Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) stressed the importance of passing another coronavirus relief package.
Coons said he does not understand how members of Congress could go home for the holidays “and look our constituents in the face or the mask” if they do not pass another round of relief.
“I think many in the Congress have supported it, but frankly, most of the Republican caucus in the Senate has opposed it,” Coons advised. “The 908 coalition, which is the group of senators that’s put together this next proposal, really was trying to stay below a trillion dollars simply because there’s been pressure from the Republican majority here for months to not do another really large relief package.”
MSNBC’s Willie Geist asked if it is conceivable to go on recess without taking care of his constituents.
“That’s why I think we have to work even harder and get to the table with some fresh thinking and some new ideas,” Coons replied. “Because bluntly, I don’t understand how any of us can go home for the holidays and look our constituents in the face or the mask because so many are suffering. This is part of why we have a federal government, is to deal with disasters. And in this particular case, a disjointed federal response, different standards, different direction, and, frankly, the way in which our current president, Donald Trump, has failed to give us a positive and consistent message about the public health crisis we’re in has made this worse. We have a chance to work together in a bipartisan way, as we did months ago in passing the CARES Act, and deliver the relief the American people need.”
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