Second Stimulus Check: Donald Trump Blasts Republicans, Demands They 'Approve' $2,000 Payments

President Donald Trump is continuing to push for the approval of $2,000 stimulus checks. After an [...]

By Allison Schonter

President Donald Trump is continuing to push for the approval of $2,000 stimulus checks. After an effort to unanimously pass the increased payments failed in the Senate Tuesday, the president took to Twitter to criticize Republicans and again call for Congress to pass legislation that would more than triple the currently-approved $600 payments.

Reacting to news that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked Democrats' attempt to approve the larger payments, the president shared a scathing tweet, putting even more pressure on Republicans to vote in favor of the checks. In the message, Trump suggested that Republicans who don't approve of the measure "have a death wish." He said the current $600 payments are "NOT ENOUGH!"

During Tuesday's Senate session, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a request to hold a vote on a House standalone measure that would boost the size of stimulus checks. Speaking from the Senate floor, Schumer argued that $600 is "not enough" for Americans and said, "working Americans have taken it on the chin" during the pandemic. He argued, "the fastest way to get money into Americans pockets, is to send some of their tax dollars right back from where they came."

"A vast majority of the public, Republican and Democrat, strongly support $2,000 checks. 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," he said, according to Axios. "There is one question left today — do Senate Republicans join with the rest of America in supporting $2,000 checks?"

McConnell, however, objected to the request, prompting Sen. Bernie Sanders to request a vote on the larger payments after Wednesday's vote on the National Defense Authorization Act. Sanders said "we have got to raise the direct payment to $2,000" and questioned, "do we turn our backs on struggling working families or do we respond to their pain?" McConnell again objected.

At this time, it is unclear what is next for the payments. Already approved in the House, it is possible McConnell will bring the standalone legislation to the Senate floor for a vote at a later date. Should this happen, 12 of the chamber's 52 Republicans would need to join all 48 Democrats and independents in voting in favor of the legislation for the $2,000 payments to be approved.

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