Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is urging his Republican colleagues to work with Democrats on a COVID-19 relief package instead of focusing on “cancel culture.”
The House is preparing to vote on a revised version of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The House passed an initial version of the bill in February, without Republican support, and is now preparing to vote on the version passed by the Senate on Saturday.
In fiery remarks on the House floor on Tuesday, Ryan ripped into Republican lawmakers for opposing the spending bill while suggesting they would be lining up to vote for legislation to cut taxes.
“Mr. Speaker, one of the earlier speakers said this is the most dramatic change in labor law in 80 years, and I say, thank God,” Ryan said, adding, “In the late 1970s, a CEO made 35 times the worker, today, it’s 300 to 400 times the worker, and our friends on the other side running around with their hair on fire.”
He continued, “Heaven forbid we pass something that’s going to help the damn workers in the United States of America! Heaven forbid we tilt the balance that’s been going in the wrong direction for 50 years. We talk about pensions, you complain. We talk about the minimum wage increase, you complain. We talk about giving them the right to organize, you complain.”
Finally, he said, “But if we were passing a tax cut here, you’d be all getting in line to vote yes for it. Now stop talking about Dr. Seuss and start working with us on behalf of the American workers!”
Watch the video below:
Rep. Tim Ryan: "Stop talking about Dr. Seuss and start working with us on behalf of the American workers." pic.twitter.com/UcMqMmafyR
— The Hill (@thehill) March 9, 2021
Republicans have been criticized for discussing the decision to stop publishing six children’s books written by Dr. Seuss due to offensive imagery.
While they were discussing the decision to stop publishing the books and decrying what they call “cancel culture,” Congressional Democrats were working to pass the relief package.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also blasted his Republican colleagues as he said, “House Democrats are the party of crushing the coronavirus and providing relief to everyday Americans. House Republicans are the party of fake outrage as it relates to Dr. Seuss. It’s a strange thing.”
The House is expected to pass the latest version, but it is seen as unlikely that any Republicans will vote in favor of the bill.
