McCarthy says Democrats 'playing politics' with coronavirus pandemic, after aid measure blocked

close

Video

Rep. Kevin McCarthy on efforts to reopen the economy, support small businesses during coronavirus shutdown

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy joins Shannon Bream on 'Fox News @ Night.'

Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused Democrats of “playing politics” with the coronavirus pandemic, just hours after the Senate failed to pass a measure providing additional funding to small businesses in the midst of the crisis.

McCarthy, R-Calif., during a call with reporters on Thursday, said he was “very disappointed” that Senate Democrats objected to the $250 billion request for small businesses pushed by the White House, and called it “disgusting.”

DEMS BLOCK MCCONNELL BID TO SWIFTLY APPROVE $250 BILLION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

“I do not think people should play politics with the pandemic,” McCarthy told reporters, noting that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had been warning top congressional leaders that the government would run out of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., sought to pass the cash infusion swiftly Thursday by unanimous consent with a skeleton group of senators, as many are home and social distancing, but Democrats blocked the effort because they want add-ons to help businesses in disadvantaged communities and an additional $250 billion in funds for other priorities.

The extra funding is being sought amid concerns that the original $350 billion program to help businesses stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic could run dry in the near future in the face of an enormous demand.

Video

“I do not believe there should have been any problem in adding money to the CARES Act, the Senate could have passed it today and we would have passed it tomorrow so that resources would never run dry, and small businesses wouldn’t have to worry about paying rent or employees,” McCarthy said Thursday.

The Paycheck Protection Program helps businesses with under 500 employees obtain loans that can cover eight weeks of their payroll, benefits, rent and other expenses. The loans will be converted to grants and fully forgiven if 75 percent of the loan is used to keep employees on the payroll. The program was created as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that passed last month.

“This is not changing policy,” McCarthy continued. “This is just adding money to something that is working.”

But Democrats say they’ve got a better plan, and want additional provisions and protections to help businesses in disadvantaged communities. Their proposal would cost roughly double the Republicans’ and include an additional $100 billion for hospitals and $150 billion more for state and local governments as well as increases to food assistance benefits.

Democrats called McConnell's move a "political stunt" because the Senate leader knew his plan didn't have bipartisan support but put it forward anyway, knowing it would fail.

"I'm afraid that this unanimous consent is basically a political stunt because it will not address the immediate need of small businesses in the legislation that we have passed," Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said.

McCarthy, though, said that he was open to listening to Democrats’ concerns for more funding for states and hospitals as part of a separate package.

PELOSI, SCHUMER CALL FOR $500B PLUS AS PART OF 'INTERIM' CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL 

Meanwhile, McCarthy called on China to apologize for their lack of honesty in the onset of the novel coronavirus.

“Ninety-five percent of this wouldn’t have happened had China been honest with us,” McCarthy said. “The economy is now being crushed.”

He added: “They owe an apology to the world.”

“We need to move our supply line itself back to America,” McCarthy said, adding that he believes “that America will solve all of this.”

As of Thursday, the United States reported more than 432,500 positive cases of the novel coronavirus and more than 14,800 deaths.

Fox News’ Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.