PEORIA, Ill. — The Senate Wednesday night passed an unprecedented $2.2 trillion aid package to help American businesses, workers and health care systems reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. So what’s next?
Congressman Darin LaHood, representing Illinois’ 18th District, said the House has to figure out how to make a vote happen.
“How we get back to vote on this bill, or are we going to vote remotely. We’re still working on that right now,” LaHood said.
LaHood told WMBD’s Greg and Dan, he is struggling with add-ons the Senate included in its version of the virus rescue package. He said their version has “too much pork”, adding language to assist the Kennedy Center, Public Broadcasting and NASA.
“It infuriates the public when they hear this. We ought to be focused on the coronavirus. Now, they did clean it up a bit, and got rid of some of it, But, there’s still some provisions in there that have nothing to do with the virus,” LaHood said.
LaHood said the House still has work to do on the bill before its members can vote on Friday.
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, who represents Illinois’ 17th District, admits the aid package isn’t perfect.
“There are some components of this that you don’t like. But, you also have to look at it this way. There are some great measures in this that are going to help a lot of people,” Bustos said.
Bustos told WMBD’s Greg and Dan, many members of Congress flew back to D.C. Thursday night ahead of the House vote, in case remote voting isn’t an option.
Bustos said the fact that the rescue aid package will include $1,200 per adult and $500 per child is huge. But, it’s also going to help small businesses.
“You think about your favorite bar or your favorite restaurant in and around Peoria, and multiply that by every town in America, and what they’re struggling with. So, we’ve got to do this, and we have to have a real sense of urgency about getting this passed,” Bustos said.
The House is set to vote on the $2.2 trillion aid package sometime Friday.
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