The U.S. Congress passed another coronavirus relief bill on Friday, which would include another stimulus check for the American people, yet many taxpayers are divided on the proposal. Americans from all along the political spectrum take issue with the new HEROES Act, with some feeling that it goes too far and others arguing that it does not go far enough. The debate rages on social media.
House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi introduced the HEROES Act to Congress this week, and it passed on Friday. The bill would still need to pass in the United States Senate and then be signed by President Donald Trump to become law, yet the opposition is already growing louder on social media. The bill includes another stimulus check for every eligible American worth up to $1,200, with additional financial relief for state and local governments, and small businesses. In total, the bill would release $3 trillion for relief payments.
Many critics online are complaining that Pelosi's proposal is too expensive, and includes too many provisions that seem unrelated to the coronavirus pandemic itself. Addressing these concerns on Tuesday, Pelosi said that "not acting is the most expensive course," according to a report by CNBC. She went on: "not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it's only going to cost more — More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy."
On the other hand, some critics argued that Pelosi's bill did not go far enough, especially compared to the other proposals already in Congress and the senate. A growing number of lawmakers were advocating for monthly stimulus checks to the American people throughout the remainder of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the cancellation of debts and other bills. Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington voted against the act despite being a registered democrat.
"For weeks, I have been clearly and consistently ringing the alarm bells that the next COVID-19 package must deliver real relief and certainty to people and businesses across the country so that they know how they will survive this crisis — both from health and economic perspectives, which are deeply intertwined," Jayapal wrote on her website. "At the core, our response from Congress must match the true scale of this devastating crisis. The Heroes Act—while it contains many important provisions—simply fails to do that."
Still, some Americans joined in the debate in favor of the HEROES Act, telling critics that it was better to get something than nothing — especially at a time when speed is a factor. Here is a look at what people online are saying about the HEROES Act now that it has passed in Congress.