TX Rep. Dan Crenshaw calls out Democrats for stalling relief bill again in Senate
Texas Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw says he believes Democrats don't understand how the U.S. economy works
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Democrats stalling the passage of a much-needed coronavirus (COVID-19) relief bill are doing a disservice to the American people, Texas Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw said Tuesday.
Appearing on "Fox & Friends," Crenshaw said that he couldn't believe how "low" the Democrats had sunk in the pursuit of their own political ploys.
"It's pretty unbelievable. We watched these negotiations happen, we were optimistic, there was their air of bipartisanship, and this notion that we're all in this together -- for weeks now -- and then they tanked it," he exclaimed.
"They tanked it in the most partisan of ways."
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Following the Senate Democrats derailing the pursuit of a bipartisan-drafted stimulus bill, House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were criticized for allotting expenses in their $2.5 trillion "War and Peace" sized proposal of an emergency stimulus bill that had nothing to do with the coronavirus outbreak, including $35 million meant for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
The bill also indicates that $300 million would be allotted for the National Endowment of the Arts and an additional $300 million for the National Endowment of the Humanities. In addition, the bill provides $100 million for NASA and $278 million for the IRS.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks outside her office on Capitol Hill, Monday, March 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
"Let's talk about what they actually torpedoed here in the bill," Crenshaw continued. "Increased unemployment benefits -- so higher weekly payments -- plus expanded population for who would get those benefits. So, our independent contractors would be eligible as well. Small business loan bailouts -- but not just loans. Those loans would be forgiven for rent, utilities, for payroll. And then I mean, money for businesses to keep their employees attached to that business.
"I don't know why Democrats hate the word business so much. I don't know why the word corporation makes them so mad, but that's what they are claiming was wrong with this bill," he added.
Crenshaw said it was "utterly absurd" that Democrats would "play these kinds of games."
"And, for what?" he asked. "Just so they could put greenhouse gas emission standards for unions? I mean what are they doing?"
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters early Tuesday that he expects Republicans and Democrats in the Senate to come together and reach an agreement on the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package that set off a fierce debate on the Senate floor. He predicted a vote sometime on Tuesday.
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Crenshaw told the "Friends" hosts it was hard for him to understand his colleagues' thought process.
"I don't think they understand how the economy works -- what makes it function," he stated.
"We can't make everybody in America a de facto government employee," Crenshaw concluded. "That's not a good long-term plan and that's not how our economy works."
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