Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is among a majority of lawmakers in Congress who voted in favor of the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and government spending bill, supporting the measure mere hours after complaining that lawmakers — and the American people — were not given sufficient time to read it.
The nearly 6,000-page measure was released to lawmakers Monday afternoon, giving them just hours to read the bill — an impossibility — before voting in the House.
While the bill provides $600 in stimulus checks to American households, it also provides billions in foreign aid, including $10 million for “gender programs” in Pakistan and investment aid for Palestinians.
The coronavirus relief bill released Monday includes $250 million in investment aid for the Palestinians and for encouraging Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. https://t.co/xSe4iV8I53
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) December 21, 2020
On Monday, Ocasio-Cortez linked to an article detailing how the bill provides a special interest gift to the entertainment industry, making illegal streaming for commercial profit a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison.
“This is why Congress needs time to actually read this package before voting on it. Members of Congress have not read this bill. It’s over 5000 pages, arrived at 2pm today, and we are told to expect a vote on it in 2 hours. This isn’t governance. It’s hostage-taking,” she said, adding that Americans need time to read the bill as well.
“The PUBLIC needs to see these bills w enough time to contact their rep to let them know how they feel,” she said. “Members are reeling right now bc they don’t have time to consult w/ their communities”:
And by the way, it’s not just members who need to see the bill ahead of time – YOU do.
The PUBLIC needs to see these bills w enough time to contact their rep to let them know how they feel.
Members are reeling right now bc they don’t have time to consult w/ their communities.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
Prior to that, Ocasio-Cortez noted members of Congress had yet to receive the text of the bill as of 1 p.m. Monday.
“It’s not good enough to hear about what’s in the bill. Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on,” she said, prompting a rare agreement from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX):
It’s not good enough to hear about what’s in the bill. Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on.
I know it’s “controversial” & I get in trouble for sharing things like this, but the people of this country deserve to know. They deserve better.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
.@AOC is right.
It’s ABSURD to have a $2.5 trillion spending bill negotiated in secret and then—hours later—demand an up-or-down vote on a bill nobody has had time to read. #CongressIsBroken https://t.co/EQp8BfRBHj
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 21, 2020
Despite her vocal concern, the New York Democrat was among the majority of House lawmakers who voted to pass the bill without reading the entirety of the text. It passed in the House 359-53 and in the Senate 92-6, with just six GOP senators, including Cruz, voting against it.
