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'It's hostage-taking.' AOC lashed out after lawmakers got only hours to read and pass the huge 5,593-page bill to secure COVID-19 relief

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York at a press conference outside the US Capitol on February 7, 2019. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted furiously about the short time given to lawmakers to review the spending bill passed at speed by Congress on Monday. 
  • Lawmakers had only a few hours to read the 5,593-page, $1.4 trillion bill, which was published in the afternoon and passed the same night.
  • It was an omnibus measure that included a host of other measures along with the $900 billion in coronavirus relief.
  • Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that there was no way lawmakers could have read the whole thing and said the process was serving the American people poorly.
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Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York described the voting process on the new legislation that contained the COVID-19 relief funding as "hostage-taking" after lawmakers were given only a few hours to read 5,593 pages of text.

Congress on Monday night passed a $1.4 trillion bill that included $908 billion in coronavirus relief, agreed after months of tense negotiation.

The final text of the legislation was released only Monday afternoon. The House vote took place at 9:08 p.m., while senators took until almost midnight to pass it.

Both chambers overwhelmingly passed the bill, and, despite her objections, Ocasio-Cortez also voted in favor for the portion approving COVID-19 relief. 

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The New York representative tweeted a Hollywood Reporter article that said provisions in the bill would make illegal video streaming into a felony.

"This is why Congress needs time to actually read this package before voting on it," she wrote.

"Members of Congress have not read this bill. It's over 5000 pages, arrived at 2pm today, and we are told to expect a vote on it in 2 hours. This isn't governance. It's hostage-taking."

Ocasio-Cortez argued that time for public scrutiny — not just by lawmakers — was just as important.

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"Members are reeling right now bc they don't have time to consult w/ their communities," she wrote.

Broad summaries of the top-line items in the COVID-19 relief bill had been widely shared, including matters that have been part of public debate for weeks — such as sending $600 one-off payments to most Americans and scaling up unemployment insurance.

But the full bill contained measures that had not previously been widely shared. These included aid for several countries and provisions for race-horse owners, sexual-abstinence programs, and the Space Force.

Lawmakers have debated COVID-19 relief measures throughout the summer and fall. But much of the progress toward the final shape of the deal has been made in the past two weeks, necessitating extending the deadline twice to prevent a government shutdown.

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The bill passed in the House by 359 votes to 53, including a vote in favor from Ocasio-Cortez. About two hours later, it passed the Senate with a substantial majority, and as of early Tuesday morning it was awaiting President Donald Trump's signature.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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