Democratic South Carolina Rep. Joe Cunningham came out Friday against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, calling the legislation “Washington politics at its worst.”
Cunningham accused the House of “spending precious time” on “a partisan wish list” that has little chance of actually becoming law. (RELATED: ‘Hell Yes’: Over 200 Democrats Stand By ‘No BAN Act’ Amid Coronavirus Pandemic)
“This is Washington politics at its worst. While South Carolina families, small business owners, and workers are struggling, now is not the time to advance a partisan wish list or refuse to come to the negotiating table,” Cunningham said in a statement. “At a time when our country is in real trouble, we should not be spending precious time on one-sided solutions that aren’t going anywhere.”
The congressman also questioned the wisdom of spending trillions of more dollars given the nation’s $25 trillion debt. (RELATED: Dem Congressman Joe Cunningham’s Wife Outraged Obamacare Wont Cover Couple’s Marriage Counseling)
U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-SC) poses for a picture before his interview for Reuters on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 26, 2019. Picture taken February 26, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
“Congress has an obligation to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. American small businesses, families, and our state and local governments urgently need more aid, but it must be targeted — especially when we are discussing spending trillions of dollars,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham, who tested positive for coronavirus in March, is one of several House Democrats planning to buck his party ahead of Friday’s scheduled vote. Democratic Reps. Kendra Horn of Oklahoma and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia all plan to vote against the legislation, according to CNN reporter Manu Raju.
Several Dems are voting no – including Kendra Horn, Abigail Spanberger and Joe Cunningham – all said they’d vote against it. Others like Elissa Slotkin are undecided. And others like Haley Stevens have not responded to multiple requests for comment on where she stands
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 15, 2020
The legislation is still expected to pass the House, but is unlikely to pass the Senate, as many Republicans have come out strongly against the bill’s provisions. The legislation was not negotiated with either Republican Senate leadership or the Trump White House, and contains nearly $900 billion in bail out money for state and local governments, as well as billions of dollars for illegal immigrants.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has criticized the bill as a “liberal wishlist that has no chance of becoming law.”