Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) talks to reporters in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on September 30, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
'Now It's the Senate's Turn': All Eyes on McConnell After House Approves $2,000 Coronavirus Relief Checks
Progressives in both chambers of Congress are pressuring the GOP majority leader to urgently hold a vote on the Covid-19 legislation.
Demands from progressive lawmakers and the public surged for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to urgently support and hold a vote on a bill that would boost coronavirus pandemic direct relief checks from $600 to $2,000 after at least two-thirds of Democrat-controlled House approved the legislation on Monday evening.
The measure passed the House by a bipartisan 275-134 vote but faces an uncertain future in the GOP-majority Senate, considering that McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to hold votes on previous House-approved Covid-19 bills for several months this year. The new bill to raise the direct payment amount comes after President Donald Trump belatedly signed a $900 billion relief package into law late Sunday, after criticizing the legislation and demanding $2,000 direct payments last week.
"The House passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. Now it's the Senate's turn... Let's do our job."
--Sen. Bernie Sanders
In a statement Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that "following the strong bipartisan vote in the House, tomorrow I will move to pass the legislation in the Senate to quickly deliver Americans with $2,000 emergency checks."
"Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it--there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way," Schumer noted.
"There's strong support for these $2,000 emergency checks from every corner of the country," he added. "Leader McConnell ought to make sure Senate Republicans do not stand in the way of helping to meet the needs of American workers and families who are crying out for help."
Trump, in a statement announcing he would sign the $2.3 trillion package that includes $1.4 trillion to fund the government and $900 billion in Covid-19 relief, said that "the Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud."
The Hill reported that a Monday night statement from McConnell "made no mention of the legislative commitments referenced by Trump, and the GOP leader has not yet announced plans to bring up a proposal that would increase the amount of the direct payments."
Late Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)--who has been pushing for $2,000 relief checks since March--said that "Trump must get Mitch McConnell and his Republican friends in the Senate to pass legislation to provide $2,000 in direct payments to the working class."
After the vote Monday, Sanders tweeted: "The House passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. Now it's the Senate's turn. If McConnell doesn't agree to an up or down vote to provide the working people of our country a $2,000 direct payment, Congress will not be going home for New Year's Eve. Let's do our job."
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced on Twitter Monday that he will join Sanders "in blocking the defense bill until we get a vote on $2,000 in direct cash relief. That relief passed in the House today with 44 Republicans voting for it. Senate Republicans must do the same and get the American people the help they need."
Democrats in both chambers also took to Twitter, pushing Trump to increase pressure on the Senate GOP and calling on McConnell to back the bill and hold a vote:
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) emphasized that the House passage of the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act was a progressive victory, pointing out that "a few weeks ago, survival checks weren't even on the table."
"Then, progressive members came together and told leadership we would not vote for a bill that didn't include survival checks. Period," she added. "Today, we successfully voted to pass $2,000 survival checks in the House."
This post has been updated with comment from Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Demands from progressive lawmakers and the public surged for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to urgently support and hold a vote on a bill that would boost coronavirus pandemic direct relief checks from $600 to $2,000 after at least two-thirds of Democrat-controlled House approved the legislation on Monday evening.
The measure passed the House by a bipartisan 275-134 vote but faces an uncertain future in the GOP-majority Senate, considering that McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to hold votes on previous House-approved Covid-19 bills for several months this year. The new bill to raise the direct payment amount comes after President Donald Trump belatedly signed a $900 billion relief package into law late Sunday, after criticizing the legislation and demanding $2,000 direct payments last week.
"The House passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. Now it's the Senate's turn... Let's do our job."
--Sen. Bernie Sanders
In a statement Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that "following the strong bipartisan vote in the House, tomorrow I will move to pass the legislation in the Senate to quickly deliver Americans with $2,000 emergency checks."
"Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it--there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way," Schumer noted.
"There's strong support for these $2,000 emergency checks from every corner of the country," he added. "Leader McConnell ought to make sure Senate Republicans do not stand in the way of helping to meet the needs of American workers and families who are crying out for help."
Trump, in a statement announcing he would sign the $2.3 trillion package that includes $1.4 trillion to fund the government and $900 billion in Covid-19 relief, said that "the Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud."
The Hill reported that a Monday night statement from McConnell "made no mention of the legislative commitments referenced by Trump, and the GOP leader has not yet announced plans to bring up a proposal that would increase the amount of the direct payments."
Late Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)--who has been pushing for $2,000 relief checks since March--said that "Trump must get Mitch McConnell and his Republican friends in the Senate to pass legislation to provide $2,000 in direct payments to the working class."
After the vote Monday, Sanders tweeted: "The House passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. Now it's the Senate's turn. If McConnell doesn't agree to an up or down vote to provide the working people of our country a $2,000 direct payment, Congress will not be going home for New Year's Eve. Let's do our job."
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced on Twitter Monday that he will join Sanders "in blocking the defense bill until we get a vote on $2,000 in direct cash relief. That relief passed in the House today with 44 Republicans voting for it. Senate Republicans must do the same and get the American people the help they need."
Democrats in both chambers also took to Twitter, pushing Trump to increase pressure on the Senate GOP and calling on McConnell to back the bill and hold a vote:
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) emphasized that the House passage of the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act was a progressive victory, pointing out that "a few weeks ago, survival checks weren't even on the table."
"Then, progressive members came together and told leadership we would not vote for a bill that didn't include survival checks. Period," she added. "Today, we successfully voted to pass $2,000 survival checks in the House."
This post has been updated with comment from Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
Demands from progressive lawmakers and the public surged for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to urgently support and hold a vote on a bill that would boost coronavirus pandemic direct relief checks from $600 to $2,000 after at least two-thirds of Democrat-controlled House approved the legislation on Monday evening.
The measure passed the House by a bipartisan 275-134 vote but faces an uncertain future in the GOP-majority Senate, considering that McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to hold votes on previous House-approved Covid-19 bills for several months this year. The new bill to raise the direct payment amount comes after President Donald Trump belatedly signed a $900 billion relief package into law late Sunday, after criticizing the legislation and demanding $2,000 direct payments last week.
"The House passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. Now it's the Senate's turn... Let's do our job."
--Sen. Bernie Sanders
In a statement Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that "following the strong bipartisan vote in the House, tomorrow I will move to pass the legislation in the Senate to quickly deliver Americans with $2,000 emergency checks."
"Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it--there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way," Schumer noted.
"There's strong support for these $2,000 emergency checks from every corner of the country," he added. "Leader McConnell ought to make sure Senate Republicans do not stand in the way of helping to meet the needs of American workers and families who are crying out for help."
Trump, in a statement announcing he would sign the $2.3 trillion package that includes $1.4 trillion to fund the government and $900 billion in Covid-19 relief, said that "the Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud."
The Hill reported that a Monday night statement from McConnell "made no mention of the legislative commitments referenced by Trump, and the GOP leader has not yet announced plans to bring up a proposal that would increase the amount of the direct payments."
Late Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)--who has been pushing for $2,000 relief checks since March--said that "Trump must get Mitch McConnell and his Republican friends in the Senate to pass legislation to provide $2,000 in direct payments to the working class."
After the vote Monday, Sanders tweeted: "The House passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. Now it's the Senate's turn. If McConnell doesn't agree to an up or down vote to provide the working people of our country a $2,000 direct payment, Congress will not be going home for New Year's Eve. Let's do our job."
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced on Twitter Monday that he will join Sanders "in blocking the defense bill until we get a vote on $2,000 in direct cash relief. That relief passed in the House today with 44 Republicans voting for it. Senate Republicans must do the same and get the American people the help they need."
Democrats in both chambers also took to Twitter, pushing Trump to increase pressure on the Senate GOP and calling on McConnell to back the bill and hold a vote:
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) emphasized that the House passage of the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act was a progressive victory, pointing out that "a few weeks ago, survival checks weren't even on the table."
"Then, progressive members came together and told leadership we would not vote for a bill that didn't include survival checks. Period," she added. "Today, we successfully voted to pass $2,000 survival checks in the House."
This post has been updated with comment from Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).