House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in a letter late on Wednesday evening, accusing her and other Democrats of “selective hearing” after President Donald Trump called for significantly increasing the amount of money that Americans would receive in their coronavirus stimulus checks.
“Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing,” McCarthy wrote on Twitter. “They’ve conveniently ignored @realDonaldTrump’s call to reexamine tax dollars wasted overseas while so many Americans are struggling at home. Republicans will act to put America first.”
Included in the tweet was a letter that McCarthy addressed to Republican members of Congress that stated that Republicans had tried to pass coronavirus relief more than 40 times but were unsuccessful because Pelosi wanted to play political games.
“Americans have needed relief from the coronavirus and lockdowns for months. House Republicans have attempted to pass relief over forty times but each time, Speaker Pelosi has ignored our fellow citizens, saying ‘nothing is better than something,'” McCarthy wrote. “Worse than that, by waiting days before Christmas, Speaker Pelosi tried to use the American people as leverage to make coronavirus relief contingent on government funding — which includes billions of foreign aid at a time when there are urgent needs at home.”
“Our government’s top priority must be our families, communities, and small businesses as we get through this pandemic and restore our country,” he continued. “House Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing. They have conveniently ignored the concerns expressed by the President, and shared by our constituents, that we ought to reexamine how our tax dollars are spent overseas while so many of our neighbors at home are struggling to make ends meet. Thus, Republicans will offer a unanimous consent request to revisit the State and Foreign Operations title of the Omnibus so that we can fully address the concerns at hand.”
McCarthy’s letter concluded by stating that it was up to Pelosi to decide if she wants to act on behalf of the American people.
Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing. They've conveniently ignored @realDonaldTrump's call to reexamine tax dollars wasted overseas while so many Americans are struggling at home.
Republicans will act to put America first.
My full letter to @HouseGOP members: pic.twitter.com/wFTeMoLxYM
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) December 24, 2020
McCarthy’s letter comes after Trump tweeted a video late on Tuesday night that instantly went viral. In the video, Trump called on Congress to beef of the size of the stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for couples.
“Throughout the summer, Democrats cruelly blocked COVID relief legislation in an effort to advance their extreme left-wing agenda and influence the election,” Trump began. “Then, a few months ago, Congress started negotiations on a new package to get urgently needed help to the American people. It’s taken forever. However, the bill they are planning to send back to my desk is much different than anticipated.”
Trump highlighted numerous examples of what he deemed to be “wasteful spending,” a significant portion of which was included in a separate spending bill that was submitted alongside the coronavirus stimulus bill.
“Despite all of this wasteful spending and much more, the $900 billion package provides hard-working taxpayers with only $600 each in relief payments and not enough money is given to small businesses and in particular restaurants, whose owners have suffered so grievously,” Trump said. “Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists, and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it. It wasn’t their fault, it was China’s fault, not their fault.”
“I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump continued. “I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package.”
Pelosi appeared to take credit for Trump wanting the larger checks, claiming on Twitter: “Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!”
However, earlier in the week, Pelosi praised the $900 billion stimulus bill that gave out $600 checks to Americans as “significant,” which comes after she rejected a $1.8 trillion offer from the administration before the election that CNBC said included stimulus checks of $1,200 for adults and $1,000 per child.
