House Democrat Jared Golden Defends Voting Against ‘Wasteful’ $1.9T Relief Bill

House Democrat Jared Golden Defends Voting Against ‘Wasteful’ $1.9T Relief Bill

Maine Democratic Congressman Jared Golden defended his vote Saturday against the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, saying the "wasteful" bill fails to focus on unemployment assistance and vaccine testing.Golden and Oregon Democratic Congressman Kurt Schrader were the only two members of their party to vote against President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan, joining every single Republican member of the House. The package includes provisions for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 as well as $1,400 direct checks to qualifying Americans—additions Golden labeled "unnecessary or untimely spending."The Maine representative had previously opposed a procedural move toward a party-line stimulus package earlier this month, but his stance on Biden's bill was unclear until Saturday. The relief package ultimately passed 219-212, but Golden echoed the criticisms of congressional Republicans who said it's too expensive and doesn't directly fund top priorities such as the re-opening of schools."This bill addresses urgent needs, and then buries them under a mountain of unnecessary or untimely spending," Golden said in a statement released by his office following the vote.

"In reviewing the bill in its full scope, less than 20 percent of the total spending addresses core COVID challenges that are immediately pressing: funding for vaccine distribution and