House of Representatives Passed a Bill to increase Stimulus Checks from $600 to $2,000

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On Monday, the US House of Representatives voted to pass a bill to increase the $600 stimulus checks to $2,000. Point to be noted that 275 members voted in the favor of the bill and 134 voted against it. So, the bill received the needed two-thirds majority of the members voting to pass in the House. But it will face an uncertain future in the US Senate because it will also need a two-thirds majority in order for the bill to head to President Trump’s desk. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hasn’t yet indicated if he will bring a vote to the floor on the larger checks. Senator Bernie Sanders is a supporter of $2,000 checks and called for McConnell to bring the vote to the floor. He also tweeted that if McConnell doesn’t bring a vote to the floor.

Sanders said he will object to the vote to override Trump’s veto of the defense funding bill. It is noteworthy that he can’t stop the veto override from happening, he can filibuster it past New Year’s Day, which would cause a major headache for the GOP. Last week, President Trump urged the US Congress to increase stimulus checks to $2,000. He also threatened not to sign the COVID-19 relief economic relief package that gave Americans $600 checks. But on Sunday night, the president gave in and signed the legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi immediately jumped on the president’s insistence on $2,000 checks, last week. Nearly all Democrats voted for the legislation to increase the checks. The US Senate Republicans, Senator Josh Hawley, and Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham have supported the idea of bigger stimulus checks for all Americans.

But, it’s likely to meet friction from the more fiscally conservative members of the party. It is noteworthy that 109 Republicans sided with Democrats on Monday to vote against the president, delivering a 322-87 defeat for President Trump. The bill was known as the NDAA or the National Defense Authorization Act. It contains a 3% pay increase for US troops. It also authorizes at least $740bn in military programs and construction. Trump had tweeted against the measure on Sunday night. He said it did nothing to scrap Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Trump also said in his veto message that the bill restricted his ability to conduct foreign policy, particularly his efforts to bring US troops home.