Shaheen: "It's Absolutely Shameful that Mitch McConnell has Sent the Senate Home without Voting on a Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Bill”

(Washington, DC)—U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement after the Senate held its final vote prior to the November 3rd election:

“It's absolutely shameful that Mitch McConnell has sent the Senate home without voting on a bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill,” said Shaheen. “Two comprehensive bills passed by the House have been stonewalled by the Republican majority and bipartisan negotiations have been blocked for seven months. All the while, New Hampshire families are struggling to pay the bills, small businesses have gone under, and hospitals are in dire financial straits as they treat a new surge in COVID-19 patients. There is still no comprehensive national plan for testing, contact tracing and PPE delivery. Further, municipalities across our State are weighing whether to lay off fire fighters, police officers, school teachers and other essential services because of budget deficits caused by the virus. The Senate could have demonstrated that, once again, it can put partisanship aside and help Americans in need get through this pandemic. The political jockeying has got to end – the American people are demanding results.”

During negotiations of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Shaheen helped deliver $1.25 billion to New Hampshire to assist the State during COVID-19.

Senator Shaheen helped negotiate the small business relief programs that were established in the CARES Act that was signed into law in March. Over $2.5 billion in assistance has been disbursed to more than 25,000 businesses across New Hampshire through the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). However, many small businesses continue to struggle. Shaheen previously introduced the Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program (P4) Act, legislation that would allow these small businesses to access a second round of PPP loans. Just last week, Shaheen introduce the HEROES Small Business Lifeline Act—a comprehensive package of measures that would provide over $370 billion of support to the hardest-hit and most vulnerable small businesses, including minority-owned businesses and very small businesses that have been left behind in this pandemic, as well as industries, such as restaurants and live venues. The bill is nearly identical to the small business provisions of HEROES 2.0, which passed the House of Representatives on October 1.