The Senate wrapped up a rare New Year’s Day session with Republicans rejecting $2,000 aid checks.
WASHINGTON — The Senate wrapped up a rare New Year’s Day session with Republicans rejecting President Donald Trump’s demand for $2,000 COVID-19 aid checks.
Democrats tried a final time to push forward a House-passed bill that would boost the $600 direct aid payments just approved by Congress to $2,000 as Trump demanded for millions of Americans.
Republicans blocked a vote, arguing in favor of a more targeted approach.
Trump slammed lawmakers on Twitter for rejecting his call to increase COVID-19 relief payments: “They want to give people ravaged by the China Virus $600, rather than the $2000 which they so desperately need. Not fair, or smart!”
But Trump also appeared more focused on his next battle to overturn the results of the election during next week’s session tallying the Electoral College votes.
Democrats vowed to swiftly revive the $2,000 checks after the new Congress is sworn in Sunday.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tried, as he has all week, to push the proposal for a vote.
The New York senator said “the only thing standing in the way” is Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell and other Republican senators.
The second-ranking Republican, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, rose to object, saying the proposal was “not an effective way” to meet the needs of Americans.
That drew an angry tweet from Trump.
Trump said the state’s Republican Gov. Kristi Noem should pose a primary challenge to Thune, who faces re-election. Noem has previously said she intends to run again for governor.