The following is the statement of Hank Gilbert (D-Tyler), Democratic Candidate for Congress in Texas‘ First Congressional District on Rep. Louie Gohmert’s vote on the coronavirus aid package, and and his statement following his vote:
“Once again, Louie Gohmert fails to tell the truth.
The emergency coronavirus legislation did not include a provision allowing for federally funded abortion.
Gohmert refers to the Hyde Amendment. The Hyde Amendment allows major restrictions on the use of federal funding for abortions. It must be passed again every budget cycle. The coronavirus legislation is not exempt from the Hyde Amendment. Republicans in Congress tried to delay this aid package because they needed to take an ideological stand in an election year to excite their base.
I cannot speak to when Louie Gohmert received a copy of a bill, but I’d urge the media to fact check his statements.
I do agree with Congressman Gohmert in that I do not believe small businesses should be harmed during an already stressful economic time for East Texas.
However, when it comes to ideological stances, here is where the true contrast lies:
Congressman Louie Gohmert often doesn’t tell the truth. He voted against this aid package for a variety of largely exaggerated reasons and basically blamed it on the bill including a provision allowing federally funded abortions that did not actually exist.
Because I believe we must support small business, I believe the federal government should pick up the tab for up to 30 days of medically documented sick leave in this case, because at the end of the day it is the government’s job to protect us all.
We have seen the terrible result of recessions. Our country can ill afford anything close to a repeat of 2008 at a time when small businesses have begun to flourish again.”