While the measure does not guarantee that McConnell will bring the bill to a vote, it does provide a substantive option if time – and political winds – pressure the House in that direction. It is also one that would almost certainly fail to garner votes for approval.
New York Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the bill a “cynical gambit” and said it would serve as “a blatant attempt” to ensure that the $ 2,000 in direct payments are not converted into law.
But McConnell’s move was crucial for several reasons in the final chaotic days of the 116th Congress.
The group is hardly a majority, however, say aides. A significant number of Senate Republicans have problems with the measure passed by the House to increase direct payments.
Senator Patrick Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, called direct payments, due to their size and scope, “inadequate economic policy”.
Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and an ally of McConnell, said he opposed the autonomous increase in direct payments and said that, given the amount Congress has earmarked for Covid’s relief to this point, more focus should be placed on these. efforts.
“This is just opportunism on the part of the House,” said Cornyn of the House Democrats. “They have a problem and, unfortunately, it seems to be drowning out all the other good things we’ve done.”
By uniting all of Trump’s demands, particularly with policies that Democrats will almost certainly oppose, McConnell gives himself the option that if he took him to the floor, he would give Republicans something to vote for with little risk of becoming law.
“If we start adding poison pills to the $ 2,000 payment bill, this is just another way of telling the American people that this body does not support $ 2,000 payments,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, of additional provisions.
McConnell, with this alternative bill, is tying all of Trump’s demands to a single piece of legislation. Although advisers say it is unclear whether the bill will actually be tabled – there is still the possibility that the 116th Congress will end without any action – if it does, it would serve as a way to address the problems of the president and the two Republican senators of Georgia in a tight second round, something to vote for.
By presenting the bill and putting it on the Senate calendar, McConnell technically started this process. McConnell himself seemed to allude to very specific language in his previous comments on the Senate floor, noting that the chamber would “initiate a process” to meet the president’s demands.
Trump, however, continued to beat the drum in increasing payments on Twitter – and attacking Republican leaders.
“Unless Republicans have a desire to die, and it’s also the right thing to do, they should approve the $ 2,000 payments as soon as possible,” tweeted Trump. “$ 600 IS NOT ENOUGH! Also, get rid of Section 230 – Don’t let Big Tech steal our country and don’t let Democrats steal the presidential election. Be tough!”
But, as it is often a hallmark of Trump’s negotiations with Congress, it is unclear whether he wants the vote on expanding direct payments as an independent measure or in combination with the other elements. This ambiguity, in a way, opened the door to McConnell’s legislative offer.
Before any action on stimulus payments, McConnell made it clear that the priority for the chamber is to stay on track to process the overriding of Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, which did not include the changes Trump wanted in Section 230. McConnell initially tried to schedule that vote for Wednesday, but Senator Bernie Sanders objected and made it clear that he would withdraw the process unless the Senate votes up or down on the House-approved stimulus verification measure.
“The working class of this country today faces more economic despair than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” said Sanders, an independent from Vermont who has been instrumental in the effort to increase the size of direct payments.
Sanders, however, cannot prevent the NDAA’s annulment vote – just prolong it. And several Republican Party advisers noted that a longer process in the NDAA could help Republicans who are entirely opposed to the check and want no action on the issue of direct payments before the end of the 116th Congress on Sunday.
The previous Tuesday, McConnell promised in the Senate floor only that he would “start the process” of addressing the issues raised by Trump. He never committed to any vote, on stimulus checks or anything else. This provides him with a path if he decides to take it, but nothing is blocked at this point, the aides say.
This story was updated with additional developments Tuesday.