160 GOP reps warn Joe Biden to fix supply chain crisis before pushing his embattled spending plans they say is slowing America’s COVID recovery and proposals ‘a Trojan horse to push radical policies’
- A group of 160 GOP representatives sent a letter to President Biden on Wednesday to address the importance of the supply chain crisis
- Biden has been criticized for his main focus on a new multi-trillion dollar economic package that expands spending on infrastructure and social programs
- He was also criticized for his focus on COVID-related policies, such as vaccine mandates, rather than on the effects of the crisis
- The President had previously told the private sector last week to 'step up' and fix the issues relating to the supply chain crisis
A group of 160 Republican lawmakers have addressed the importance of fixing the supply chain crisis in a letter to President Joe Biden while attacking his embattled spending proposals.
The letter, led and signed by Representative Sam Graves, was sent to Biden on Wednesday in an attempt to further address the urgency of the crisis.
The current supply chain crisis has caused a delay in shipping multiple products to stores and warehouses which has resulted in a months-long shortage of multiple products, amid warnings that the crisis will get even worse before it improves.
The President, however, has been accused by GOP leaders of focusing on 'radical policies' which was also said to have slowed COVID-19 recovery.
President Biden was criticized in a letter signed by 160 GOP representatives for his focus on new 'radical' policies in new multi-trillion dollar economic package that expands spending on infrastructure and social spending instead of the global supply chain crisis
The letter, led and signed by Representative Sam Graves, said that Biden needed to 'reevaluate his agenda' to put his focus elsewhere
'House Republicans have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to work on bipartisan solutions to improve our infrastructure,' the letter read.
'We regret that our efforts have been spurned as Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi, Majority Leader (Chuck) Schumer, and your Administration use infrastructure as a Trojan horse to push radical policies that make it more difficult and expensive for families to find or afford basic goods and for businesses to continue the long road to recovery from the pandemic.'
Americans, already by far the world's biggest consumers, have been buying a lot more goods during the pandemic, much of it imported.
Coupled with labor shortages, equipment shortages and a lack of storage space, bottlenecks and delays have built up.
Despite the need for the fix before the holiday season, Biden has appeared to put his energy into other economic projects.
The ongoing supply chain crisis has left a shortage in retail products and an increase in prices
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Democrats in Congress and the White House have negotiating over the scope of an economic revival package, a multitrillion-dollar, two-bill legislative package that expands social safety net programs and infrastructure spending.
The bill for the social programs is said to include items such as tuition free community college and child tax credits - although Biden is now said to be willing to sacrifice both in order to get a heavily-curtailed version of his plans passed.
'Our priority right now should be strengthening our Nation’s economy and increasing our global competitiveness,' the letter continued.
'The policies of your Presidency and party’s leaders in Congress are exacerbating or simply ignoring the underlying supply chain crisis.'
The letter also slammed Biden for putting his focus on COVID-related policies that have also slowed progress in the supply chain crisis.
'We request that you stop the litany of harmful regulatory actions that are driving up energy costs and to stop attacking the American businesses with vaccine mandates, taxation and government handouts that are disincentivizing work,' the letter also added, according to Fox News.
One of the main factors of the supply chain crisis are said to be back log of cargo ships
Biden brought together powerbrokers from ports, unions and big business on Wednesday to address shipping, labor and warehousing pain in the U.S. supply chain, and announced new around-the-clock port operations in Los Angeles.
'This is an across-the-board commitment to going to 24/7,' said Biden.
The port opening, and a promise from retailers like Target and Walmart to move more goods at night are a 'big first step,' he said.
Now, he added, 'we need the rest of the private sector chain to step us as well.'
Biden had also reportedly planned to trim down the $3.5 trillion bill to an amount between $1.75 trillion and $1.9 trillion.
The legislation for the new planned bill is expected to be passed on October 31.
'Multiple factors have contributed to the Nation’s supply chain crisis, but one factor that is being overlooked is how the collection of harmful policies being pushed by the president and his party is making matters worse,' Graves told Fox News.
'The president is telling the private sector to ‘step up’ and fix these issues, but the president needs to lead by example, step up himself, and reevaluate his agenda that is making this supply chain crisis worse.'
The onset of the supply chain crisis has been caused by a back-log of supply cargo ships that prevented products from reaching shipping ports.
The lack of front-line workers, which is believed to be a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been cited as a factor in the crisis.
The shortage has caused businesses to inflate the prices of scarce products as the crisis continues to affect both the US and global economy.
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