AFP Statement on President-Elect Biden’s Bailout Proposal

Jan 14, 2021 by AFP

Arlington, Va. – Americans for Prosperity issued the following statement after President-elect Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion COVID response proposal that includes $350 billion to bailout irresponsible policymaking by state and local governments while doing little to address the virus.

AFP President Tim Phillips issued the following statement:

“President-elect Biden’s proposal doubles down on the same careless spending tactics that have repeatedly failed to help our country emerge from the pandemic – much less build back better. We can end the pandemic and help the economy recover stronger than before, but doing so requires working together to meet the challenge head on while rejecting reckless spending policies that would dig us deeper into debt. Bailouts for state and local governments for decades of reckless spending by irresponsible politicians have no place in a COVID relief bill and they should be rejected.

“Instead, we must prioritize stopping the virus and getting people back to work as quickly and safely as possible to save the lives and livelihoods of as many people as we can. Speeding up vaccinations and testing more people are critical needs, but stopping the virus also requires more therapeutic tools for doctors and nurses, and permanently removing needless regulatory barriers to the kinds of innovations that have delivered vaccines in record time and brought relief to patients. At the same time, we must clear the way for people to get back to work safely, get the economy going again, and continue to reject policies that make economic recovery more difficult.”

“We stand ready to work with members of both parties and the incoming Biden administration to help put the focus where it should be – on defeating this virus and coming back stronger than before.”