House GOP leaders rally opposition to Democrats’ scaled-down COVID bill

House Republicans are rallying members to oppose a new scaled-down coronavirus relief package from Democrats.

The GOP effort comes as negotiations between Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiAirline industry applauds Democrats for including aid in coronavirus relief package Democrats unveil scaled-down .2T coronavirus relief package Trump tax reveal roils presidential race MORE (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinDemocrats unveil scaled-down .2T coronavirus relief package Households, businesses fall into financial holes as COVID aid dries up Centrist Democrats got their COVID bill, now they want a vote MORE showed signs of progress Tuesday on a COVID-19 aid bill after a weeks-long impasse.

Democrats unveiled their $2.2 trillion slimmed down proposal on Monday evening, which could come to the floor for a vote before the end of the week if a bipartisan agreement isn’t reached. The price tag is significantly lower than the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act passed by House Democrats in May.

But House GOP leaders on Tuesday rejected the new legislation.

“This bill recycles the same socialist wish list that was offered in the Heroes Act, which House Republicans overwhelmingly rejected,” House GOP Whip Steve ScaliseStephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseGinsburg becomes the first woman to lie in state in the Capitol House GOP slated to unveil agenda ahead of election House panel details ‘serious’ concerns around Florida, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin elections MORE wrote in a memo sent to members urging a “no” vote on the legislation.

“Costing approximately $2.2 trillion, this is nothing more than a messaging exercise intended to appease the far-left base by included progressive policies that have nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither this bill nor anything like it will ever become law and Republicans should remain unified against this partisan power grab,” he added.

Congressional Republicans have expressed strong reservations about a number of provisions in the new bill from Democrats, including “subsidized Obamacare” for those receiving unemployment, the process in which the $600 a week in unemployment insurance would be extended, the potential for undocumented immigrants to receive stimulus payments and language calling for the release of certain federal prisoners.

The GOP memo noted that conservative outside groups — including Heritage Action, National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Numbers USA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Taxpayers Protection Alliance  and the Eagle Forum — have come out strongly against the Democratic measure.