House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is criticizing Republican lawmakers’ presumed opposition toward the $600 federally enhanced unemployment payments, saying they have a lack of regard for American workers.
During an appearance on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” Wednesday evening, Pelosi was asked about the federally enhanced unemployment benefits set to officially expire on Friday. The top-ranking Democrat verbalized her frustration over the ongoing clash with her Republican colleagues.
“While they have a disdain or sort of a condescension toward working people it seems because they don’t trust how they might use the $600,” Pelosi said. “That kind of thing. ‘Oh, they have money to pay the rent. They are just not paying the rent.’”
Pelosi noted the importance of empathy when making decisions that impact the lives of the American people as she outlined what is needed to better combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The California Democrat added, “We cannot operate if we’re not even stipulating to a basic set of facts: the people are hurting, the unemployment is high and that we have a way to address this in terms of honoring heroes, testing, tracing, treatment as well as money in the pockets of the American people, being respectful of them and understanding their needs.”
See Pelosi’s remarks below:
"This is as big as it gets," says Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as negotiations over the next stimulus bill stall. "A plague that has an impact on our economy and is about the lives of the American people, the livelihood of the American people and the life of our democracy." pic.twitter.com/dzHY1ZsG1r
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) July 30, 2020
Pelosi’s latest remarks follow Republican lawmakers’ proposal to reduce the enhanced federal unemployment benefits to $200 per week. That decision comes months after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) opted to “pause” discussions about the next bill, as previously reported on IJR.
Now, Republican lawmakers are being criticized for waiting until the last minute to develop a proposed bill. Last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) slammed his Republican colleagues.
“It’s in the middle of the week, and the Republican Party is so disorganized, chaotic and unprepared that they can barely cobble together a partisan bill in their own conference,” Schumer said.
He also urged Congress, Senate Republicans, and the White House to take action as soon as possible.
Schumer later added, “Congress needs to act quickly. Senate Republicans and the White House need to get on the same page, produce a proposal, not just drop it on the floor, but start negotiations.”
