U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said Tuesday that the current coronavirus emergency has frightened the state’s small business owners — and Congressional Democrats’ actions this week did not help matters.
Blackburn said this in reference to Congressional Democrats using the current coronavirus emergency as an excuse to push for a litany of left-wing government projects.
Blackburn said this on a conference call with reporters.
“Everything has a time and place, and this is neither the time nor the place for the kinds of discussion they (Democrats) wanted to have,” Blackburn said.
“I am talking to small businesses across the state every day, and they are concerned about meeting their payroll this week. They are trying to figure out if this bill is going to get done. They are going to be hung out to dry.”
Blackburn went on to say she disliked “this push (by Democrats) to include their progressive agenda on this (relief) bill and then pay for it on the backs of our business community, our sole proprietors, and our independent contractors.”
Congressional Democrats wanted, among other things, $20 billion to bail out the U.S. Postal Service, $200 million on research for renewable jet fuel, and $35 million for the Kennedy Center.
“We were incredibly disappointed that this bill did not move forward yesterday. We are still here working on it. We have negotiated in a bipartisan basis. What we had negotiated would have included $350 billion for different components that were there in our small business sector. This includes money that would go to independent contractors, the self-employed, and sole proprietors,” Blackburn said.
The bill Blackburn said she pushed for would have included student loan deferrals, $250 billion in unemployment insurance, and tax rebates that are $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for a couple.
“We know most Tennessee businesses fall in the small business category, so it was very important for us to achieve that. There was also relief for hospitals,” Blackburn said.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Marsha is a disgrace to our State, period!
The $2+ trillion giveaway rests on the shoulders of Senator Blackburn and the rest of the lousy GOP “negotiators” as well as the socialist called Democrats. Help is only needed because the various levels of government have shutdown business operations. This is insane.
There is a news blackout on what is going on in the Federal Legislature as I type this. It appears the Dems are going to play kabooki theater with the relief bill. Senate produces bipartisan bill with approval of House conferees, but then later, Speaker of the House says NO, we are going to review this senate bill and fix it like we want it, before we vote on it. So it will go back to the senate in a revised form and the process starts again. Enough!
The Dems have essentially destroyed the legislative effectiveness of our federal system. NOW, Trump should collect all the evidence, conferees statements, news media clips, kabooki theater scripts, etc. THEN, he should essentially implement the Senate bill through his recently approved War Powers Act by executive action.
The Dems? Of course they will weep, wail, tear clothing, wallow in ashes, curse, and lament Trump’s action. BUT, they will also face the wrath of the voters this fall.
Its all about the small businesswhiners for Marsha.
Of course even in a national state of emergency both sides. Still have to play the game.