Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerNew York Democratic Party chairman warns Ocasio-Cortez against challenging Schumer Sunday shows preview: COVID-19 relief waiting on Trump’s signature; government continues vaccine roll out Trump and Pelosi should unite for ,000 relief checks MORE (D-N.Y.) will try to pass legislation on Tuesday to increase the amount of the stimulus checks included in a recently signed coronavirus package from $600 to $2,000.
Schumer’s effort, which he announced on Monday night, comes after the House passed the legislation in a bipartisan 275-134 vote, kicking the bill to the GOP-controlled Senate.
“Tomorrow I will move to pass the legislation in the Senate to quickly deliver Americans with $2,000 emergency checks. Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it – there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way,” Schumer said in a statement.
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“There’s strong support for these $2,000 emergency checks from every corner of the country — Leader McConnell ought to make sure Senate Republicans do not stand in the way of helping to meet the needs of American workers and families who are crying out for help,” he added.
Under the Senate’s rules, any one member can try to pass or vote on a bill, but because it requires the cooperation of the entire chamber, any one senator can also block the request.
No Republican senator has yet said they will object to Schumer’s efforts to pass the House bill through the Senate. But the Democratic leader is expected to fall short after Sen. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold JohnsonSchumer to try to pass K stimulus checks bill Tuesday This week: Trump’s grip on Hill allies faces test On COVID-19, foreign policy elites are just as polarized as the public MORE (R-Wis.) blocked two attempts earlier this month to pass a second round of $1,200 checks.
The support for raising the amount of direct assistance included as part of the $2.3 trillion package — which includes $1.4 trillion to fund the government and $900 billion for coronavirus relief — has gained steam since President TrumpDonald TrumpTrump calls for end to ‘religious persecution worldwide’ on 850th anniversary of Thomas Becket’s death Michael Cohen interview sparks questions after he mentions prison friends ‘Tony Meatballs and Big Minty’ Ocasio-Cortez rails against both Democrats and Republicans who opposed ,000 direct payments MORE urged Congress to increase the amount of the stimulus checks included in the deal from $600 to $2,000.
The agreement provided a $600 check to individuals who make up to $75,000 per year, after which the amount of the checks starts to phase out.
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Immediately after Trump issued the video last week demanding the $2,000 checks while trashing other parts of the agreement, Schumer and House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiSchumer to try to pass K stimulus checks bill Tuesday Rubio backs Trump’s push for ,000 direct payments House passes bill boosting stimulus checks to ,000 in bipartisan vote MORE (D-Calif.) endorsed the idea and began trying to build pressure on Republicans to back the effort.
Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioSchumer to try to pass K stimulus checks bill Tuesday Rubio backs Trump’s push for ,000 direct payments Rubio criticizes Fauci for raising herd immunity estimate to 90 percent MORE (R-Fla.) also came out in support of increasing the amount of the payments earlier Monday.
“I share many of my colleagues’ concern about the long-term effects of additional spending, but we cannot ignore the fact that millions of working class families across the nation are still in dire need of relief,” Rubio said in a statement. “Congress should quickly pass legislation to increase direct payments to Americans to $2,000.”
But the idea of higher stimulus checks has sparked fierce pushback from some congressional Republicans who point to the country’s debt or concerns that many Americans will save the money instead of putting it back into the economy.
Sen. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntSchumer to try to pass K stimulus checks bill Tuesday House passes bill boosting stimulus checks to ,000 in bipartisan vote Questions and answers on COVID-19 relief package MORE (R-Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, told reporters late last week that he did not believe a proposal to provide a $2,000 direct payment could pass the GOP-controlled Senate, where it will ultimately need 60 votes to pass.
Trump, as part of his statement announcing he would sign the $2.3 trillion deal, said that the Senate would “start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud.”
A statement from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSanders to slow down NDAA veto override in bid to get vote on K checks proposal Schumer to try to pass K stimulus checks bill Tuesday Rubio backs Trump’s push for ,000 direct payments MORE (R-Ky.) on Sunday night made no mention of the legislative commitments referenced by Trump, and the GOP leader has not yet announced plans to bring up a proposal that would increase the amount of the direct payments.