Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calf., said on Thursday that next week she will be forcing a recorded vote on $2,000 stimulus checks after President Trump threatened to veto the stimulus package and House Republicans blocked Democrats’ unanimous consent request.
Democrats also blocked the GOP from its own unanimous consent request, which was aimed at addressing the foreign aid within the package.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., slammed the President, accusing of him of backtracking on the assumption that he would sign the legislation, which would provide $600 checks as well as other aid.
“The deal that we made was a deal that we thought was appropriate in the sense that it had the votes to pass,” said Hoyer. “And, according to Republican leaders that I have talked to, had the representation from both Secretary Mnuchin and the President of the United States that he would sign the bill.”
“He has still said he won’t sign the bill, and I urge him and hope that he will sign the bill,” furthered Hoyer.
Hoyer then claimed that the President did not speak up soon enough on the stimulus check amounts.
“Republicans had rejected proposals for higher stimulus checks in the bill that we passed and previous bills,” said Hoyer. “Last week as I said we reached a bipartisan agreement. We sent the bill to President Trump to sign. And only then, after we agreed on a figure we thought was too low for direct payments to families and children… did the president of the United States indicate that $600 was not enough.”
In October, Trump tweeted that if he were sent a bill for $1,200 checks, he would sign it.
Hoyer still demanded that Trump sign the current stimulus package.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Ca., blasted Democrats in a letter sent to House GOP members.
”Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing,” said McCarthy. “They’ve conveniently ignored @realDonaldTrump’s call to reexamine tax dollars wasted overseas while so many Americans are struggling at home. Republicans will act to put America first.”
“Americans have needed relief from the coronavirus and lockdowns for months,” continued McCarthy. “House Republicans have attempted to pass relief over forty times but each time, Speaker Pelosi has ignored our fellow citizens, saying “nothing is better than something.”
McCarthy also blasted the foreign aid and other spending attached to the bill.
“Worse than that, by waiting days before Christmas, Speaker Pelosi tried to use the American people as leverage to make coronavirus relief contingent on government funding – which includes billions of foreign aid at a time when there are urgent needs at home,” said McCarthy
“Our government’s top priority must be our families, communities, and small businesses as we get through this pandemic and restore our country,” said McCarthy.
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