Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a quick vote to increase the COVID stimulus checks to $2,000 from $600.
The House voted to increase the amount on Monday, 273-134.
Instead, McConnell mentioned that he would like to combine the checks with other concerns from President Donald Trump:
Mr. McConnell, without giving details, also said the Senate would address Mr. Trump’s concerns about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which regulates online speech, and his repeated complaints about purported election fraud. Mr. Trump has blamed fraud for his election loss, but no significant fraud has emerged.
“This week the Senate will begin a process to bring these three priorities into focus,” the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor.
McConnell also scheduled a vote for Wednesday to override President Trump’s veto of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act, after the House held its own vote and overrode the veto by a large bipartisan majority on Monday.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) objected to McConnell “scheduling a quick vote on overriding Trump’s veto on NDAA.”
Trump pushed the Republicans to pass the stimulus checks now:
Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP. $600 IS NOT ENOUGH! Also, get rid of Section 230 – Don’t let Big Tech steal our Country, and don’t let the Democrats steal the Presidential Election. Get tough! https://t.co/GMotstu7OI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2020
McConnell said this evening that he wants to combine the plan for the checks with the issues concerning Section 230 and election integrity. It’s not likely there is time for this.
McConnell intros plan to provide $2,000 checks, repeals Section 230 and has cmte study election integrity. Needs 60 votes to clear filibuster. Doubtful those votes exist. May not even be possible to consider this proposal before the end of this Congress.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 29, 2020
In the meantime, Sanders won’t let the NDAA go through.
GOP ME Sen Collins: I do think that Sen Sanders holding up the vital defense authorization bill is a big mistake..I think these are two separate issues jus as Section 230 of the Telecommunications Act is a completely different issue & that they should be dealt with accordingly
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 29, 2020
GOP ME Sen Collins: Originally, there was supposed to be a vote tomorrow morning on the NDAA and Senator Paul had given his consent for it to happen then. Now it’s my understanding that Senator Sanders has objected
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 29, 2020
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