Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins let loose on her Democratic colleagues Monday, criticizing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer directly over the failed coronavirus deal.
Collins took the floor to express her disappointment over Senate Democrats blocking the bill — which they claim includes too many “corporate” protections rather than protections for workers — as well as her anger at Schumer for attempting to prevent her from speaking. (RELATED: Schiff Implies Republicans Mad About ‘Head On A Pike’ Comments Lack ‘Moral Courage’)
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After being blocked by Schumer once, Collins finally took the floor to speak her piece.
“We are in the midst of a crisis in our country, a crisis caused by the coronavirus. I cannot believe that the answer to this crisis as we move to address the economic consequences that are so severe for the people of this country that the answer from our friends on the other side of the aisle is delay, delay, delay. No sense of urgency. No hurry,” Collins began, shaking her head.
Collins went on to say that in her years of service, she had seen Republicans and Democrats put differences aside and come together in times of crisis or extreme need.
“Never, never have I seen Republicans and Democrats fail to come together when confronted with a crisis,” Collins explained. “We did so after 9/11. We did so with the financial meltdown in 2008. Here we are facing an enemy that is invisible but equally devastating to the health of our people and to the health of our economy.”
Collins turned the blame for that failure directly on Schumer then, adding, “And yet unbelievably the Democratic leader objected to my even being able to speak this morning. Is that what we’ve come to? The Democratic leader objected to our convening at 9:00 this morning so that we could begin working in earnest. Is that what we’ve come to?”
Collins went on to tout the fact that the bill had been a bipartisan effort, admitting that it was not perfect but that it was a much-needed step in the right direction.
“We’ve been working on a bipartisan basis task force with both Republicans and Democrats making very good progress and putting together a comprehensive package, the third package that we have dealt with,” Collins said. “This one is to address and prevent the economic devastation that is being caused by this virus. We don’t have another day. We don’t have another hour. We don’t have another minute to delay acting.”