Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not hold back Wednesday morning when he accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of "sabotaging negations" over her refusal to lower unemployment benefits.
Over the past few weeks, Republicans and Democrats have been involved in heated debates over what to include in the next stimulus package, with both sides not budging on certain key features. The Democrats have been obstinate regarding the controversial nature of those on unemployment benefitting from the taxing of essential workers.
"The only reason I concede that Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic Leader would sabotage negotiations is if as some concluded when they killed police reform in June, they actually think bipartisan progress for the country would hurt their own political chances," said McConnell. "That's why I said a few days ago that we'd quickly learn whether the American people would be getting the responsible Democratic Party from March or the cynical obstructionist Democratic Party from June."
McConnell stated that the Republicans' bill includes another round of cash for households, more unemployment benefits at a lower amount, another round of PPP to prevent even more layoffs, lowering the unemployment rate, providing safer working conditions for employees, and more hospital resources to combat the virus, among countless other vital features. He said the Republicans are larely seeking a bipartisan solution.
The Democrats, however, will not allow a bill of any kind to pass without the stipulation that unemployment benefits remain fixed at $600 per week.
About 83 percent of unemployment benefit recipients received more to stay home than they would have earned working, McConnell said.
He called Pelosi's view on these benefits "completely unhinged," and said the Democrats' refusal to budge on the matter threatens Americans from not receiving any benefits from another stimulus package.
Congress has less than two weeks to deliver a stimulus package before the start of recess on August 7.