A Republican congressman on Thursday suggested the Democratic party is more interested in supporting China than working to reopen American businesses.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) questioned his Democratic colleagues during an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” saying they were holding up a bill that would help American small businesses while defending China’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“And we are seeing that right now unfold, [as] my Democratic colleagues are holding up $250 billion necessary for small businesses,” Roy said, according to Fox news.
He added that small businesses in his district are struggling to keep afloat. The Small Business Administration was provided more than $350 billion in the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package to help American businesses. Businesses that receive the loan can get it forgiven if they use the money to retain payroll.
The Treasury Department requested an additional $250 billion since the amount provided to it in the relief bill ran out quickly. Republicans wanted to pass a clean bill providing the money, but Democrats blocked it, demanding money for other coronavirus-related funds as well.
“Meanwhile, Democrats want to play politics instead of actually providing the capital necessary to start businesses,” Roy said. “We are trying to work hard to get through this pandemic, to get our economy restarted, [and] keep the American people safe. I think the president is trying to do that. Governor Abbott in Texas — we’re working hard to do it.”
He then asked: “And I’ve got one big question, which is, Why are Democrats more interested in supporting the Chinese than in trying to get the American businesses restarted?”
Roy also took on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who recently defended the World Health Organization’s handling of the coronavirus after President Donald Trump announced he would halt funding for the organization, which helped China cover up the dangers of the coronavirus.
“The president’s halting of funding to the WHO as it leads the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic is senseless … A weak person blames others. This decision is dangerous, illegal and will be swiftly challenged,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Roy responded on “Fox & Friends”: “Well, my understanding is these are dollars that Congress has given to the White House to deal with these kinds of things in a broader sense [and] that the president has latitude to make decisions, particularly on something like this where it is involving our national security interests.”
“Let’s encourage the [WHO] to step up and get it right, stop siding with the communists in China, [and] stop siding against the interests of the United States,” he added. “And, do what is right for the American people — do what is right for the world.”
Roy went on to say that he and some of his Republican colleagues on the House Oversight Committee previously sent a letter to the WHO asking what they knew about the coronavirus and when.
“When did they know what was going on in China? Could they have gotten in front of the six days or seven days that could have been so important to stop the spread of this virus…damaging the world and damaging the United States? We need to get to the bottom of this,” Roy said.
“We need to know the truth while we continue to make sure the American people are safe and we work to get our economy back again,” he added.
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