NC congressman calls latest COVID-19 relief bill a ‘wish list of give-aways for the Democrat Party’

WASHINGTON, DC (WWAY/AP) — Congress has sent President Joe Biden the landmark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.

The House approved the bill Wednesday over solid Republican opposition in a vote that gives the new president and Democrats a victory just seven weeks after he took office.

The 628-page measure represents Democrats’ effort to bridle the catastrophic pandemic and revive the enfeebled economy.

Republicans say the measure is bloated, crammed with liberal policies and heedless of signs the dual crises are easing. The Senate passed the measure over unanimous Republican opposition four days ago.

Republican Congressman David Rouzer (NC-07) issued the following statement on Wednesday about the relief bill:

“President Biden had a chance at the start of his Administration to pursue bipartisan COVID-19 relief legislation. Instead, Democrats blocked Republican input. Less than 9 percent of the funding in this legislation is for fighting the epidemic, while more than $1 trillion of the bi-partisan COVID-19 spending appropriated by Congress in 2020 hasn’t even been spent yet. Further, excluding the $1,400 in direct payments, approximately 50 percent of this entire package will not be spent until 2022 and later. This legislation is nothing more than a wish list of give-aways for the Democrat Party’s very liberal wing under the guise of COVID-19 relief.”

Biden tweeted that he would sign the bill on Friday.