Representative John Rose, a Tennessee Republican, attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for trying to pass legislation that would give Americans $ 2,000 stimulus checks – a key requirement raised by President Donald Trump last week.
Congress passed a $ 900 billion bipartisan relief bill COVID-19 last week, which was included in the $ 1.4 trillion government spending legislation. Although the White House reportedly urged Republican lawmakers to support the package before it passes, Trump attacked the bill and described it as a “disgrace” in a video message on Tuesday.
The president questioned billions of funds for foreign countries and other government priorities, while asking Congress to increase the $ 600 stimulus checks included in the package to $ 2,000 for most Americans. Democrats quickly supported the president’s call for higher direct payments, pointing out that this was what they had asked for months ago.
Pelosi, a California Democrat, plans to hold a roll call vote on Monday morning on a stand-alone project that would distribute $ 2,000 stimulus checks, but some Republicans attacked her for trying to do what Trump asked.
The quote
Screenshot / Fox News
“Unfortunately, we see Mayor Pelosi continuing to play political games,” Rose told Fox News on Sunday morning, after being asked about the effort to distribute $ 2,000 in direct payments. “There are people across the country who need targeted, timely and temporary relief to help respond to the pandemic and the strikes imposed across the country,” said the Republican Congressman.
“It is a bit hypocritical now for them to present this vote before us, when there is so much weight in the appropriations bill that we received just a few hours before having to vote it last week,” said Rose.
Newsweek contacted a Pelosi press representative for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.
Why does it matter
After Trump asked for $ 2,000 stimulus checks, Pelosi and other Democratic leaders quickly supported the president’s demand.
“Republicans have repeatedly refused to say the amount the president wanted for direct checks. Finally, the president agreed to $ 2,000 – Democrats are ready to take this to the floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” the speaker tweeted shortly after Trump shared his video message on Tuesday.
Early Thursday morning, House Democrats tried to pass a $ 2,000 stimulus check measure through a unanimous consent vote. But that effort was blocked by the Republicans. Democrats now plan to hold a roll call vote on Monday. But Pelosi asked Trump to sign the current bill to quickly release aid to millions of struggling Americans and to maintain government funding next year.
Republicans have repeatedly refused to say how much the president wanted for direct checks. Finally, the president agreed to $ 2,000 – Democrats are ready to take this to the floor this week by unanimous consent. Lets do this! https://t.co/Th4sztrpLV
– Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 23, 2020
Although Trump disagreed with the spending included in the general part of the legislation, most of that funding was included due to requests for budget items from the government itself. While some Republican lawmakers have supported the president’s call to reduce funding for foreign countries and other government priorities, other Republican lawmakers have pointed out that this money was requested by the Trump administration.
“There has been some apparent misunderstanding about what is in the regular appropriation bill and what is in the COVID relief bill, and the regular appropriation bill generally includes things the government has asked for,” he said. Sen. Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri, told reporters on Thursday.
“It took us a long time to get to where we are. I think reopening this project would be a mistake,” said the Republican legislator. He added that “the best way out of this situation is for the president to sign the bill, and I still hope that is what he decides.”
Whether Trump will sign or veto the current legislation is still an open question.
Opposite view
Leading Republican lawmakers have voiced their opposition to larger direct payments, with some saying they do not support any stimulus checks. They argued that these stimulus checks are not targeted enough and will go to many Americans who are not in financial difficulty. Some described stimulus checks as a “socialist” idea.
“It is a really silly, stubborn, leftist and socialist idea to distribute free money to people,” Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, told Fox News on Wednesday. “So, I separate from the president about giving people free money.”