USA Today: 21 Republican governors attack Biden’s COVID-19 stimulus bill for ‘penalizing’ their states
Holcomb’s 2021 State of State Address: “The state of our state is resilient and growing. Our foundation has held strong.”
Holcomb supported both COVID-19 relief packages from former President Trump
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today criticized Governor Eric Holcomb for attacking the new COVID-19 relief package up for debate in the U.S. Senate, a measure which would provide Hoosiers $1,400 in assistance and provide funding for the national vaccination effort, our schools, and housing assistance. Governor Holcomb has not criticized any COVID-19 relief effort from the federal government prior to this week, and the only difference between then and now is that Joe Biden is President of the United States.
More than 76-percent of Americans support President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief package, including many Indiana Republicans.
The Indiana Democratic Party believes Indiana should be allocated as much funding to help our families and businesses during these uncertain times. However, the Party couldn’t help but remember when Gov. Holcomb repeatedly proclaimed strength during his State of the State Address in January, saying that Indiana’s “foundation has held strong”. Asking for more funding when the state is in such a strong position would be hypocritical to the INGOP’s morals of “fiscal responsibility”. Then again, Indiana Republicans have proved those values only matter when they are out of political power.
“Governor Holcomb himself said the state is in a strong position, so why is the governor wasting time playing partisan political games when there’s so much work to get done for our families?” said Lauren Ganapini, executive director of the Indiana Democratic Party. “Hoosiers want to see action, and they want to trust that their governor won’t invoke partisanship when it’s time to put the future of Indiana before political rhetoric. So far, Holcomb isn’t passing the test.”
Lastly, Hoosiers are old enough to remember when Governor Holcomb never once criticized policy measures by former President Donald Trump and his administration’s COVID-19 White House Task Force. Instead, Holcomb went along with the Trump Administration’s demands, even ignoring private warnings from Trump White House officials by forcing the state to lift COVID-19 protections prematurely anyway.
USA Today: 21 Republican governors attack Biden’s COVID-19 stimulus bill for ‘penalizing’ their states
“Twenty-one Republican governors and one Democrat are taking aim at a key component of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill, arguing a proposed allocation of funds “punishes” states that did not fully lock down businesses amid the pandemic.” […]
“Biden’s bill, dubbed the American Rescue Plan, proposes $350 billion in direct aid to state and city governments to replenish tax revenue collections that declined during the pandemic. Most of the funding for each state would be based on its unemployment figures – not overall population. States where the most citizens were out of work last year would receive a greater share.” […]
“While few Republican governors have voiced support for Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill, the legislation has garnered the public backing of 32 Republican mayors who say their cash-challenged cities need the assistance. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has been perhaps the most outspoken Republican governor in support of the bill’s passage.” […]
“Biden met with nine Republican senators virtually Monday to discuss the Senate’s vote on the relief bill.”
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