Kentucky congressmen gets Trump’s wrath, fails to hold up $2T relief bill for long
Northern Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie attempted to force a recorded vote on the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package Friday, but the House reached a quorum and passed the bill by “voice vote” in spite of Massie’s efforts.
Massie, of Kentucky’s 4th District, craved an official vote, which could have delayed the passage of the CARE Act. Massie wanted representatives to gather in person during the COVID-19 outbreak to vote at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. He also requested a quorum, which meant the House needed 216 representatives to vote, even by voice.
“I came here to make sure our republic doesn’t die by unanimous consent in an empty chamber,” Massie said on the House floor in his request for a recorded vote.
Massie also contended that there was not a quorum at the vote, but a count determined there was. Massie’s motion for a recorded vote was denied, and the voice vote was used to pass the bill. It now goes to President Donald Trump.
In the planned voice vote, votes were tallied by representatives shouting “yea” or “nay,” and a simple majority passed the bill.
Concerned about delays on the bill, representatives traveled back to Washington, D.C. after Massie voiced his displeasure with a voice vote and reported his intention to vote against the bill.
Massie announced he would request a quorum in an 11-tweet thread before the vote Friday.
In his Twitter thread Massie said he thinks the bill allocates too much money for the stimulus.
“This stimulus should go straight to the people rather than being funneled through banks and corporations like this bill is doing,” Massie said. “… 2 trillion divided by 150 million workers is about $13,333.00 per person. That’s much more than the $1,200 per person check authorized by this bill.”
Massie also said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi destroyed the bill by adding to it.
Trump hammered Massie Friday on Twitter, calling him a “third rate Grandstander” and “a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky.”
“Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive,” Trump said in one of his tweets about Massie. “Virus wasn’t their fault. It is ‘HELL’ dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the ‘big picture’ done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!”
Trump had previously commented on a potential “grandstander” delaying the vote, but he didn’t mention Massey by name. He was still confident it would pass after it passed the Senate unanimously, according to the Washington Post.
“You might have one grandstander, and for that we’ll have to come back and take a little more time and it’ll pass, it’ll just take a little longer. But let’s see whether or not we have a grandstander,” Trump said at the White House Thursday, according to the Washington Post.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry chimed in with criticism of Massie as well, hammering the Kentucky representative with a reference to coronavirus.
Massie told radio station 55KRC Thursday that he would vote “no” on the bill. He also said he did not like the idea of a voice vote, but did not say whether or not he would object to it.
“You can take $2 trillion out of the economy by telling everybody not to go to work,” Massie said, apparently referring to state and government moves or orders closing businesses to prevent coronavirus spread. “But when you try to put $2 trillion or $6 trillion back into the economy to try to make up for it, guess what? You can prop up the banks and you can prop up Wall Street, but if farmers aren’t growing food, and manufacturers aren’t making insulin, and people aren’t fixing cars, or making new vehicles or construction equipment – you can’t print food, you can’t print insulin at the Federal Reserve and the Treasury.
“We need to get our economy going.”
Massie expressed concerns over there not being a quorum to vote on the bill in a tweet Thursday.
He also flatly stated the bill was “not a good deal” on Twitter.
The bill has been one of the biggest focal points in the coronavirus pandemic nationally this week, as it will provide financial relief to many American families. Americans making up to $75,000 per year will get a one-time payment of $1,200. Married couples making up to $150,000 a year will get $2,400. For families with children, there will be a $500 bonus per child, according to the Associated Press.
“We call them checks in the mail, but most of them will be direct deposits,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday. “It will be within three weeks. We’re determined to get money in people’s pocket immediately.”
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 8:36 AM.