Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused Tuesday to quickly raise the amount of the coronavirus stimulus direct payments to $2,000, rebuffing demands for bigger checks from Democrats and President Donald Trump.
McConnell, R-Ky., blocked Sen. Chuck Schumer’s effort to allow a vote on the measure, instead suggesting he would only allow the Senate to “begin a process” to discuss raising the checks along with other unrelated issues.
The move effectively leaves the push for bigger checks in limbo despite growing support from across the political spectrum.
Schumer, D-N.Y., made an impassioned plea for the Senate to immediately increase the aid to hard-pressed Americans.
“Let the chips fall where they may,” Schumer said.
But McConnell stuck to his guns. He insisted he would only permit the Senate to start discussing the increased stimulus payments as part of a grab-bag of other measures that Democrats oppose, including Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread fraud in the presidential election he lost.
After the House approved the move by a 2-to-1 margin, Trump had weighed in overnight on Twitter with a call for action from his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“Give the people $2000 not $600. They have suffered enough,” the president tweeted at 1:53 a.m.
At least five Republican senators, including McConnell allies like Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio, have flip-flopped in recent days and now claim they support the $2,000 checks. The measure will need the support of at least 60 senators, a heavy lift even with Trump’s backing.
McConnell has staunchly opposed spending more than the $900 billion stimulus that has already passed. He spent months refusing to even consider more expensive bills passed by the Democratic-led House.
Trump threw a wrench into the debate by initially refusing to sign the compromise bill that was negotiated between McConnell, Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
He derided the $600 payments as “a disgrace.” But he caved Sunday night and signed it anyway while renewing his demand for bigger direct payments.
The House took Trump at his word and passed a new measure raising the payments amount to $2,000. The vote attracted the support of some GOP lawmakers.
McConnell also announced for the first time that he will seek a vote to override Trump’s veto of a must-pass defense spending bill that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
One procedural hiccup involves Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is blocking a vote overriding the Trump veto until McConnell agrees to allow a vote on the $2,000 payments.
His objection will have to be resolved to move ahead with overriding the veto.
