By Kaveesha Fernando
WASHINGTON D.C., USA (CWBN)_ US President Donald Trump has strongly rebuked the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill which was approved a few days ago, stating that the bill promoted wasteful spending and did very little to offer relief for the American people. Listing some of the allocations he disagreed with, the President stated that the bill should focus more on helping working-class Americans, and remove allocations for foreign countries and other “special interests”.
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi tweeted a clip of President Trump and that stated that the Democrats were willing to raise the amount allocated for direct checks, implying that it was the Republicans who wished to reduce the amount. “Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” she tweeted.
President Trump’s speech: full transcript
“Throughout the summer, Democrats cruelly blocked Covid relief legislation in an effort to advance their extreme left-wing agenda and influence the election. Then, a few months ago, Congress started negotiations on a new package to get urgently needed help to the American people. It’s taken forever.
However, the bill they are now planning to send back to my desk is much different than anticipated. It really is a disgrace. For example, among the more than 5000 pages in this bill, which nobody in Congress has read because of its length and complexity – it’s called “the Covid relief bill”, but it has almost nothing to do with Covid.
This bill contains 85.5 million dollars for assistance to Cambodia, 134 million dollars to Burma, 1.3 billion dollars for Egypt and the Egyptian military- which will go out and buy almost exclusively Russian military equipment, 25 million dollars for democracy and gender programmes in Pakistan, 505 million dollars to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
40 million dollars for the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C.- which is not even open for business, 1 billion dollars for the Smithsonian and an additional 154 million dollars for the National Gallery of Art. Likewise, these facilities are essentially not open.
7 million dollars for reef fish management, 25 million dollars to combat Asian carp, 2.5 million dollars to count the number of Amberjack fish in the Gulf of Mexico, a provision to promote breeding of fish in federal hatcheries, 3 million dollars in poultry production technology, 2 million dollars to research the impact of down trees.
566 million dollars for construction projects at the FBI. The bill also allows stimulus checks for the family members of illegal aliens- allowing them to get up to 1800 dollars each. This is far more than the Americans are given.
Despite all of this wasteful spending, and much more than 900 dollar billion package provides hard-working taxpayers with only 600 dollars each in relief payments, and not enough money is given to small businesses, and in particular, restaurants, whose owners have suffered so grievously – they were only given a deduction for others to use in business – their restaurant for two years. This two year period must be withdrawn, which will allow the owners to obtain financing and get their restaurants back in condition. Congress can terminate it at a much later date, but two years is not acceptable – it’s not enough.
Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it. It wasn’t their fault – It was China’s fault – not their fault.
I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low 600 dollars to 2000 dollars or 4000 dollars for a couple. I am also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill, or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package, and maybe that administration will be me, and we will get it done. Thank you very much.”
