After insistence from a Republican senator that the COVID-19 relief bill should be read out in its entirety, senate clerks took hours to read over the bill.
Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson was adamant that the 628-page COVID-19 relief bill be read over entirely, and even objected to waiving the reading of the pages, NBC4 reported.
“Since more than 90% of this “COVID relief” belief is not even related to COVID, I think we need a full reading of the bill,” Johnson wrote in a tweet Wednesday. (RELATED: Rep. Ron Johnson Objects To Skipping Reading Of 600-Pge COVID-19 Relief Bill In Senate)
“Yes, it could take 10 hours but the American people deserve to know what’s in it,” he acknowledged.
Since more than 90% of this “COVID relief” bill is not even related to COVID, I think we need a full reading of the bill.
Yes, it could take 10 hours but the American people deserve to know what’s in it. https://t.co/QQDoCfkrHZ
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) March 4, 2021
“I just objected to skipping past the reading of the Democrats’ 628-page bill that was just introduced minutes ago,” Johnson said in another tweet on Thursday.
“If they’re going to add nearly $2T to the national debt at least we should know what’s in the bill,” his tweet continued.
I just objected to skipping past the reading of the Democrats’ 628-page bill that was just introduced minutes ago.
If they’re going to add nearly $2T to the national debt at least we should know what’s in the bill.
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) March 4, 2021
Several clerks took turns reading the 628-page relief package. It took roughly 10 hours, 43 minutes and 9 seconds to read through the whole bill, according to NBC4.
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill includes things such as $2,000 checks for those who have found themselves unemployed, a mandate to raise the minimum wage to $15 minimum, in addition to an increase in vaccine distributions.