Ron Johnson Stunt Delays COVID-19 Rescue Checks, Vaccine Funds

WASHINGTON, DC — Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin sent a message Wednesday to Americans whose lives have been thrown into the economic hailstorm that is the coronavirus pandemic and are eager to see President Joe Biden’s signature on a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue bill, saying in effect:

Yes, you don’t know how you’re going to pay your rent or mortgage or feed your kids, and yes, part of the safety net keeping a roof over your head collapses in a little over a week, but be patient.

It’s probably not anyone’s idea of must-see television, and your eyes may be glazing over just thinking about the monotony of this, and you may be hoping a troupe of “Hamilton” actors will come in with a rousing chorus — but Johnson wants the text of the entire 700-page American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 read out loud on the Senate floor before the Senate debates the package and votes on it.

It's not clear why Johnson believes Americans will want to watch 10 hours of the bill reading on C-SPAN rather than access it directly and more quickly on their own through the various links available.

But hold tight. Johnson's — not of that Johnson & Johnson — relief medicine is good for you. You need it. The full prescription and entire 10-hour treatment.

“Since more than 90% of this ‘COVID relief’ bill is not even related to COVID, I think we need a full reading of the bill,” Johnson tweeted. “Yes, it could take 10 hours but the American people deserve to know what's in it.”

For the record, House Resolution 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, is available for consumption by the intellectually curious on the congressional website, and it has been since it was introduced in the House.

Twitter user Terry Kerkman pointed out the cost of the relief bill and the Republican-delivered tax cuts in 2017 are a match.

“Is anyone else sick of hearing that we can’t afford COVID relief from the exact same people who passed the $1,900,000,000,000 tax cut for corporations and the super-rich?” he tweeted

Related: How We’ll End The Coronavirus Pandemic: A Joe Biden Q&A

After the text is read, the debate could take more than 20 hours, pushing a vote in the Senate to the weekend. It needs a simple majority to pass, and Democrats want it to reach Biden’s desk before enhanced unemployment aid expires on March 14.

Provisions in the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill that will most directly affect Americans include:

• Provides $1,400 direct stimulus payments to most Americans.
• Provides $400 weekly unemployment payment supplement and expands jobless benefit eligibility to millions more Americans through Aug. 29.
• Expands the child tax credit for many households up to $3,600 per child over a year.

In direct pandemic response, it includes:

• $50 billion to expand coronavirus testing and tracing.
• $19 billion to increase the size of the public health workforce.
• $16 billion to fund vaccine distribution and improve supply chains.

For an expanded look at the rescue package provisions, go to The Washington Post.

The rescue package can win support in the Senate without Republican support through the reconciliation process, but Democrats still have to resolve questions within their party about the scope of unemployment benefits and direct stimulus payments and can’t afford any defections from their ranks, Politico reported.

The section of the bill most egregious to Republicans — a tax penalty to corporations that don’t pay a $15 an hour minimum wage — was stripped, but Johnson and other Republicans opposing the package say it contains billions of dollars in wasteful spending unrelated to the coronavirus crisis.

The package before the Senate differs from the one passed in the House, so the lower chamber must take it up again before it reaches Biden’s desk.