- Republican Senator Mitch McConnell introduced a bill on Tuesday linking the $ 2,000 stimulus checks to the repeal of Section 230 and a new commission to study electoral fraud, a move that is likely to condemn the increase in checks.
- McConnell’s proposal came just hours after he blocked a House-approved bill that would also increase stimulus payments to Americans, but without addressing the other items – both of which are Trump’s top priorities.
- Trump and some Republicans have protested repeatedly against Section 230 – which prevents internet companies from being sued for content posted by users – and have made unfounded accusations about electoral fraud, while Democrats have opposed them on both issues.
- McConnell’s decision to link the increase in stimulus checks to the repeal of Section 230 and the electoral fraud commission could undermine efforts to pressure Democrats to vote against the bill or help Trump win three victories.
- Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.
Senate Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell introduced a bill on Tuesday linking $ 2,000 stimulus checks to unrelated items on President Donald Trump’s agenda: the complete repeal of Section 230 of the Decency Act in the United States. Communications and the creation of a new Congressional committee to investigate the integrity of the 2020 Elections in the USA.
By linking increased payments to the measures Democrats oppose, the so-called poisonous pills, McConnell’s project is likely to slow efforts to obtain additional relief from COVID-19 for Americans.
McConnell’s decision came just hours after he blocked a separate attempt by Democrats to vote on $ 2,000 checks that did not include language on the other two issues.
“Senator McConnell knows how to make $ 2,000 survival checks a reality and he knows how to kill them,” Chuck Schumer, Democratic minority leader in the Senate, said in a press release.
“If Senator McConnell tries to overburden the CASH Act passed by the bipartisan Chamber with unrelated party provisions that will do absolutely nothing to help struggling families across the country, that will not be passed by the Chamber and it cannot become law – any move like this. McConnell would be a blatant attempt to deprive Americans of a $ 2,000 survival check, “added Schumer.
Earlier on Tuesday, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called for an immediate upper house vote on legislation known as the CASH Act, which was passed by the House on Monday night with the support of 44 Republicans and all but two Democrats.
McConnell has repeatedly opposed direct direct COVID-19 relief payments to Americans, previously calling them “crazy policy”. But he also faced pressure recently from Democrats, Trump and even some Republicans – ahead of the second round of the Georgia election for Senate control – to raise the amount to $ 2,000 from the $ 600 that Congress and Trump approved earlier. From this week.
Read More: $ 600 checks for most people, help with entertainment venues, airlines and public transportation. Here’s what else is in the $ 900 billion stimulus that Trump just signed.
Trump threatened to veto the stimulus bill because the checks were not $ 2,000, but he ended up burning the $ 900 billion aid package.
On Tuesday, following McConnell’s decision to block the House proposal that he would have done just that, Trump attacked again, while also pressing Republicans to link increased payments to his crusades against the tech industry and election results. presidential.
“Unless Republicans have a desire to die and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve payments of $ 2,000 as soon as possible. $ 600 IS NOT ENOUGH! Plus, get rid of Section 230 – Don’t let Big Tech steal our country, and don’t let Democrats steal the presidential election. tweeted.
By linking the $ 2,000 checks to other Trump demands – both of which Democrats opposed – McConnell’s bill is likely to put pressure on Democrats to vote against the move, which in turn could give Republicans political coverage to say who were not responsible for withdrawing the increase in American payments.
Trump has repeatedly protested Section 230, a legal provision that protects internet companies from lawsuits over content posted on their websites by users and gives them the ability to regulate that content. Trump and some Republicans misinterpreted the law as requiring social media companies to be politically neutral, and have long complained – despite evidence to the contrary – that social media is biased against conservative views.
Trump has also repeatedly moved forward with unsubstantiated allegations, alleging widespread electoral fraud in the 2020 U.S. elections – and his lawyers have gained nothing in at least 40 lawsuits making such allegations. (President-elect Joe Biden obtained 306 votes at the Electoral College earlier this month, more than the 270 needed to win the presidential election, and won the popular vote by more than 7 million votes).