07.22.2020

After Months Of Unnecessary, Reckless Delay By Leader McConnell Amid The Greatest Public Health Crisis In A Century, Republican Disarray Continues To Painfully Stall Our Coronavirus Response

AFTER THREE MONTHS OF UNNECESSARY AND RECKLESS DELAY BY MAJORITY LEADER MCCONNELL AMID THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, REPUBLICANS ARE HOPELESSLY DIVIDED ON NEXT STEPS.

April 22: McConnell: Take a Pause Here.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “What I'm saying is we're going to take a pause here.” [Fox News, 4/22/20]

May 5: McConnell: Take a Pause Here.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “I know many people are asking for additional legislation. I think I can speak for our conference by saying we’re not ruling that out but we think we’re going to take a pause here.” [Press Conference, 5/5/20]

May 11: McConnell: “We Have Not Yet Felt The Urgency Of Acting Immediately.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “We have not yet felt the urgency of acting immediately. That time could develop, but I don’t think it has yet.’” [Politico, 5/11/20]

May 14: McConnell: “We Will Let You Know When We Think The Time Is Right To Begin To Move Again.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “The president and Senate Republicans are going to be in the same place. We will let you know when we think the time is right to begin to move again.” [Fox News, 5/14/20]

May 19: McConnell: “We Will Discuss The Way Forward In The Next Couple Of Weeks.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “And we have had some sort of preliminary discussions about what comes next but I think the president indicated, the Secretary of the Treasury has indicated, and I have indicated that we still believe with regard to the coronavirus we need to assess what we have already done, take a look at what worked and what didn't, and we will discuss the way forward in the next couple of weeks.” [Press Conference, 5/19/20]

May 21: McConnell: “We’re Not Quite Ready”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “But we need to be able to measure the impact of what we have already done, what we did right, what we did wrong, correct that. And we're not quite ready to intelligently lay down the next step, but it's not too far off.” [Fox News, 5/21/20]

May 27: McConnell: “Let’s Wait a Few Weeks Here”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “So clearly, I felt it was time to hit the pause button, to analyze what we had already done, figure out what mistakes we had made, and think through the impact of getting the economy, of getting it to reopen before we do something again.” … “So what I’m recommending to the administration and to my colleagues in the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, let’s wait a few weeks here, let’s see what kind of impact opening the economy’s having to begin to restore our country before we start throwing additional money onto the national debt.” [McConnell Press Conference Via Facebook Live, 5/27/20]

June 19: McConnell: “If There Is Something That's Going To Happen It Will Emerge In The Senate, It Will Be Written Beginning In My Office, And It Will Be Done In July.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “So after we passed the CARES Act, some of you may recall, I said we need to push the pause button here.” … “So, if there is something that's going to happen it will emerge in the Senate, it will be written beginning in my office, and it will be done in July.” [Facebook Live, 6/19/20]

June 30: McConnell: “We’ll Make A Final Decision…In July”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “So, that's a prediction I can make about a bill that we'll make a final decision on in July when we get back. I think--I think it is exactly the right time, exactly the right time, to address this issue.” [Press Conference, 6/30/20]

July 13: McConnell: “Sometime Within The Next Three Weeks”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “I think you can anticipate this coming to a head sometime within the next three weeks, beginning next week.” [Press Conference Via WYMT, 7/13/20]

AFTER PASSING A $2 TRILLION TAX GIVEAWAY THAT OVERWHELMINGLY BENEFITTED WEALTHY, REPUBLICANS DECIDE UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS, SCHOOLS AND FIRST RESPONDERS DO NOT DESERVE MORE SUPPORT DURING WORST HEALTH CRISIS IN A CENTURY.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): “Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said several senators ‘were expressing serious concerns that we are spending too damn much money.’ During the GOP lunch, Cruz criticized the proposed $1 trillion price tag and said Republicans should focus instead on restarting the economy, according to a source familiar with the discussion. ‘What I said to my colleagues is what the hell are we doing,’ the Texas Republican said. ‘We can't keep shoveling cash at this problem.’” [Politico, 7/21/20]

Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY): “More legislation may be needed to combat the virus and help the economy, but we cannot use the crisis to justify opening the spending floodgates and borrowing from future generations to fund nonemergency priorities.” [Floor Remarks, 7/21/20]

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): “I’m alarmed that we’re talking about spending another trillion dollars we don’t have.” [Politico, 7/21/20]

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