Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said that a new stimulus package would be “inappropriate” at this time because the economy is “roaring back.”
During the interview, the Pennsylvania senator explained that he believed even the $600 billion counter-offer presented by Republicans to the White House a week ago was too expensive.
“The economy has come roaring back. Disposable income is at record high levels,” Toomey told host Jake Tapper. “It’s not an economy in collapse, like it was in March.”
Asked about the 10 Senate Republicans who met with President Biden at the White House to discuss their own plan to pass more COVID-19 relief, including an extension to unemployment insurance, Toomey said he “disagrees with them” over whether Congress should act to pass more funding.
“I don’t support that, I think it’s completely inappropriate,” Toomey said of the stimulus package.
President Biden reportedly told GOP senators following their meeting last week that their framework for a COVID-19 relief bill was too small, and Democrats have indicated that they plan to move forward and pass Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package without GOP votes through the budget reconciliation process.
In January, Toomey claimed that Biden’s stimulus plan would “likely slow down a recovery in employment,” a warning that was rejected on Sunday by Biden’s Treasury secretary, Janet Yellen.
“We need a big package, and we need to get this done quickly,” Yellen said on CNN, adding: “I would expect if this package is passed, that we would get back to full employment next year.”
