Senate Democrats stalled President Donald Trump’s request for $250 billion to supplement a “paycheck protection” program for businesses hurt by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The move comes despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Thursday morning plea on the Senate floor, "To my Democratic colleagues, please, please do not block emergency aid you do not even oppose, just because you want something more,” McConnell said.
On Wednesday Democrats added requests, including billions in aid to hospitals, health systems, state and local governments and food assistance programs.
Republicans noted that funding those measures were already passed in the CARES Act.
“The Democratic leadership has suggested they may hold Americans paychecks hostage unless we pass another sweeping bill that spends a half a trillion dollars doubling down on a number of parts of the CARES Act, including parts that have not even started to work yet,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
Sen. Ben Cardin D-Md., objected to the McConnell’s request for an unanimous consent, stalling the legislation. Cardin called McConnell’s effort to pass the funding a “political stunt.”
In a press release Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) said, “Washington liberals must stop playing this reckless game with the livelihoods of millions of families who are struggling. Democrat ‘alternatives’ like same-day voter registration and the Green New Deal over the past weeks have continually put special interests over direct relief to American workers who need help now.”