Republican Sen. Josh Hawley is asking President Donald Trump to reject the $908 billion coronavirus relief bill that gained bipartisan traction in Congress last week for one of the same reasons Sen. Bernie Sanders voiced opposition to it. Hawley and Sanders have both criticized the bill for not including direct payments to Americans. There still has not been a second stimulus check program to follow the one included in the CARES Act signed into law in March 2020.
Hawley, a longtime Trump supporter from Missouri, told Politico he spoke with Trump over the phone when the president was returning to Washington from Georgia Saturday. “I said, ‘I think it’s vital that any relief include direct payments, and I’m not gonna vote for it if it doesn’t,’” Hawley said. “And I also urged him to veto any bill that did not have direct payments in it.”
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Let’s get #COVID19 relief done this week with direct assistance to working families and individuals
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 7, 2020
Hawley said it was “wild” that the new proposed relief package could have such a high cost without stimulus checks similar to the $1,200 payments included in the CARES Act. Trump was “receptive” to his argument, Hawley said. “We had a good conversation about it,” Hawley told Politico. “And, you know, a pretty thorough conversation. He asked a number of questions about the state of play of the different proposals. And I think it’s fair to say that he was surprised at the direction that some of these were headed.”
The White House did not comment on the conversation with Hawley. Instead, White House spokesperson Judd Deere said Trump “understands that Americans are hurting and need relief, which is why the White House continues to engage with those in congressional leadership who are serious about moving quickly to approve billions in aid.”
Some Democrats in Congress agree with Hawley that any relief package should include stimulus checks. On Friday, Sanders listed his reasons for opposing the bill, which was proposed by Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mitt Romeny of Utah. “We must make sure every working-class American receives at least $1,200 and that we don’t give legal immunity to corporations who break the law,” Sanders wrote. “I will not support Manchin-Romney in its current form. We must fight together to improve it.” Sanders and Hawley spoke on Saturday about making sure direct payments are included, Faiz Shakir, who managed Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, told Politico.
Republican and Democratic negotiators are trying to set the legislative language for the proposal by mid-week, so adding direct payments at this stage could delay things. The $908 billion package includes both the additional aid for state and local governments that Democrats have pushed for and the temporary liability shield for businesses Republicans pushed for. President-elect Joe Biden has voiced support for the bipartisan effort but said more relief would be needed after he takes office.
