GOP congressman gets round of applause for remarks praising American strength

Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) was roundly applauded Friday following a House floor speech in which he called Americans “a salty group of tough SOBs that are defeated by absolutely nothing” as the chamber debated coronavirus relief legislation.

Mast said he didn’t want to see the U.S. economy fail because of “a virus that was born in a disgusting market in Wuhan, China, that was hidden from the world.”

“I would rather die than see my country stumble or fall,” he said. “I don’t think I’m the only one in this body that feels this way.”

He added, however, that he’s sure the country will bounce back because “Americans are a salty group of tough SOBs that are defeated by absolutely nothing, and this [virus] isn’t going to defeat us either.”

The House on Friday passed a massive $2 trillion economic relief package — the largest in U.S. history — to help combat the fallout from the coronavirus. The bill has already cleared the Senate, and President Trump is expected to sign it soon.