Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Newsmax that "America ought to be ticked off" at the billions in COVID-19 relief improperly distributed to criminal fraudsters.
Burchett told Wednesday's "Rob Schmitt Tonight" that President Joe Biden should can his plans to keep a COVID-19 unemployment relief program open until May after experts say nearly $400 billion has been stolen from the original $900 billion allotted.
After closing in the Summer of 2021, the Paycheck Protection Program is also believed to have had up to $80 billion stolen from the $800 billion provided – roughly 10% of the original fund.
"Look, they've stolen enough of our money. I mean, our great-grandchildren are never going to pay this back," Burchett insisted. "This is ridiculous."
The representative then recalled a colleague telling him when the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed "they'll probably steal about half of" the COVID unemployment relief money.
"An old timer said that kind of jokingly, but the reality is they were accurate: They stole about half of it that we know of," Burchett stated, adding House Republicans attempted to implement restraints on the programs but were blocked by Democrats.
"This thing – it's just monumental the amount. It's just sickening," he continued. "And it's such a large amount that the average citizen – me included – it just kind of goes over the top of their head, but it shouldn't."
Burchett, a member of the House Oversight Committee, made his comments hours after attending the first hearing to address the billions wasted in pandemic programs.
"This committee conducted almost no oversight of federal government agencies, programs, or policies. The nonpartisan Lugar Center gave Democrats an 'F' in oversight last Congress," Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said.
"Instead, this committee spent its time and resources demonizing America's oil and gas industry, investigating an NFL football team, and examining pet flea-and-tick collars," Comer added.
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