House Democrats released their own 1,400-page stimulus package to address the coronavirus, and it includes $300 million for refugees.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the $2.5 trillion economic relief package Monday after a $2 trillion Senate version failed to advance.
The package calls “for an additional amount for ‘Migration and Refugee Assistance'” of $300 million to “remain available until expended, for necessary expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus: Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.”
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise slammed the proposal, labeling it Pelosi’s “socialist wish list.”
“Speaker Pelosi unveiled legislation aimed at exploiting the COVID-19 public health crisis by attempting to force the inclusion of a socialist wish list of policies that have nothing to do with the public health and economic emergency,” Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, said.
Scalise characterized Republican objections to the proposal, including minimum wage increases, extensions of visas and work authorizations (including those under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protected Status), limiting Customs and Border Protection’s capabilities, requiring the agency to “assure the timely adjudication of asylums applications,” and allowing “certain funding to go to sanctuary cities.”
Pelosi defended the package in the Capitol and urged “the Senate to move closer to the values” in her bill.
“We give direct payments to families in a robust way and strengthen the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit,” Pelosi said.
