Arizona lawmakers split on Covid relief and omnibus bill, passed with bipartisan support

By
Beth Cann
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Dusk falls over the Capitol, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Washington. Congressional leaders have hashed out a massive, year-end catchall bill that combines $900 billion in COVID-19 aid with a $1.4 trillion spending bill and reams of other unfinished legislation on taxes, energy, education and health care. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Late Monday night, both the Senate and House of Representatives passed a $900 billion relief measure designed to provide long-awaited coronavirus assistance to Americans, small businesses, and industries. The package is paired with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds the federal government through September reported CBS.

According to govtrac.us, the bill, which is 5,593-pages, passed overwhelmingly and with bipartisan support in the House.  The first portion of the bill was for the appropriations for some federal departments including Commerce, Justice, Defense, Treasury, and Homeland Security. It passed by a vote of 327 to 85. The second vote was on the remaining portion of the bill, which included appropriations for the remainder of the federal government as well as coronavirus stimulus passed by a margin of 359 to 53. The Bill was then bundled together and passed the Senate 92-6. The bill will now head to President Donald Trump for approval.

Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema both voted in favor of the bill.

Arizona House of Representatives were more split on the issue. Tom O’Halleran, Ann Kirkpatrick, Ruben Gallego, Debbie Lesko, and Greg Stanton all voted in favor. Raul Grijalva voted yea for part 1 of the bill and nay for part 2. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, and David Schweikert all voted against both parts of the bill.

Paul Gosar posted on Twitter defending his vote, stating, “Why I voted “No” on tonight’s COVID relief bill.”

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Andy Biggs also responded via Twitter, “After days of backroom negotiates & only a handful of hours to read the 6,000-page legislation, the House passed the omnibus & COVID-19 spending bill tonight. Congress continues to fail the American people & bankrupt our grandchildren’s future.”

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