‘Madame Speaker added all sorts of Christmas-tree ornaments to this bill’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s add-ons were the reason why Colorado Republican Ken Buck voted against the $8.3 billion coronavirus bill that President Trump signed into law earlier in the day.
“The president asked for $2.5 billion. I would have supported that. The speaker decided to add all sorts of Christmas-tree ornaments to this bill. It was unnecessary. It was too much money,” he said.
Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., also voted no when the House approved its bill Wednesday in a 415-2 vote. The Senate passed its version Thursday in a 96-1 vote, with only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., opposing the plan.
Buck’s office later told Fox News that his objections to the bill include not only the overall cost but aspects including $1.25 billion that is marked for use in other countries, as well as $500 million in Medicare telehealth funding.
His office also said that the bill outlines funding to stockpile masks, gloves and other things with no plan to make sure they get distributed to medical professionals instead of being stored up in a warehouse.