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Wednesday 30 december 2020
Senate GOP blocks swift vote on Trump's $2K checks

Continued from Front most all Democrats for a
robust two-thirds vote of
The outcome is highly un- approval.
certain heading into the In the Senate, McConnell
rare holiday-week session. is expected to be devis-
"There's one question left ing a way out of the bind,
today: Do Senate Repub- perhaps incorporating two
licans join with the rest other issues Trump raised
of America in supporting Sunday as he ultimately
$2,000 checks?" Senate signed the massive pack-
Democratic leader Chuck age into law.
Schumer said as he made Trump repeated his frustra-
a motion to vote. tions over the outcome of
McConnell, who has said the presidential election,
little publicly on Trump's re- which he lost to President-
quest, objected but gave elect Joe Biden, as well as
almost no indication of his the ability of technology
plans ahead. companies like Facebook
"The Senate will begin a and Twitter to regulate
process," the GOP leader content in ways Trump be-
said. He said he plans to lieves are unfair.
bring the president's de- "Those are the three impor-
mand for the $2,000 checks tant subjects the president
and other remaining issues has linked together," Mc-
"into focus." Followed by a staffer, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., right, leaves the Capitol for Connell said.
The showdown has thrown the day, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Trump's push could fizzle
Congress into a chaotic Associated Press out in the Senate and do
year-end session just days payments in a compromise second time. ed relief checks. little to change the COV-
before new lawmakers over the big year-end relief The GOP blockade may Trump repeated his de- ID-19 relief and federal
are set to be sworn into of- bill Trump reluctantly signed not be sustainable in the mand in a tweet ahead of spending package Trump
fice for the new year. It's into law. face of Trump's demands Tuesday's Senate session: signed into law.
preventing action on an- Liberal senators led by and as senators face the "$2000 for our great peo- But the debate over the
other priority — overturning Bernie Sanders of Vermont constituents at home. ple, not $600!" size and scope of the
Trump's veto on a sweep- who support the relief aid The two GOP senators Following Trump's lead, Re- package — $900 billion in
ing defense bill that has are blocking action on the from Georgia, David Per- publican Sens. Josh Haw- COVID-19 aid and $1.4 tril-
been approved every year defense bill until a vote can due and Kelly Loeffler, an- ley of Missouri and Marco lion to fund government
for 60 years. be taken on Trump's de- nounced Tuesday they Rubio of Florida, among agencies — is potentially
The president's last-minute mand for $2,000 for most support Trump's plan for the party's potential 2024 one last confrontation be-
push for bigger checks Americans. bigger checks as they face presidential hopefuls, are tween the president and
deeply divides Republi- "The working class of this Democrats Jon Ossoff and pushing the party in the the Republican Party. The
cans, who are split be- country today faces more Raphael Warnock in runoff president's direction. new Congress is set to be
tween those who align with economic desperation elections that will deter- "We've got the votes. sworn in Sunday.
Trump's populist instincts than at any time since the mine which party controls Let's vote today," Hawley For now, the $600 checks
and those who adhere Great Depression of the the Senate. tweeted. The House vote are set to be delivered,
to what had been more 1930s," Sanders said as he "I'm delighted to support late Monday was a stun- along with other aid,
traditional conservative also tried to force a vote on the president," said Perdue ning turn of events. Just among the largest rescue
views against government the relief checks. "Working on Fox News. Loeffler said days ago, during a brief packages of its kind.
spending. Congress had families need help now." in an interview on Fox that Christmas Eve session, Re- The COVID-19 portion of
settled on smaller $600 But McConnell objected a she, too, backs the boost- publicans blocked Trump's the bill revives a weekly
sudden demand for big- pandemic jobless ben-
ger checks as he defiantly efit boost — this time $300,
refused to sign the broader through March 14 — as
COVID-19 aid and year- well as the popular Pay-
end funding bill into law. check Protection Program
As Trump spent days fum- of grants to businesses to
ing from his private club in keep workers on payrolls.
Florida, where he is spend- It extends eviction protec-
ing the holidays, millions of tions, adding a new rental
Americans saw jobless aid assistance fund.
lapse and the nation risked Americans earning up to
a federal government shut- $75,000 will qualify for the
down Tuesday. direct $600 payments,
Dozens of Republicans cal- which are phased out at
culated it was better to link higher income levels, and
with Democrats to increase there's an additional $600
the pandemic payments payment per dependent
rather than buck the out- child.
going president and con- Biden told reporters at an
stituents counting on the event Monday in Wilm-
money. House Democrats ington, Delaware, that
led passage, 275-134, but he supported the $2,000
44 Republicans joined al- checks.q