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Golden Leads Lawmakers to Send Message to Pelosi: Abandon Partisan Approach, Negotiate Focused, Bipartisan Deal

May 12, 2020

Photo Credit: David Sharpe/Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) led a group of lawmakers to on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to abandon her efforts to push forward a partisan package of legislation with little chance of becoming law to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In their letter, the Members of Congress urged the Speaker to instead work in a bipartisan way with Republicans and the White House to address the urgent issues connected to COVID-19 and the economic crisis facing the country.

"Since the beginning of this public health crisis, we have been in constant communication with our constituents about their needs and the challenges facing their communities," wrote Congressman Golden and his colleagues. "Their message has been clear: lawmakers should be doing the work we were elected to do -- using the legislative and oversight process to address the core problems that are directly connected to the COVID-19 pandemic."

"Unfortunately, it appears some lawmakers view the consideration of an additional aid package to address the COVID-19 pandemic as either unnecessary or as a political opportunity to advance their own unrelated -- and in some cases unrealistic -- legislative agenda," the lawmakers continued. "This is unacceptable. The people of our districts expect thoughtful, targeted, and timely action."

In their letter, Golden and his fellow lawmakers urge the Speaker to pursue bipartisan policies that address the core challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

  • Fixing structural flaws in the Paycheck Protection Program and identifying what further assistance small businesses need;
  • Providing additional aid to state and local governments;
  • Ensuring frontline workers have adequate and sustained access to personal protective equipment; and
  • Working to increase state testing capacity so that businesses can reopen and workers can more safely return to work.

Rep. Golden has been an outspoken advocate for thoughtful, targeted, and bipartisan action to address the core challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. He has repeatedlycalled for improvements to the Paycheck Protection Program so that it can better address the needs of Maine small businesses. He has led the Maine congressional delegation in calling for action to protect Maine's vulnerable rural hospitals, pushed for more PPE to support Maine's frontline workers, and has joined his Maine colleagues in supporting additional aid to state and local governments.

Representatives Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), Kendra Horn (OK-05), and Max Rose (NY-11) joined Golden to send the letter.

Read Golden and his colleagues' letter here.