FROM WASHINGTON STATE.
SHE’S THE CO-CHAIR OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE
CAUCUS.
CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL, THANK YOU
FOR BEING WITH US.
THIS IS BETTER THAN THE PATHETIC
OFFER PUT FORWARD BY SENATE
REPUBLICANS THAT DID NOT INCLUDE
ANY DIRECT PAYMENT TO
INDIVIDUALS OR HELP FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES.
IT WAS A PLAN DESIGNED TO
INDEMNIFY CORPORATIONS AGAINST
BEING SUED IF THEY BROUGHT THEIR
PEOPLE BACK IN WAYS THAT WERE
UNSAFE.
HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH WHAT
YOU’RE HEARING ABOUT A DEAL
RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, ALI, AS YOU KNOW, WHAT
WE DID IN THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS
IS WE UNITED AND WE SAID WE ARE
NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR A DEAL
THAT DOESN’T HAVE DIRECT RELIEF,
MONEY IN PEOPLE’S POCKETS.
AND TO US THAT IS DIRECT RELIEF
CHECKS AND IT IS EXPANDED
UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.
THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT
ARE THE MOST IMMEDIATE IN TERMS
OF GETTING RELIEF TO PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN SUFFERING.
IT’S BEEN NINE MONTHS SINCE WE
PASSED THE CARES ACT, AND
REPUBLICANS HAVE HELD UP ANY
KIND OF RELIEF OVER AND OVER
AGAIN.
SO WE ARE REALLY THRILLED THAT
48 HOURS AGO THERE WAS NOTHING
IN THE PACKAGE AND THEN THE
OFFER WAS, WELL, WE’LL PUT SOME
RELIEF CHECKS IN BUT WE’RE GOING
TO STRIP IT FROM UNEMPLOYMENT.
WE SAID NO WAY.
AND NOW AT LEAST WE’VE GOT THIS,
WHICH $600 PER PERSON, SO THAT
WOULD BE IF YOU’RE A FAMILY OF
FOUR, THAT WOULD BE $2,400.
SO THAT’S $600 FOR AN ADULT,
$600 FOR A DEPENDENT CHILD.
AND I THINK THAT AT LEAST THAT
IS A LITTLE BIT THAT GETS PEOPLE
ACROSS THE LINE, YOU KNOW, AT
THIS MOMENT WHEN A SNOWSTORM IS
HITTING AND PEOPLE DON’T KNOW IF
THEY CAN KEEP THE HEAT ON.
THERE ARE SINGLE MOMS WHO ARE
WRITING ME EVERY DAY AND SAYING
I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO IF I’M
KICKED OUT OF MY HOME.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WRITING TO ME
AND SAYING I CAN’T PUT FOOD ON
MY TABLE.
HOW DO I HANDLE THIS?
AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE HAVE
BEEN SO INTRANSIGENT ISN’T
SUFFICIENT, CRUEL ISN’T
SUFFICIENT, BUT TO JUST BE SO
BLIND TO WHAT IS HAPPENING TO
PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,
REFUSING TO GIVE HELP HAS BEEN
AWFUL.
SO NO, IT’S NOT ENOUGH.
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK
AND DO MORE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION.
THE REPORTS RIGHT NOW ARE THAT
IF WE WANT TO EVEN IN THE SHORT
TERM PULL OUT OUR ECONOMY,
DEFEAT THIS VIRUS, WE’RE GOING
TO NEED TO HAVE 3.5 TO 4.5
TRILLION DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT.
AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE
WE’VE WAITED SO LONG THAT THE