancies to fill, Senate Republicans have been quietly making overtures to sitting Republican-nominated judges who are eligible to retire to urge them to step aside so they can be replaced while the party still holds the Senate and the White House.

Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, who has used his position as majority leader to build a judicial confirmation juggernaut for President Trump over the past three years, has been personally reaching out to judges to sound them out on their plans and assure them that they would have a worthy successor if they gave up their seats soon, according to multiple people with knowledge of his actions.

It was not known how many judges were contacted or which of them Mr. McConnell had spoken to directly. One of his Republican colleagues said others had also initiated outreach in an effort to heighten awareness among judges nominated by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush that making the change now would be advantageous. Continue reading.

Coronavirus package hits roadblocks amid GOP opposition

The Hill logoThe House-passed coronavirus package is quickly running into roadblocks, throwing into question the bill’s timeline for reaching President Trump’s desk.

House lawmakers passed the bipartisan deal early Saturday morning after around-the-clock negotiations between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchinand Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and a late endorsement from Trump.

But that’s done little to guarantee its smooth path to the White House as it faces eleventh-hour fixes and opposition from some Republican senators, either of which could complicate and slow the bill’s arrival and passage in the Senate. Continue reading.

GOP chairman cancels Hunter Biden-related subpoena vote

The Hill logoSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) canceled a vote scheduled for Wednesday afternoon on a subpoena stemming from his months-long probe into Hunter Biden and Burisma Holdings.

“Out of an abundance of caution, and to allow time for you to receive additional briefings, I will postpone a vote to subpoena records and an appearance from former Blue Star Strategies consultant Andrii Telizhenko about his work for the lobbying firm,” Johnson said in a
note to committee members, a copy of which was obtained by The Hill.

Johnson told reporters that he was pulling the vote because of “some discrepancies brought up in what we had been told.” Continue reading.

Trump to pitch Republicans on economic response to coronavirus

The Hill logoPresident Trump will attend the Senate Republican conference’s lunch Tuesday afternoon to discuss potential economic measures to stem the fallout of the coronavirus.

An administration official confirmed that Trump, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and trade adviser Peter Navarro will make the trip down Pennsylvania Avenue for the meeting. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchinand National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow are also expected to attend.

Trump is expected to pitch GOP senators on his proposals for boosting an uncertain economy as the coronavirus rattles financial markets and leaves Americans on edge. The president said a day earlier that he would push for a payroll tax cut, relief for hourly workers and support for small businesses. Targeted relief for industries hardest hit could also be considered. Continue reading.