Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) made a case for more duality in Congress hours after voting against President Biden
Joe BidenHouse Democrats Pass Major .9T COVID-19 Relief Act With Minimum Wage Increase Biden Holds Virtual Bilateral Meeting With Mexican President Over 300 Indicted In Connection With Capitol Riot MORE‘s coronavirus relief package Saturday morning, becoming one of only two House Democrats to put his party on the bill.
In a nearly 30-minute telephone interview with The Hill, Golden said he disagreed with Democratic leaders’ efforts to bolster the $ 1.9 trillion package through Congress without Republican backing and that he believes a more two pronged approach would have yielded a better bill.
“I often remind myself that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it. It doesn’t mean it’s in the best interest of the country, ”Golden said of the decision to push the bill without Republican backing in the House.
Democrats also plan to push the bill through budget reconciliation in the Senate, a process that will allow them to avoid the 60-vote filibuster.
‘I think I would say I don’t think it was in the best interest of the country. I think that has given us a worse public policy, rather than a more targeted bill that would come out of a two-pronged process, ”he added. “And as I look into the future, I don’t think we know yet what the negative consequences of this decision might be. I hope there are none. ”
Golden had been an early opponent of passing the bill through budget reconciliation. Earlier this month, he voted against going down that road, saying the process would take too long and prevent faster aid.
When asked to explain his opposition to the specifics of the legislation, Golden pointed out the overall price tag of the package, which he called excessive.
The package includes measures that would provide a third round of direct incentive controls (up to $ 1,400 for individuals), as well as a $ 400 increase for weekly unemployment insurance through August 29, $ 8.5 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for vaccination efforts and funding for housing assistance, among other things.
And while supporters of the bill said funding levels are appropriate, Golden argued that previous coronavirus control efforts had already funneled money into efforts yet to be spent.
[I]It comes down to billions and billions and billions of dollars in programs already funded and yet to hit the economy, ”he said.
Golden claimed he is not a “ budget hawk, ” but expressed concern about spending in the coronavirus aid package, which could curtail funding for efforts to tackle climate change, the healthcare system and more.
“We need to become more focused as we go forward so that we… have the resources we need for other critical reforms that the American people also need to step up and get done,” he said.
But aside from fears that the federal government is handing out too much money, Golden hit the alarm that the lack of Republican support for the new administration’s first major law could have deterred Republicans from the prospect of compromise down the road.
“It kind of poisoned the well, so to speak,” he said.
A spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiHouse Democrats Pass Sweeping .9T COVID-19 Relief Act With Minimum Wage Increase Budget Committee Chairman Promises To Raise Minimum Wage: ‘Stick Me To It’ Capitol Review To Recommend Add More Screens, 1,000 Officers: MORE (D-Calif.) Did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill regarding Golden’s comments, but Republicans have already indicated they were disappointed with the direction Democrats were heading with the vote.
Senate whip for minorities John Thune
John Randolph ThuneGraham: Trump will be ‘helpful’ to all incumbent GOP seniors Cruz hires Trump campaign press assistant while Senate GOP communications director works to prevent ’22 war with Trump MORE (RS.D.) told Politico earlier this month that the trial left Republicans feeling “a little betrayed by the statements they received about the Democrats’ intentions,” referring to President Biden’s calls for unity during his inauguration.
Golden’s calls for duality are not surprising given the chair he occupies. Maine’s 2nd Congressional District voted Golden in the 2018 ‘blue wave’, but also voted for the former President Trump
Donald Trump Biden Holds Virtual Bilateral Meeting With Mexican President Over 300 Indicted In Connection With Capitol Riot Trump Jr .: There Are ‘Plenty’ Of Established GOP Operators That Should Be MORE Challenged in 2016 and 2020. Golden won re-election in November by remaining ahead of President Biden by approximately 30,000 votes.
It was exactly the 2020 cycle results that Golden said call for duality.
While Biden Trump won, the Republicans also flipped several Democratic seats in a cycle when the GOP was expected to lose as many as 15 members. And with the narrowest House majority in modern history and a 50-50 senate, Democrats will need Republican buy-in to meet some – if not most – of their legislative priorities.
“It’s more than not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, it’s accepting that the party hasn’t been given a clear mandate here,” said Golden. So I think we also have to accept that we will have to work with the Republican Party and that is the mandate given by voters in 50 states. And you can only do budget reconciliation so often. “