Democrats blocked the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill for the second day in a row Monday, after trying to clog the legislation with a laundry list of proposals that have nothing to do with the crisis at hand.
“As Leader Schumer continues to hold up the desperately-needed relief package, the last-minute list of demands from Pelosi’s and Schumer’s ideological wish list are coming into focus,” a Republican aide told National Review.
Their wish-list includes collective bargaining powers for unions, increased fuel emissions standards for airlines, an expansion of wind and solar tax credits, student loan debt relief, and election-security funding.
Democrats aren’t even been discreet about their plan to use the crisis as a political opportunity.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision,” Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) reportedly said on a conference call last Thursday with more than 200 members of the House Democratic caucus.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted Democrats on the Senate floor Monday morning, saying they “ought to be embarrassed.” The Senate Leader complained that while Americans are watching their retirement accounts melt away and the stock market track to its worst month since 1931, Democrats are “holding up emergency measures over tax credits for solar panels.”
“They’re filibustering more masks because they want to argue with the airlines over their carbon footprint?!” McConnell exclaimed in disgust. “They ought to be embarrassed,” he added. “In fact I’ve talked to some of them who are embarrassed. Talking like this is some juicy political opportunity. This is not a juicy political opportunity. This is a national emergency,” he declared.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) confirmed on Twitter Monday morning that the Dens are larding up the bill with unrelated progressive proposals.
“This report is correct. Pelosi & Schumer are willing to risk your life, your job, your retirement savings for a radical, left-wing wish list that has nothing to do with this virus,” Cotton tweeted. “Disgraceful.”
This report is correct. Pelosi & Schumer are willing to risk your life, your job, your retirement savings for a radical, left-wing wish list that has nothing to do with this virus. Disgraceful. https://t.co/le9jlTB4KH
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) March 23, 2020
Conservative reporter Rachel Bovard detailed a number of other Democrat wish-list proposals.
https://twitter.com/rachelbovard/status/1242116665489399815?s=20
https://twitter.com/rachelbovard/status/1242118555107196933?s=20
https://twitter.com/rachelbovard/status/1242133659118862338?s=20
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer defended their actions by saying Democrats “are trying to get things done.”
“We Democrats are trying to get things done, not making partisan speech after partisan speech,” he said.
“We have an obligation to get the details right, get them done quickly,” Schumer added. “That doesn’t mean blindly accepting a Republican-only bill.”
When Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) sought recognition to speak, Schumer objected, prompting Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) to exclaim, “This is bullshit!” and Collins to say, “This is unbelievable.”
.@SenatorCollins: "I ask unanimous consent that proceedings under the quorum be dispensed with."
Sen. Sasse (presiding): "Is there objection?"@SenSchumer: "I object."
@senatemajldr: "Oh, come on."
Collins: "This is unbelievable." pic.twitter.com/Bg3pBv09Ch
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2020
“Near pandemonium erupted on the Senate Floor,” according to the Washington Post:
Schumer then argued with Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who was presiding over the Senate, to get recognized and get McConnell to explain the schedule ahead. Once that happened, the Senate agreed to proceed to a repeat of Sunday’s procedural vote, only to have it fail again.
The fireworks weren’t over on the floor as Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and McConnell got into it, with McConnell lecturing Manchin about Senate process in an unusual exchange.
Summing it all up was Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.), who took his turn on the Senate floor, shaking his head before declaring: “This country was founded by geniuses but it’s being run by a bunch of idiots.”
You can always count on Sen. Kennedy for the 🔥pic.twitter.com/0LAxEmW7Zv
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) March 23, 2020
After the bill failed for the second time, Collins took the floor to express her disappointment in Senate Democrats for blocking the legislation and to vent anger at Schumer for attempting to prevent her from speaking.
We are in the midst of a crisis in our country.
I CANNOT BELIEVE the answer from our friends on the other side of the aisle is delay, delay, delay.
More from @SenatorCollins 👇🏻pic.twitter.com/aKd0nSC52u
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) March 23, 2020