The House debate on Joe Biden‘s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package descended into a fiery showdown over Black Lives Matter on Wednesday.
It came after one Democratic congresswoman hit back at a Republican colleague’s claim that the group ‘doesn’t like the old-fashioned family’.
‘How dare you!’ Virgin Islands Rep. Stacy Plaskett fired back at Wisconsin Republican Glenn Grothman after he made the comments.
‘How dare you say that we are not interested in families in the black communities,’ she continued.
Rep. Grothman had made the statement during his own two-minute pushback on the relief bill, in which he also accused Democrats and Black Lives Matter of introducing a ‘marriage penalty’ by increasing the earned income tax credit for single people.
Grothman and other Republicans voted against the bill, which passed shortly afterward by 220-211, with just one Democrat voting against.
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‘How dare you!’ Virgin Islands Rep. Stacy Plaskett (right) fired back at Wisconsin Republican Glenn Grothman (left) after he said BLM ‘doesn’t like the old-fashioned family’ on Wednesday
Plaskett also voiced her anger on Twitter where she shared the video of the exchange
In his argument against the bill, Grothman blamed the influence of Black Lives Matter for the increased ‘marriage penalty’ as he slammed President Biden’s inaugural speech as ‘divisive’.
‘First, one of the things that hasn’t been mentioned here, the increase in the earned income tax credit for single people has a marriage penalty in it,’ Grothman began.
‘I bring this up because I know the strength that Black Lives Matter had in this last election. I know it’s a group that it does not like the old-fashioned family.
‘I’m disturbed that we have another program here in which we’re increasing the marriage penalty,’ he continued.
After he had yielded to Rep. Plaskett, she appeared immediately angered by his comments and used her chance to debate the bill to instead answer to his claims.
‘I hope my colleague from Wisconsin will not leave at this time as he’s talked about Black Lives Matter,’ she began.
‘How dare you! How dare you say Black Lives Matter, black people do not understand old-fashioned family.
‘Despite some of the issues, some of the things that you’ve put forward, that I’ve heard out of your mouth in the oversight committee, in your own district, we have been able to keep our families alive for over 400 years,’ she continued, ‘and the assault on our families to not have black lives, or even have black families.’
‘How dare you say that we are not interested in families in the black communities. That is outrageous and that should be stricken down,’ she continued.
‘I was going to talk about the American rescue plan – we know that this is going to provide relief to not only black lives, black Americans, but all Americans, that we are interested in children and in their welfare,’ Rep. Plaskett concluded.
She later tweeted her anger at Grothman again as she shared a video of the exchange.
‘#BlackLivesMatter and I had to let my Colleague from Wisconsin know that in so many words today,’ she wrote.
Plaskett was supported by other Democrats, including Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin who sided with her over her state’s congressman (as pictured above)
Grothman’s fellow Wisconsin congressman Rep David Bowen also sided with Plaskett
DNC Chair Jamie Harrison told Grothman ‘stop trying to divide us’
‘Thank you to Stacey Plaskett for reminding all Americans of history on the House floor,’ added presidential historian Michael Beschloss in a tweet (pictured above)
Rep. Grothman has not yet commented again on his statements or Plaskett’s response.
She was supported by other Democrats, including Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin who sided with her over her state’s congressman.
‘Systemic racism is real. Even on the floor of Congress. I stand with @StaceyPlaskett and thank her for speaking truth to power,’ the Democrat wrote on Twitter.
Grothman’s fellow Wisconsin congressman also sided with Plaskett.
‘Thank you, Rep., @StaceyPlaskett for speaking truth to power for Black Families everywhere that deserve to be invested in & not erased due to the disparaging mindset of Rep. Grothman & others!’ wrote Rep David F Bowen, a Democrat representing Milwaukee.
‘YES, WE MATTER, and for over 400 years we have endured proving that time & time again!’ he added.
‘The contrasts couldn’t be any clearer. The racial derogation is disgusting,’ DNC Chair Jamie Harrison stated.
‘This week GOPers have gone after black voters, black Farmers, & now black families. They are desperate but they should know this- we aren’t going back! Stop trying to divide us!’
‘Thank you to Stacey Plaskett for reminding all Americans of history on the House floor,’ added presidential historian Michael Beschloss.
In a 220-211 vote on Wednesday, the House voted to pass the latest $1.9 trillion COVID relief package with not a single Republican voting in favor of the legislation
Pelosi gave a thumbs up to the chamber after the package passed as she received applause from its supporters when announcing the vote to send the legislation to the president
The spat between Plaskett and Grothman came in the lead up to the House passing the COVID relief bill which Biden is expected to sign on Friday.
It marked a major legislative and policy win for Biden on the 50th day of his presidency.
Not one Republican crossed the aisle to vote on passing the final version of the legislation, as several of them lamented they were not welcomed to the negotiating table and had no say in the massive package.
‘Heaven forbid that they vote for something a Democratic president wanted,’ House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer grumbled about his GOP colleagues.
Several Republicans denounced the legislation as a ‘ram job’ being forced through Congress by Democrats without any attempt at bipartisanship. Democrats passed it under special budget ‘reconciliation’ rules that allowed it to get through the Senate without being subject to a Republican filibuster.
By doing so, they avoided protracted negotiations over a stimulus package that former President Barack Obama and Biden experienced at the start of Obama’s term.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk