Sen. Kennedy: I'll vote for a bill as long as it's clean
Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy addresses stalemate over small business relief.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Friday that he hopes to see Congress come together to replenish the small business loan program established through the last coronavirus aid package, which has since been exhausted.
But Kennedy warned his fellow lawmakers on "Your World" that they should not allow unrelated appropriations and policies to be tacked on to the legislation, calling such additions "spending porn."
He said he has heard reports that Republicans may be goaded into making a deal with Democrats that would allow for some extra provisions other than just replenishing the program; in this case, additional federal funding for hospitals.
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"I have heard the rumors. I hope they are true. But what often happens, and I hope it doesn’t happen this time, Neil, they tell us they have reached a deal, and then you start reading the bill, and you find that somebody slips something in there," he told host Neil Cavuto.
"I call it spending porn," he added.
Kennedy said that what tends to happen is bipartisan agreement is reached on something like the aid package and lawmakers appear united in their will to vote for it and publicly announce so -- but later find out that deal-breaking additives have been put into the legislation.
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"You said you weren’t going to vote for any more of this, and they slip it in there, so you have no choice. I’m not saying that’s what is going to happen this time. I am saying that this has got to be unanimous," he said of the potential upcoming votes.
"And they are not going to get unanimity if they -- and I am talking to both sides -- if they play games here," Kennedy added. "I will consider anything they come up with. But they need to think a little bit more about the next generation instead of the next election."
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