Two groups left body bags outside the homes of multiple Republican senators on Tuesday in protest of the lack of additional COVID-19 relief.
The groups, SPACEs in Action and ShutDownDC, posted a video of activists hauling dozens of black body bags off a U-Haul truck and putting them outside the homes of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sens. James Inhofe, Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins.
“Do your job: #CovidRelief now,” ShutDownDC tweeted.
Some of the body bags had notes attached that read “#Trump COVID Death,” the video shows.
The groups also left signs outside the senators’ homes demanding that they pass additional coronavirus relief, photos and the video show.
“McConnell — 270,000 dead,” a sign outside the senate majority leader’s home read. “Do your job. COVID relief now.”
“Inhofe: While you fiddled, 270,000 died,” another read.
More than 13.7 million coronavirus cases and more than 270,600 deaths have been reported in the United States as of Wednesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Lawmakers passed the CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion relief package, in March. But certain relief programs are set to expire next month — meaning roughly 12 million Americans could lose their unemployment benefits — as congressional Republicans, Democrats and the White House have been unable to reach a deal on another package.
A spokesperson for Inhofe told Fox News on Tuesday that the senator is also frustrated by a lack of coronavirus relief and said he has supported passing an additional package.
“May I suggest they try sharing their concerns with Speaker Pelosi or Sen. Schumer? They are the ones holding up relief – not Sen. Inhofe,” the spokesperson told Fox News.
Graham did not respond to Newsweek’s request for comment about the body bags.
The South Carolina lawmaker has previously suggested Congress should go “big and smart” on the next relief package, saying more money is needed than what other Republicans had supported but objecting to certain provisions proposed by House Democrats, The Hill reported.
McConnell on Monday expressed support for passing another relief package.
“The American people need more help now,” he tweeted. “Congress should deliver more COVID relief this year.”
He also said there is “no reason” why lawmakers “should not deliver another major pandemic relief package to help the American people,” according to Business Insider. Congress reconvened Monday, and McConnell told reporters Tuesday that if a deal is reached on a government funding bill, a COVID-19 relief package will likely be included.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan congressional group that includes Collins, introduced their proposal for a $908 billion relief package on Tuesday, Politico reports.
“This bipartisan, bicameral group worked night and day throughout the Thanksgiving recess because we recognize that families all across America are struggling, that businesses are closing, and that hospitals are overwhelmed,” Collins said in a statement about the proposal.
Lawmakers have been in a stalemate for months over another relief package — unable to reach an agreement on the price tag and on certain key aspects to include.
House Democrats in May passed the HEROES Act, a $3 trillion package that was never voted on in the Senate. Republicans in the Senate passed their own $1 trillion package, the HEALS Act in July.
Negotiations have since been on again, off again. In November, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sent McConnell a letter asking him to “join us at the negotiating table” after talks hit another dead end.
This story was originally published December 02, 2020 8:52 AM.
