McConnell bill stalls action on $ 2,000 checks

The fate of President Donald Trump’s call to increase pandemic aid checks to $ 2,000 was in doubt Tuesday as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked Democrats’ initial attempt to approve increased payments.

All eyes are on McConnell and whether he will allow a bill increasing the one- time payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000. After blocking quick passage of a measure that would increase the payments, the Kentucky Republican introduced a bill Tuesday that includes demands by the president on contentious issues that Democrats are not likely to support and thus would kill any chances of increasing aid payments.

The bill would increase checks to $ 2,000 but includes a repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which grants certain legal protections for big tech companies, and would establish a commission to study election fraud. The commission would examine many of the concerns Trump has raised since losing the election and would “make recommendations to Congress to improve the security, integrity, and administration of Federal elections,” the bill says. The president hasn’t provided proof to back his claims, and the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread fraud in last month’s election.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D- N. Y., noted there was no way Democrats would support the legislation and it stood no chance of reaching Trump’s desk.

“If Sen. McConnell tries loading up the bipartisan House- passed CASH ( Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help) Act with unrelated, partisan provisions that will do absolutely nothing to help struggling families across the country, it will not pass the House and cannot become law – any move like this by Sen. McConnell would a blatant attempt to deprive Americans of a $ 2,000 survival check,” Schumer said in a statement. “Will Senate Republicans go along with Sen. McConnell’s cynical gambit or will they push him to give a vote on the standalone House- passed CASH Act?”

The measure McConnell introduced hasn’t been scheduled for a vote, and it’s unclear whether it will receive the backing of his conference, some of whom have voiced support for increasing aid payments.

McConnell’s proposal could hinder any chances of passing increased aid checks as Democrats and Republicans differ on the issues of big tech immunity and election integrity. Democrats have instead called on the Kentucky Republican to pass a standalone proposal that only includes on raising aid checks.

McConnell