Episode 10: Oregon’s U.S. senator discusses his efforts to keep federal forces out of protests, COVID-19 assistance, the detention of children at the border, and more
On the 10th episode of the Street Roots Podcast, host DeVon Pouncey is joined by U.S. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who discusses his proposed legislation to prevent federal forces from being sent to American cities to intervene in protests.
“I introduced the ‘ No Secret Police in America Act.’ I have more than 40 sponsors on it. I’m trying to get it in the corona bill, and the Senate Republicans are fighting that. Fortunately, I think that exposing what they were doing has caused the administration to rethink their operation,” Merkley said.
Merkley also discussed the CARES Act and COVID-19 assistance.
“The Senate Republican leadership has taken what I call a check-the-box strategy,” he said. “They’ve delayed any action for two months. They know that they have to do something, but they don’t really want to help the American people. They want to do more tax breaks for the rich and most powerful forces in the country. They don’t like the idea of building the economy from the ground up.”
Merkley also gave an update on kids caged up in detention centers near the borders, discussed the Make Medications Affordable by Preventing Pandemic Price-gouging Act, and more.
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