Senator Bernie Sanders accused Senate Republicans on March 4 of showing “contempt” for working class Americans after Senator Ron Johnson delayed a vote on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill by forcing Senate floor staff to read all 628 pages of it out loud.
Reading the entire bill could take as long as 10 hours. While claiming that he felt bad for making Senate clerks read the entire bill, Johnson (R-WI) attempted to justify his action by saying that “so often we rush these massive bills that are hundreds, if not thousands, of pages long.”
“Nobody has time to read them,” he said, adding that making clerks read the bill was about “educating” the American people about what’s in it.
However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) countered that the tactic “would accomplish little more than a few sore throats for the Senate clerks who work very hard day in, day out to help the Senate function.”
Sanders (I-VT) tweeted that Johnson’s move, derided by critics as a cynical stunt, “shows the contempt that Republicans have for the needs of working class Americans.”
While some observers argued Johnson ought to be the one reading the bill aloud in the Senate, the Tea Party favorite had no such intentions. In fact, he up and left the room shortly after the reading began.
“A few minutes into the clerk’s reading of the bill, most senators have filed out of the chamber, including Ron Johnson, who objected to waiving the reading. Just three remain.” – Andrew Solender
Despite the inconvenience of the reading and the delay in the vote, Democrats took Johnson’s move in stride—and not without a dose of deadpan humor.
“Good thing we have time during a national emergency to do this,” said Sanders.
Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO) said that he wished Johnson “would use his time to explain to Trump voters that the election wasn’t stolen… That’d be a good use of 10 hours of Ron Johnson’s time.”
“One upside to Sen Ron Johnson forcing clerks to read the bill is that everyone will know the claim by GOP that only 9% of the bill addresses the effects from the pandemic is a lie. The entire bill is a relief and stimulus package. Stimulus checks alone are over 22% of the bill.” – Ted Lieu
Schumer said that “we are delighted that the senator from Wisconsin wants to give the American people another opportunity to hear what’s in the American Rescue Plan. We Democrats want America to hear what’s in the plan. And if the senator from Wisconsin wants to read it, let everybody listen because it has overwhelming support.”
Brett Wilkins
Sаmuеl Cоrυm
