McConnell Trashes Dems’ Coronavirus Bill Calling For Paid Sick Leave, Free Testing

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks to members of the media after a weekly Senate Republican Policy Luncheon on February 5, 2019. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) shot down House Democrats’ emergency response package for COVID-19 on Thursday, lambasting the legislation as “an ideological wish list that was not tailored closely to the circumstances.”

“As currently drafted, the proposal appears to impose permanent unfunded mandates on businesses that could cause massive job losses and put thousands of small businesses at risk,” McConnell said during a speech on the Senate floor.

He accused the Democratic House majority of handling the crisis in a partisan manner, saying that “left-wing political messaging may have taken priority over the needs of our country.”

The GOP leader called on his Democratic colleagues to pass “smaller, non-controversial” measures.

The House bill, which Democrats had passed earlier on Thursday, would require employers to provide paid sick leave and health insurance companies to provide free testing for the coronavirus. It would also provide $1.3 billion in food aid funding for low-income individuals, along with an extra $1 billion for workers who are temporarily unemployed due to their employers asking them to stay home.

Watch McConnell below:

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  1. Avatar for spin spin says:

    Well Moscow Mitch must not be watching a legislative body that actually works for the American People…

    Katie Porter just forced, in one of the best 5 minutes I have ever seen, John “only here because I am an anti-abortion zellot” Redfern the “Head” of the CDC to commit to use his existing authority to pay for testing and treatment of those with Covid-19.

    So his “ideological wish list” was just agreed to by even a Trump administration quasi-expert.

    P.s. Video of Katie Porter’s power play is here: https://www.mediaite.com/tv/katie-porter-drags-cdc-chief-redfield-into-saying-yes-to-free-coronavirus-testing-after-brutal-grilling/

    If you have not seen it, see it, it is killer.

  2. “The GOP leader called on his Democratic colleagues to pass “smaller, non-controversial” measures.”

    Like tax cuts for corporations and the super-rich.

    And cuts to social security, medicare, and medicaid.

  3. Shorter Turtle:

  4. “As currently drafted, the proposal appears to impose permanent unfunded mandates on businesses that could cause massive job losses and put thousands of small businesses at risk,” McConnell said during a speech on the Senate floor.

    What about the lives of Americans dying as you MoscowMitch block the Coronavirus Bill for paid sick leave?

    MoscowMitch, you are putting the businesses above American lives = Criminal Negligence!

    In addition, why does the Coronavirus travel ban include additional SBA loan funding when #TrumpBudget still wants to CUT CDC budget despite Covid-19 now classified as PANDEMIC by WHO?

    Which of his family or cronies qualify for the SBA loans?

    https://twitter.com/jonfavs/status/1238097655298809857

    https://thehill.com/policy/finance/486817-trump-budget-chief-holds-firm-on-cdc-cuts-amid-virus-outbreak#.XmhRvmAZMWY.twitter

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