House Approves $2,000 Stimulus Check, Will Senate Vote To Advance Measure?

The House of Representatives on Monday voted to boost the size of stimulus checks to $2,000 from $600, endorsing a measure that President Trump had initially demanded.

The measure came a day after Trump finally signed off on a $900 billion coronavirus relief package that he originally called a "disgrace" while insisting upon a more than three-fold increase in the direct payment.

After the measure met the two-third threshold of support that was needed, it was approved by the chamber with a vote of 275-134. House Democrats backed the proposal by a 231-2 margin, while only 44 GOP lawmakers supported the measure and independents voted 0-2.

“The president of the United States has put this forth as something that he wants to see and part of his signing the legislation yesterday,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “I hope that view will be shared by the Republicans in the Senate, because we will pass this bill today.”

In signing the relief bill late Sunday, the president in a statement said the Senate would start the voting process on legislation that would increase direct payments, claiming that “much more money is coming.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has yet to comment on whether the chamber would vote on the bill. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday that he would try to pass the legislation, but Republicans are expected to object to higher stimulus checks.

“Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it – there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way,” Schumer said.

Several conservatives have already shown support for bigger checks, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who said on Monday that he backs Trump’s push to increase stimulus checks to $2,000.

“I agree with the President that millions of working class families are in dire need of additional relief, which is why I support $2,000 in direct payments to Americans struggling due to the pandemic,” Rubio said, shortly before the House voted in favor of the bill.

"I share many of my colleagues’ concern about the long-term effects of additional spending, but we cannot ignore the fact that millions of working class families across the nation are still in dire need of relief,” the Florida senator added.