Second Stimulus Plan Called ‘Monstrosity’ by Ted Cruz

Sen. Ted Cruz is not a fan of the HEROES Act passed by the U.S. Congress on Friday. In a tweet this weekend, Cruz called the bill a “monstrosity,” saying that it is “a windfall” for a “radical liberal agenda, not relief for the workers, families, and job creators hurting from COVID-19.” So far, Cruz has not voiced his support for any of the alternative coronavirus relief plans in the works right now.

Cruz wrote a thread on Twitter on Saturday condemning the HEROES Act — the latest coronavirus relief package passed by Congress. First introduced by House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the bill consists of $3 trillion in federal spending to offset the economic impact of the virus, including another stimulus check for American taxpayers and more support for state and local governments and small business owners. It also has six provisions that Republicans are opposed to, including favorable new banking laws for the cannabis industry and funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. Cruz argued that Pelosi is trying to use the bill to push partisan interests.

Cruz focused on five primary issues he had with the HEROES Act — federal relief for state governments, funding for Planned Parenthood, mandating mail-in voting, extending unemployment insurance and protecting undocumented immigrants from deportation, along with other steps to protect immigrants in the U.S.

Cruz finished it off with listing three things he thought should be in the next coronavirus relief bill — “protecting American jobs,” “helping Americans get back to work” and “addressing China’s coronavirus cover-up.”

Critics replied that the first of these is too vague, the second is irresponsible and the third is a conspiracy theory. The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security has claimed that the Chinese government “intentionally concealed the severity” of the coronavirus outbreak in its early days, according to a report by the Associated Press. However, critics say that this is just a case of Trump trying to deflect blame for his slow response to the virus in the U.S.

Still, Cruz is not the only politician disappointed in Pelosi’s proposal. On the other end of the political spectrum, many Democrats are saying that Pelosi’s HEROES Act does not do enough for the American people, with Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington voting against it. Sen. Bernie Sanders has said that the stimulus check in Pelosi’s bill “doesn’t cut it,” advocating for monthly payments of up to $2,000 himself. For the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic, visit the websites of the CDC and the World Health Organization.