Representative Michael Waltz (R-FL) on Monday ripped House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for playing “politics” with the coronavirus relief package and delaying aid to the American people.
With a deal reached for the new $900 billion bill expected to be voted on by Congress Monday, Waltz said the bill is a “win for the people.” However, he said it is coming “way, way, way too late.”
“This has just been swamp politics, D.C. politics at its worst,” Waltz told FNC’s “Fox & Friends.” You know, Speaker Pelosi and Schumer are right to some degree. We have rejected a lot of what they wanted in their multitrillion-dollar Heroes Act they passed back in June that was full of the progressive wish lists. Everything from undocumented aliens to this whole progressive piece on corporate boards, how we vote, all kinds of things they tried to throw in there. But, meanwhile, Brian, as you and I have talked about, there was $138 billion from the CARES Act leftover and unspent for the Paycheck Protection Program. We tried 19 times to say fine, we can argue about all of those other things, but please let businesses have access to these moneys. And Pelosi refused because she took a, you know, her way or the highway, all or nothing approach.”
He continued, “Now, we have gone from over $3 trillion down to 2, now down to $900 billion that it looks like we’re going to get an agreement on. We have an agreement on. And here’s what I want people to understand: $500 billion of that 9 is leftover moneys we were able to re-purpose. So, you know, there is some fiscal responsibility in this package, and it is now targeted on programs that are going to help people get through this pandemic. And I think at the end of the day, this is a win for people who have been suffering. But it is way, way, way too late.”
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