Washington (March 22, 2020) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement after voting against the Senate Republican-crafted CARES Act, the so-called Phase 3 coronavirus economic relief package.

“This proposal is a corporate relief package, not a worker relief package,” said Senator Markey. “Corporations breathe a sigh of relief, while workers are left wondering how they will pay their rent or buy food during this emergency. The Trump administration wants a $500 billion corporate slush fund – after having already given corporations a $1.5 trillion tax break – but would give struggling students, workers, and states and cities virtually nothing. The only strings attached to the corporate bailouts in this package are CEO and shareholder purse strings. This package also contained virtually nothing for state and local governments even though our governors and mayors are being forced to lead our response to the coronavirus emergency in the face of President’s Trump’s continued failure.

“Any economic relief package must put families and workers first, as they are the ones facing dire choices right now. First and foremost, ordinary Americans need direct, immediate, robust financial assistance. A package should also include paid sick leave for all workers, a moratorium on mortgage payments and evictions and relief for renters. Any industry bailouts, such as for the airlines, must focus on providing relief for our frontline workers – our flight attendants, our nurses, our educators, and more.

“Nurses and doctors are being forced to make their own masks as they work overtime to save patients and stop the spread of this pandemic. Republicans owe it to them and all American workers to negotiate a real bipartisan relief package, not a corporate bailout.”

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