House GOP leader tells businesses to sign up for relief he called 'socialism'

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Friday used his Facebook account to urge his constituents to sign up for a program created under the American Rescue Plan Act, which he has attacked as “socialism.”

The act was proposed by President Joe Biden on Jan. 20, passed both the House and the Senate with only Democratic support, and was signed into law by the president on March 11.

McCarthy highlighted the Small Business Administration’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund and provided a link through which restaurant owners could register with the agency to apply for awards .

The Small Business Administration notes on its website, “The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location.”

McCarthy led his party’s opposition to the American Rescue Plan, speaking against it in multiple media appearances and in speeches in Congress.

“Socialism has destroyed many countries,” McCarthy said on March 10. “I’ve watched socialism grow in this country, I’ve watched it grow in this body.”

McCarthy added, “Help is not on the way,” attempting to counteract rhetoric from Biden and other Democratic leaders who had said the bill represented help “on the way” to millions.

Even after promoting the restaurant provision in the plan, McCarthy has continued to attack Biden for signing the law.

“President Biden is using his presidency to implement the most radical socialist agenda in American history,” McCarthy tweeted on Saturday, calling it a “spending spree.”

The congressman’s embrace of the law’s provisions to assist his constituents in California echoes other Republicans who have promoted the plan after voting against it.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Reps. Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Anthony Gonzales (R-OH) were among those who directed their constituents to the restaurant fund.

Others spotlighted elements such as health center grants and the reversal of transportation service cuts.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently pointed out the Republicans who voted no but have now changed their tunes.

“A number of them are trying to take credit for something they did not vote for. And that, that’s not unusual. Vote no, take the dough. That’s what the Republicans do. But that doesn’t help people,” Pelosi said during an April 29 press conference.

Polling has shown consistently high support for the American Rescue Plan among voters across party lines.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.