Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Pramila Jayapal says Democrats' coronavirus relief bill 'fails to match the scale of this crisis'
House Democrats are looking to pass their $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill later today, but Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) isn't on board.
Jayapal, the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has announced she'll vote no on the $3 trillion HEROES Act, saying that while it has some "good elements," it "fails to match the scale of this crisis."
Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus had been pushing for Democrats' relief bill to include a "Paycheck Guarantee" program extending $600 billion for small businesses over six months, but this wasn't added. The act includes more one-time payments for individuals among other provisions.
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"To beat the virus, we must keep people home," Jayapal said. "To keep people home, we must make sure they get their paycheck, can access their health care and don't feel pressured to return to work before it's safe. That's the only way that we can give the American people real relief and certainty before this crisis gets worse — because if we fail to do so, it will."
Jayapal had previously asked that the vote be delayed into next week. On Friday, 14 Democrats voted against a procedural rule bringing the legislation to the floor, The Hill reports, including Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Omar tweeted Friday that "we should be leading with bold ideas that meet the scale of the crisis," while Ocasio-Cortez called the bill a "mixed bag," also saying, "I think we can go further, especially when it comes to healthcare," per CBS News.
Politico reports, though, that "in a sign of Pelosi's hold over her caucus, most Democrats have relegated their complaints to private calls with colleagues and leadership." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Friday he believes the bill will pass. From there, it isn't expected to progress through the Republican-controlled Senate and actually become law, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said Congress should "take a pause" before passing new legislation.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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