WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued the below statement after opposing the $1.9 trillion budget proposal, which passed without a single Republican vote.
“Democrats in the Senate chose to use the most partisan method possible to pass a $1.9 trillion budget bill, which included their attempt to provide additional relief for the COVID pandemic,” Senator Capito said. “It’s unfortunate because in the past, COVID relief is one of the few places we have been able to build bipartisan consensus and deliver for the American people.
“We were ready and willing to work together with Democrats and the White House to get coronavirus under control, kick start America’s economy, and ensure our kids return back to the education they deserve. We offered an alternative to the president that meets our recovery needs while remaining fiscally responsible. Democrats ignored it, refusing to work across the aisle, and passed a fiscally irresponsible bill that includes many policy provisions that have nothing to do with COVID relief.
“This is just the beginning of the budget process Democrats have chosen to pursue. Fortunately, one amendment I authored and two amendments I co-sponsored were added into in the final bill, meaning the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule will be upheld, West Virginia’s rural hospitals will be eligible to receive critical funding, and high-income earners will not be eligible for stimulus checks. These amendments offer hope that Democrats see there are bipartisan solutions available should they choose to work with us.
“I also brought forward ways to address critical issues facing West Virginians by filing amendments to the bill that protect funding for Black Lung Clinics, improve our nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure, increase funds for substance use disorder treatment and recovery, and to expand high-speed broadband in rural areas. These will continue to be priorities I will fight to address this session.”
On Monday, February 1, Senator Capito and nine other Republican senators participated in a two-hour meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss their COVID-19 relief proposal and urged the need to pass a bipartisan relief bill.
Since March 2019, Congress has passed five bipartisan COVID-19 relief bills and provided more than $4 trillion in COVID-19 relief. The latest COVID-19 relief packaged provided $900 billion in additional resources and was signed into law on December 27, 2020. Much of that assistance is only now being disbursed.
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