High-profile members of the Democrat Party, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), are rallying behind President Donald Trump’s call for Congress to provide more direct relief to the American people in the form of higher stimulus checks.
The president on Tuesday addressed the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and government spending bill passed by both chambers earlier this week and demanded they amend the bill to provide more direct relief to American families.
“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said, drawing support from prominent Democrats.
“Let’s do it. @RashidaTlaib and I already co-wrote the COVID [coronavirus] amendment for $2,000 checks, so it’s ready to go,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Glad to see the President is willing to support our legislation. We can pass $2k checks this week if the Senate GOP agrees to stand down”:
Let’s do it. @RashidaTlaib and I already co-wrote the COVID amendment for $2,000 checks, so it’s ready to go.
Glad to see the President is willing to support our legislation.
We can pass $2k checks this week if the Senate GOP agrees to stand down. https://t.co/GprwrUPali pic.twitter.com/nFFs1ExqCK
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 23, 2020
Tlaib agreed, adding, “send the bill back, and we will put in the $2,000 we’ve been fighting for that your party has been blocking”:
Me and @AOC have the amendment ready. Send the bill back, and we will put in the $2,000 we’ve been fighting for that your party has been blocking. pic.twitter.com/GGXtJt77D9
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 23, 2020
“I’m in. Whaddya say, Mitch?” Schumer asked. “Let’s not get bogged down with ideological offsets and unrelated items and just DO THIS! The American people deserve it”:
I’m in. Whaddya say, Mitch? Let’s not get bogged down with ideological offsets and unrelated items and just DO THIS! The American people deserve it. @senatemajldr https://t.co/L1b5rUkc7h
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 23, 2020
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) also welcomed Trump’s proposal, declaring that Democrats are “ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent”:
Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it! https://t.co/Th4sztrpLV
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 23, 2020
Trump also used the opportunity to blast what Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has dubbed the “legislative monstrosity,” particularly for having “almost nothing to do with COVID.”
The bill is fraught with pork and perks for special interests and includes billions in foreign aid, including millions for “democracy and gender programs” in Pakistan.
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