MPR Debate: Jason Lewis Would Have Voted for an Inadequate COVID Relief Package, While Senator Tina Smith Fought for Hardworking Families

ST. PAUL [10/2/20]–U.S. Senator Tina Smith fought for a stronger COVID-19 relief package because she knows we need to take care of Minnesotans during these unprecedented times. She advocated and voted for the CARES Act, which provided direct economic relief to businesses and individuals. She also spent her August recess traveling across Minnesota to better understand how individuals and businesses are weathering the pandemic.

Attempts by GOP Senate candidate Jason Lewis claiming otherwise ring hollow. The truth is that Republicans proposed an insufficient bill that would have virtually left out aid for schools and offered significantly less enhanced unemployment assistance for Minnesotans who lost their jobs during the pandemic. During his one term in Congress, Lewis voted for a bill that would have repealed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and gutted protections for Minnesotans with pre-existing conditions. He has also embraced Trump’s call to appeal the ACA during the coronavirus outbreak. Lewis cannot be trusted to make decisions regarding Minnesotans’ health care, let alone during a global pandemic.

JASON LEWIS WOULD HAVE BAILED OUT BIG CORPORATIONS INSTEAD OF HARDWORKING FAMILIES DURING COVID-19 NEGOTIATIONS

Smith Voted Against Two Of McConnell’s Motions To Proceed With The CARES Act Before Negotiations On The Bill Had Been Finalized. On March 22, 2020, Smith voted against the motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to the expected legislative vehicle for the third coronavirus stimulus and supplemental appropriations package. The motion, which required a 3/5 majority, failed 47-47. On March 23, 2020, Smith voted against the motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to the expected legislative vehicle for the third coronavirus stimulus and supplemental appropriations package. The motion, which required a 3/5 majority, failed 49-46. [CQ, 3/22/20; H.R. 748, Roll Call 77, 3/22/20; CQ, 3/22/20; H.R. 748, Roll Call 78, 3/22/20]

NBC News: “Democrats And Republicans In Congress Remained Deadlocked Monday Morning Over The Package With Democrats Arguing The Current Version Doesn’t Protect Workers Enough And Is Too Lax On Corporate Bailout Rules.” “Democrats and Republicans had negotiated ‘furiously,’ McConnell said, to make progress on the bill, but the legislation now includes a number of changes requested by Democrats. ‘Tax credits for solar energy and wind energy. Provisions to force employers to give special new treatment to Big Labor. And listen to this — new emissions standards for the airlines. Are you kidding me?’ McConnell said. Senate Minority Leader Schumer, D-N.Y., offered a more optimistic impression on the status of the talks, saying, ‘We’re very close to reaching a deal — very close. And our goal is to reach a deal today.’ The New York Democrat dismissed McConnell’s criticisms, and said asking for protections for workers and labor ‘are not extraneous issues,’ but instead ‘a wish list for workers, nobody else.’ Democrats and Republicans in Congress remained deadlocked Monday morning over the package with Democrats arguing the current version doesn’t protect workers enough and is too lax on corporate bailout rules. Ahead of Monday’s vote, members from both parties traded barbs over what needed to be done.” [NBC News, 3/23/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated More Robust Unemployment Aid That Would Pay Idled Workers Their Full Salaries For Up To Four Months. “Along with the industrial aid, the bill would send direct payments of up to $3,000 apiece to millions of U.S. families at a cost of $500 billion. It also would provide $350 billion for small-business loans, $250 billion for expanded unemployment aid and at least $75 billion for hospitals. Schumer said Democrats had secured more robust unemployment aid that would pay idled workers their full salaries for up to four months. Jobless benefits typically only cover a portion of lost wages.” [Mercury News, 3/24/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated A $55 Billion Increase In Health Care Spending. “Here are the items Schumer’s team says they’ve secured in the last few days: an extra month of unemployment insurance; $55 billion more for hospitals; $150 billion for states, localities and tribes; $10 billion in SBA grants of up to $10,000 for small business costs; $17 billion for SBA to cover six months of payments for businesses with current SBA loans.” [POLITICO, 3/25/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated $150 Billion In Additional Funding For State, Tribal, And Local Coronavirus Relief Funds. “Here are the items Schumer’s team says they’ve secured in the last few days: an extra month of unemployment insurance; $55 billion more for hospitals; $150 billion for states, localities and tribes; $10 billion in SBA grants of up to $10,000 for small business costs; $17 billion for SBA to cover six months of payments for businesses with current SBA loans.” [POLITICO, 3/25/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated For $10 Billion For SBA Emergency Grants Of Up To $10,000 To Provide Immediate Relief For Small Business Operating Costs. “Here are the items Schumer’s team says they’ve secured in the last few days: an extra month of unemployment insurance; $55 billion more for hospitals; $150 billion for states, localities and tribes; $10 billion in SBA grants of up to $10,000 for small business costs; $17 billion for SBA to cover six months of payments for businesses with current SBA loans.” [POLITICO, 3/25/20]

Democrats Negotiated To Include A Prohibition On Businesses Controlled By The President, Vice President, Members Of Congress, And Heads Of Executive Departments From Receiving Loans Or Investments From Treasury Programs. “Washington — Included in the $2 trillion stimulus package aimed at delivering relief to families, small businesses and industries reeling from the coronavirus pandemic is a provision that blocks businesses controlled by President Trump and his family from receiving federal relief. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office said Wednesday morning that the New York Democrat secured the provision in the bipartisan deal, prohibiting companies like the Trump Organization from receiving loans or investments from Treasury Department programs. Businesses controlled by Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress and Cabinet chiefs are also barred from benefiting from federal funds, according to Schumer’s office. The prohibition extends to children, spouses and in-laws of the government officials.” [CBS, 3/25/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated Limits On Stock Buybacks For Companies Taking Stimulus Funds. “Congressional leaders have agreed to impose limits on stock buybacks and dividend payments for airlines and other companies receiving aid under the coronavirus-stimulus package, according to the text of pending legislation circulating on Capitol Hill. The curbs on the ability of certain firms to reward shareholders come after President Trump and congressional Democrats demanded such strings be attached to any funds in the package.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/25/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated To Include Robust Worker Protections. “The biggest economic stimulus in American history is hurtling toward passage, but Washington’s colossal intervention to save the economy still chooses winners and losers among businesses and American workers. The measure includes expanded worker protections Democrats demanded along with the $500 billion rescue fund Republicans pushed for to help beleaguered U.S. industries. Many Americans will get checks of $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for married couples.” [POLITICO, 3/26/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated To Create A Treasury Department Special Inspector General For Pandemic Recovery To Provide Oversight Of Treasury Loans And A Pandemic Response Accountability Committee To Protect Taxpayer Dollars. “Earlier this week, Democrats delayed negotiations because they wanted to include more conditions on the loan fund for corporations, more money for hospitals and more generous unemployment benefits. Democrats secured concessions on all three in the final deal. The plan also includes several Democratic oversight initiatives. Among those, it creates a Treasury Department special inspector general for pandemic recovery and a Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to oversee loans to businesses.” [NPR, 3/25/20]

• Trump Said He Intends To Ignore Some Of The Bill’s Oversight Provisions. “President Donald Trump intends to ignore provisions in the newly passed $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill intended to shore up Congress’ oversight of the massive rescue program. The legislation establishes a ‘special inspector general’ to review and investigate loan decisions made by the treasury secretary as part of the coronavirus relief effort, an accountability measure that was a central part of Democrats’ demands to shore up transparency in the bill. The provision requires the inspector general to notify Congress if he or she is ‘unreasonably refused or not provided’ any information. But in a signing statement issued shortly after he approved the bill, Trump says he’ll be the last word on whether this provision is followed. ‘I do not understand, and my Administration will not treat, this provision as permitting the [inspector general] to issue reports to the Congress without the presidential supervision required’ by Article II of the Constitution, Trump said in the signing statement. Trump also indicated he would treat as optional a requirement in the bill that key congressional committees be consulted before Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of State or U.S. Agency for International Development spends or reallocates certain funds.” [Politico, 3/27/20]

Senate Democrats Eliminated The $3 Billion Bailout For Big Oil. “Senate Democrats say they were able to eliminate a ‘bailout for Big Oil’ to help secure a bipartisan agreement on a $2 trillion coronavirus economic relief package Wednesday. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer released a summary of the agreement that says it no longer contains $3 billion to fulfill President Trump’s order to buy low-priced oil to restock the nation’s emergency Strategic Petroleum Reserve.” [Washington Examiner, 3/25/20]

Senate Democrats Negotiated To Eliminate The “Secret Bailout” Provision That Would Have Allowed Bailouts To Corporations To Be Concealed For 6 Months. “At the insistence of Democrats, the Senate Republicans abandoned their plan to grant Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin extraordinary discretion over the $500-billion corporate bailout. The proposal would have allowed the Treasury to keep secret for six months the identities of the recipients or their terms, and failed to provide for any public oversight. The final bill eliminates the secrecy and creates an oversight process comprising a special inspector general empowered to audit the disbursement of pandemic bailout funds and charged with reporting quarterly, as well as a five-member congressional oversight board.” [LA Times, Michael Hiltzik, 3/25/20]