Governor Hogan Discusses COVID-19 Relief Bill, Governors’ Response to COVID-19 on ABC and CNN

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today joined ABC’s ‘This Week’ and CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ to discuss the stalled COVID-19 relief bill and governors’ ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABC’s ‘This Week’

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“For eight months we’ve been trying to get a stimulus package through, and here we are, after all this work went on. Both parties were so far apart in the House and the Senate, [but] the Problem Solvers Caucus, some really bipartisan folks on both sides of the aisle, brought everybody to the table—they reached an agreement. Secretary Mnuchin worked together with them and made commitments on behalf of the administration, and then not eight months before or even eight days before, but after it was passed, then the president raises these objections. Look, millions of people are going to suffer. The Paycheck Protection [Program] ran out in July, unemployment benefits are about to run out tomorrow, and we’ve got to get this done.”

“It’s not enough. It doesn’t solve all the problems. But it’s something. And if the president wants to come up with more money to help more people, terrific. Let’s sign this bill now so we can start getting our unemployment benefits out right away, and then quickly pass another bill.”

CNN’s ‘State of the Union’

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“Unlike Washington, where we see so much divisiveness and dysfunction, the governors didn’t always agree, but we sure did try to come together and help one another throughout this crisis. I was very proud of the job Governor Whitmer did and many of my other colleagues all across the country. The National Governors Association had fifty-some calls with all the governors and with the president or vice president, the Coronavirus Task Force, and other calls just between and among governors, and we were all trying to figure this thing out as we went, and we’ve all made very difficult decisions and we continue to make very difficult decisions. I would agree with Governor Whitmer. I’m sure if you go back through the nine months and the hundreds of decisions we had to make quickly that you might find some things you can improve, but overall I think we have done a good job.”