On Monday, the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass stimulus checks in the amount of $2,000 for eligible Americans. The new bill is a standalone piece of legislation that would change the amount of the current stimulus, increasing it from $600. The bill now goes to the Senate for final approval, however, political experts are split on whether they believe that this branch of Congress will pass the increased amount of money into law.
As a result of knowing that they have the support of the president, Democrats seized on the opportunity to try to pass through the increased amount of personal stimulus. Earlier in the negotiation process of the bipartisan COVID-19 package, Democrats had wanted to provide additional money for Americans in need. However, they were forced to compromise on this amount.
The Senate is scheduled to meet on Tuesday afternoon, however, it is not certain when they will vote on the new bill. Earlier in the day, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the standalone vote. Under Senate rules, it just takes one member to block the attempt to vote on a bill.
Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer and Sen. Bernie Sanders both asked for approval for the bill to come to vote.
In order for the standalone bill to pass, the Senate would need 12 Republicans to cross party lines and vote for the increased stimulus. As of mid-day Tuesday, five Republicans have come out on record to say that they would vote for the bill. Those five Senators include Marco Rubio, Josh Hawley, Lindsey Graham, Kelly Loeffler, and David Perdue.
McConnell’s Game Plan: Also on Tuesday, McConnell signaled that he would consider passing the direct stimulus checks for $2,000 if he could package the bill with one of his pet projects, a repeal of a legal shield for technology companies. Known as Section 230, Trump has repeatedly claimed that this protection cost him the election.
It is not uncommon for lawmakers to gain support for pieces of legislation by tying it to other issues in an effort to compromise. Because most Democrats do not support the repeal of Section 230, it could put them in a tough position if the two deals are tied together as one piece of legislation.
Republicans Put in a Tight Place: Trump’s decision to push for more stimulus money last week put all Republicans in a difficult position. At this point in the negotiation process, Republicans must decide to stick with party lines or back the president in his desire to increase the amount of the stimulus. This political game of cat and mouse is likely to play out through the next few days, delaying the checks in the process.
Implications on Georgia Race: One of the key things to watch as the Senate wrangles with this decision is what the two current Republican Senators from the state of Georgia do. Both Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue are up for re-election in a tight runoff race. Voters in Georgia will make the final decision on the special election on January 5.
As of Tuesday, both Loeffler and Perdue are going on record to say that they stand with the president on increasing the stimulus to $2,000. While Republicans have largely advocated for the smaller amount, there is no doubt that the larger stimulus has great support across the American population. This means Loeffler and Perdue are placed in the unenviable position of having to choose to side with the president or stick with party lines at the same time as they weigh what will help them the most in next week’s election.
Eligibility for Stimulus: The standalone bill did not change the specifics of the current COVID-19 relief package. Qualifying adults are eligible to receive the full amount if their adjusted gross income (AGI) is less than $75,000. This number is double for married couples filing jointly. The amount will be decreased and phased out completely at a threshold of $99,000 for those filing single and double for married couples.
Families will still receive an additional $600 for each dependent under the age of 17. The income on your 2019 tax returns will be used to determine the AGI level.
Defense Bill Also at Stake: In addition to the personal stimulus checks, there is also a defense bill at stake. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was vetoed by Trump last week. However, on Monday, the House voted to override this veto. It was McConnell’s goal to bring the NDAA override vote to the Senate floor on Wednesday.
But, Sanders said that he plans to block the measure if McConnell also does not bring the $2,000 stimulus bill to a vote at the same time. This delay is a strategic move by the Democrats as it may force Loeffler and Perdue off of the campaign trail as they fight to hold on to their seats in the Senate.
Despite all of this confusion, one thing is for certain. It is sure to be a messy few days on Capitol Hill as lawmakers continue to wrangle about the details of all of this legislation.
