- Republicans cite the benefits of the COVID-19 relief legislation they opposed in Congress.
- Mitch McConnell said Republicans would hold a “discussion” with Americans on the issues of the bill.
- Meanwhile, funding for health care and restaurants is being praised by some IDP members.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
For months, Republicans have been unanimously opposed to the U.S. Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the $ 1.9 billion COVID-19 aid package backed by President Joe Biden and signed in March.
The stimulus package, which includes $ 1,400 direct incentive payments for individuals, funding for state and local governments, $ 300 in federal unemployment assistance through September, and an extension of the child tax credit, among other things, did not receive a single IDP vote . in the House or Senate.
After the passage of the bill, GOP Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky cited the legislation as “a classic example of a major government-democratic overreaction in the name of Covid relief” and “one of the worst pieces of legislation ‘he has seen in his 36 years. in the Senate.
He also said that in the coming months, the IDP would “repeatedly” talk to the American public about the true content of the bill.
However, some Republicans now cite popular elements of the bill they fought on Capitol Hill.
Conservative first-year GOP representative Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina pointed to health funding last week in his district in a tweet, with nearly $ 2.5 million for the Appalachian Mountain Community Health Centers and $ 4.6 million for Western North Carolina Community Health Services that were part of the legislation.
“I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded NC-11 Award,” he wrote. “Proud to see taxpayers sent back to NC-11.”
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison took note of Hawthorn’s tweet and blew the congressman and the GOP.
“Come on man,” he wrote. “@RepCawthorn trying to get credit for the grants HE VOTED AGAINST. Republicans have no shame. ‘
—Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) 30 March 2021
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Cawthorn spokeswoman Micah Bock said in a statement to NBC News last week that the congressman was using his social media account “to post information relevant to his constituents in NC-11.”
“This often means that you have to provide relevant federal information about proposals that the congressman does not support,” he said. “There are portions of the U.S. rescue plan that benefit NC-11, but bills are not passed in portions, they are passed on in full or not at all, and this bill does significantly more harm than good.”
Mississippi GOP Senator Roger Wicker praised the billions in targeted funding for the restaurant industry he advocated – it was part of the final package he voted against.
“Independent restaurant businesses win $ 28.6 billion in targeted relief,” did he tweet after the bill passed. “This funding will ensure that small businesses can survive the pandemic by adjusting their operations and keeping their employees on the payroll.”
Asked by CNN’s Manu Raju why he did not support the full measure, Wicker said he did not have to accept the full measure and was critical of the interrogation.
“Just because there’s a good provision in a $ 1.9 billion account does not mean I have to vote for it … I think that’s a stupid question. I’m not going to vote for $ 1.9 billion not just because it has some good provisions in it. ‘
Republicans of Congress have now found themselves in a corner over the issue.
A Pew Research poll released shortly before the bill was signed showed that 70% of U.S. adults support the legislation, with only 28% of respondents opposing the measure.
Even 41% of Republican or Republican leaders, a significant minority, supported the COVID-19 bill.
National IDP leaders have promised to use the bill as a campaign attack against Democrats in the midterm elections in 2022, but nearly three dozen Republican mayors across the country, from David Holt of Oklahoma City to John Giles of Mesa, supported the legislation .