Sen. Chuck Grassley
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he is frustrated that democrats continue to block the latest coronavirus recovery package.
“My Democratic colleagues in the Senate have now twice voted to prevent consideration of this bill. Their counterparts in the House seem equally intent on delaying this relief — as every day tens of thousands of people are going to the unemployment office,” Grassley says.
Grassley says the money in the bill could help those people who are hurting– and he says it’s not clear why Democrats want to block it from getting out. “Does it have something to do with the presidential campaign? Who knows? So, obviously I am saying this is very urgent,” Grassley says. “Had they voted to move the bill forward — we’d still have 30 more hours to iron out problems if there are still problems to be worked out. They won’t even let us go to the bill — get started on debating the bill. Instead, they threw sand on the gears when every passing minute more Americans’ health and livelihoods are put at risk.”
Democrats have complained the bill helps big businesses that don’t need help. Grassley says that is not true. “Except from this standpoint. If the airlines are not going to fly, and we give $50 billion in loans, I suppose somebody is going to say you are bailing out the airlines. How is this country going to get along without the airlines?,” Grassley asks.
He says the same thing was done after September 11th. “We give them loans — they have to pay the loans back — is that a bailout,?” Grassley asks. He says it would help keep a vital service going and also keep the jobs of those people in the industry.