The House of Representatives will vote on a bill on Monday to send $ 2,000 stimulus checks to Americans in lieu of the $ 600 checks included in the coronavirus stimulus and the government financing package that President Trump signed on. Sunday night.
The vote will come after Trump has protested for most of a week against the size of checks and the amount of foreign aid included in the massive combination of two legislative deals that lawmakers sent to his desk.
Monday’s vote will not address the “pork” that Trump has said he wants to cut – despite the fact that he has asked for much of his budget. But it will force members of the Republican House of Representatives to publicly state whether to raise the price of stimulus checks after the president demands that they do so.
“I simply want our great people to receive $ 2,000, instead of the miserable $ 600 that is now in the account,” Trump said in a tweet on Saturday.
“Now, the president must immediately ask Congressional Republicans to end their obstruction and join him and the Democrats in supporting our autonomous legislation to increase direct pay checks to $ 2,000, which will be presented to the floor tomorrow.” , said mayor Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on Sunday night.
THE PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNS COVERAGE RECOVERY, EXPENSES AGAINST ACCOUNT SHUTDOWN. SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
“Every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial difficulties that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need,” he added.
The bill that the House will vote on Monday was first presented by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. It has only a few pages and simply changes the stimulus passages that Trump just signed that say $ 600 to $ 2,000. This made its enactment dependent on Trump signing the stimulus and spending bill, which remained in doubt until Sunday night.
Trump signing the stimulus, however, is just one step that needs to happen if the Democrats’ effort for $ 2,000 checks is successful. He will still need to pass the Republican-controlled Senate and then be signed by the president. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Said, “I would be surprised if we deal with this” if Democrats were able to pass a $ 2,000 bill.
In this archive photo of November 5, 2020, President Trump speaks at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci, Archive)
In addition, the fact that Trump signed the stimulus into law could take pressure from Republicans in both the House and the Senate to vote on reinforced checks, allowing them to keep their weapons in keeping the size of the aid package under control. The government is now funded for next year, crucial benefits to help Americans during the pandemic are renewed and checks for $ 600 are on the way, even if checks for $ 2,000 are not approved.
MCCONNELL PRAISES TRUMP TO SUBSCRIBE COVID-19 RELIEF, GOVERNMENT FINANCING
Trump on Sunday night, signing the financing package, said he plans to send requests to Congress to address his objections to foreign aid separately, potentially indicating that he is open to double efforts on the size of stimulus checks and cut funding. foreign aid. Notably, however, the House Appropriations Committee Chair, Rep. Nita Lowey, DN.Y., said the House will not address Trump’s “recession” requests.
And the Senate will still have to agree to increase checks if the bill passes the House.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y. said on Sunday that he will aim to quickly pass $ 2,000 checks through the Senate if they can get through the House.
“The House is going to pass a bill to give Americans checks for $ 2,000,” he said in a tweet on Sunday. “So, I’m going to propose approval in the Senate. No Democrats will object. Will the Senate Republicans?”
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Pelosi defined Monday’s bill to be voted on as a “suspension” measure, which means that a two-thirds majority vote will be required to pass. It is unclear exactly how many Republicans will vote on checks. That number could also potentially be affected by Trump’s new Twitter exhortations on Monday.
Fox News was told by a member of the Republican leadership that the measure should guarantee two-thirds, but that sentiment is not necessarily universal.
The Chamber meets at 2 pm on Monday and voting must take place after 3 pm – the body will also vote to override the president’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Law on Monday.
Attending the vote will be another element that could affect margins, as it is not clear that every lawmaker will return to Washington, DC, on the Monday after Christmas or send votes by proxy.
And, if the stimulus verification measure initially fails in the Chamber, it can be taken to a subsequent vote, which would only need a simple majority to be successful.
But no matter what happens to the political machinations in Washington, DC, in the last days of the current Congress and Trump’s term in office, the fact is that the government was funded and additional aid for the coronavirus was approved, preventing a stoppage of the government and a series of other cascading crises.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“Pelosi delayed and harmed the country for months, but @realDonaldTrump just sanctioned COVID Relief as a law,” tweeted House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., On Sunday. “Paycheck protection has been renewed. Thousands of small businesses will be able to keep doors open and workers paid. Thank you, Mr. President, for putting people above politics.”
“I thank the President for signing this relief into law, along with government funding legislation for the entire year that will continue to rebuild and modernize our Armed Forces that his government has championed,” said Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. in a statement. “His leadership prevented the government from shutting down at a time when our nation couldn’t afford it”
Added Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va.: “I am relieved that the president has signed our bipartisan relief bill. I hope that these emergency benefits can be quickly distributed to keep Americans fed and sheltered and our small businesses in operation.”
Chad Pergram of Fox News contributed to this report.