House Republicans rejected an attempt by House Democrats to take Trump up on his offer to provide $2,000 stimulus checks instead of the $600 that was approved in the coronavirus relief package earlier this week.
House Democrats proposed the legislation after Donald Trump complained that $600 direct payments was too small and called for $2,000 checks instead.
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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer offered the measure to boost the check size to $2,000 during Thursday’s session of the House by unanimous consent. But House Minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, who was not present in the nearly-empty chamber, denied his approval.
House Democrats will hold a recorded vote on Monday to once again try to increase direct payments to $2,000.
“To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need,” Speaker Pelosi said in a statement according to The Hill. “Hopefully by then the President will have already signed the bipartisan and bicameral legislation to keep government open and to deliver coronavirus relief.”
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A majority of Democrats are on board with $2,000 payments. So, the bill will likely pass and be sent to the Republican-controlled Senate where it will likely be killed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell which would create more problems for Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in the crucial January 5 runoff elections in Georgia.
Of note, Trump did not explicitly say he will veto the coronavirus relief and omnibus spending package passed by Congress earlier this week. But, if he follows through on his implied threat the government will shut down on Tuesday and Americans will not get the $600 stimulus checks.
