Ever since the White House and Congress agreed to their $2 trillion stimulus package in late March, there has been much discussion over whether the government will send out another round of stimulus payments amidst the ongoing coronavirus crisis. There have already been several, additional stimulus packages proposed by members of Congress. But, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that it will be some time until the Senate officially votes on any stimulus packages, including the HEROES Act which has already passed in the House of Representatives. In response, California Representative Ro Khanna has issued some strong words on Twitter for McConnell.
On Twitter, Khanna shared that McConnell said that the country can wait for another stimulus package (in early May, the Senate Majority Leader said that he doesn’t feel an “urgency” to pass another stimulus bill). Khanna then posed a number of questions to his followers, questioning whether Americans can wait any longer to pay rent or to feed their families. He also touched upon the fact that many medical professionals in the country still do not have all of the necessary medical supplies to fight the coronavirus. Khanna’s tweet highlights the frustration that many Americans are feeling right now as they eagerly wait to see whether the government will step in to aid citizens who are in need of assistance during this unprecedented time in the world.
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Mitch McConnell says that we can wait a few weeks for another stimulus package.
Can your rent and bill payments wait a few weeks?
Can you continue risking your lives for a few weeks in an essential job without PPE?
Can you wait a few weeks to feed your family?
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) May 31, 2020
In addition to the HEROES Act, there were other proposals floating around Congress. One of those proposals even came from Khanna himself. Khanna and Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio introduced the Emergency Money for the People Act in April. Under this act, eligible Americans could potentially get up to $2,000 in aid. These payments would be guaranteed for six months and would continue until unemployment levels are back to where they were prior to this health crisis.
Unlike the Emergency Money for the People Act, the HEROES Act, a potential $3 trillion stimulus package, has passed in the House of Representatives. The bill will now head to the Senate before it can be officially enacted into law. However, given that multiple Republican lawmakers, including McConnell, have voiced their disapproval for the HEROES Act, it’s unclear if it will garner the necessary support in order to pass.
