WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) called for the Senate to act immediately to provide real relief to New Mexicans struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to reject the new, insufficient proposal from Senate Republicans. Senate Republicans have delayed action for months, refusing to take up the HEROES Act, a badly-needed coronavirus relief package that was passed by the House of Representatives in May, or come back to the negotiating table to find a solution that addresses the needs of struggling families and small businesses.
“President Trump and Senate Republicans’ callous inaction has caused untold suffering for people in New Mexico and all across the country. The House passed the HEROES Act over three months ago. But instead of coming to the table to find common ground, Senate Republicans refused to even discuss providing additional relief to struggling Americans, preferring to take a ‘wait and see what happens’ approach. Now, after months of inaction, millions still out of work due to no fault of their own, and nearly 200,000 Americans dead, Republicans are offering a partisan, grossly insufficient proposal that is far too little, far too late.
“This Republican relief package is completely inadequate to address the pain, fear, hunger, and anxiety of Americans across the country. It does not do anything to stop the layoffs facing states like New Mexico and Tribal governments for essential workers like teachers, firefighters, public safety and sanitation workers. It cuts unemployment assistance for jobless New Mexicans and Americans. It undermines the Postal Service. It does not provide the resources necessary for a national testing plan – even as the Trump administration continues to fail to control the pandemic, and still has no unified, national plan to solve this crisis and get people back to work and school safely.
“We need a compromise that continues federal relief programs for struggling small businesses, rental assistance, nutrition assistance for struggling families, renews expanded unemployment insurance, and injects new funding into the system for schools, childcare, healthcare, essential workers, the census, the post office, and the upcoming election. Instead of wasting time by manufacturing a partisan debate over a negligent relief bill that won’t pass the Senate, Leader McConnell should bring up the HEROES Act for a vote in the Senate immediately, or come to the negotiating table to find a middle ground that actually solves the problems facing American families.”
