WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. John Curtis (R-UT 3) weighed in on his views regarding the American Rescue Plan proposed by President Joe Biden, an emergency legislative package intended to fund vaccinations and provide relief to families and communities hit particularly hard by COVID-19.
Curtis' main complaint about the package is the price tag of $1.9 trillion, but he also criticized the proposed funding for endowments for the arts, and Planned Parenthood for family planning services.
He also is highly critical of the $510 billion slated to go to local governments, which he opposes as it gives funds to "irresponsible leaders making bad decisions."
Newly elected Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT 4) shares his Utah colleague's concerns, calling it a "far-left wish list."
Not everyone shares his views on the plan, which he calls a "scam."
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson wrote: "It’s clear that Biden deeply understands the pain that our county and our country are facing. If we are to meet the challenge of this moment, his plan and his calls for bipartisanship must not go unanswered by Congress" in an opinion published by the Salt Lake Tribune.
Wilson added, "For the past year, millions of hard-working families, small business owners, and state and local governments have been crushed by a virus that doesn’t care whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, whether you live in a small city or a rural town, or whether you own your own business or work in a factory. This pandemic has taken far too many lives and wreaked havoc on the economic stability of far too many families."
A vote on the package is expected in the U.S. House of Representatives late Friday night; if passed, it will move the Senate for consideration.
