This Friday, as House Democrats were set to vote on a new Coronavirus relief funding package with or without Republican support, Hillary Clinton posted a Twitter message calling on observers to call their members of Congress in support of the plan. The latest Coronavirus response legislation in question includes high-profile plans like billions of dollars in boosts for unemployment insurance, federal food purchasing assistance programs, and more, all of which may become increasingly relevant as the economic upheaval of the Coronavirus leaves more and more people out of work, at least temporarily, because of fears about the virus’s potential spread.
Despite these issues, Republicans have been slow — at best — to get on board. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) even derided the initial draft of the legislation as an “ideological wish list,” in ignorance of the fact that it would help keep Americans tangibly safe during a time of national emergency. Clinton tweeted:
‘Call your representatives today and demand they pass the #FamiliesFirst coronavirus bill. It contains:
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Free testing
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14 days paid sick leave
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3 months paid family leave
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Expanded unemployment insurance & food security
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Medicaid funds
Lives are on the line. (202) 224-3121′
Call your representatives today and demand they pass the #FamiliesFirst coronavirus bill. It contains:
– Free testing
– 14 days paid sick leave
– 3 months paid family leave
– Expanded unemployment insurance & food security
– Medicaid fundsLives are on the line. (202) 224-3121
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 13, 2020
As of this Friday afternoon, the fate of the Democrats’ latest Coronavirus response plan in the Republican-led Senate remains unclear. Initially, the Senate wouldn’t even be considering any option at all until after a previously scheduled nearly two-week long recess. After that recess’s cancellation, Senators will still be taking a long weekend break, while confirmed U.S. cases of the Coronavirus continue to climb and put the dejected breaks in the political system as-is on full display.
On Friday, after weeks of delay, Trump was finally set to formally declare a national emergency over the Coronavirus, which could free up more resources for response efforts, like easing the Medicaid enrollment process.
Check out Twitter’s response to Clinton…
