McConnell: Dems on 'partisan' path to COVID-19 aid

Updated

Sen. Mitch McConnell said GOP senators who met with President Joe Biden outlined a framework for a bipartisan approach on COVID-19 relief, but he criticized Democrats for pressing ahead on their own. Dems say the GOP plan is insufficient. (Feb. 2)

Video Transcript

MITCH MCCONNELL: Good afternoon, everyone. Here's where I think we are on the budget. I talked to the president yesterday morning. And then, as all of you know and have reported, he met with 10 of our members for a couple of hours last night. And, at lunch, we had an opportunity to talk to the members who were in the meeting, hoping that we could find a bipartisan way forward.

Our members who were in the meeting felt that the president seemed to be more interested in that than his staff did or that it seems like the Democratic leadership in the House and the Senate are. So here's where I think we're headed. It looks like the majority is going to have us vote on the motion to proceed to the budget this afternoon. They've chosen a totally partisan path.

I can't remember a budget, in the time that I've been here, that either side has ever voted in a bipartisan way. So we're off to a totally partisan start. I think that's unfortunate. I think our 10 members laid out a proposal that could have gotten broad bipartisan support, giving the new administration a chance to get a bipartisan victory here early.

But they are in the majority in the House and Senate. And life is a series of choices. And they've chosen. So we'll go down that path. That means we'll be facing multiple amendments later in the week.

Originally published

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