McConnell says bill to raise trigger checks to $ 2,000 ‘no real way to pass Senate quickly’
The Republican Party of Kentucky said the House bill was “not a realistic way to pass the Senate quickly,” and said the Democratic-led effort had repeatedly misled President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly pressured Republicans to pass extended stimulus checks.
“The Senate is not going to bully excessively borrowed money into the hands of wealthy Democrats who don’t need help,” McConnell said.
Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, who voted immediately for the move, lowered McConnell’s position and pressured Republicans to bring the bill to a vote.
“At the very least, the Senate deserves a chance of an upper or lower referendum,” Schumer said, adding that “there are no games in the city other than the House bill.”
But McConnell made it clear that nothing could progress in a room that does not include Trump’s other two priorities: the complete abolition of online accountability protections and the investigation into voter fraud.
“The Senate is not going to split the three issues that President Trump put together,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
On Tuesday, McConnell introduced legislation linking the three Trump priorities – each a prerequisite for Trump signing the Govt relief and spending package earlier this week. Trump never mentioned that the three items should be put together.
But McConnell, in his comments on Wednesday, made it clear that the introduction of his law fulfilled the terms of the agreement with Trump, which only imposed the start of the voting process on the issues.
As it stands, no vote is planned on McConnell’s bill or the bill passed by the House, and GOP aides say the 116th Congress is likely to end without any action to increase direct payments.
“Today the Senate must complete legislation protecting important tools, training and support for the U.S. Armed Forces,” he said. “But the junior senator from Vermont had other ideas.”
McConnell added: “The Senate will be there until we finish this important bill one way or another.”
Sanders has said that if McConnell does not bring a $ 2,000 check to the floor to vote, he will delay voting to violate the NDAA. The final vote could last until Saturday if Sanders keeps it that way. In the end, though it will pass. It’s a matter of how long it takes.
Ali Jaslov of CNN contributed to this report.