Moments ago, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) brought S. 178, the ‘‘Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act,’’ to the floor for a vote before the full United States Senate, where it failed. This legislation comes 118 days after the United States House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, which provided an historic and robust investment to combat the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“We all saw this coming. We knew this wouldn’t pass, yet for more than three months, Senate Republicans have been playing the ‘wait and see’ game, while millions of young people lost jobs, were kicked off college campuses, and lost key lifelines like housing, food, and health care access.
We know the only solution is to pass comprehensive legislation that matches the urgency of the devastating health and economic crises facing young people. Gambling with their lives is no way to govern. We urge Congress to use upcoming government funding negotiations as a vehicle for COVID relief, and cancel any recess plans until an aid package is passed.”