Progressives to buck party by voting against $3T coronavirus relief bill

[left-of-center2012]

At least four progressive House Democrats have announced plans to vote against the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package (The Heroes Act ) their party will bring forward for a vote Friday. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said in a statement Friday that she will be voting "no" on the bill because among other things, the legislation does not guarantee “affordable and accessible health care for everyone”.

“At the core, our response from Congress must match the true scale of this devastating crisis. The Heroes Act —while it contains many important provisions — simply fails to do that,” said Jayapal, who co-chairs the Progressive Caucus. Jayapal is also part of the “Unity Task Force” focused on pushing progressive ideas in former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.

The bill includes premium subsidies so that workers can maintain their health insurance coverage if they are eligible for COBRA, a program that allows employees who have been laid off to stay on their old employer's health plan.

Fourteen House Democrats — nine of whom are members of the Progressive Caucus — voted against the procedural rule allowing the HEROES Act to come to the floor for a vote ... Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna (Calif.) and Ilhan Omar (Minn.) also indicated on Twitter that they would vote “no” on the legislation, citing similar concerns as Jayapal.

A spokesperson for New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was the only Democrat to vote "no" on the interim stimulus bill in April, told the Huffington Post that she will be a "no" vote on the HEROES Act as well.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/498034-progressives-to-buck-party-by-voting-against-3t-relief-bill

[ProfessorGAC]

1. How Is This Useful?

I get the sentiment, but such a provision won't get through the Senate and it wouldn't get signed by the usurper.
I think there's a glaring timing issue.
Unless....
this is a broad political ploy so it's harder for the Senate to claim politics if a few dems vote against it. But, that's a little CT-ish.

[jimfields33]

5. At least one repug is voting for it. Maybe more. Who knows.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Well So Much For The Out...

...I was hoping to provide!
I did at least admit it was CT-ish.

[jimfields33]

7. When are they voting?

Also I wonder if their constituents are cool with this.

[Demsrule86]

9. It gives the Senate cover.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Good Point

Built in excuse. Even all the dems didn't vote for it.

[Squinch]

2. Imbeciles.

[Jamastiene]

3. Cutting noses off to spite faces?

I disagree with their decision. We need something....*anything* at this point. We'll be damned lucky to get anything else with stimulus for average Americans like the first time. The longer they put off anything that helps average Americans, the less likely they are to get anything at all through. We were damned lucky to get anything the the first time around.

Meanwhile, in other countries, they are giving citizens at least a temporary UBI and healthcare. America's government is stingy as fuck. I admire progressives for wanting more, but we won't get it under the current circumstances.

Pragmatism, as much as I hated it at one time, and as long and as hard as I fought against it, might be our only hope. Yes, I said that. I finally realized cutting off our noses to spite our faces doesn't get us anywhere. There has GOT to be a better way.

[Budi]

4. A big f.u. from all these people it would help survive. This is pathetic

Glad these elected Reps are showing their true colors ffor Americans who are slipping off the rolls of a even meager livable existance.

GOOD TO KNOW WHERE THEY REALLY STAND
Guess all these people included in the Heros Act don't f'ing matter so much afterall.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213441643


ALL THESE PEOPLE:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/terinaallen/2020/05/15/house-votes-today-another-1200-stimulus-check-200-billion-for-hazard-pay-extended-unemployment/amp/


Key aspects of The Heroes Act:
*$200 billion for essential workers to get hazard pay.
*$1 trillion for state, local and tribal governments to help pay “vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers” who could be on verge of losing their jobs.

Here’s a breakdown of estimated allocations the states and territories would receive.
*A second stimulus check for Americans in the amount of $1,200 (this would be a one-time payment as with the first stimulus check). However, instead of $500 for children, families would get $1,200 for each household member up to a max of $6,000.
*$175 billion in housing assistance to help renters and homeowners with rent, mortgage and utility payments.
*$75 billion for coronavirus testing, tracing and isolation efforts.
An extension of the COVID-19 unemployment program providing that the extra $600 per week benefit would last until January 2021 instead of expiring in July 2020 as it currently stands.

The Heroes Act also modifies or expands the following programs and policies as listed here on Congress.gov.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6800?s=1&r=48

*Medicare and Medicaid,
*health insurance,
*broadband service,
*medical product supplies,
*immigration,
*student loans and financial aid,
*the federal workforce,
*prisons,
*veterans benefits,
*consumer protection requirements,
*the U.S. Postal Service,
*federal elections,
*aviation and railroad workers, and
*pension and retirement plans.

What aspects do most Americans and employees care about right now?
Americans—including the employed and unemployed—mostly want more stimulus checks, and they’ve had something to say about a second one-time stimulus check and the prospect of getting monthly stimulus checks.

WalletHub conducted a survey where a full 84% of respondents indicated a strong need and desire for more stimulus checks. And CNBC/Change Research conducted a poll where Americans living in political swing states expressed that people should get monthly stimulus checks that continue throughout the pandemic. Coronavirus has greatly increased financial and economic anxiety, and most respondents report that they will be completely broke within three months or less.

[Cha]

18. Thank you for the Key Aspects, Budi.. very helpful.

[uponit7771]

8. This makes no sense, let good and perfect be the enemy of adequate when adequate is the commodity?

[Marrah_Goodman]

10. They can afford to be able to vote no

"Voting against the procedural rule does not guarantee they will vote "no" on the bill. Even if all 14 members vote against the bill, it will still pass the House and go to the Senate, where lawmakers have declared it "dead on arrival."

[Budi]

12. The point is Who all they are willing to disregard with their No Vote.

That is the issue that is so insulting.

[sheshe2]

11. I am beyond furious. eom

[brooklynite]

13. Wonder how AOC's "no" vote will play in one of hottest hotspots in NYC...

...a month before her Primary.

(Elmhurst Hospital is right on the edge of her district)

[Budi]

16. The child care increase amount alone, surely would have helped some in her district.

Did they even consider the plight of the people hanging on to hope that they could exist a bit longer, until this situation may turn positive for them?

There is so much good in that bill for so many people.

They owe it to the people who gave them their voice, to explain how it was determined that their own month to month existance now doesn't matter.

[ismnotwasm]

15. As I said in another thread

I will not be voting for Jayapal again.

[Blue_true]

19. Does she have a primary opponent?

Do you plan to sit out a General with her versus a republican? If she can't be successfully beaten in a primary by a more sane Dem, I would certainly swallow hard and support her in the General.

[eleny]

17. Until the Speaker calls each of them in for a short chat