WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Congress created a new bipartisan committee focused on the pandemic to make sure money they provide to fight it doesn’t go to waste.
But only one party seems to be moving forward with it, while the other questions why it even exists.
House Democrats are moving forward with their newly formed select committee on the coronavirus.
“To make sure we have a bright light shining on the implementation of two trillion tax-payer dollars,” explains House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Pelosi named seven House Democrats to the select committee. South Carolina’s Jim Clyburn is its chairman.
“I know all of them, have worked with all of them…and I think they’ll do the country proud,” Clyburn said.
House Republicans voted unanimously against the creation of this new committee last week.
Many see it as another avenue for Democrats to attack the White House’s coronavirus response.
“I don’t know why she needs this committee,” said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
McCarthy has yet to assign members to the committee which is supposed to be bipartisan.
“We already have an oversight committee. In the CARES Act, we produce three new entities for accountability,” he said.
Alabama Republican Bradley Byrne says he thinks the committee will be nothing more than a Democratic after-action attack on President Trump.
“This is obviously another partisan witch hunt on their part,” Bryne said.
But Pelosi says the committee’s work will be forward-looking and will be the only committee exclusively focused on coronavirus.
“A select committee does just that. That is the focus, that is where the public will pay attention,” she said.
Pelosi says she’s expecting Republicans to appoint their members soon.
