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McConnell Blocks Vote on Increased Relief Checks

Posted on Dec. 30, 2020

The highest-ranking Senate Republican blocked efforts to vote on a measure to increase stimulus relief checks to $2,000 one day after the House passed the legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., prevented an attempt by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., December 29 to allow for a vote on the Caring for Americans With Supplemental Help (CASH) Act of 2020 (H.R. 9051).

Instead, McConnell offered up his own legislation at the end of the day to combine increased relief checks with rolling back protections for internet companies regarding free speech and creating an advisory committee to study election integrity, both actions to appease President Trump.

McConnell said during his floor speech that direct payments will be discussed further, but that the Senate would also investigate curbing the “section 230” protections for internet companies and voter fraud.

“Those are the three important subjects the president has linked together. This week the Senate will begin a process to bring those three priorities into focus,” McConnell said.

Schumer accused McConnell of trying to kill the relief payment increases. “If Sen. McConnell tries loading up the bipartisan House-passed CASH Act with unrelated, partisan provisions that will do absolutely nothing to help struggling families across the country, it will not pass the House and cannot become law,” Schumer said in a release. “Any move like this by Sen. McConnell would be a blatant attempt to deprive Americans of a $2,000 survival check.”

Schumer said earlier that it is necessary to increase payments to desperate Americans who have been left in the lurch since Congress last approved pandemic relief in March.

The CASH Act would increase the $600 payments to qualifying taxpayers found in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133) to $2,000, meaning a family of four could receive up to $5,200 with $600 going to every dependent. Phaseouts begin at $75,000 annual income for individuals.

The House overwhelmingly voted for the CASH Act December 28. But the bipartisan vote did not convince McConnell to allow for a similar vote in the Senate. Some Senate Republicans, like Susan M. Collins of Maine, voiced support for increased checks despite concern that some of the money would go to families that did not lose income during the pandemic.

Treasury and the IRS announced (IR-2020-280) December 29 that delivery of the $600 payments could begin by direct deposit that night and that paper checks would begin to be mailed the next day.

Defense Bill Vote

Without a vote on stimulus checks, a vote in the Senate to override Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 6395) could also be delayed. Senate Budget Committee ranking member Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he would block efforts for a quick vote on the defense funding bill if McConnell doesn’t also allow for a vote on the stimulus payments.

The bill, which deals mostly with defense programs, would also strengthen the ability of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to crack down on anonymous shell companies and tax evasion. The measure may not be approved until after New Year’s Day if Sanders is successful.

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