The new $900 billion coronavirus relief bill was finally agreed upon by Congress and eventually passed on Monday evening after months of ongoing discussions. Despite going through, some senators rejected the proposal. Among those were Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. Sens. Marsha Blackburn R-Tenn., Ron Johnson R-Wis., Mike Lee R-Utah and Rick Scott R-Fla. were the others who objected to the bill.
The reasons they shared in countering the bill had to do with the amount and the size of the legislation. Paul was outspoken while on the floor, according to Fox News, as he suggested that anyone who votes for this “are no better” than the Democrats. Paul specifically called out the “free money” he feels is included in the bill, “When you vote to pass out free money, you lose your soul and you abandon forever any semblance of moral or fiscal integrity.”
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Meanwhile, Cruz echoed a similar sentiment in a statement he shared of the legislation was passed. He denounced it being a “tremendous victory” as some have suggested, instead calling it for being tied to a “wasteful end-of-year spending bill.” Like Paul and the other four Republicans who opposed the plan, Cruz was not fond of the country continuing to pile up its debt. Moreover, Cruz, who also agreed with Rep. Alexander Ocasio-Cortez about the relief bill being too big to read over before the vote, was ticked off about what he perceived to be Democrats pushing forward their own plans. “Simply put, Democrats exploited the need for relief to advance their political agenda instead of working on legislation that puts our nation on the path to recovery,” Cruz wrote.
Despite the objections by Cruz, Paul and four others, the newest coronavirus relief fund comes at a time when the country has seen its largest number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. As more and more cities and states begin to dial back their reopening phases with the holidays approaching, Americans are once again finding themselves in tight financial situations and challenging times both physically and mentally. Congress hopes that the newest package will help to rejuvenate the country, though many are skeptical that the $600 stimulus check will do much, if anything, in not just boosting the economy but making a difference for families that are struggling. The stimulus checks are expected to go out as soon as next week.
