Hoyer Discusses the Urgent Need to Pass COVID-19 Relief for the American People with MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson
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Press Release
For Immediate Release:
December 4, 2020
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson this morning to discuss the urgent need to pass COVID-19 relief for the American people. Below are excerpts from his interview and a link to the video:
Click here to watch video.
On Reaching an Agreement on COVID-19 Relief by Next Week
“We need to get this done as soon as possible… We need to work every hour between now and next week and… I’ve urged us to get something done by the end of next week… We have millions and millions of Americans at dire risk, whether it's paying their rent, whether it's putting food on their tables, whether it’s having some enhanced unemployment. We have to act, and we have to act now. We have a responsibility to do that, and we ought to put aside any other interest and work solely on that objective, as well as funding the government…”
“The people need money in their pockets, so that businesses can grow and create more jobs. As you indicated, the economic report this morning was disappointing in terms of the creation of jobs. We've lost more jobs than we've created, so that I think that we need to move forward quickly.”
On the NDAA:
“I said I would not put [the bill] on the Floor unless [the Senate] language [to rename bases named for Confederate generals] is in there. I’m very glad that Senator Inhofe and [HASC Chairman] Adam Smith, who had great leadership on this particular issue, made sure the provision providing for the renaming… of bases… [named] of those who committed treason against the United States and fought to enslave the Black soldiers and sailors and Marines and Air Force personnel that serve on the bases won't have to serve on a base that's named for somebody who wanted to enslave them. It speaks to the values of our nation.”
“We need to get this done as soon as possible… We need to work every hour between now and next week and… I’ve urged us to get something done by the end of next week… We have millions and millions of Americans at dire risk, whether it's paying their rent, whether it's putting food on their tables, whether it’s having some enhanced unemployment. We have to act, and we have to act now. We have a responsibility to do that, and we ought to put aside any other interest and work solely on that objective, as well as funding the government…”
“The people need money in their pockets, so that businesses can grow and create more jobs. As you indicated, the economic report this morning was disappointing in terms of the creation of jobs. We've lost more jobs than we've created, so that I think that we need to move forward quickly.”
On the NDAA:
“I said I would not put [the bill] on the Floor unless [the Senate] language [to rename bases named for Confederate generals] is in there. I’m very glad that Senator Inhofe and [HASC Chairman] Adam Smith, who had great leadership on this particular issue, made sure the provision providing for the renaming… of bases… [named] of those who committed treason against the United States and fought to enslave the Black soldiers and sailors and Marines and Air Force personnel that serve on the bases won't have to serve on a base that's named for somebody who wanted to enslave them. It speaks to the values of our nation.”