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U.S. Rep. Barry Moore wants to block federal COVID-19 relief funds to states that implement lockdowns

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) came out in favor this week of federal legislation that would punish states which implement COVID-19 lockdown orders.

Moore signed on as an original cosponsor of U.S. Rep. Bob Good’s (R-VA) The Right to Earn a Living Act, which would make state and local governments that institute lockdowns on small businesses ineligible to receive financial support from the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

“Congress must stop bailing out states that implement burdensome restrictions on small businesses struggling to recover from the economic impact of COVID lockdowns,” said Moore in a statement.

States that implement lockdowns would still receive funding for COVID-19 testing and PPP, according to a release from Moore’s office.

The legislation has virtually no chance of advancing, as the Democratic Party currently controls the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and presidency, as well as the leadership positions in nearly all the states that currently have a lockdown in place.

Moore has long been one of the most fervent opponents of government restrictions in response to COVID-19, making it a talking point of his 2020 campaign to represent Alabama’s Second Congressional District.

Moore and Good are both freshman representatives in the House; Good represents the Fifth District of Virginia.

Other original cosponsors of the legislation include Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Alex Mooney (R-WV) and Matthew Rosendale, Sr. (R-MT).

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.

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