$1.4T omnibus bill faces backlash for wasteful spending

 

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) speaks to guests at a campaign event. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:35 PM PT – Monday, December 28, 2020

The newly signed omnibus bill has been under fire for allocating billions of dollars to oversea spending.  GOP lawmakers are fighting against wasteful spending measures in the Consolidated Appropriations Act and calling on Congress to focus on helping Americans weather the pandemic.

In a recent report, The Heritage Foundation called the nearly 6,000 page bill an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars. It cited a lack of focus on COVID-19 tests and the inclusion of politically motivated industry bailouts.

This came after President Trump criticized the amount of funds dedicated to foreign programs in the $1.4 trillion package during a time when American families are struggling amid oppressive pandemic lockdowns. The President went on to call the bill a “disgrace” and asserted the American people deserve better.

“The bill also allows stimulus checks for the family members of illegal aliens, allowing them to get up to $1,800 each,” President Trump stated. “This is far more than the Americans are given.”

On the Senate floor, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized massive spending in the COVID-19 relief package, depicting it as fiscally irresponsible.

“The government has worsened the economic damage and acted as the biggest obstacle to economic recovery,” Paul said. “There is no free money that can get us out of this situation. The only thing that can save us is to open the economy.”

Paul warned the massive bill, the largest ever passed in congressional history, could lead to more lockdowns, economic damage, job losses and general suffering for hardworking Americans.

It doesn't have to be this way. This debt crisis is a preventable crisis. It is not too late to change our course. Cut unnecessary spending, eliminate waste, stop fighting a $50 billion per year forever war in Afghanistan. Make the hard decisions now.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 21, 2020

“If we give these tin-pot dictators, these governors more money, they’re less likely to open the economy,” Paul said. “The answer’s not printing up and distributing free money, it’s opening the economy.”

Echoing Paul’s concerns, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Ut.) did not vote in favor of the bill, which Congress only had two hours to read.

“It is impossible that anyone will have the opportunity to read it, from now until the time we vote,” Lee stated. “I am absolutely certain this has been toppled together by a very small handful of members of Congress.”

As tax payers in Democrat-led states were forced to close their businesses in strict lockdowns, the left attempted to funnel billions of dollars overseas all while only offering Americans $600 in economic relief.

President Trump signed the bill on Sunday and sent a red-lined version back to Congress, which called for removal of the wasteful spending.

China Hunter Biden & dad Cartoons

 

Trump to Hold Rally Jan. 4 to Back GOP Georgia Senate Candidates

President Donald Trump on Sunday said he will hold a rally in Georgia in support of Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue on Jan. 4, one day before the twin Senate runoff elections to determine which party controls the upper chamber.

“On behalf of two GREAT Senators, @sendavidperdue & @KLoeffler, I will be going to Georgia on Monday night, January 4th., to have a big and wonderful RALLY,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “So important for our Country that they win!”

The Republican National Committee said it will host the "Victory Rally" at the Dalton Regional Airport at 7 p.m., at which Loeffler and Perdue will also speak, according to The Hill.

The two senators are squaring off against Democrat candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, respectively. Both races went to a runoff last month after neither candidate won a majority of the vote, as is required by state law to declare victory.

The Democrats need to win both races in order to have 50 overall seats in the Senate and flip the chamber due to the tie-breaking vote of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

President-elect Joe Biden has campaigned for the Democrat contenders, with the party hopeful they can emerge victorious after he became the first Democratic presidential nominee to capture the state since 1992.

Republicans will retain control of the chamber if they win either of the two races.

Vice President Mike Pence has also been in Georgia to garner support for the GOP candidates.

 

Trump Signs Massive Measure Funding Government, COVID Relief

President Donald Trump has signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package, ending days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan deal that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown.

The massive bill includes $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September and contains other end-of-session priorities such as an increase in food stamp benefits.

The signing Sunday, at his private club in Florida came amid escalating criticism over his eleventh-hour demands for larger, $2,000 relief checks and scaled-back spending even though the bill had already passed the House and Senate by wide margins. The bill was passed with what lawmakers had thought was Trump's blessing, and after months of negotiations with his administration.

His foot-dragging resulted in a lapse in unemployment benefits for millions struggling to make ends meet and threatened a government shutdown in the midst of a pandemic.. But signing the bill into law prevents another crisis of Trump’s own creation and ends a standoff with his own party during the final days of his administration.

It was unclear what, if anything, Trump accomplished with his delay, beyond angering all sides and empowering Democrats to continue their push for higher relief checks, which his own party opposes.

In his statement, Trump repeated his frustrations with the COVID-19 relief bill for providing only $600 checks to most Americans instead of the $2,000 that his fellow Republicans already rejected. He also complained about what he considered unnecessary spending by the government at large.

“I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed,” Trump said in the statement.

While the president insisted he would send Congress “a redlined version” with items to be removed under the rescission process, those are merely suggestions to Congress. The bill, as signed, would not necessarily be changed.

Democrats, who have the majority in the House, immediately vowed to prevent any cuts. Democrats “will reject any rescissions” submitted by the president, said Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. , in a statement.

Lawmakers now have breathing room to continue debating whether the relief checks should be as large as the president has demanded. The Democratic-led House supports the larger checks and is set to vote on the issue Monday, but it's expected to be ignored by the Republican-held Senate where spending faces opposition. For now, the administration can only begin work sending out the $600 payments.

Republicans and Democrats swiftly welcomed Trump's decision to sign the bill into law.

“The compromise bill is not perfect, but it will do an enormous amount of good for struggling Kentuckians and Americans across the country who need help now,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “I thank the President for signing this relief into law."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the signing “welcome news for the fourteen million Americans who just lost the lifeline of unemployment benefits on Christmas weekend, and for the millions more struggling to stay afloat during this historic pandemic and economic crisis.”

But others slammed Trump's delay in turning the bill into law. In a tweet, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., accused Trump of having “played Russian roulette with American lives. A familiar and comfortable place for him.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would offer Trump’s proposal for $2,000 checks for a vote in Senate — putting Republicans on the spot.

“The House will pass a bill to give Americans $2,000 checks. Then I will move to pass it in the Senate,” Schumer tweeted. “No Democrats will object. Will Senate Republicans?”

Democrats are promising more aid to come once President-elect Joe Biden takes office, but Republicans are signaling a wait-and-see approach.

Congress will push ahead Monday, with the House expected to vote to override Trump’s veto of an annual must-pass Defense bill, confronting the president on another big issue in the final days of the session. The Senate is expected to follow on Tuesday.

In the face of growing economic hardship, spreading disease and a looming shutdown, lawmakers spent Sunday urging Trump to sign the legislation immediately, then have Congress follow up with additional aid. Aside from unemployment benefits and relief payments to families, money for vaccine distribution, businesses and more was on the line. Protections against evictions also hung in the balance.

“What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. “So many people are hurting. ... It is really insane and this president has got to finally ... do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego.”

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said he understood that Trump “wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks, but the danger is he’ll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire.”

Toomey added: “So I think the best thing to do, as I said, sign this and then make the case for subsequent legislation.”

The same point was echoed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who’s criticized Trump’s pandemic response and his efforts to undo the election results. “I just gave up guessing what he might do next,” he said.

Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said too much is at stake for Trump to “play this old switcheroo game.”

“I don’t get the point,” he said. “I don’t understand what’s being done, why, unless it’s just to create chaos and show power and be upset because you lost the election.”

Washington had been reeling since Trump turned on the deal. Fingers pointed at administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, as lawmakers tried to understand whether they were misled about Trump’s position.

“Now to be put in a lurch, after the president’s own person negotiated something that the president doesn’t want, it’s just — it’s surprising,” Kinzinger said.

Kinzinger spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union,” and Hogan and Sanders on ABC’s “This Week.”

 

Dem. Rep-elects dodge question on Pelosi speaker support

 

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 3:10 PM PT – Sunday, December 27, 2020

Two recently elected Democrat Congress-people avoided saying whether or not they’ll support Nancy Pelosi’s bid to remain Speaker of the House.

In an interview on Sunday, Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.)

simply side-stepped the question, which asked if they would cast their votes for Pelosi.

Instead of commenting on the issue, they instead spoke on their intent to bring legislation to the floor to address issues like reparations and ‘Medicare for All.’

Both were previously endorsed by the ‘Democrat Socialists of America.’

When asked if she would vote for Pelosi, Rep.-elect Bush simply said, “What I’m going to do is make sure the voices of the people of St. Louis are heard.”

Rep.-elect Bowman was asked the same question. His answer was similarly avoidant as he said, “You will find out when my vote is tallied and…again [I’m] organizing with our community to figure out what’s best.”

Pelosi is seeking her fourth two-year term as Speaker of the House.

Surgeon Gen. Adams calls out medical racism amid pandemic

 

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 07: U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams walks to the West Wing of the White House after a television interview July 7, 2020 in Washington, DC. Adams recently argued against a nationwide mask mandate to battle coronavirus indicating such a mandate would lead to rebellion among many Americans. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 3:50 PM PT – Sunday, December 27, 2020

Surgeon General Jerome Adams is calling attention to the history of medical racism across the U.S. amid the pandemic.

During an interview on Sunday, Adams said the issue needs to be addressed immediately in order to properly combat the ongoing coronavirus crisis within the black community. His comments came after alleged racist medical care led to the death of a black doctor in Indiana.

In a recent video, Dr. Susan Moore was allegedly begging for treatment in the hospital before she passed.

Adams said in order to combat the coronavirus in the black community, we need to acknowledge the past and make adjustments. According to a number of reports, communities of color in the U.S. have a greater chance of being impacted by the pandemic, primarily due to undiagnosed and untreated pre-existing conditions.

Adams also touted the work of a black female doctor who helped develop ‘Moderna’s’ COVID-19 vaccine. He commended the vaccine by saying, “We need to walk the talk,” citing his recent vaccination.

Adams said the reason he was vaccinated on live television was to show the public that he looked at the data from both his scientist and doctor perspective. The Surgeon General also praised the vaccine’s effectiveness and noted the trial groups were made up of diverse participants.

In the meantime, Adams stressed the importance of practicing coronavirus safety precautions during the holiday season.

“Even if you traveled, it doesn’t mean you just throw your hands up in the air and say, ‘oh well,'” Adams said. “There are measures that you can take and the CDC… recommends 3 to 5 days after travel–or after you’ve been around people without a mask on–you go out and get tested.”

He added that getting frequent tests “reassures that you didn’t contract the virus from an asymptomatic spread” or spread it to others.

In a tweet, Adams also emphasized practicing the ‘Three-W’s’: washing your hands, wearing a mask and watching your distance.

Townhall Cartoons December 2020

 

‘Believe in science’: EU kicks off COVID-19 vaccine campaign

 

ROME (AP) — Doctors, nurses and the elderly rolled up their sleeves across the European Union to receive the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine Sunday in a symbolic show of unity and moment of hope for a continent confronting its worst health care crisis in a century.

Even though a few countries started giving doses a day early, the coordinated rollout for the 27-nation bloc was aimed at projecting a unified message that the vaccine was safe and Europe’s best chance to emerge from the pandemic and the economic devastation caused by months of lockdown.

For health care workers who have been battling the virus with only masks and shields to protect themselves, the vaccines represented an emotional relief as well as a public chance to urge Europe’s 450 million people to get the shots for their own health and that of others.

“Today I’m here as a citizen, but most of all as a nurse, to represent my category and all the health workers who choose to believe in science,” said Claudia Alivernini, 29, who was the first of five doctors and nurses at the Spallanzani infectious disease hospital in Rome to receive the vaccine.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called the vaccine — which was developed in record time — a “game-changer.”

“We know that today is not the end of the pandemic, but it is the beginning of the victory,” he said.

Italian virus czar Domenico Arcuri said it was significant that Italy’s first doses were administered at Spallanzani, where a Chinese couple visiting from Wuhan tested positive in January and became Italy’s first confirmed cases.

Within weeks, northern Lombardy became the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe and a cautionary tale of what happens when even wealthy regions find themselves unprepared for a pandemic. Lombardy still accounts for around a third of the dead in Italy, which has the continent’s worst confirmed virus toll at nearly 72,000 dead.

“Today is a beautiful, symbolic day: All the citizens of Europe together are starting to get their vaccinations, the first ray of light after a long night,” Arcuri told reporters.

But he cautioned: “We all have to continue to be prudent, cautious and responsible. We still have a long road ahead, but finally we see a bit of light.”

The vaccine developed by Germany’s BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer started arriving in super-cold containers at EU hospitals on Friday from a factory in Belgium. Each country was only getting a fraction of the doses needed — fewer than 10,000 in the first batches — with the bigger rollout expected in January when more vaccines become available. All those getting shots Sunday will need to come back for a second dose in three weeks.

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s Executive Commission, said with additional vaccines in development, the EU will have more vaccines than necessary for all Europeans in 2021. She indicated the bloc could share its extra supplies with the western Balkans and countries in Africa.

“Europe is well positioned,” she said.

In the Los Olmos nursing home in the Spanish city of Guadalajara, northeast of Madrid, 96-year-old resident Araceli Hidalgo and a caregiver were the first Spaniards to receive the vaccine.

“Let’s see if we can all behave and make this virus go away,” Hidalgo said.

The Los Olmos home suffered two confirmed COVID-19 deaths and another 11 deaths among residents with symptoms who were never tested.

“What we want is for as many people as possible to get vaccinated,” said Mónica Tapias, the 48-year-old worker at the home.

The Czech Republic was spared the worst of the pandemic in the spring only to see its health care system near collapse in the fall. In Prague, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis received his shot at dawn Sunday and asserted: “There’s nothing to worry about.” Sitting next to him was World War II veteran Emilie Repikova, who also received a shot.

Altogether, the EU’s 27 nations have recorded at least 16 million coronavirus infections and more than 336,000 deaths — huge numbers that experts say still understate the true toll of the pandemic due to missed cases and limited testing.

The vaccination campaign should ease frustrations that were building up, especially in Germany, as Britain, Canada and the United States kicked off their inoculation programs with the same vaccine weeks earlier.

As it turned out, some EU immunizations began a day early in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia. The operator of a German nursing home where dozens were vaccinated Saturday, including a 101-year-old woman, said “every day that we wait is one day too many.”

In France, where many question the safety of vaccines, the French government has been cautious in its messaging and keen to ensure that it is not seen as forcing vaccinations on the public. France’s first vaccination at a nursing home in a poor area outside of Paris on Sunday was not broadcast on live television as it was elsewhere in Europe and no government ministers attended.

“We didn’t need to convince her. She said ‘yes, I’m ready for anything to avoid getting this disease,’” said Dr. Samir Tine, head of geriatric services for the Sevran nursing home where France’s first vaccine shot went to 78-year-old Mauricette.

“It’s an important day,” Tine said. “We are very eager to have a new weapon at our disposal and we are very eager to rediscover our normal lives.”

Among the politicians who got shots Sunday to promote a wider acceptance of vaccinations was Bulgarian Health Minister Kostadin Angelov.

“I can’t wait to see my 70-year-old father without fear that I could infect him,” Angelov said.

Meanwhile, a new virus variant that has been spreading rapidly around London and southern England has now been detected in France, Italy, Spain, Canada and Japan. The new variant, which British authorities said is much more easily transmitted, has prompted many countries to restrict travel from Britain.

Japan announced it would temporarily ban all non-resident foreigners from entering through Jan. 31 as a precaution against the U.K.’s new variant.

Germany’s BioNTech has said it’s confident that its vaccine works against the new U.K. variant, but added that further studies are needed to be completely certain.

The European Medicines Agency on Jan. 6 will consider approving another coronavirus vaccine made by Moderna, which is already being used in the United States.

Andreas Raouna, 84, said he was honored to be among the first to get the shot in Cyprus and criticized vaccine skeptics of being “in league with a murderer.”

“If the coronavirus hits you, it’ll be the end of you,” he said.

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Gera reported from Warsaw, Poland. AP reporters from around Europe contributed.

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