Politics

Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill Pushes Provisions Unrelated To The Crisis

(Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Monday introduced a massive coronavirus bill with a number of provisions completely unrelated to the crisis.

Pelosi’s coronavirus bill is 1,119 pages and contains provisions including, “conducting risk-limiting audits of results of elections,” bailing out the postal service, requiring early voting, same-day voter registration, requiring the airlines to fully offset their carbon emissions, gives you chance to look up greenhouse gas emissions from the flights you want to take, and much more that have nothing to do with helping solve the crisis at hand.

“The country is burning and House Democrats would rather delay passage of direct relief to working families and small business so they can manipulate the way we conduct elections, bail out the postal service, impose greenhouse gas mandates on the airlines, and ensure diversity on corporate boards,” Rachel Bovard, Senior Director of Policy at the Conservative Partnership Institute told the Daily Caller.

The bill also reportedly gives unprecedented collective bargaining powers for unions, increases fuel emissions standards for airlines and expands wind and solar tax credits.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announces impeachment managers for the articles of impeachment against US President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill January 15, 2020, in Washington, DC.  (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

“The bill does take a strong step in prohibiting stock buybacks and limiting executive compensation and dividends from corporations who get taxpayer-funded loans. If she started and stopped there, that would be a helpful proposal. As it stands, it’s lost in the rest of the completely partisan Democrat agenda that is House Democrats response,” Bovard continued.

Pelosi said Sunday that she will halt negotiations with the Senate and move to pass her own coronavirus package in the House, which could drag things out longer than many expected. Pelosi’s legislation will be a $1.6 trillion emergency package, according to Politico. (RELATED: Speaker Pelosi Moves Forward With Her Own Coronavirus Package, Despite Current Senate Negotiations)

“The American people are counting on their leaders to deliver results now, but Pelosi and Senate Democrats cost our country at least a day. Small businesses, families, and hospitals are still waiting for aid because Democrats want to ‘restructure things to fit their vision,'” a GOP aide told the Daily Caller, referring to House Majority Whip James Clyburn’s comments to caucus members last week that the bill was “a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.”

The Speaker’s $1.6 trillion emergency package comes as Senate and House leaders could not lock down a deal Sunday for an expected vote. “From my standpoint, we’re apart,” Pelosi told reporters as she went into McConnell’s office Sunday morning to discuss the legislation. (RELATED: McConnell Restructures Campaign Into Meals Effort For Kentuckians Affected By Coronavirus)

Meanwhile, The Senate again failed to pass a procedural cloture vote Monday on a phase-three coronavirus stimulus bill as there has been continued internal dispute between both parties.

The vote was 49-46. Republicans needed 60 yes votes to pass the vote. On Sunday night the Senate tried to pass a cloture vote but failed 47-47 as no Democrats would jump on board. (RELATED: Senate Again Fails To Pass Cloture Vote On Coronavirus Stimulus Bill)

Pelosi’s office did not respond to the Daily Caller when asked about the list of provisions unrelated to the coronavirus.