McConnell on ‘Special Report’ with Bret Baier
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) joined ‘Special Report’ today to discuss ongoing COVID-19 relief proposals and reopening the economy. See below for highlights or click here to watch the full interview.
On House Democrats’ Liberal Wish List:
“It's an 1,800 page liberal wish list. It strikes me as hardly salvageable. Just to give you an example of some of the absurdity, there is money in there for illegal immigrants. It mentions the word cannabis of all things, 68 times more than the word jobs, or hire, are mentioned in the entire bill. It’s a parade of absurdities that can hardly be taken seriously. Let me tell you what I will predict, Bret, I think the President and Senate Republican majority will be on the same page when we get to the point where we need to do another bill.
On Protections for Frontline Workers, Schools, and Universities:
“Our redline is going to be liability protections for those who are brave enough to begin to open up the economy again in the wake of the trial lawyers who are descending already on hospitals and doctors and businesses. As of about of a week and a half ago, 771 lawsuits have already been filed. So we’re working on narrowly crafted protections from liability for things directly related to the coronavirus, and that will have to be a part of any package because if we are really going to get the economy up and going again, people have to be brave enough to begin to engage in economic activity.
“How about the presidents of universities? Are they willing to open up for the fall? Or are we going to have another period of time where not only K-12 students, but potentially college students are still at home? All those questions need to be answered by the fall. Liability protection will help provide the answer.”
On What Comes Next:
“Look, I think we are all talking about this. I talked to the Secretary of the Treasury about it yesterday, to the President's Chief of Staff and to the President recently about this. I think we all believe that another bill probably is going to be necessary. But I’m not prepared today to put a precise date on when that will be.
“What I can tell you, as I told you earlier, it's going to include liability protections in order to get through the Senate and in order to be signed by the President. We will look at what the conditions are in the near future and decide how that ought to be crafted. But it’s not going to be a $3 trillion left-wing wish list like the Speaker is apparently going to try to jam down the throats of her majority either later this week or early next week.”
On Reopening the Country:
“The country is yearning to begin to get back to normal. We want to do it consistent with phase one and two of the coronavirus task force that the administration set up, the White House task force. More and more people believe that we can begin to safely engage again, practicing social distancing, wearing masks, which I had on until I stood here in front of the camera. We are doing that in the Senate. We are up and running. We have been in session the last two weeks. I'm not sure where the House is but they are not here.”
Related Issues: COVID-19, Economy
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