Mitch McConnell: Pelosi draft ‘fell far short’ for US families, SBs

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said that the rough draft of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act published by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Wednesday night “fell far short” of what US small businesses (SBs) and families deserved.

In a statement issued today regarding the House of Representatives passage of further legislation to help with the economic fallout from SARS-CoV- 2, Senator McConnell also praised Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for his work to “improve” Speaker Pelosi’s draft.

“The rough draft that Speaker Pelosi published Wednesday night fell far short of what American families and small businesses deserve,” said McConnell. “I want to commend Secretary Mnuchin for his hard work over the past two days to improve it.”

When asked at a press availability ahead of the House vote on the act that what was the final hurdle she had to clear to get President Donald Trump to sign off on and express his support for the bill, Pelosi stated that it was largely just clarification of language.

“It was a situation where we really had to have clarification for language, which is what I told some of you last night: ‘We are very close to an agreement, but we are exchanging paper,’” said Pelosi.

She later reiterated, “So it was just really a clarification of language, largely.”

When asked if there is anything she would have liked to see in the bill, the House speaker stated that the Democrats would have liked to have the OSHA rule.

“There was one provision that President Obama put forth, an OSHA regulation to protect workers in sort of infectious disease type atmospheres.  And that was a rule that wasn’t employed by the Trump Administration,” said Pelosi.

She later added, “…we would have liked to have the OSHA rule.”

Pelosi said in a press release issued Friday that all provisions House Democrats had put forth were included in the bill.

“Last Sunday, Leader Chuck Schumer and I put forth our Families First agenda,” Pelosi wrote. “I am very proud to write that the provisions we put forth with your input, including paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, enhanced Unemployment Insurance, food security initiatives and free and widespread testing, are all included in this agreement.”

The coronavirus bill passed by the House will now be reviewed by Senators on Monday.

“Of course, Senators will need to carefully review the version just passed by the House,” said Mitch McConnell.

But the Senate majority leader believes most Republicans and Democrats in the Senate will agree they should act quickly.

“But I believe the vast majority of Senators in both parties will agree we should act swiftly to secure relief for American workers, families, and small businesses,” he said.

The bill has been backed by President Trump.