Sen. McConnell blocks Democrats' request to vote on $2,000 stimulus checks

By Yehudit Garmaise

     Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today blocked Sen. Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) request to hold a vote on a President Trump’s proposal to boost the size of federal stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000 per person.

    Today, Sen. Schumer asked for unanimous passage to fast-track a bill that would give Americans $2,000 checks, but Sen. McConnell objected, noting that in addition the increased stimulus checks, President Trump has also demanded that the U.S. Congress also repeals liability protections for tech companies and votes on election-related reforms.

     "This week, the Senate will begin a process to bring these three priorities into focus," said Sen. McConnell, who is the Senate Majority Leader.

   "A vast majority of the public, Republican and Democrat, strongly support $2,000 checks,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “An overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House supports $2,000 checks. Senate Democrats strongly support $2,000 checks. Even President Trump supports $2,000 checks."

   Sen. Schumer explained that some of his Republican colleagues have said that they support the $2,000 checks, but they have not necessarily committed to voting for the bill that would legalize the increased stimulus checks.

   “The House bill is the only way, the only way, to deliver these stimulus checks before the end of session," said Sen. Schumer, who is the Senate Minority Leader. "There is one question left today: do Senate Republicans join with the rest of America in supporting $2,000 checks?"

(Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)