Politics and Money

[lesgetrich]

Still spreading the lies. Here's what the Democratic House passed last May and sent to the Senate...

House Democrats pass $3 trillion coronavirus relief package

The bill includes:

- Nearly $1 trillion for cash-strapped state and local governments
- A second round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals, with up to $6,000 per household
- $200 billion for hazard pay for essential workers
- $75 billion for Covid-19 testing efforts
- An extension of the $600 per week federal unemployment insurance benefit through January (it is currently set to go through July)
- $175 billion in rent, mortgage and utility assistance
- A 15% increase in the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit
- Repeal of the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions for two years, which would help certain states’ budget crunch but benefit higher-income taxpayers most
- Expanded mail-in ballot access, which Republicans oppose
- Relief funds for the U.S. Postal Service
- $10 billion in emergency small business disaster assistance grants
- Subsidies and a special Affordable Care Act enrollment period for people who lose employer-sponsored health coverage

Now, after Congress voted and was sent home, with unemployment and other assistance programs set to expire right after Christmas. It's Trump who's thrown a monkey wrench into everything opposing his own GOP allies in the Senate...

Trump demands Congress increase second stimulus check from $600 to $2,000. Here are the chances of that happening

President Donald Trump is demanding lawmakers raise the second round of stimulus checks to $2,000 per person, from $600.

“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said in a video posted to Twitter Tuesday night.

While the president did not outright threaten a veto of the $900 billion Covid relief bill, he did call it an unsuitable “disgrace.”

But if you are one of the people eligible for a stimulus check, don’t get your hopes up. The legislation passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities, meaning that Trump is powerless to raise direct payments from $600.

Still, the top Democrats in Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, said they would support getting bigger checks to people.

“Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” Pelosi tweeted.

A senior Democratic aide told CNBC that House Democrats will attempt to pass a standalone bill for $2,000 direct payments on Thursday, though it is unclear whether this would pass a Republican-led Senate, or even receive the unanimous consent necessary in the House.

Lawmakers calling for a vote on this standalone measure have not specified whether this would be in addition to the $600 second stimulus check, or would instead replace it.

For now, here is what we know about the stimulus money that is currently guaranteed in the new relief package.