A New York newspaper blasted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after the lawmaker became the only Democrat on Capitol Hill to vote against one of the four coronavirus emergency aid packages.
The New York Daily News editorial board published an article Sunday condemning Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for voting against the fourth aid package that passed the House on Thursday in a landslide 388-5 vote. Ocasio-Cortez joined four Republicans in voting against the bill: Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Jody Hice of Georgia, and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
“[Ocasio-Cortez is] from the hardest-hit part of the hardest-hit city of the hardest-hit state in the hardest-hit country on Earth,” the editorial board wrote. “So why was she one of just five members of Congress to vote against the $484 billion bill delivering boatloads of urgently needed help to small business, and to hospitals, and to ramp up testing?”
In a floor speech on Thursday, the freshman Democrat said the aid package was lacking in its support for hospitals, testing, and small businesses. She blamed Republicans for the bill’s shortcomings.
“The only folks [Republicans] have urgency around are folks like Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Shake Shack. Those are the people getting assistance in this bill. You are not trying to fix this bill for mom and pops,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“We have to fight to fund hospitals, fighting to fund testing. That is what we’re fighting for in this bill,” she continued. “It is unconscionable. If you had urgency, you would legislate like rent was due on May 1 and make sure we include rent and mortgage relief for our constituents.”
.@RepAOC @AOC: "It is a joke when Republicans say that they have urgency around this bill…you are not trying fix this bill for mom & pops. We have to fight to fund hospitals. Fighting to fund testing…It is unconscionable."
Full video here: https://t.co/IBennHJzF3 pic.twitter.com/1rx1e16Unr
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 23, 2020
The New York Daily News dismissed her criticism, saying that the fourth bill, like the previous three, was a key step in the larger response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“AOC claims it’s because the bill didn’t go far enough. Yeah: The first aid bill didn’t go far enough. Nor did the second. Nor did the third. The fourth didn’t get there either, but the response to crises happen in steps. If everyone said no to each massive package because it didn’t go all the way, we’d all be even deader in the water,” the board wrote.
“Her terribly wrong vote made her the only Democrat in either the House or Senate siding against any of the four coronavirus bailouts passed since early March,” the board continued. “Not the kind of distinction a rising star legislator should be proud of.”
President Trump signed the $484 billion emergency aid bill into law on Friday. The relief package included a $320 billion infusion into the Paycheck Protection Program that had exhausted its funds over a week before. The program was designed to provide forgivable loans to small businesses forced to shut down or restrict service over the coronavirus.
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