Majority leader Mitch McConnell introduced a bill on Tuesday night that would offer a $ 2,000 increase in direct payments to individuals wanted by Democrats and President Donald Trump, but adds legislation regarding social media companies and election fraud studies.
McConnell introduced the parallel pandemic relief bill on Tuesday, S.5085, which would include a $ 600 to $ 2,000 increase in checks for individual Americans, but refers to the repeal of section 230 of the 1996 Communications Act and funding for a commission to investigate fraud voters. Both additions to McConnell’s surprise project are demands made by Trump months ago. The repeal of Section 230 would remove protections for internet companies and allow media companies like Twitter and Facebook to be prosecuted if users felt wronged by messages on the platform.
For months, McConnell said he was opposed to increasing weekly unemployment insurance and only last week agreed with Democrats to add $ 600 direct deposits to Americans struggling in the pandemic.
Trump seemed to have predicted what McConnell’s action would be this week after the White House expressed support, along with Democrats, for $ 2,000 stimulus checks for individual Americans. “The Senate will begin the voting process that raises checks to $ 2,000, repeals Section 230 and initiates an investigation into electoral fraud,” wrote the president in a statement on Sunday, days before McConnell introduced nearly identical legislation.
“Big Tech must not obtain Section 230 protections!” Trump said on Sunday in a request that McConnell appears to have responded by including the issue of free speech in the stipulation of the $ 2,000 check. “Voter fraud must be fixed! Much more money is coming. I will never give my fight for the American people!”
Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer responded to McConnell’s introduction of the bill as a “cynical gambit”. It is unclear what exactly McConnell’s legislative motives are, Schumer said the Republican Senate leader is trying to undermine the $ 2,000 by adding Trump’s electoral fraud and Section 230’s repeal requirements.
Twitter is going crazy with its flags, trying hard to suppress even the truth. It just shows how dangerous they are, purposely stifling free speech. Very dangerous for our country. Does Congress know that this is how communism begins? Cancel the worst of the culture. End of section 230!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2020
“Senator McConnell knows how to make $ 2,000 survival checks a reality and knows how to kill them. If Senator McConnell tries to burden the House-approved two-party CASH law with unrelated party provisions that will do absolutely nothing to help struggling families across the country, will not pass the House and cannot become law, “Schumer said in a statement late on Tuesday.
For months, McConnell rejected pressure from Democrats to increase weekly direct payments to unemployed and struggling Americans.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Trump alerted the Republican Party after McConnell blocked the Senate vote that afternoon. The president said Republicans would lose the second round of the Georgia Senate if candidates Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue were forced to vote on the issue before the January 5 runoff.
This story is developing, check back with Newsweek soon for more information on McConnell’s stimulus measure on Tuesday.
Tom Williams / Getty