Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa) blocked a bill on Thursday that would prevent private debt collectors from taking stimulus checks, according to the Hill.
The previous COVID relief bill that provided $600 stimulus checks to Americans had this protection but since the $1.9T relief package was passed through reconciliation, similar language was not included in the bill.
Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) attempted to pass legislation that would protect stimulus checks, but Toomey objected.
“It was going to be strictly Democrats using the reconciliation process, and that is the only reason that this provision couldn’t be addressed because it can’t be dealt with under the reconciliation rules,” Toomey said.
Under the Senate’s rule any one senator can try to set up a vote or pass a bill, but any one senator can similarly object, the Hill reported.
