The United States House of Representatives could approve a clause on Monday night that would increase the amount of money that individuals and families receive on stimulus checks.
An aide to the Republican leadership told CNN that, although the Republican side is not approving the bill, “there is a good chance that it will be approved.” It is far from certain, but advisers are warning that it is possible.
The bill, which would require a 2/3 majority to pass because it will be suspended, would increase the value of stimulus checks from $ 600 to $ 2,000 per individual.
Check eligibility is determined by a person’s most recent tax returns. Anyone who earned less than $ 75,000 as an individual or $ 150,000 as a couple would receive the full amount. The amount that individuals receive decreases by $ 5 for every $ 100 a person earns over $ 75,000. In short, this means that individuals who earn more than $ 99,000 would not be eligible, nor would couples who earn more than $ 198,000.
If the bill does pass the House with a strong Republican vote, it will put Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell in a difficult position of having to decide whether to take the provision to the Senate floor as an independent bill.
While the president urged Republicans to increase payments, many Republicans in McConnell’s ranks have made it clear that they don’t think an increase is justified, given how much the price of the stimulus project would increase.
A verification vote would likely split the Republican Party conference and force some members to endure President Trump’s ire in his final days in office.
Reminder: The Covid-19 relief law was passed by Congress last Monday and was sent to Mar-a-Lago on Thursday to await Trump’s signature. But after standing on the sidelines during the negotiations, Trump came up with a last-minute complaint that a separate clause in the deal, which the president’s own White House helped broker, would provide only up to $ 600 in direct payments.
Trump wanted to send checks for $ 2,000.
Trump signaled in a statement on Sunday night that he signed the coronavirus relief bill only after securing a commitment by the Senate to consider legislation to increase stimulus checks from $ 600 to $ 2,000. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, however, made no mention of that commitment in his own statement late on Sunday, praising the president for signing the bill.