Ernst: Before Passing Another Massive Bill, Iowans Deserve Transparency Around Unspent COVID Funds
The Iowa senator’s proposal would require transparency and accounting of unspent funds from previous COVID-19 relief packages.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined her colleagues Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) on the Senate floor to introduce a proposal that would require full transparency and accounting of unspent funds from previous COVID-19 relief packages—which totals around $1 trillion.
Ernst stated that, before approving another relief package, Iowans deserve to know how and where their money is being spent.
Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Ernst’s remarks.
Senator Ernst’s full remarks are below:
“Over the course of the pandemic, Congress has worked together—Republicans and Democrats—to pass five overwhelmingly bipartisan bills providing COVID-19 relief to the American people.
“And, I think we can all agree that that relief was much needed.
“In March, we passed the largest stimulus package in American history. And, just a few months ago, we passed the second largest.
“But what the Democrats aren’t telling you is that much of the $900 billion we passed in the most-recent relief package – and even some of the CARES Act money – has yet to be spent.
“And frankly, folks, we don’t even know exactly who has spent what money Congress doled out over the last year.
“I’ve long said the American taxpayer deserves to know where and how their money is being spent.
“Bottom line: we need transparency and to know what has and has not been spent so far.
“This commonsense effort will help us get this information.
“Until we have those details, we should not continue throwing money to Washington bureaucrats, and we certainly should not support this partisan, $1.9 trillion dollar package that includes many items that are completely unrelated to COVID-19.
“I agree with my colleagues there is more that we can do to help expedite vaccine distribution and promote access to child care so parents can return to work.
“But, folks, this isn’t monopoly money. This is real money.
“We have a moral obligation to future generations to spend responsibly. Iowans, and all Americans, deserve transparency before we add trillions of dollars to their tab.”
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