Prior to passing their massive $1.9 trillion stimulus package early Saturday, House Democrats moved to swiftly veto Republican Rep. Paul Gosar’s (R-AZ) amendment to increase the stimulus check amount from $1400 to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples.
The proposed amendment was meant to highlight wasteful spending on items completely unrelated to coronavirus-related relief and proposed eliminating 10 sections from the legislation that used taxpayer money to fund items unrelated to COVID relief.
Proposed Cuts Include:
- Farm loan assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers
- National Endowment for the Arts
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- Institute of Museum and Library Services
- So-called “Vaccine confidence activities”
- “Global health” initiatives
- Family planning
- Capital investment grants
- National Railroad Passenger Corporation grants
- Special financial assistance program for financially troubled multi-employer plans
Rep. Gosar took to twitter to defend the proposed amendment:
Only 9% of Pelosi’s $1.9 trillion “plan” is related to COVID-19.
I offered an amendment providing $10k stimulus to Americans most affected by COVID-19 & lockdowns.
Democrats chose foreign aid, Big Tech transit, and Pelosi’s political priorities over direct relief for Americans. pic.twitter.com/RzXos92QW7
— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) February 27, 2021
He explained, “only 9% of Pelosi’s $1.9 trillion ‘plan’ is related to COVID-19.” He continued, “I offered an amendment to prioritize $10,000 stimulus checks to Americans most affected by COVID-19 and lockdowns.”
“Instead, Democrats chose foreign aid, Big Tech transit, and Pelosi’s political priorities over direct relief to American citizens,” he added.
He later declared, “Governement (sic) ordered the shutdown and broke the back of the economy. Break it, buy it!”
The amendment was rejected by House Democrats, who ultimately passed their own stimulus bill, with two Democrats crossing party lines to vote against it: Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR).
“This bill addresses urgent needs, and then buries them under a mountain of unnecessary or untimely spending,” Golden said. “In reviewing the bill in its full scope, less than 20 percent of the total spending addresses core COVID challenges that are immediately pressing: funding for vaccine distribution and testing, and emergency federal unemployment programs.”
The bill is expected to be taken up in the Senate chamber as early as this Friday.