Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) starkly criticized Senate Republicans for not coming to an agreement yet on key components within their coronavirus relief proposal.
On Wednesday, Schumer spoke from the Senate floor where he lambasted Republicans for being âdisorganized, chaotic and unpreparedâ despite days of deliberation.
âItâs in the middle of the week, and the Republican Party is so disorganized, chaotic and unprepared that they can barely cobble together a partisan bill in their own conference,â Schumer said.
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellâs (R-Ky.) $105 billion-dollar school funding proposal received mixed opinions from his Republican colleagues on the condtions, as previously reported on IJR.
Schumer mocked McConnell criticizing a multitude of other issues while apparently dismissing the coronavirus.
âWeâre in a national crisis. We donât hear a word out of leader McConnell as weâre on the edge of so many cliffs,â Schumer said. âInstead, lots of talk about The New York Times and cancel culture. That may be fodder for the far right. That is not what America needs.â
According to the high-ranking Democrat, Republicansâ âincompetence and reckless delayâ are the only reason for delays in the upcoming bill.
âI have never seen a political party in the middle of a crisis so tied in a knot that the majority leader canât even mention it in his speech,â Schumer said, adding, âThe only reason there hasnât been another relief package in Congress already is because of this Republican incompetence and reckless delay.â
Schumer urged Republican lawmakers to âact quicklyâ by taking the tight time window into consideration, preparing a solid bill, and moving forward with deliberation.
âWe donât have time for this mess that Republicans are in,â the Democratic lawmaker said.
He later added, âCongress needs to act quickly. Senate Republicans and the White House need to get on the same page, produce a proposal, not just drop it on the floor, but start negotiations.â