Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) admitted that even he cringes when he sees how much spending is in the new COVID relief bill. The price tag for President Biden's "American Rescue Plan" is $1.9 trillion, and Espaillat acknowledged that in a bill that massive it's obvious "there will be one line that will probably be somewhat embarrassing."
One of those embarrassing line items is the $1.5 million for the Seaway International Bridge from New York to Canada. Another is the $100 million going toward San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit system, otherwise known as BART.
CNN anchor Poppy Harlow capitalized on Espaillat's mixed emotions and asked him if he was comfortable with that kind of distribution.
"I'm not comfortable - I'm never comfortable with it," he said.
GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel quoted him to highlight the bipartisan backlash to the bill.
Even the 8th most liberal House Democrat admits it is “embarrassing” how much wasteful spending is in the Pelosi/Schumer/Biden $1.9 TRILLION far left wish list! https://t.co/9PRdxekJIs
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) February 25, 2021
"Who said a subway to Silicon Valley has anything to do with COVID?" Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) said in a statement Wednesday, calling the COVID bill the "Payoff to Progressives Act."
GOP Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy recently shared a chart of some of the irrelevant pet projects the "COVID relief" bill will be funding.
Dear Democrats:
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) February 25, 2021
Stop calling it a "COVID Relief" plan. A better name would be "The Pelosi Payoff." pic.twitter.com/YLEwvbakJE
The House is expected to vote on the package on Friday.