House Dems push through $3 trillion COVID-19 relief measure
WASHINGTON — Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion COVID-19 relief bill through the House on Friday, an electionyear measure designed to brace a U.S. economy in free fall and a health care system struggling to contain a pandemic still pummeling the country.
The 208-199 vote, over strong Republican opposition, advances what boils down to a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health care priorities. It has no chance of becoming law as written and will likely spark difficult negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans. Any product would probably be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s presidential and congressional elections.
Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, was one of 14 Democrats
who voted against the bill.
“People in western Pennsylvania and all over the country have sacrificed a lot during this crisis,” Mr. Lamb said in a statement. “They expect us to put politics aside, work together, and focus on defeating the coronavirus. This bill is not focused, it was rushed to a vote too fast, and it doesn’t help us accomplish that core mission.”
The enormous Democratic measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals, and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling Postal Service.
“Not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it’s only going to cost more,” warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DCalif. “More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy.”
Republicans mocked the bill as a bloated Democratic wish list that was dead on arrival in the GOP-led
Senate and, for good measure, faced a White House veto threat. Party leaders say they want to assess how $3 trillion approved earlier is working and see if some states’ partial business reopenings would spark an economic revival that would ease the need for more safety net programs.
Republicans are also sorting through internal divisions and awaiting stronger signals from President Donald Trump about what he will support.
“Phase Four is going to happen,” Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, using Washington insider -speak for the measure. “But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”
Mr. Trump and top Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are insisting the next measure should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet on board.
Earlier Friday, the House moved to allow lawmakers to vote by proxy, without physical presence, at the Capitol. The significant, yet temporary, change to operations was not enacted during any other national crisis in history.
The House voted 217-189 on Friday to approve a package of historic changes to the chamber rules to allow Congress to continue much of its business through the pandemic.
“Convening Congress must not turn into a superspreader event,” said House Rules Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass.
Lawmakers will be able to join millions of Americans in working from home if they are unable to travel to Capitol Hill to participate in House business.