MSNBC host Joy Reid tweeted Thursday about reports that the proposed emergency spending bill from House Democrats to combat the coronavirus outbreak was halted over a dispute involving abortion.
According to White House officials, the administration had not supported the House bill as it was drafted. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin continues to work with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. on changing some language.
One senior administration official said described it as "serious concerns." Among issues cited: Medicaid increases with no structural reform, no Hyde protections, and PREP act language.
Reid took to Twitter and reacted to one of her colleague's reporting on the dust-up between Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
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"Wow... @kasie just reported that Republicans' objections to the House Democrats' emergency coronavirus bill include issues related to abortion. What does that have to do with COVID19...?" Reid asked.
The Daily Caller reported on Thursday that Pelosi sought funding as what was described as a "loophole" around the Hyde Amendment, which outlaws taxpayer-funded abortions, among other things included in the bill.
"One was a mandate for up to $1 billion to reimburse laboratory claims, which White House officials say would set a precedent of health spending without protections outlined in the Hyde Amendment," Daily Caller senior White House correspondent Christian Datoc reported.
Others joined Reid in tweeting about the alleged funding.
"This pretty much sums everything up: @realDonaldTrump is moving quickly to protect Americans from coronavirus and its economic impact... Democrats are spending their time trying to create an abortion slush fund!" Donald Trump Jr. reacted.
"Using this crisis as a vehicle for appropriate tax dollars that can be spent on abortions is about as gross as it can possibly get. Appropriate only what’s needed. No more and definitely no less," author Jason Hasson tweeted.
"Pelosi wanted to sneak in a billion dollars in funding for abortion programs through the coronavirus stimulus package. Don’t ever tell me the Democrats aren’t politicizing this situation," Human Events managing editor Ian Miles Cheong said.
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