Senate to weigh in on question of bigger stimulus payments to Americans | Lehigh Valley Regional News

#After an 11th-hour demand from #President #Trump to increase stimulus checks, the US #House of #Representatives #Monday night passed a measure to increase payments from $600 to $2,000.

#Congresswoman #Susan #Wild supports the measure that would give $2,000 to every person making $75,000 or less.

“I think it would’ve been very helpful for the president to be more involved in the negotiations,” #Wild said.

#It appears that for once #President #Trump, #President-elect #Joe #Biden, #House #Speaker #Nancy #Pelosi, and #Senate #Minority #Leader #Chuck #Schumer all agree the amount should increase.

The only thing standing in the way is the #Senate. #So far only a handful of #Republican senators have agreed to the increase.

“I think it’s a bad idea. #Let’s be clear what we’re talking about here. #We’re talking about sending checks, a vast majority of which would go to people that have had no loss of income whatsoever,” said #Pa. #Sen. #Pat #Toomey.

“There are a lot of expenses people are incurring that they don’t typically, even those that are working,” #Wild said.

#Senate #Majority leader #Mitch #McConnell blocked an immediate vote on the increase #Tuesday. #He said the #Senate would begin a process to consider the bigger payout, but it’s not clear what that timeline looks like.

“#We have got to help people get back. #We’ve got children who are hungry,” #Wild said.

#Senator #Bernie #Sanders says he will filibuster the veto override of the NDAA defense spending bill in order to get a floor vote on the check increase. #Whether or not that will actually work remains to be seen.