House committee responds to Elon Musk: ‘Thanks billionaire, your opinion is noted’

The House Ways and Means Committee shot back at Elon Musk on Friday after the billionaire criticized Congress’s attempt to pass another coronavirus stimulus package. 

“Another government stimulus package is not in the best interests of the people [in my opinion],” the Tesla CEO tweeted earlier Friday.

In response, the Democratic-controlled committee tweeted a popular meme format that reads “Thanks Billionaire, your opinion is noted.”

https://t.co/vtg3iT4qLn pic.twitter.com/wQL2SwYedo

— Ways & Means Committee (@WaysMeansCmte) July 24, 2020

A new stimulus package has been the main focus for Senate Republicans since the chamber returned to session this week, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) signaled on Thursday that the bill wouldn’t be introduced until next week.

“The administration has requested additional time to review the fine details, but we will be laying down this proposal early next week. We have an agreement in principle on the shape of this package,” McConnell said from the Senate floor.

Both sides have indicated that they want a deal by the end of next week, when the boosted unemployment benefits from March’s CARES Act expire.

Despite multiple aid packages, the country’s economy is still in shoddy shape. Data from the Department of Labor from last week indicated that 1.4 million Americans applied for unemployment insurance last week, the first time the number has increased since March. About 32 million Americans are unemployed because of the economic fallout caused by the pandemic, with the national jobless rate just above 11 percent.

Other hot-button topics swirling around the bill are another round of stimulus checks, increased funding for local and state governments and more money for the nation’s schools as they look to reopen in some capacity in the coming weeks.