$2,000 Second Stimulus Check Stalled By Senate Republicans: What's Next?

Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s attempt to conduct a swift vote of a bill that would increase the size of stimulus checks to $2,000 in the coronavirus relief package.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked an attempt by the Democrats to unanimously pass the bill that would boost the stimulus amount, which would be part of the $900 billion economic relief package. But McConnell later introduced a bill that would meet demands made by President Donald Trump.

McConnell's proposal would include the same boost in direct payments to $2,000, from the previous $600 amount. But it would also repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provides legal liability protections for tech companies, such as Facebook and Twitter. Trump had repeatedly accused the two social media platforms of treating conservatives unfairly.

The Republican-led proposal also would also establish a commission tasked with reviewing voter fraud and other election issues.

“Any move like this by Sen. McConnell would be a blatant attempt to deprive Americans of a $2,000 survival check,” Schumer said about the bill.

The showdown over the $2,000 personal checks has divided Republicans over whether to support the bill and boost spending, or defy Trump’s demands. Liberal senators, including Bernie Sanders of Vermont and David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, have announced their support for the president’s plan for bigger payments.

“I think with the vaccine coming, I think this is absolutely appropriate, so I fully support what the president's doing right now,” Perdue told Fox News.

“I agree with @realDonaldTrump — we need to deliver $2,000 direct relief checks to the American people,” Loeffler wrote on Twitter.

Former Republican Hosue Speaker Newt Gingrich also urged Senate Republicans to boost the checks and focus on the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“My advice would be to vote for it,” Gingrich said during a Tuesday appearance on Fox & Friends. "This is not about deficit spending. That train has long gone. We’re in the middle of a disaster. I think the average American deserves some help -- the very rich have done obscenely well, rising price stock values, etc., the public employee unions have done absurdly well not going to work while collecting full paychecks."