Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez found rare common ground Monday after both lawmakers criticized the near $2.5 trillion spending bill that Congress passed.
“.@AOC is right,” Cruz tweeted. “It’s ABSURD to have a $2.5 trillion spending bill negotiated in secret and then–hours later– demand an up-or-down vote on a bill nobody has had time to read. #CongressIsBroken”
.@AOC is right.
It’s ABSURD to have a $2.5 trillion spending bill negotiated in secret and then—hours later—demand an up-or-down vote on a bill nobody has had time to read. #CongressIsBroken https://t.co/EQp8BfRBHj
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 21, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez had tweeted earlier in the evening that Congress didn’t have enough time to read the legislative text of the massive spending bill.
Congress is expected to vote on the second largest bill in US history *today* – $2.5 trillion – and as of about 1pm, members don’t even have the legislative text of it yet.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
It’s not good enough to hear about what’s in the bill. Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on.
I know it’s “controversial” & I get in trouble for sharing things like this, but the people of this country deserve to know. They deserve better.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez likened the speedy vote on the bill to “hostage-taking.”
This is why Congress needs time to actually read this package before voting on it.
Members of Congress have not read this bill. It’s over 5000 pages, arrived at 2pm today, and we are told to expect a vote on it in 2 hours.
This isn’t governance. It’s hostage-taking. https://t.co/JpBbEHHkVG
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
And by the way, it’s not just members who need to see the bill ahead of time – YOU do.
The PUBLIC needs to see these bills w enough time to contact their rep to let them know how they feel.
Members are reeling right now bc they don’t have time to consult w/ their communities.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
The spending bill includes $900 billion in COVID-19 relief, but lawmakers were only given roughly six hours to read the nearly 6,000-page bill, according to Fox News.
Cruz and Ocasio-Cortez weren’t the only two lawmakers upset with the seemingly rushed process. Republican Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs said “Americans lose” because “no one will be able to read it all in its entirety.”
5,600 pages.
Votes are still expected today on this legislation. No one will be able to read it all in its entirety.
Special interests win. Americans lose. https://t.co/zuyrLjez6o
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) December 21, 2020
Republican South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman also criticized the speedy process. (RELATED: Josh Hawley, Bernie Sanders Team Up, Pressure Congress For Direct Stimulus Checks)
Folks, we just received a 5,600 page PDF that represents one of the largest spending bills in our history, and NOT ONE Member of Congress will have had time to read through it before voting later today.
This is awful governance, and a disservice to the American people.
— Rep. Ralph Norman (@RepRalphNorman) December 21, 2020
The spending bill, which includes a $1.4 trillion government spending bill, passed the Senate by a margin of 92-6, according to NBC News.
Cruz, Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson voted against the package, according to Fox.
The bill includes $600 stimulus checks, $300 weekly unemployment checks for 14 weeks and approximately $280 billion for small businesses. The stimulus package also includes $69 billion for states’ coronavirus vaccination, testing, tracing and prevention efforts.