Schumer Accuses McConnell of Being ‘Highly Partisan’ Amid Lack of GOP Support for COVID Relief Bill

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is accusing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of being “highly partisan” after criticizing President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief bill.

During Tuesday night’s appearance on CNN, host Anderson Cooper noted McConnell called the legislation “very liberal” and “purely partisan.” He also accused Schumer of putting “lock-step party unity ahead of substance and ahead of bipartisan compromise.”

Schumer fired back, “The biggest bill McConnell put on the floor was a bill of about the same size, $1.7 trillion. It benefited the top 1 percent. It was tax cuts for the very wealthy and for big corporations.”

He added, “Our bill helps people in the middle class and who are poor. It will cut in half child poverty — poor kids who don’t have much of a chance and then grow up not having to have good, full, happy, productive lives are going to get a much better break here.”

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Schumer suggested McConnell “instead of just opposing everything and trying to thwart Biden and be so political, he ought to be joining us in helping the American people. Close to half of all Republican voters like this bill. This is not a partisan bill.”

He continued, “But McConnell is being highly partisan and hurting America.”

The Senate passed Biden’s bill in a 50-49 vote with no Republican support, as IJR reported.

The House of Representatives is expected to push the legislation through on Wednesday.

The relief package includes $400 billion for $1,400 direct payments to Americans, $350 billion for state and local governments, additional funding for vaccine distribution, and more.