Huge spending bill with COVID relief passes Congress, but divides SC delegation
South Carolina’s federal delegation overwhelmingly supported a massive, $900 billion COVID-19 package passed by Congress late Monday to provide Americans and small businesses much-needed relief because of the pandemic. But Republicans also took turns criticizing the omnibus legislation that included a $1.4 trillion spending measure to keep government running.
The House backed the bill 359-53, with support from Democrats House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, of Columbia, and Rep. Joe Cunningham, of Charleston.
“While today’s vote to provide relief to families who are suffering due to circumstances far beyond their control is welcome, it is long overdue and insufficient to fully meet their needs,” Clyburn said on the House floor.
Myrtle Beach’s Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rice voted to pass the bill, and said in a statement the legislation will provide needed aid to help boost the Grand Strand’s economy.
“While this is long overdue and not nearly perfect, it is a big step to fully reopening our economy,” Rice said.
Republican U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham of Seneca and Tim Scott of North Charleston also supported the spending bill, which passed the Senate chamber in a 92-6 vote.
“This package provides a lot of relief for people who are hurting and should’ve been done months ago,” Graham tweeted after criticizing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the time it took for Congress to broker a deal. “The only reason it took this long is because Democrats didn’t want to negotiate with President Donald Trump before the election.”
Scott praised the spending, saying it will help areas of telehealth, school choice, historically Black colleges and universities and minority business development.
“Whether it’s improving educational access for students during the pandemic, providing more resources for small businesses to stay open and their workers to stay employed, increasing broadband access to aid with telehealth, or a number of other solutions, this is a great step forward,” Scott said in a statement.
Republican U.S. Reps. Ralph Norman of Rock Hill and William Timmons of Greenville voted against the spending bill, which keeps government funded through September 2021.
However, Timmons commended the spending for rural broadband and additional dollars for the Paycheck Protection Program.
“I have been waiting for months to cast this vote, and I would have voted in favor of this relief package today had it not been wrongfully attached to a bloated government funding bill,” Timmons said. “But I do not support the reckless, multi-trillion-dollar government spending bill that is chock full of unnecessary spending. I have opposed wasteful government spending since I came to Congress, and with our national debt quickly approaching $30 trillion, I could not support this colossal package.”
Norman also blasted why Congress only got the nearly 6,000-page bill on Monday, right before the vote.
“Folks, we just received a 5,600-page PDF that represents one of the largest spending bills in our history, and not one member of Congress will have had time to read through it before voting later today,” Norman tweeted before the vote. “This is awful governance, and a disservice to the American people.”
Republican U.S. Reps. Jeff Duncan of Laurens and Springdale’s Joe Wilson did not vote on the legislation.
Wilson is in quarantine after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
Duncan was not able to return to Washington in time for the vote because of a prior commitment with one of his children. Duncan made the plans because Congress was originally not scheduled to be in session, his office said.
“Because of his position on the illegality of proxy voting, he chose not to exercise that option,” said Duncan Chief of Staff Allen Klump. “The Congressman opposed the final bill, and has publicly urged the president to veto the legislation.”
How they voted
▪ U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-Charleston: Yes
▪ U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-Springdale: Not voting
▪ U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens: Not voting
▪ U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-Greenville: No
▪ U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill: No
▪ U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia: Yes
▪ U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, R-Myrtle Beach: Yes
▪ U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-Seneca: Yes
▪ U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-North Charleston: Yes
Reporter Maayan Schechter and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 12:11 PM.
