Kevin McCarthy speaks following the House Republican leadership vote at the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2018. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
(CNSNews.com) – House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) excoriated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday for refusing to agree to a stimulus package to help Americans and small businesses because she wanted to wait for until after the election so President Donald Trump won’t have a win.
“Almost a week ago today, Nancy Pelosi finally admitted to what every member standing behind me already knew – she sabotaged a COVID relief bill simply because of an election. She put politics before people. It was more important for her to hurt President Trump politically than to help the American people, and this is the devastation that has happened since Speaker Pelosi sat on a solution,” he said.
According to McCarthy, 110,000 U.S. restaurants have permanently shut down, and one in five small businesses have closed.
“According to a recent survey from the National Restaurant Association, 500,000 restaurants of every business type – franchise, chain and independent – are on an economic freefall,” the minority leader said.
“These are more than just numbers. These statistics tell the story of real people who are fighting like hell for their livelihoods and the livelihoods of their employees. I know what it was like to have a dream, to put everything into a small business and risk it all. I never thought it would be government that shut you down, but when government made the decision, government also has the responsibility,” McCarthy said.
“There’s more than $138 billion still sitting there for small businesses in the PPP program to pay their employees. More than 40 times, the Republicans have brought to the floor the ability to vote to bring assistance. More than 40 times, the Democrats have said no. The speaker said she would keep us here, but she did not. The speaker then called us back for a special session, but it was about the post office,” he said.
“The Republicans brought up relief. It was the Democrats who once again voted no. There are 23 Democrats who signed a letter in September, who warned the speaker if she continued to play politics and not move forward with COVID relief that they would sign a discharge petition. I don’t know if I should believe their name on the letter, because they have not signed it yet for an opportunity,” the minority leader said.
McCarthy wondered whether House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) will send Congress home for the Christmas holiday or put American taxpayers first.
“I’m not quite sure what the majority leader will say today. Will he send us home? Or will he put the American public first. The speaker one week ago admitted that she planned to sabotage and put people out of business simply for her own political beliefs. The election is over. The time is now to work, and there’s an opportunity to get it done now,” he said.
“I know more than 40 times you said no, but today we hope that you will say yes. How many businesses have to shutter? How many more dreams have to be shattered? How many more people have to be laid off before Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats will act?” McCarthy asked.
“I’ll promise you this. The Republicans will continue to act in good faith just as we put forth bills again and again that the Democrats have voted no on, just as we worked with the Senate and the White House, just as we know there’s an opportunity to help those who need it the most and to stop playing politics,” the minority leader said.
