Lankford Supports Targeted COVID-19 Relief, Continued Support for PPP

Press Release

Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted to support a $500 billion coronavirus relief package that focuses on COVID-19 testing and vaccines, additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), unemployment benefit support, and $100 billion for schools so children and staff can return safely. The Delivering Immediate Relief to America's Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act would help provide immediate relief to American small businesses and families without the unrelated political pet projects that have been proposed by Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats. Cloture on the amendment failed in the Senate in a vote of 51 to 44.

"I'm disappointed that Senate Democrats staged a filibuster again today of this fair and targeted relief package, despite the fact that it encompasses many of the areas negotiated from both sides of the aisle to help Oklahomans and our nation fight the pandemic," said Lankford. "With their filibuster, we did not even have an opportunity to formally debate or have bipartisan amendments to the COVID relief package. We had hoped to provide the relief Americans need without all of the Washington theatrics and partisanship. This bill did not include the controversial items in the Pelosi bill, but it did include the common-ground provisions we have all supported like money for testing, vaccines, small businesses, and schools. Unfortunately, House and Senate Democrats are focused more on the politics than the positives of the bill. I am convinced that today's vote was more about keeping President Trump from having a "win' right before the election, rather than helping Americans across the country. I will not give up trying to bring targeted relief to Oklahomans."

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