Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday again blocked a swift action on $ 2,000 coronavirus stimulus checks on Senate floor, while speaking harshly to minority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y.
McConnell, R-Ky., Shrugged off the $ 2,000 stimulus checks in the comments as “socialism for rich people.” The comments were the most direct so far about his opposition to President Trump’s request that $ 600 stimulus controls be increased in the recent stimulus.
“The data shows that many middle-class Americans have kept their jobs, worked remotely, and remained financially comfortable,” McConnell said. “On the other hand, some of our fellow citizens have turned their entire existence upside down and are still going to suffer badly. We do not have to allow the Speaker of the House to do socialism for rich people to those who need help. , to help. “
Earlier this week, the majority leader introduced his own bill on $ 2,000 stimulus checks, which linked them to other Trump priorities: repealing the controversial Article 230 liability protection for online platforms and investigating election security. He made no promises that the bill would be considered, but only vague comments that the Senate would “begin a process to bring these three priorities into focus”.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., Walks to Senate Floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, December 30, 2020. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)
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McConnell also stressed on Wednesday that the president just this week signed a $ 900 billion stimulus package that includes “targeted” stimulus efforts.
“The liberal New York Times reported this morning that a majority of households receiving non-targeted checks end up not spending it on urgent needs,” McConnell said before setting out the provisions in the recent stimulus bill. “There are billions of targeted food aid, billions of targeted rental aid, and many billions of dollars in the distribution of vaccines, so that we can finally defeat the virus and reopen the economy fully. These are the kind of targeted emergency programs that are most vulnerable. And we just have less than five days ago, almost another trillion dollars were thrown into them. ‘
Schumer, DN.Y., responded that McConnell was just trying to stop to prevent the checks from being passed. He said the majority leader’s insistence that the Senate only consider checks along with Article 230 and the election certainty would make it impossible for anything to become law.
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“Let me address this offer to the Republican majority. We are prepared to vote on the other issues that President Trump mentioned. All the issues that the Republican leader says should be addressed, as long as we vote on them separately,” he said. Schumer said. “If leader McConnell wants to vote on these issues, we are in favor. Give us a vote on the bill passed by the House, and we can vote on what right-wing conspiracy theory you want.”
Schumer then requested that the Senate quickly vote on the House Bill on $ 2,000 stimulus checks. McConnell objected.
Shortly after Schumer spoke, Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Also moved to quickly vote on the House bill for stimulus controls. McConnell also objected.
Sanders said McConnell’s move to tie $ 2,000 checks to Article 230 repeal and a voter fraud commission is a ‘poison pill’ designed to kill the law.
McConnell’s resistance to $ 2,000 checks comes despite calls for the checks by Trump, shortly after Congress sent him the previous stimulus bill with $ 600 checks. Trump has become increasingly frustrated with his fellow Republicans in recent weeks and has directed a significant amount of attention to McConnell.
“Unless Republicans have a death wish, and that’s the right thing to do, they should approve the $ 2000 payment as soon as possible. $ 600 is NOT ENOUGH!” Trump tweeted earlier this week. “Also get rid of Article 230 – Do not let Big Tech steal our country, and do not let the Democrats steal the presidential election. Be difficult!”
He later added: “$ 2000ASAP!”
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The uproar over the stimulus checks has taken place over what, according to Thursday, would be a relatively tame in the upper chamber, as it is the priority that dominates President Trump’s veto of the National Defense Act.
The Senate had no scheduled votes for Thursday. McConnell filed a ‘cloture petition’ on Wednesday on the NDAA’s veto rule, which can only be voted on two days after it was tabled. The Senate is currently planning to take its vote on the NDAA on Friday, which is a procedural vote to end the debate, which would set up a final vote on Saturday.
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Between the Senate that the NDAA must pass before the current Congress ends Sunday afternoon, and McConnell’s stagnant tactics, it is now highly unlikely that the Senate will even make it to a vote on $ 2,000 stimulus checks, let alone succeed. .
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.