Pelosi And Schumer STILL Won’t Compromise On COVID Relief

Speaker Pelosi: ‘We Are At The Same Place Even More So’

“Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday morning said the $3.4 trillion Heroes Act passed by House Democrats in May should be the ‘starting point’ for negotiations with Senate Republicans and the White House on a new round of coronavirus relief legislation…. Asked if Democratic leaders had changed their position at all on the next coronavirus relief package, Pelosi said passing the Heroes Act has always been their position.” (“Schumer, Pelosi Want $3.4T As ‘Starting Point’ In New Coronavirus Relief Talks,” The Hill, 1/12/2020)

• “Pelosi and Schumer making clear that they have no intention of budging on demands for a big covid relief bill which Republicans will not support.” (The Washington Post’s Erica Werner, @ericawerner, Twitter, 11/12/2020)

Q: “Is it fair to say your position on the coronavirus has not changed since where it was before the election? Is that a fair characterization? …”
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “It has been our position all along … So yeah, no we are at the same place even more so, even more so with pandemic because look at these numbers. Look at these numbers.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 11/12/2020)

REMINDER: Speaker Pelosi Has Refused To Compromise For Months

August & September: Speaker Pelosi Repeatedly Emphasizes That Democrats Will Not Make Any Policy Concessions: ‘We Didn’t Cut Things Out’

HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “Well, we said we would -- we would come down a trillion. Now, it doesn’t mean that we have things in there that would cut out. It means that we could talk about how long our provisions would be in effect. So we can take things down, instead of the end of September of next year, a shorter period of time and we’ll revisit all of it next year anyway. So, by changing some of the timing, we can come down.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 8/09/2020)

• PELOSI: “So we’re far apart, yes. Can we find some common ground? Yes. Can we cut back on our number? Not cut back on the number of children who are fed but for the length--how long the legislation lasts.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 8/07/2020)

• PELOSI: “Can we trim back some of the timing that goes for ‘x’ number of – we fully expect to be able to correct all of that in a short period of time anyway.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 8/07/2020)

• PELOSI: “[T]his is a different kind of a negotiation.  This isn’t just about dollars…. Now, we can come down in terms of the length of time for our food…. And so, it’s a values debate that we’re proud to have, but understanding we must come to agreement.  So, how do we make those reductions?  My view, one way is we have food going on for a longer time.  We could go for a shorter time and revisit the issue after the first of the year.” (MSNBC’s “Live with Kristen Welker,” 8/07/2020)

SPEAKER PELOSI: “[W]here we could perhaps change the timing so it’s less money now. That’s how we were able to come down. We didn’t cut things out we just brought it down. … And we came down $1.2 trillion, and we think we can negotiate within that …” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 9/16/2020)

September & October: Speaker Pelosi Lays Out Her All-Or-Nothing Policy: ‘Don’t Be Misled By Thinking, Oh, Well, A Little Bit Is Better Than Nothing. No, It Isn’t’

MSNBC’s ANDREA MITCHELL: “Well, is it better to go forward with some...”
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “No, it isn’t. Now, let me -- thank you so much for that question, because I hear it a lot. And, clearly, it springs from all the good intentions we all have to help people as soon as we can. … So, don’t be misled by thinking, oh, well, a little bit is better than nothing. No, it isn’t.” (MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” 9/09/2020)

SPEAKER PELOSI: “Don’t be a cheap date.” (“Democrats, Republicans Point Fingers Over Lack of Coronavirus Aid Bill,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/14/2020)

BLOOMBERG’s DAVID WESTIN: “You mentioned negotiating with the Administration.  The Administration has sent signals, they weren’t very subtle, saying they’re interested in something like $1.5 trillion compromise, which would have, as I understand it, $450 a week – not $600, but $450 a week for people for at least eight weeks, and would have $500 billion for the states.  Not the $900 [billion] you asked for, but not the $100 [billion] the Republicans have said. Isn’t something better than nothing?”
SPEAKER PELOSI: “No.” (Bloomberg, 9/18/2020)

SPEAKER PELOSI: “And so, when people say, as some of you do, ‘Isn’t something better than nothing?’ No.” (Bloomberg, 10/01/2020)

SPEAKER PELOSI: “And some of you have asked, isn’t something better than nothing? No.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 10/01/2020)

SPEAKER PELOSI: “But again, we’re not just taking the path of least resistance because everybody says, ‘Just take something, something is better than nothing.’ No…” (MSNBC, 10/02/2020)

October: House Democrats Pass A ‘New’ Version Of Speaker Pelosi’s Bloated HEROES Act, Which Still Included The Same Unrelated Liberal Wishlist Items

“House Democrats passed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill Thursday over intense GOP opposition... The legislation, which passed 214 to 207, has no chance of advancing in the Republican-led Senate and is opposed by the White House. … The legislation the House passed Thursday is a slimmed-down version of the $3.4 trillion Heroes Act from May, including many of the same provisions, but with time frames shortened to reduce costs.” (“House Democrats Pass $2.2 Trillion Stimulus Bill Over GOP Opposition; Bipartisan Talks Continue,” The Washington Post, 10/01/2020)

The bill gave a tax break to wealthy citizens in Democratic states by rolling back the cap on state and local tax deductions:

• PAGE 790: “SEC. 151. ELIMINATION FOR 2020 LIMITATION ON DEDUCTION OF STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.” (U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, 9/28/2020)

The bill allowed illegal immigrants to receive the new rebates proposed in it:

• PAGES 723-725: “SEC. 101. ADDITIONAL RECOVERY REBATES TO INDIVIDUALS. (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter B of chapter 65 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after section 6428 the following new section: ‘SEC. 6428A. ADDITIONAL RECOVERY REBATES TO INDIVIDUALS…. ‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an eligible individual, there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by subtitle A for the first taxable year beginning in 2020 an amount equal to the additional rebate amount determined for such taxable year…. (4) IDENTIFICATION NUMBER REQUIREMENT.—  ‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The $1,200 amount in subsection (b)(1) shall be treated as being zero unless the taxpayer includes the TIN of the taxpayer on the return of tax for the taxable year.” (U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, 9/28/2020)

The bill legalized ballot harvesting nationwide:

• PAGE 1848: ‘‘(2) PERMITTING VOTERS TO DESIGNATE OTHER PERSON TO RETURN BALLOT.—The State— (A) shall permit a voter to designate any person to return a voted and sealed absentee  ballot to the post office, a ballot drop-off location, tribally designated building, or election office so long as the person designated to return the ballot does not receive any form of compensation based on the number of ballots that the person has returned and no individual, group, or organization provides compensation on this basis; and (B) may not put any limit on how many voted and sealed absentee ballots any designated person can return to the post office, a ballot drop off location, tribally designated building, or election office.” (U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, 9/28/2020)

And the bill required banking regulators and the GAO to issue diversity reports for cannabis-related businesses:

• PAGES 1700-1701: “(i) GAO STUDY ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.— (1) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study on the barriers to marketplace entry, including in the licensing process, and the access to financial services for potential and existing minority-owned and women-owned cannabis-related legitimate businesses.” (U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, 9/28/2020)

• PAGE 1700: “(h) ANNUAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION REPORT.— The Federal banking regulators shall issue an annual report to Congress containing— (1) information and data on the availability of access to financial services for minority-owned and women-owned cannabis-related legitimate businesses.” (U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, 9/28/2020)

Meanwhile, Sen. Schumer Claims He Wants To ‘Start Focusing On COVID’ Because ‘The American People Are Waiting For Relief’

SENATE MINORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “[S]tart focusing on COVID. … Now move on and work with us to solve the COVID crisis. Let us bring the country together and get things done. Every day as the Speaker mentioned, hundreds of thousands are getting sick, thousands are dying. We don’t have time for these kinds of games. The American people are waiting for relief from the COVID virus.” (Sen. Schumer, Press Conference, 11/12/2020)

Guess Who Twice Blocked The Senate From Taking Up COVID Relief Legislation: Sen. Schumer And Senate Democrats

In September, Every Present Senate Democrat Voted To Block Moving Forward On A Targeted COVID Relief Bill

46 Democrats voted to block Senate action on the relief bill. (S.178, Roll Call Vote #168: Motion Rejected: R: 52-1; D: 0-44; I: 0-2, 9/10/2020)

The Hill: “Senate Democrats block GOP relief bill” (“Senate Democrats Block GOP Relief Bill,” The Hill, 9/10/2020)

• “Senate Democrats blocked a GOP coronavirus bill on Thursday amid a deep stalemate over the next relief package. Senators voted 52-47 on the roughly $500 billion Republican bill …” (“Senate Democrats Block GOP Relief Bill,” The Hill, 9/10/2020)

And Again In October, Senate Democrats Voted To Block Moving Forward On A Targeted COVID Relief Bill

44 Senate Democrats voted to block the targeted COVID relief bill. (S. 178, Roll Call Vote #207: 51-44, R 51-0, D 0-42, I 0-2, 10/21/2020)

Axios: “Senate Democrats block vote on McConnell’s targeted COVID relief bill” (“Senate Democrats Block Vote On Mcconnell’s Targeted COVID Relief Bill,” Axios, 10/21/2020)

Washington Examiner: “Senate Democrats block $500B coronavirus aid package a second time” (“Senate Democrats Block $500B Coronavirus Aid Package A Second Time,” Washington Examiner, 10/21/2020)

And In Late October, Sen. Schumer Tried FIVE Times To Adjourn The Senate

SENATE MAJORITY WHIP JOHN THUNE (R-SD): “The Minority Leader is requesting to move to legislation after having repeatedly this week requested and asked for votes to adjourn, multiple times, leave town. Now all of a sudden he wants to legislate. I think there’s a serious question about the sincerity of the Minority Leader’s request here.” (Sen. Thune, Floor Remarks, 10/24/2020)

SCHUMER, Oct. 19^th: “I will move to adjourn the Senate until after the November 3 election … I move to adjourn and then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted …” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.6058, 10/19/2020)

SCHUMER, Oct. 20^th: “I move to adjourn and to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted …” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.6320, 10/19/2020; Roll Call Vote #206: Motion to Table Agreed to 52-43: R: 52-0; D: 0-41; I: 0-2, 10/20/2020)

SCHUMER, Oct. 21^st: “I am going to move to adjourn until November 9, after the election is decided … I move to adjourn and to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted …” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.6366, 10/21/2020)

SCHUMER, Oct. 23^rd: “I move to adjourn and to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted …” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.6411, 10/23/2020)

SCHUMER, Oct. 26^th: “I will move to adjourn … Therefore, Mr. President, I move to adjourn and to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted …” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.6577, 10/25/2020; Roll Call Vote #223: Ruling of the chair sustained 53-46: R 53-0; D 0-44; I 0-2, 10/26/2020)

SCHUMER: “We know contradictions when we see them.” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.6422, 10/24/2020)