Trump has finally signed the stimulus bill that would give most Americans a $600 check. But while signing it, he once again called on Congress to increase the $600 payment to $2000.
That puts the congressional members of his own party between a rock and a hard place. They are the ones that demanded the payments be reduced to only $600, and refused to vote for a bill with larger payments (which Democrats wanted). Are they going to go against Trump (and risk his wrath)? Or are they going to kill the $2000 payments before it can become law?
The House voted on raising the payments to $2000 on Monday. They needed a two-thirds majority to pass the bill (House Resolution 9051) -- and they got it. They won on a 275 to 134 vote. 41 Republicans voted with the Democrats (evidently unwilling to explain to their voters, and Trump, why they would vote against it). Another 21 Republicans didn't vote. That was enough to get the Democratic bill passed.
Now the bill moves over to the Senate. The Senate resumes on Tuesday, and they will have to decide what to do with the bill. If a Senator votes against the bill, they will have to explain why to their constituents (and Trump)? If they vote for it, they will be going against the wishes of their party leadership.
McConnell may try to avoid having a vote on the bill, but I doubt that will work. Americans are going to want to know why the Republicans oppose the bill, and by not voting on the bill all GOP senators will be blamed.
It will be interesting to see what happens. Trump has screwed his fellow Republicans with his demand. What will they do?
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