U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is urging bipartisan support for President Joe Biden’s economic rescue package.
The measure includes additional direct payments to Americans as well as funding for vaccine distribution and money for local governments.
Brown says the plan would give Americans the results they voted for, but he’s concerned about Grand Old Party roadblocks.
“We’re trying to get Republicans on board, but most Republicans are saying we shouldn’t be spending this money. We cant afford it," Brown said. "My answer is we can’t afford not to do this; the pandemic still rages.”
The economic rescue package also includes $20 billion for a national vaccination program.
As part of a partnership with states and localities, the program will launch vaccination centers throughout the country, as well as mobile vaccination units for harder to reach areas.
Brown says it’s a different approach from the previous administration where states were competing for COVID-19 resources.
“The Biden administration wants this to run from one central place," he said. "It's up to the governors to make sure these vaccines are out, that none of them are wasted, that they put the plan together to vaccinate so we can save lives, get back to normal as quickly as possible and get our economy back.”
Brown hopes Congress will approve the plan within the next few weeks.
The Senate is now split evenly among Democrats and Republicans. The two Senate leaders, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, recently agreed to a set of rules to operate the chamber, but future cooperation is not assured.
