WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Friday’s debate was largely along party lines as Democrats defended the size and scope of the Heroes Act bill.
“All sorts of experts have told us we need to go big. I think $3 trillion is big and hopefully it’ll end up doing the trick,” Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin said.
The bill would provide another round of $1,200 payments to most Americans, hazard pay for frontline workers, funding for local and state governments and more.
“The American people need this type of relief,” McEachin said.
While most Democrats backed the bill, Virginia Democrat Abigail Spanberger said she was voting no.
“It certainly will never be signed into law and I think we should be spending our vital and important time right now working on legislation that delivers the relief that my community needs in a bill that will be passed and signed into law,” Spanberger said.
Republicans, like Pennsylvania Reps. Fred Keller and Scott Perry, argued the bill is too big and includes what they call non-coronavirus-related provisions.
“When they’re talking about environmental justice and when they mention cannabis more times than the economy, there’s just a couple things that are going on,” Keller said.
“Most of this doesn’t do anything unless you’re in the cannabis industry, you’re here as an illegal foreign national in a sanctuary city or something along that line. This doesn’t help the people we are really trying to help,” Perry said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the Senate will not even vote on the house bill. He says the Senate may take up its own relief package in a few weeks and only with the president’s approval.