Biden Holds Up List of Republicans Who Opposed Covid Relief But Bragged About Its Benefits To Constituents: ‘Some People Have No Shame’

President Joe Biden was in Ohio on Thursday making the case for his economic agenda, including the American Jobs Plan that would bolster some of the country’s infrastructure. The White House has been negotiating with Senate Republicans in the hopes of forging a bipartisan deal, though at this late juncture the two sides remain far apart.

During a speech at a Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, the president touted the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan he signed in March. Among its features was funding for state and local governments, many of which were struggling to balance their budgets thanks to a pandemic-driven decline in tax revenue.

“Hundreds of thousands of retirees and workers across Ohio and millions more across the country,” said Biden, “Can trust that their pensions they worked so damn hard for and sacrificed to secure will be there for them. Unlike my dad, who busted his neck his whole life and when the company went under, he lost his pension completely.”

The American Rescue Plan didn’t receive any Republican votes in Congress,

Biden then turned his attention to those Republicans who voted against the bill, only to brag about its provisions to their constituents. Biden held up a list containing the names of Republican lawmakers and the parts of the American Recovery Act they touted despite not voting for them.

Even my Republican friends in Congress, not a single one of them voted for the rescue plan. I’m not going to embarrass any one of them, but I have here a list. Of how back in their districts, they’re bragging about the rescue plan. They touted the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. They touted the fact that we’re in a situation where they’re dealing with–touted grants to community healthcare centers… I mean, some people have no shame. But I’m happy. I’m happy they know that it’s benefitted their constituents. That’s ok with me. But if you’re going to try to take credit for what you’ve done, don’t get in the way of what we still need to do.

.@POTUS holds up a card with GOP Members of Congress who voted against the COVID Relief Bill but are now promoting it in their home states. pic.twitter.com/JxccBstcxx

— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) May 27, 2021

Among the Republicans were Sen. Roger Wicker (MS), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA), Rep. Greg Pence, Rep. Anthony Gonzales (OH), Rep. Madison Cawthorn, and Rep. Lee Zeldin (NY).

On Thursday morning, Senate Republicans led by Shelley Capito (R-WV) countered the most recent White House offer of a $1.7 trillion infrastructure package by proposing a $928 billion package, just $257 billion of which would come from new spending.

Biden’s plan would require 10 votes from Republican senators to break a filibuster and pass through regular order. However, Democrats have the option of passing an infrastructure bill through budget reconciliation, just as they did with the American Rescue Plan. That process requires a simple majority.

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