Silver Spring, MD – Amalgamated Transit Union International President John Costa released the following statement in reaction to the Senate voting down Senator Mitch McConnell’s COVID-19 relief bill:
“Mitch McConnell’s proposal to address the health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic was empty, worthless, and cruel, and the Senate was wise to vote it down.
“The Senate Republican bill raises so many questions.
“Where is the relief for our public transit systems, which are set to lay off thousands of workers - who have been risking their lives on the frontlines since this pandemic began - and cut service to the bone for transit-dependent riders, many of whom are frontline workers?
“Where is the aid to the motor coach industry, which has already shuttered its doors in cities all across the country?
“Where is the language requiring school districts to pay school bus drivers looking to make ends meet, who were laid off through no fault of their own five months ago?
“How do liability protections to limit lawsuits against businesses help one working family?
“Where is the food assistance for children and families evicted from their homes? There would be many more of them if this cold-blooded bill – which would slash unemployment benefits in half – became law.
“Where is the aid to cash-starved state and local governments?
“Where is the next round of direct stimulus checks for people in need?
“The emaciated bill that was brought up for a vote today is all the proof that the American people need to realize that it’s time for a leadership change in the Senate.
“We need to elect Democrats in November and make Chuck Schumer the Majority Leader to work with President Biden so that we can get this virus under control and put Americans back to work.”