TIMELINE: Gardner & Trump Failed To Extend COVID Relief, Coloradans Are Now Suffering Consequences
It’s been 141 days since Gardner said it would be “unfathomable” for Senate to leave Washington without further COVID action
Denver, CO - President Trump and Senator Cory Gardner have had months to pass much-needed aid for families struggling to make rent, underprepared schools, and small businesses trying to keep their doors open, but they have failed to rise to the occasion and instead left Coloradans out to dry. Gardner and Trump’s failed pandemic response was in the spotlight again this week as they abandoned pandemic relief negotiations until after the election. Instead, Trump and Gardner are focusing on rushing through an anti-choice and anti-Affordable Care Act Supreme Court nominee.
As a refresher, here is a brief timeline of Trump and Gardner failing Coloradans on COVID relief just since May :
May 15 - The House passed the bipartisan HEROES Act, a comprehensive COVID relief package. Gardner’s GOP Senate majority wouldn’t take it up.
May 20 - Gardner infamously said that it would be “unfathomable” for Congress to leave Washington without further action, but caved to Mitch McConnell and went on recess without passing any more aid for Coloradans.
July 24 - Federal eviction moratorium expired but the Senate failed to act on the HEROES Act to extend the eviction moratorium and provide rental and homelessness assistance.
July 31 - Despite setting the deadline themselves, Gardner and McConnell let emergency unemployment benefits expire for more than 300,000 Coloradans.
August 8 - The Paycheck Protection Program to give relief to small businesses expired.
August 13 - Gardner and the Senate GOP left Washington for a month-long vacation without delivering aid to struggling Coloradans.
September 11 - Gardner pushed for — but failed to pass— a “skinny” stunt relief bill that slashed emergency unemployment insurance in half, left our state and local governments out to dry, and lacked sufficient funding for the USPS.
September 30 - Pandemic relief for airlines expired, resulting in major layoffs and furloughs.
October 1 - The House passed a second pandemic relief package, HEROES 2.0. Gardner’s GOP Senate majority again has refused to take it up.
October 6 - Trump and Gardner abandoned pandemic relief negotiations until after the election.
Gardner and Trump shut down COVID talks until after the election, but Coloradans can't just shut off their rent payments or prolong buying groceries. Coloradans know that the pandemic didn’t have to be this bad, but Gardner and Trump failed us. And in a few weeks, Colorado will vote in new leaders to clean up their mess.
###