On the recordDecember 10, 2020
I have to tell you, every day, I am hearing from Tennesseans who are asking what we are going to do about COVID relief. It is coming up in nearly every conversation that I have--with our county mayors, with citizens, with employers and employees; conversations with those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Why can't we get something done? The phones really started ringing last week when Speaker Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, accidentally revealed that it was politics and not principle that convinced her to spend months--months--standing between the American people and targeted relief that they are asking for and that they desperately need. It was politics--all politics to her. People were pawns that she was moving around, trying to get her way. It is disgusting. It is a tragedy. But I will tell you this: It is nothing new. In fact, since July, Democrats have continuously blocked efforts to provide targeted relief. The minority leader obstructed these efforts in the hopes of passing a $3 trillion bill. That is right, trillion--$3 trillion bill. It was filled to the brim with partisan proposals that had nothing do with the pandemic and a bailout for fiscally irresponsible States and cities. Tennesseans are very much opposed to having their hard-earned dollars that are tax dollars that come to the Federal Government used to bail out States that have chosen not to be fiscally responsible.…





