GOP Senate rejects Trump push for $2,000 stimulus checks

President Donald Trump's push for bigger $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks stalled out Tuesday in the Senate as Republicans blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats and split within their own ranks over whether to boost spending or defy the White House.

The roadblock mounted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may not be sustainable as pressure mounts. Trump wants the Republican-led chamber to follow the House and increase the checks from $600 for millions of Americans. A growing number of Republicans, including two senators in runoff elections on Jan. 5 in Georgia, have said they will support the larger amount. But most GOP senators oppose more spending, even if they are also wary of bucking Trump.

Senators will be back at it Wednesday as McConnell is devising a way out of the political bind, but the outcome is highly uncertain.

“There’s one question left today: Do Senate Republicans join with the rest of America in supporting $2,000 checks?” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said as he made a motion to vote.

The showdown has thrown Congress into a chaotic year-end session just days before new lawmakers are set to be sworn into office for the new year. It’s preventing action on another priority — overturning Trump’s veto on a sweeping defense bill that has been approved every year for 60 years.

Saying little about Trump's proposal, McConnell signaled his preference for an alternative approach. The GOP leader filed new legislation late Tuesday linking the president's demand for bigger checks with two other Trump priorities — restrictions on tech companies like Facebook or Twitter that the president complained are unfair to conservatives as well as the establishment of a new commission to review the presidential election.

“The Senate will begin a process,” the GOP leader said. He said only that he would bring the president’s demand for the $2,000 checks and other remaining issues “into focus.”

[patrickswezey]

Mitch only cares about himself and the other people that have been in office way to long...

[victoriavierrawong]

Get mcconnell out...survival not stimulus....

[noe]

We should lock them in with no food or water and let them fight it out

[PEvangelistaCruz]

A few dollars of our own money, and yet we still paying tax... We have became “The land of the slaves and the home of the peasants.” Our people are the laugh of the world. How can we demand respect from our citizens around the world, if within our own soil we are outraged by those who are called to defend our dignity. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provides $2, 000 a month for their citizens since the beginning of the pandemic, and WE CALL OUR SELF A SUPER POWER COUNTRY? True respect is not imposed ... it is earned. We need a new congress! (COPY-PASTE-SHARE)

[TAPSNASTY]

I would of have gave half a mill to every American that’s been working for at the past 3 years . And if they’ve been collecting unemployment and we’re able to work I would of have them 🖕🏼⬅️ . Help the working people not the lazy ones

[GospelOutside]

Crisis / Disaster related bills should be stand alone. Period! It should be criminal to pad bills with other agendas not related to the emergency at hand. Pure evil if you ask me.

[plcc]

For what it's worth, I changed my voter registration today from Republican to Democrat.
I'm sick of the GOP leadership.
BTW: I had been a registered Republican since 1970.

[vpcreationsunlimited]

What a devil 😈 Mooch Man. U will not last in congress...we want u out ..ur family will not be happy!! I feel terrible for all the disabled people and college kids who can't get any money! They don't work for us, they work for themselves. God will deal with them!!God bless America 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸 🙏 ❤

[loveoneanother]

JUST DO YOUR JOB FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BEFORE ANYTHING OR ANYONE ELSE OR DONT WORK FOR US!!!

[dorenerhodes]

Nope I don’t care about no goddamn Internet people want the money to pay the bills he got to worry about nothing in a line like we use he standing in line like we use any bacon for food like wheels he do another day Mitch McConnell need to go back go back go back in a days in a days and see how I feel when he got to stand in line and pick up food stand in line to get his bills paid then go back and see how you feel

[KalHimself]

Meanwhile, mega churches and other countries are getting OUR money while we get the crumbs. How are we the greatest country again? 🤔

[Quickset]

Please understand the Senate didn’t vote ... McConnell didn’t allow it...

[teresaanderson]

Please pass the stimulus check we need

[kevinwillingham]

We need to go to the Senate all the people in the United States and have dinner at their house since they're all millionaires and they control how much money they can give us even though we're all starving let's go to Mitch McConnell's place house and eat dinner everybody go camp out on his front yard

[sblack]

Democrats and Republicans are playing game....We Americans stuck in the middle we will die with no money for food and lots of things....so sad

[fonelo]

i didn't know how the devil looks like till i saw Mitch....

[jeremyloggins]

Mich has lost his job this will cost republican election in Georgia

[redhour]

glad to see informational stuff and not just misleading clickbait

[harlanhawkins]

He is getting under the table money I wish he could be arrested an sent to pelican bay

[yaszmo]

Mr. President please call Mitch to pass the bill we are suffering right now $600 is nothing it can’t even pay for the rent, you the government make a lot of money you don’t know how suffering we are.you have a nice house a warm place to live don’t think about just yourself thing about those people out there is very suffering and have nothing for the kids to eat and stay in the warm house like you guys.