Senator Blackburn's Top Concerns in the Omnibus and Relief Package
December 22, 2020
Here are some of Sen. Blackburn’s serious concerns with provisions buried in the 5,593 page Omnibus and Relief Package:
1. Unconscionable Spending
Spending $2.4 trillion of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars will make it even harder for our economy to recover
2. New York Public Transportation
Mass transit will receive over $4 billion for public transportation despite subway ridership plummeting more than 70%
3. Endless Lawsuits for Businesses
• The over 5,500 page bill didn’t include any legal protections for businesses
• This means that businesses bear the brunt of all lawsuits from employees and customers regarding reopening in a pandemic
• Without protections, businesses burdened with lawsuits could be caught in a second pandemic
4. Pell Grants for Prisoners
• Prisoners enrolled in prison education program are now eligible for federal Pell Grants reserved for low-income students
5. Illegal Immigrant Benefits
• Households with illegal immigrants are now eligible to get paychecks for this round of relief and retroactively for the last round of relief
• In the new bill, households will receive $600 for each adult and $1,200 for each adult from the first round
6. Energy Market Interference
• This bill imposes climate change initiatives that pick winners and losers in the energy sector through subsidies, mandates, and by doubling down on failed government-driven programs
• The funding for “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy” is allocated at $2.86 billion—a $16 million increase from FY20 levels
• The resulting research grants in wind energy, geothermal energy, and mineral production interfere with the energy market and are yet another example of frivolous spending in a time of need
7. Irrelevant, Liberal Agenda-Driven Foreign Aid
• $179,000,000 for renewable energy programs in Africa
• $10,000,000 for gender programs in Pakistan
• $50,000,000 for higher education programs in Malawi and Egypt