5 Questions Gardner Must Answer As He Returns to Washington After Taking a Long Weekend Instead of Delivering for Coloradans
75 Days Since Gardner Said Going on Recess Would Be “Unfathomable,” Then Cowered to McConnell & Failed to Pass COVID Relief
Denver, CO - Emergency unemployment insurance for 330,000 Coloradans expired after Senator Cory Gardner broke his promise that there was “no doubt” the lifeline program would be extended, and now Gardner owes Coloradans answers as he returns to Washington after *another* long weekend and weeks of inaction in the GOP Senate.
From unemployed workers to elected officials, Coloradans are continuing to demand that Gardner extend the emergency unemployment relief and funding for testing and state and local governments on the front lines. Instead, Gardner and his Republican Senate colleagues took a vacation and spent weeks “bickering” while failing to deliver for hardworking families struggling in this public health and economic crisis.
Gardner even threw his support behind slashing unemployment insurance by two-thirds, to $200/week.
Here are five questions Coloradans are asking Gardner as he heads back to Washington:
- Months after the House passed their relief bill, why have Gardner and Mitch McConnell refused to take up legislation to extend the emergency unemployment insurance, aid our state and local governments, and increase testing and contact tracing funding?
- Why does Gardner support slashing unemployment benefits to $200/week, which would leave hundreds of thousands of Coloradans in a “frightening,” “terrifying” situation?
- Will Gardner support Mitch McConnell’s proposal to provide no additional funding for local and state governments?
- Does Gardner support Trump’s push to withhold funding from schools that opt out of in-person learning in the fall?
- Will Gardner listen to calls to increase Medicaid funding to avoid “deep cuts to services” as even more Coloradans turn to Medicaid amid the pandemic and economic downturn?
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