While the move does not guarantee that McConnell will bring the bill to a vote, it does provide an important alternative to time and – political winds – at the time. It is also certain to fail to get votes for the passage, but it is certain.
New York Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the bill a “slanderous gamble” and said it would serve as a “slanderous attempt” to ensure the $ 2,000 direct payment is not signed into law.
But in the final chaotic days of the 116th Congress, McConnell’s move was decisive for a number of reasons.
The group is barely a majority, though, aides say. There is a problem with the House-passed measure to increase direct payments to a significant number of Senate Republicans.
Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Patrick Tommy says direct payments, given their size and scope, “economic policy is not right.”
Sen. Texas Republican and ally of McConnells. John Cornin said he was opposed to the single direct payment surcharge and said that given the amount allocated by Congress in the Covid relief, there should be more focus on those efforts.
“This is just opportunistic on the part of the House,” Cornyn said of the House Democrats. “They’ve got an issue and unfortunately all the good stuff we’ve done has sunk into it.”
Combined with all of Trump’s demands, especially with policies Democrats almost oppose, McConnell offers himself an option that, if he brings it to the floor, would allow Republicans to vote with something risky, which could become law.
“If we start adding poison pills to the 2,000 payment bill, it’s another way to tell the American people that this body doesn’t support the $ 2,000 payment,” Connecticut Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy said of the additional provisions.
McConnell, with this alternative bill, is tying all of Trump’s demands into one piece of legislation. While aides say it is unclear whether the bill will actually come up – there is a possibility that the 116th Congress is unlikely to end with any action – if it does, it will serve as a way to address the president’s issues and Will give two Georgia Republican senators to vote on something in tight security.
By introducing the bill and moving it to the Senate calendar lender, McConnell has, technically, begun that process. McConnell himself appeared to be hinting at very specific language in his previous Senate floor remarks, noting that the chamber would “begin the process” to address the president’s demands.
However Trump has continued to hit the drums on Twitter to increase pay – and attack Republican leaders.
Trump tweeted, “Republicans don’t want to die and it’s the right thing to do, as long as they must approve the payment of ASAP payments 2000.” “I don’t like વધુ 600 more! Also, get rid of Article 230 – Big Tech doesn’t allow theft in our country, and Democrats don’t allow theft in the presidential election. Be strict!”
But, as is often the specialty of Trump’s dealings with Congress, it remains unclear whether he seeks a vote on extended direct payments as a stand-alone measure, together with other elements. That ambiguity, in a way, has opened the door for McConnell’s legal offer fur.
Prior to any action on the stimulus payment, McConnell made it clear that the chamber’s priority in processing Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act veto was to stay on track, with Trump failing to incorporate the desired changes into Section 230. McConnell initially tried to set that vote for Wednesday, but Sen. Bernie Sanders objected and made it clear that he would pull out of the process until an up-and-down vote was taken on the House-passed stimulus check criteria by the Senate.
The country’s working class is facing more economic depression than in the post-1930s Great Depression, Vermont’s Independent Simprends said.
However, Sanders can’t stop the NDAA override vote – just drag it out. And many GOP aides have noted that the lengthy process on the NDAA could help Republicans who oppose the check outright and want no action on the issue of direct payments before the end of the 116th Congress on Sunday.
On Tuesday, McCann only promised on the Senate floor that he would begin the “process” of considering the issues raised by Trump. He never committed to a vote, a provocation check or anything else. This gives way to the decision to take it, but at this time nothing is hidden, aides say.
The story was updated on Tuesday with additional developments.
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