House Republicans opposed a Democratic attempt to pass $2000 stimulus checks to Americans. President Donald Trump had previously threatened to block the pandemic aid, as well as federal funding bill because he wanted them to include $2000 for Americans, rather than just $600.
Following this threat from the president, the Democrats increased the size of the checks, and Congress passed the proposal on Monday as Trump remained absent during the talks. The plan included a whopping $900 billion in coronavirus relief.
In a bid to cap the plan’s cost, most of Trump’s Republican Party demanded $600 in direct payments, replacing the $1,200 payments which were passed the CARES Act in Mar. As part of his criticism, Trump pointed out foreign aid spending, which is included in Washington's funding bills every year.
Some Republicans, on the other hand, are urging Trump to drop the matter as he single-handedly blocks billions of dollars in coronavirus aid. Senator Roy Blunt suggests the best way out of this is for Trump to sign the bill, noting that he hopes that's what he does, CNBC reported.
When asked how they reached this point, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters on Thursday that the only mistake was believing Trump and Secretary Steven Mnuchin when they were told that the bill would be signed by the president when it passed. Mnuchin and top officials, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are considering contingency plans, including a stopgap spending bill if the president formally vetoes the measure by Monday when the funding is slated to lapse.
It is unclear how long that stopgap measure would last or whether the president would sign it, despite not having the changes he has demanded, according to people familiar with the discourse. Noting this is Christmas Eve, Hoyer said the POTUS needs to empathize with the suffering, pain, and apprehension that Americans are feeling at the moment.
He went on to say that they will neither let the government shut down nor are going to disappoint the American people, per StarTribune. Most White House aides aren't sure if Trump will object to the legislation.
The president has been more focused on his attempts to reverse the election results in recent weeks rather than focusing on the still-raging pandemic. He has slammed top GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Whip John Thune and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, for not backing his dubious claims of widespread voter fraud.
A former senior administration official noted that Trump always keeps you guessing, adding that only he knows what he will do. On Thursday, the president was spotted at his South Florida Mar-a-Lago resort, while leaving Americans in lack of certainty for the second day in a row. Trump, who is likely to stay in Florida until the new year, arrived in the golf course just after 10 a.m., POLITICO reported.