MarketWatch: Pelosi sees ‘Phase 4’ coronavirus package including additional payments to Americans, infrastructure spending
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday said a “Phase 4” package could include “more direct payments” to Americans and spending on infrastructure.
The California Democrat also said she would like to see the next bill feature more money for state and local governments, increased protections for workers, more assistance for hospitals and nursing homes and “more opportunity for family and medical leave.”
“The president said during the campaign and since, infrastructure was a priority for him. So that’s why we believe that in terms of recovery, that’s probably the most bipartisan path that we can take,” Pelosi said on Monday in a conference call with reporters.
Washington Post: Pelosi says Phase 4 coronavirus bill will include focus on infrastructure
Pelosi said the legislation will include a focus on infrastructure, Occupational Safety and Health Administration protections for front-line workers and funding for the District of Columbia, among other things.
The District was classified as a territory in last week’s coronavirus legislation, which reduced by more than $700 million the amount the city will receive.
Pelosi also sounded a pessimistic note when asked about the potential for remote voting in the House, noting that it’s not possible without discussion in the House and changing the rules.
Part of her answer, quoted in a misspelled tweet with 4 likes, prompted a front page writer here to freak out, telling Pelosi to “get over yourself,” and claiming Pelosi refused “to even consider” remote voting, that she continued to “live in denial,” and was “irrational” and “idiotic.” Other fun words used: “foolish,” and “nuts.”
“So lets [sic] not waste too much time on something thats [sic] not going to happen,” Pelosi said.
That was the entire take-away from today’s conference call by a paid staffer? Not the plans for additional funds to go directly to private citizens, not ensuring OSHA protections for frontline corona fighters, not the intent to provide additional funds for infrastructure, not more money for state and local governments, not more assistance for hospitals and nursing homes, and not more opportunity for family and medical leave?
Focusing on some tweet instead of reporting on everything positive that was proposed by Speaker Pelosi this afternoon was a waste of bandwidth by a staffer with a one-tweet knowledge of the conference call.
We’re better than this.