Washington Post editorial board slams Senate Republicans for 'grandstanding' instead of working to pass COVID-19 stimulus

On Wednesday, The Washington Post's editorial board tore into Senate Republicans for kicking the can on renewing coronavirus stimulus until they faced a critical deadline.

"House Democrats passed a comprehensive coronavirus relief bill in May. Republicans waited," wrote the board. "Now, with federal economic aid expiring at month’s end, they cannot agree among themselves on a plan, let alone forge a compromise with Democrats. The GOP is out of time, and there is no reasonable alternative to continuing massive federal aid. Republicans must admit the obvious and get a bill passed, immediately."

Republicans pushed off any discussion of stimulus until the end of July, despite calls to start drafting a plan earlier. Meanwhile, their current plan would include a dramatic cut of expanded unemployment benefits.

"The necessary policies are not mysterious," wrote the board. "Congress should approve another round of checks for low- and middle-income Americans; re-fund and reform the Paycheck Protection Program, which is designed to sustain small businesses; fund testing and tracing; and extend enhanced unemployment benefits. Quite a few Republicans already appear to be on board with these. To that, they must add billions in aid to state and local governments, which do not have the federal government’s financial flexibility yet must staff the front lines of the coronavirus response and keep other vital services functioning, and pumped up election funding so people can vote safely this fall."

"There is no time left for grandstanding, ideological point-making and reality denial," concluded the board. "Congress needs an agreement, now."

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