McConnell Sounds Off Over Pelosi’s $3 Trillion Coronavirus Package

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Democrats’ $3 trillion coronavirus package Thursday, criticizing many of the aspects of the bill and dubbing it a “1,800-page seasonal catalog of left-wing oddities.”

In his floor speech, McConnel explained why he was against the bill and why Senate Republicans would not vote for the piece of legislation put together by Democrats with no input from Republicans or the White House. McConnell said House Democrats “intend to shatter congressional history and jam through remote voting so they can continue to be counterproductive from the comfort of their homes.”

The Majority Leader went on to criticize many parts of the legislation, saying “It includes a massive tax code giveaway for high earners in blue states … It would print another round of checks specifically for illegal immigrants.” McConnell also mentioned “the word ‘cannabis’ appears in this bill 68 times. More times than the word ‘job’ and four times as many as the word ‘hire.'”

Pelosi’s “HEROES Act” gives $100,000 on average to people who make more than $1 million a year. The House Democrats’ 1,815-page package repeals the $10,000 state and local tax deduction (SALT) cap, which allows taxpayers in high-tax states to deduct local tax payments on federal tax returns. (RELATED: Speaker Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill Includes Billions For Eligible Illegal Aliens)

A full repeal of SALT would give tax refunds to an estimated 13 million American households — most of which earn at least $100,000 a year, according to the New York Times. It is estimated that a repeal of SALT would reduce federal revenues by around $77 billion a year, with those making over $1 million a year receiving about $40 billion. (RELATED: Pelosi Includes Massive Tax Break For The Rich In New $3 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package)

This comes as Democratic leadership canceled the House of Representatives’ plans to return to Washington, D.C. on April 28, just one day after Democrats made the announcement. According to Democratic Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Capitol physician advised them not to return amid a rise in coronavirus cases in the Washington area.

“We made a judgment that we will not come back next week but that we hope to come back very soon,” Hoyer said. (RELATED: House Cancels Plan To Return Next Week One Day After Making Announcement)

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticized Democrats Monday for refusing to return to the Capitol in order to pass coronavirus legislation as businesses and workers across the U.S continue to be affected by the virus.