Problem Solvers Caucus Chair: ‘Critical’ to Pass COVID-19 Stimulus in Lame-Duck Session

Monday on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” Problem Solvers Caucus co-Chairs Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) stressed the importance of passing COVID-19 stimulus in the lame-duck session.

With coronavirus cases rising in many places across the country, Gottheimer said it is “critical” to pass COVID relief ahead of the holidays since families are “struggling” and “so many people are hungry.”

“I’m hoping, and I know Tom and I as co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus feel deeply that it’s critical, that we get this done in the next weeks before, obviously, the holidays,” Gottheimer stated. “It’s a very tough time right now, as you point out, look at the map with cases skyrocketing everywhere. We had the highest caseload here in New Jersey — 4,600 since the pandemic began. So, everyone has to take action here, and that means House Democrats and Republicans and senators are going to have to sit down and leadership at the table and get this done. And I couldn’t say this stronger, that we’ve been working on this for months, that now is the time to get stimulus, now is the time to help folks … who are struggling and help the food insecure. As you know, so many people are hungry right now. Now is the time to get this done.”

Reed then called on leadership to quit playing politics with the presidential election and now the Georgia Senate runoff to focus on getting a deal done for the American people.

“The president will sign this if these guys get out of the way and leadership stops paying politics,” Reed said. “It was presidential politics before; now it’s a race in Georgia that is distracting everybody or making them put politics over people. It’s time to put people first, and get this deal done.”

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent