'Criminal and cruel': AOC says Republicans abandoned 'desperate' Americans over Covid stimulus
Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called Senate Republicans “criminal and cruel” for leaving Capitol Hill without passing a stimulus plan, desperately needed by many Americans.
The progressive representative from New York criticised GOP senators for having “fled” the Senate as soon as they “got their anti-everybody justice confirmed”.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez made the statement on Twitter accompanied by photos of a visit she and her team made to Corona, Queens, earlier this week to distribute pantry boxes to local residents.
“Our team is helping families pick up the pieces from federal neglect. It’s criminal and cruel,” she said.
Corona is a part of Queens that is home to many undocumented workers, many of whom work in services industries most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
After the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the Senate was adjourned by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell until 9 November.
A stimulus package to help relieve the economic impact of the pandemic now languishes, deadlocked, and is highly unlikely to pass before election day on 3 November.
It is hoped that a compromise can be reached and the stimulus, including relief checks for Americans, will come before the end of the year.
The whole country is desperate for a second stimulus, but Republicans fled the Senate the moment they got their anti-everybody justice confirmed.
Meanwhile our team is helping families pick up the pieces from federal neglect.
It’s criminal and cruel. https://t.co/WkI14Vpgtt— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 29, 2020
The federal budget must be passed by 11 December and a spending bill must be agreed by then to avert a government shutdown — it is hoped that this may encourage lawmakers to compromise and act.
Talks have been ongoing since August. Republicans and Democrats report that they have made progress but there are differences that still need to be addressed.
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