Schumer Says He'll Try and Pass $2,000 Stimulus Checks Bill on Tuesday

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) listens, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Aug. 4, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he will attempt to pass a bill to increase the $600 stimulus checks to $2,000 on Tuesday after the House passed the measure on Monday night.

“Tomorrow I will move to pass the legislation in the Senate to quickly deliver Americans with $2,000 emergency checks. Every Senate Democrat is for this much-needed increase in emergency financial relief, which can be approved tomorrow if no Republican blocks it—there is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way,” Schumer said in a statement after the House voted 275-134 to pass the $2,000 stimulus payments measure.

Schumer noted the “strong support” for the stimulus payments and then attempted to put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Republicans in the Senate.

“Leader McConnell ought to make sure Senate Republicans do not stand in the way of helping to meet the needs of American workers and families who are crying out for help,” Schumer said.

McConnell has not made a public comment on the $2,000 stimulus payment measure. Several GOP members, including Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), have said they would vote to approve the payments. But earlier this month, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) blocked two attempts to pass the second round of $1,200 payments.

“I share many of my colleagues’ concern about the long-term effects of additional spending, but we cannot ignore the fact that millions of working class families across the nation are still in dire need of relief,” Rubio said in a statement on Monday. “Congress should quickly pass legislation to increase direct payments to Americans to $2,000.”

President Donald Trump last week said that the CCP virus stimulus bill contains too many non-pandemic-related measures and called on lawmakers to pass a bill that included $2,000 payments—instead of $600 ones. On Sunday evening, Trump signed the stimulus package and omnibus spending bill.

“I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill,” Trump said in a statement, explaining that he is signing the measure to halt evictions, add more small business loans, assist with vaccine distribution, and halt evictions.

“On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000. Therefore, a family of four would receive $5,200,” Trump said.

Schumer, for his part, said that no Democrats in the Senate will vote against the measure.

“The House will pass a bill to give Americans $2,000 checks. Then I will move to pass it in the Senate. No Democrats will object. Will Senate Republicans?” he asked on Twitter.