Democrat Tulsi Gabbard calls $600 in COVID relief 'an insult and a slap in the face' to struggling Americans

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard told her Twitter followers that $600 in COVID-19 relief coming to Americans as part of a massive spending bill passed by the House and Senate Monday is "an insult and a slap in the face" to everyone struggling financially due to pandemic shutdowns since the spring.

What are the details?

Gabbard — who's become a favorite among conservatives for her no-nonsense approach and shared views on crucial issues — posted a video saying that she voted against the spending bill.

"First of all, this bill was over 5,500 pages long," she began. "We received the text of this bill at approximately 2:30 this afternoon, and we're told we'd have to go and vote on it just a few hours later. There is no way that anybody in Congress had the opportunity or the time to go through and read this bill to know exactly what was in it. I've been here long enough to see how provisions are snuck into these bills literally in the dark of night, without any announcement, without telling anyone what is in it, and then rushed through in the manner that we have just seen tonight."

Gabbard added that such actions are "the height of irresponsibility" that prevented elected officials from being able to adequately represent the interests of Americans.

She also emphasized that "the central part of this bill was supposed to be about providing direct COVID relief to the American people who are struggling and who need help the most." But instead, Gabbard said, the bill "dished out hundreds of billions of dollars" to special interests, the military, and foreign countries while telling average Americans, "Here's what's left for you: You get 600 bucks."

"I'll tell you, in Hawaii, that in most cases won't even cover 25 percent of your rent," she explained. "It is an insult and a slap in the face to every single American in this country who is struggling because of this COVID pandemic, who is concerned about not being able to pay the rent, about eviction, about whether you'll have enough to buy groceries or medicine for yourself or your loved ones."

Gabbard concluded by calling the bill a "representation of the screwed-up priorities of Washington. They should be fighting for you and making sure that you, the American people, come first. This bill did not do that."

Anything else?

Gabbard also made headlines this week for holding off on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine being given to her congressional colleagues, saying she'll wait until elderly Americans are able to receive the shot.

And last week, she introduced two pro-life bills in the House of Representatives — one to protect babies who survive abortions and another to protect pain-capable unborn children from abortion.

Gabbard — who is retiring from Congress at the end of her term — also introduced a bill banning males from competing in women's sports if they identify as transgender as well as another with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) that would repeal the Patriot Act.