The House of Representatives is set to hold a vote on Monday which will determine if Americans can expect an increase to the currently proposed $600 stimulus checks attached to the Covid relief bill. Despite veto threats from the President, last night he ultimately signed the bill. However, Trump’s signature is coming with some conditions, he is still adamant that Americans receive $2,000 in stimulus each and that much of the “pork” be cut from the legislation. The Monday vote only addresses the stimulus checks, while signing the bill Sunday night the President said he plans to send requests to address the foreign aid separately.
I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill. Also, stop the billions of dollars in “pork”.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
Fox News reports:
“Now, the President must immediately call on Congressional Republicans to end their obstruction and to join him and Democrats in support of our stand-alone legislation to increase direct payment checks to $2,000, which will be brought to the Floor tomorrow,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Sunday night.
The bill the House will vote on Monday was first introduced by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. It’s just a few pages long and simply changes the passages in the stimulus Trump just signed that say $600 to $2,000. That made its enactment dependent on Trump signing the stimulus and spending bill, which was in doubt until Sunday night.
Trump signing the stimulus, however, is just one step that needs to happen if Democrats’ effort for $2,000 checks is to succeed. It will still need to clear the GOP-controlled Senate and later be signed by the president. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said, “I would be surprised if we dealt with it” if Democrats managed to pass a bill for $2,000.
Plus, the fact that Trump signed the stimulus into law may take pressure off Republicans in both the House and the Senate to vote for the boosted checks, allowing them to stick to their guns on keeping the size of the relief package under control. The government is now funded for the next year, crucial benefits helping Americans through the pandemic are renewed and $600 checks will be on the way even if the $2,000 checks don’t pass.
The bill must receive a two-thirds supermajority vote from the House before moving to the Senate. The body will also vote to overturn President Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act
