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As states struggle under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress and the president have enacted a series of massive bills to try to bolster the health care response and help rescue the economy.
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., recently made a comment that suggests he’s tired of big spending for cash-strapped states.
The National Governors Association has asked Congress for $500 billion more in direct federal aid, on top of the $150 billion provided in the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill that passed in recent weeks. Depending on how long the crisis lasts, that number could go higher.
McConnell said in a radio interview that states might be better off declaring bankruptcy than by expecting additional funding from the federal government.
“I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route. It saves some cities. And there’s no good reason for it not to be available,” McConnell said. “My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that. That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of.”
So what’s the hubbub all about? PolitiFact takes a closer look.
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Alex Mahadevan is a senior multimedia reporter at MediaWise. He can be reached at amahadevan@poynter.org or on Twitter at @AlexMahadevan. Follow MediaWise on TikTok.
