Grassley on Coronavirus Relief Deal: ‘Little Chance of Getting Something Done’

Wednesday on Fox Business Network’s “Coast to Coast,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, indicated the prospects of a deal on a coronavirus deal were bleak.

When asked by host Neil Cavuto about the possibility, Grassley laid the blame on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for her unwillingness to compromise.

“[H]ere is how radical the people are controlling the House of Representatives: We have a bipartisan group of 50 people that are really begging to pass something — quote, unquote — ‘something,’ at $1.5 trillion,” he said. “She turns that down. She knows that that figure could be signed by the president of the United States. So, do they want to do something or not? I think that they think it is to their political advantage not to do anything. If it is to their political advantage, then it is to the people’s disadvantage. And it is putting politics above the benefit for the American people.”

“So, I think that, right now, there is little chance of getting something done. You can imagine that the president came out with his executive order, $300 federal add-on to unemployment compensation — that runs out on September 8. Last Thursday, the Democrats had a chance to do $300 for the rest of the year, and they turned that down. They didn’t turn it down. They wouldn’t even let us get the bill up to — to vote on. They could have amended it if they didn’t like it. They don’t even want to discuss it.”

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor