Washington, D.C (GNB)- House Republicans blocked a vote brought to the floor by Democrats that would have sent $2,000 direct checks to individuals, following President Trump’s request to increase the direct relief in the COVID-19 aid bill that passed Congress this week.
House Democrats tried to quickly pass the bill by a unanimous consent request Thursday morning, but Republicans rejected the move, leaving the future of the $900 billion stimulus package.
Following the House adjourning for business until Monday, Pelosi announced that she will bring the House back in session Monday for a full, recorded vote on the bill to increase direct payments.
“If the President is serious about the $2,000 direct payments, he must call on House Republicans to end their obstruction,” Pelosi said in a statement issued on Thursday.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement today on House Republicans blocking Democrats’ Unanimous Consent request to increase economic impact payments to $2,000, as the President called for:
“Today, on Christmas Eve morning, House Republicans cruelly deprived the American people of the $2,000 that the President agreed to support. If the President is serious about the $2,000 direct payments, he must call on House Republicans to end their obstruction.
“House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly fought for bigger checks for the American people, which House and Senate Republicans have repeatedly rejected – first, during our negotiations when they said that they would not go above $600 and now, with this act of callousness on the Floor.
“On Monday, I will bring the House back to session where we will hold a recorded vote on our stand-alone bill to increase economic impact 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.
“Hopefully by then the President will have already signed the bipartisan and bicameral legislation to keep government open and to deliver coronavirus relief.”
Earlier this week, Congress passed the Covid relief bill, which included $600 payments under certain income levels. Single people who earn up to $75,000 would receive the full $600 direct payment, and couples earning up to $150,000 would receive $1,200. But, President Trump asked Congress to amend the Stimulus bill.
“I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2000 or $4000 per couple,” Following the Congress decision, Trump said in a video released on Twitter. “I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items in this legislation or to send me a suitable bill.”
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