House Dem. Caucus Chairman: Stimulus package is ‘right response’
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has said that President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, or the stimulus package, “is the right response to a once-in-a-century pandemic.”
Chairman Jeffries was holding a leadership press conference with Vice Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) on Wednesday.
“Earlier today, we held our weekly Caucus meeting where we discussed the progress of the American Rescue Plan,” said the Democratic leader. “The Budget Committee acted on Monday to favorably report out the $1.9 trillion bill, and we’re looking forward to the legislation being taken up by the House of Representatives in the next few days.”
He said the stimulus package has broad bipartisan support.
“The American Rescue Plan has bipartisan support across the nation from Democrats and Republicans, as well as considerable support amongst Independents,” he said. “The American Rescue Plan is the right response to a once-in-a-century pandemic that has brought a lot of pain and suffering and death to the American people.”
The New York Democrat mentioned that over 500,000 Americans are dead, 25+ million Americans are infected by the novel coronavirus and more than 100,000 small businesses are permanently closed. He also said tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs at different times because of the pandemic and many face food insecurity and the fear of homelessness.
Jeffries said Democrats hope that some of the Republicans will quit playing politics and support the stimulus package.
“It’s our hope that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will stop playing politics and support the effort to meaningfully support the American people,” he said.
Vice Chair Aguilar stated that everything that can be done must be done to kill the virus and rebuild the economy.
“Yesterday, we started our week by noting and remembering the 500,000 lives lost to the COVID virus,” said the California Democrat. “It’s a staggering number, and our hearts go out to the millions of Americans who have been touched as loved ones.”
He added, “Right now, it’s more important than ever that we do everything that we can to crush the virus, rebuilding our economy for working people and families that need the support to get back on their feet.”
Aguilar said the stimulus package has garnered bipartisan support of the American people.
“The American Rescue Plan, as the Chairman mentioned, has the support, bipartisan support of the American people,” he said. “It meets the moment and is decisive and should have bipartisan support. The American people deserve relief, and House Democrats are acting on that. We hope that our Republican colleagues will join us.”
Jeffries said earlier in the month the stimulus package was bipartisan among the American people and that it remained to be seen if it would be bipartisan in the Congress as well.
“So it is bipartisan among the American people,” he said on February 3rd. “The question that remains is, will it be bipartisan here in the House and the Senate? That’s for the Republicans to decide.”
