As lawmakers aim to come together on a third coronavirus relief package, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) says there is no time for delay.
The Maine senator addressed her colleagues from the Senate floor on Monday, the day after she criticized Democratic lawmakers for blocking action on the package proposed. She accused them of “playing with fire.”
“I cannot believe that the answer to this crisis as we move to address the economic consequences that are so severe, for the people of this country, that the answer from our friends on the other side of the aisle is delay, delay, delay,” Collins said, adding, “No sense of urgency.”
“Never have I seen Republicans and Democrats fail to come together when confronted with a crisis.”
After noting that the Democratic leader “objected” to speaking earlier in the day on Monday, Collins asked, “Is that what we’ve come to?”
“The third package that we have dealt with, this one is would address and prevent the economic devastation that is being caused by this virus,” she said.
Collins continued, “We don’t have another day. We don’t have another hour. We don’t have another minute to delay acting.”
Watch Collins’ remarks below:
Sen. Susan Collins says she “cannot believe that the answer” to the coronavirus crisis from Senate Democrats “is delay, delay, delay. No sense of urgency.”
— ABC News (@ABC) March 23, 2020
“Never have I seen Republicans and Democrats fail to come together when confronted with a crisis.” https://t.co/qM4f9WeH4R pic.twitter.com/QgWue0UUXH
The Republican lawmaker received push back from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), as she tweeted, “[Susan Collins] can keep her crocodile tears.”
“Susan Collins is not a moderate. She just plays one on TV,” Ocasio-Cortez added.
From the Senate floor on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a message to Democratic lawmakers, “Are you kidding me? This is the moment to debate new regulations that have nothing whatsoever to do with this crisis? That’s what they’re up to over there.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said, “We have an obligation to get the details right, get them done quickly. That doesn’t mean blindly accepting a Republican-only bill. That was the bill we were given.
The Senate is expected to vote on Monday afternoon on whether to advance the economic package.