Congressman Joe Neguse Issues Statement on President Trump’s Weak Executive Orders

Washington D.C.—Today, Congressman Joe Neguse issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s weak and inefficient executive orders which fail to meet the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis:

“Colorado communities are struggling. As job losses grow, countless families are on the verge of eviction and many are struggling to afford food and pay their utility bills. Schools across the Front Range are making incredibly difficult decisions about how to reopen safely, without the resources they need to protect students and stop the spread of the virus. The scale of this crisis demands urgent and robust action from Congress, including another round of direct cash assistance for Americans, an extension of the extended unemployment benefits outlined in the CARES Act, and additional support for our small businesses, front line health care workers, cities and counties.”

“The President’s executive orders fail to meet this moment, placing undue burdens on states to extend needed unemployment benefits, and threatening the viability of Social Security in order to provide an inefficient and lackluster fix to the economic crisis. Senate Republicans must return to the negotiating table, so Congress can provide the American people the full relief they need.”

“In May, House Democrats passed the Heroes Act to provide resources for testing, tracing and treatment, hazard pay for our frontline workers, funds for our cities, counties, schools, postal workers, and an extension of vital economic security programs that are keeping Coloradans afloat. Republicans' delay of over two months to even begin negotiations on a next package has put Americans in a dangerous position. We cannot be playing politics with people’s lives and livelihoods. We must take this virus and the economic impacts seriously.”