London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

US: Democrats say package helps bosses, not workers

US: Democrats say package helps bosses, not workers

Democrats on Monday again blocked a nearly US$2 trillion rescue package for the teetering US economy, highlighting a bitter partisan battle over how to best protect struggling Americans and crippled businesses from the ravages of coronavirus.
With the deadly pandemic spreading rapidly and forcing entire states including New York and California into lockdown, Capitol Hill was under immense pressure to pass legislation that injects a historic amount of federal funding to prevent a devastating economic collapse.

Democrats balked, arguing the current Republican-led legislation prioritizes big corporations over protecting workers.

They say it also falls woefully short in helping shore up the critically under-equipped health care system and help hospitals receive vital emergency medical supplies like masks and gowns, intensive care beds and ventilators.

Despite intense negotiations between Republicans, Democrats and President Trump's administration, the roll call was 49-46, far short of the 60 votes needed to advance.

Five senators, all Republicans, did not vote because they are in self-imposed quarantine. One of them, Rand Paul, tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.

The chamber's top Democrat, Senator Chuck Schumer, insisted the negotiations were continuing, including with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and the two sides were inching towards a viable compromise.

"We're very close to reaching a deal. Very close. And our goal is to reach a deal today," Schumer told the chamber.

"We are hopeful, even confident, that we will meet that goal."

Those remarks however came before the vote, and the Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, vented his fury afterwards at Democrats for their "absolutely mindless obstruction" while Americans are waiting for Congress to act.

Minutes earlier McConnell was seething at Democrats for what he called "fiddling" about specifics of what ultimately may be the largest emergency rescue package ever passed by the US Congress.

And he warned that without rapid agreement, the Senate may take until the end of the week to pass a rescue package.

"The markets are tanking once again... because this body can't get its act together," he said.

Wall Street went further into the red after the vote, with the Dow closing 3 percent lower, down almost 600 points.

As the crisis deepened, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, said her caucus would unveil its own plan later on Monday, potentially complicating matters further.

The Republican bill "put corporations first, not workers and families," Pelosi said as she unveiled highlights of a Democratic plan, including strengthened unemployment insurance, "desperately needed funds" for hospitals and opposition to stock buybacks.

Democrats say McConnell's plan would pump hundreds of billions of dollars into US corporations with insufficient oversight, and no requirement that the companies keep their workers on payroll.

"They proposed a US$500 billion slush fund for corporations with almost no conditions," former vice president Joe Biden, the all-but-certain Democratic presidential nominee, said Monday in webcast remarks.

Democrats have also warned that the bill as proposed does not bar corporations from using the taxpayer funds to buy back stocks or increase executives' pay, something some Republicans, including Trump, publicly oppose.

Meanwhile the Federal Reserve launched an unprecedented effort on Monday to flood the US economy with money -- Mnuchin said the measures would provide US$4 trillion in needed liquidity -- amid the chaos caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Some forecasters project a 14 percent contraction in the April-June quarter while the global economy could shrink 1.5 percent this year.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×