Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on Wednesday said no amount of federal spending can replace reopening a U.S. economy that has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think we have to start with the notion that there’s no amount of money that Congress can come up with even in the trillions that can replace what we need to do in terms of opening this economy,” Mr. Cantor, Virginia Republican, said on CNBC.
Congress has already approved nearly $3 trillion worth of legislation to try to prop up the economy amid the pandemic.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday said there will likely be at least one more round of coronavirus relief legislation, but that it won’t look like the $3 trillion-plus bill the Democratic-led House recently passed.
Mr. McConnell has said approving liability protection for reopening businesses will be a red line for Republicans in the next round of negotiations.
“No one’s asking, I believe, for anybody to get away with malfeasance here,” Mr. Cantor said. “We’re just trying to get this economy open, and I think all of us will be in a much better position.”
Mr. Cantor suggested federal agencies could come up with guidance that companies would follow that would give them “safe harbor.”
“No amount of money that Washington is going to come up with is going to replace what we so desperately need now, [which] is to really restart this economy,” he said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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