Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) Plans to block the Senate’s veto overturning the bipartisan defense bill, unless the chamber votes on the $ 2,000 stimulus payments included in the COVID aid bill, informed the Politico on Monday.
Why it matters: While Sanders is unlikely to interrupt the vote on the annulment of the veto, postponing it until New Year’s Day could create new obstacles for the Republican Party.
- Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Has yet to announce plans for a vote on stimulus checks.
The big picture: “The American people are desperate and the Senate needs to do its job before leaving the city,” Sanders told Politico. “It would be unscrupulous, especially after the House did the right thing, for the Senate to simply leave Washington without voting for it.”
- This delay tactic would cause the Sens to disrupt. David Perdue (R-Ga.) And Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Who are campaigning for the January 5 races in Georgia for control of the Senate.
- Keeping them in DC would concentrate the race on their lack of explicit support for payments, writes Politico, which his opponents endorsed.
- It is not known whether the $ 2,000 for direct payments has sufficient support among Republicans to pass the Senate. At least 13 Republicans would have to cross the corridor.
- President Trump signed the relief bill on Sunday, but pressured Congress to increase direct payments from $ 600 initially planned to $ 2,000 per individual.
What to watch: The Senate is expected to vote to overturn the veto of the defense bill on Tuesday.