WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today voted against the Biden Administration’s highly partisan $1.9 trillion COVID-19 package.
“We passed five bipartisan COVID relief bills; there is no reason we could not do a sixth. I wanted to support a bill that targeted aid to those impacted by the pandemic. Instead, Democrats rammed through a bill that wastes hundreds of billions of dollars on pet projects that have nothing to do with the pandemic and puts our economy at risk of inflation,” said Dr. Cassidy.
Senate Democrats blocked an amendment introduced by Senators Cassidy, Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) to prohibit Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) to “any individual who is incarcerated in a Federal or State prison.” If adopted this amendment would have saved taxpayers approximately $1.9 billion.
Senate Democrats blocked an amendment introduced by Senators Cassidy, Tim Scott (R-SC), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) to improve the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program. The EANS program allows schools to receive reimbursement for expenses incurred over the past year to combat the pandemic. The program requires states to prioritize schools that serve low-income students. Reimbursable expenses include disinfectant supplies, educational technology, leased spaces to ensure social distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE), etc.
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