Louie Gohmert Holds Up House-Passed Coronavirus Relief Bill
Credit: Getty Images
March 16, 2020

Gohmert was one of 40 Republicans to vote against this bill, and is now delaying it from heading to the Senate for a vote. He was later persuaded to stop his foolishness.

Source: NBC News

WASHINGTON — Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, is holding up the House-passed coronavirus relief bill and preventing it from being delivered to the Senate for a vote.

The House was expected to make technical corrections Monday to the bipartisan measure, passed by the House early Saturday, but Gohmert is insisting on reading them, a Democratic leadership aide confirmed to NBC News on Monday.

The technical corrections package has not yet been finalized and the House wants to pass it by unanimous consent because the House is on recess this week.

If one member stands in opposition, the House can’t send the bill to the Senate without bringing the entire House back from their districts to Washington for a vote. The Senate is in session this week, but schedules have been fluid because of the coronavirus outbreak.

UPDATE: Gohmert -read the riot act, no doubt- now says he won't continue to hold up the bill.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) says he will no longer try to block House passage of an emergency coronavirus package, setting the stage for the lower chamber to send the bill to the Senate later Monday night.

Gohmert, a conservative firebrand, had vowed earlier in the day to block the legislation single-handedly, citing what he considered its harmful effects on small businesses.

After speaking with Republican leaders, including a phone call with President Trump, he said he still doesn't support the package on the whole but is satisfied enough with changes negotiated Monday between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that he'll allow the bill to pass by unanimous consent.

Asshat.

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