

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.


Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) was visibly angry at House Republicans on Thursday as she announced the chamber was adjourned until Monday afternoon, after the GOP blocked Democratic legislation that would have sent $2,000 relief checks to Americans. (Photo: C-Span/screenshot)
Rep. Debbie Dingell made no effort on Thursday to hide her contempt for House Republicans' decision to obstruct the approval of $2,000 relief checks for Americans, nine months into a pandemic that has left more than 300,000 Americans dead, hundreds of thousands of small businesses permanently shuttered, an estimated 50 million people facing food insecurity, and tens of millions facing possible eviction.
"It is Christmas Eve, but it is not a silent night. All is not calm. For too many, nothing is bright."
--Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)
The Michigan Democrat adjourned the U.S. House after Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) requested unanimous consent for an amendment that would increase $600 direct payments in the coronavirus relief package passed on Monday, to $2,000. Though the sum was endorsed by President Donald Trump this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) objected to the measure.
"So we do not have unanimous consent," Dingell said in a disbelieving tone before announcing, "The House stands adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 28, 2020."
"Merry Christmas," the congresswoman said with an emotional pause and discernible disgust after banging the gavel.
Dingell's closing remark was "about the most disgusted, sarcastic I've heard in awhile," tweeted congressional reporter Michael McAuliff.
Another observer noted that it appeared Dingell "wanted to insert a choice expletive in the middle of that."
After adjourning the House, Dingell spoke angrily at a press conference about the suffering she has seen in her own district and across the country and condemned the Republicans for their refusal to help alleviate it.
"It is Christmas Eve, but it is not a silent night," Dingell said. "All is not calm. For too many, nothing is bright. And for too many, they are not sleeping peacefully. I gave a town hall last night that had people crying, people terrified of what is going to happen... I've been talking to people who are scared they're going to be kicked out from their homes during the Christmas holiday, and still might be if we don't sign this bill."
Watch:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called on Trump to ensure that House Republicans stop obstructing the badly-needed relief and announced her intention to hold a recorded vote on a stand-alone bill offering $2,000 payments next week.
"House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly fought for bigger checks for the American people, which House and Senate Republicans haverepeatedly rejected," Pelosi said. "To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need."
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Rep. Debbie Dingell made no effort on Thursday to hide her contempt for House Republicans' decision to obstruct the approval of $2,000 relief checks for Americans, nine months into a pandemic that has left more than 300,000 Americans dead, hundreds of thousands of small businesses permanently shuttered, an estimated 50 million people facing food insecurity, and tens of millions facing possible eviction.
"It is Christmas Eve, but it is not a silent night. All is not calm. For too many, nothing is bright."
--Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)
The Michigan Democrat adjourned the U.S. House after Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) requested unanimous consent for an amendment that would increase $600 direct payments in the coronavirus relief package passed on Monday, to $2,000. Though the sum was endorsed by President Donald Trump this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) objected to the measure.
"So we do not have unanimous consent," Dingell said in a disbelieving tone before announcing, "The House stands adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 28, 2020."
"Merry Christmas," the congresswoman said with an emotional pause and discernible disgust after banging the gavel.
Dingell's closing remark was "about the most disgusted, sarcastic I've heard in awhile," tweeted congressional reporter Michael McAuliff.
Another observer noted that it appeared Dingell "wanted to insert a choice expletive in the middle of that."
After adjourning the House, Dingell spoke angrily at a press conference about the suffering she has seen in her own district and across the country and condemned the Republicans for their refusal to help alleviate it.
"It is Christmas Eve, but it is not a silent night," Dingell said. "All is not calm. For too many, nothing is bright. And for too many, they are not sleeping peacefully. I gave a town hall last night that had people crying, people terrified of what is going to happen... I've been talking to people who are scared they're going to be kicked out from their homes during the Christmas holiday, and still might be if we don't sign this bill."
Watch:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called on Trump to ensure that House Republicans stop obstructing the badly-needed relief and announced her intention to hold a recorded vote on a stand-alone bill offering $2,000 payments next week.
"House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly fought for bigger checks for the American people, which House and Senate Republicans haverepeatedly rejected," Pelosi said. "To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need."
Rep. Debbie Dingell made no effort on Thursday to hide her contempt for House Republicans' decision to obstruct the approval of $2,000 relief checks for Americans, nine months into a pandemic that has left more than 300,000 Americans dead, hundreds of thousands of small businesses permanently shuttered, an estimated 50 million people facing food insecurity, and tens of millions facing possible eviction.
"It is Christmas Eve, but it is not a silent night. All is not calm. For too many, nothing is bright."
--Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)
The Michigan Democrat adjourned the U.S. House after Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) requested unanimous consent for an amendment that would increase $600 direct payments in the coronavirus relief package passed on Monday, to $2,000. Though the sum was endorsed by President Donald Trump this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) objected to the measure.
"So we do not have unanimous consent," Dingell said in a disbelieving tone before announcing, "The House stands adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 28, 2020."
"Merry Christmas," the congresswoman said with an emotional pause and discernible disgust after banging the gavel.
Dingell's closing remark was "about the most disgusted, sarcastic I've heard in awhile," tweeted congressional reporter Michael McAuliff.
Another observer noted that it appeared Dingell "wanted to insert a choice expletive in the middle of that."
After adjourning the House, Dingell spoke angrily at a press conference about the suffering she has seen in her own district and across the country and condemned the Republicans for their refusal to help alleviate it.
"It is Christmas Eve, but it is not a silent night," Dingell said. "All is not calm. For too many, nothing is bright. And for too many, they are not sleeping peacefully. I gave a town hall last night that had people crying, people terrified of what is going to happen... I've been talking to people who are scared they're going to be kicked out from their homes during the Christmas holiday, and still might be if we don't sign this bill."
Watch:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called on Trump to ensure that House Republicans stop obstructing the badly-needed relief and announced her intention to hold a recorded vote on a stand-alone bill offering $2,000 payments next week.
"House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly fought for bigger checks for the American people, which House and Senate Republicans haverepeatedly rejected," Pelosi said. "To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need."