PCAF Condemns GOP Senate's ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ COVID Bill

Progressive Caucus Action Fund Executive Director Liz Watson issued the following statement on the latest Senate Republican COVID-19 relief package:

“The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has repeatedly passed legislation to provide much-needed relief and protections for families, small businesses, schools, and local governments. The Senate GOP, however, have chosen to take a “wait and see” approach, even as millions lost their jobs, businesses shut their doors, and state and local governments faced growing budget shortfalls as key provisions of the CARES Act expired. Frontline workers and others were forced to report for work or return to worksites with inadequate protections or testing procedures in place as the United States overtook most of the rest of the world in coronavirus cases and deaths.”

“In the four months since the House passed the Heroes Act, Senate Republicans have done absolutely nothing to meet the scope of this crisis. Instead, today they introduced a totally inadequate bill that does too little too late. It fails to address the pain felt by families losing their homes, overwhelmed with bills and struggling with childcare. The Senate plan does nothing to contain and curb the COVID-19 outbreak. Instead of protecting the working people putting their lives on the line at essential jobs, the Senate bill includes the so-called “SAFE TO WORK Act,” which gives big employers, universities, nursing homes and other employers a free pass if their negligence sickens or kills their employees, customers or patients. The package fails to include any  significant measures to keep people in their homes, help them pay their bills, keep businesses open, or defend the U.S. Postal Service so that we can safely vote in November and receive necessary medicines in the midst of a pandemic.” 

“Instead of negotiating in good faith or proposing a solution that meets the scale of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Senate Republicans have drafted legislation that is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The American people need real relief, not political games.”