Kevin McCarthy: Democrats to ‘Restructure’ Government with Coronavirus Committee

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said during a press conference on Thursday he remains troubled that Democrats will move to “restructure” government with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) new coronavirus oversight committee.

Speaker Pelosi announced on Thursday the formation of a select bipartisan House committee to oversee the Trump administration’s distribution of $2 trillion in coronavirus relief funds. The committee will also have jurisdiction over a potential phase four coronavirus package.

Democrat Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), the third highest-ranking Democrat, will lead the panel.

McCarthy sounded the alarm over Pelosi’s tapping of Clyburn because Clyburn said in February that they could use the coronavirus response package to push their own leftist provisions.

Regarding a Democrat phase three bill, Clyburn said in February, “This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.”

McCarthy said tapping Clyburn was “concerning because Congressman Clyburn was the one who thought this crisis was an opportune time to restructure government. That’s not what we should do.”

“We should be taking care of the health of the public, keep our economy strong,” he added.

The Republican leader also criticized Pelosi for stalling the passage of the third phase coronavirus bill, otherwise known as the CARES Act.

McCarthy stated, “Democrats held up that bill, unfortunately. I know a number of people that have been laid off simply because it was held up too late based on how fast we could move.”

McCarthy also said that the House needs to focus on implementing the CARES Act so that businesses and Americans get relief.

On Wednesday, Pelosi expressed hopes to push for a phase four coronavirus bill because they were not able to stuff more Democrat provisions into the CARES Act.

Republican leadership on the phase three bill prevented Democrats from adding several leftist provisions into it, including Planned Parenthood funding, a postal service bailout, federal mandates for early and mail voting, as well as expansion of wind and solar tax credits.

“I hear the speaker is looking to put in a lot of Green New Deal that she could not get into the past bills. None of that has to do with the coronavirus,” McCarthy said.

House Ways and Means Committee ranking member Kevin Brady (R-TX) asked rhetorically, “What the heck does early voting, windmills, and giving tax breaks to millionaires by lifting the SALT tax have anything to do with this coronavirus?”