Letter to the editor: Editorial left out context about Vicky Hartzler’s opposition

Relief context

The Star’s May 18 editorial criticizing my opposition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s $3 trillion spending bill fails to explain my position. (7A, “Rep. Hartzler takes PPP loan, yet stalls on COVID-19 relief”) Although quick to point out that my family business received a Paycheck Protection Program loan to keep our employees on payroll during this pandemic, the editorial neglects to mention the bill does not deal with this program at all. In fact, one of the problems with the Pelosi bill is its focus on non-COVID-related items, such as a government takeover of local laws mandating how states must run elections and millions of dollars for unrelated programs.

The Pelosi bill redistributes $915 billion in taxpayer dollars to bail out states such as New York and California, whose governors have made little effort to reopen their state economies. In fact, the Missouri General Assembly has asked Congress to reject this bill, citing the fiscal irresponsibility of these other states. The bill also provides $1,200 checks to people who have broken immigration laws and exacerbates the problem of government subsidies disincentivizing work. The bill extends unemployment insurance through 2021, including an extra $600 per month, often exceeding what the recipient’s job actually paid. Many people now make more money on unemployment than they do working.

The bipartisan relief bill we passed in March was thoughtful in creating necessary, temporary programs to ensure Americans kept their paychecks and businesses stayed afloat. Pelosi’s bill does not meet these criteria, and I am confident my constituents feel the same way.

- U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Harrisonville