Sanders Demands McConnell Hold Vote on $2,000 Direct Payments - Gets Trump's Backing
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Sanders Demands McConnell Hold Vote on $2,000 Direct Payments - Gets Trump's Backing
Sanders (I-VT) issued the following statement in response to the House of Representatives’ overwhelming 275-134 passage of $2,000 direct payments for the working class:
“The House has passed a $2,000 direct payment for working people. It is time for the Senate to act. This week on the Senate floor Mitch McConnell wants to vote to override Trump’s veto of the $740 billion defense funding bill and then head home for the New Year. I’m going to object until we get a vote on legislation to provide a $2,000 direct payment to the working class," said Sanders.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Let me be clear: If Senator McConnell doesn’t agree to an up or down vote to provide the working people of our country a $2,000 direct payment, Congress will not be going home for New Year’s Eve. Let’s do our job," he added.
On Monday night, Trump Tweeted the following, in response to a Tweet about Sanders' threat.
"Give the people $2000, not $600. They have suffered enough!" said Trump.
"Will you be getting $2,000? Well, when Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump agree, ‘something crazy is in the air,’ former Treasury secretary says," reported MarketWatch.
Politics in Play
"Under Senate rules, Sanders has the ability to keep the chamber in during the holiday week and likely mess with the campaign schedules of Sens. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.)," reported Politico. "Those two face Jan. 5 runoff races for control of the Senate against Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who are both campaigning on the $2,000 checks."
"A source close to Sanders said the Senate races were a factor in his decision — part of a bid to keep Perdue and Loeffler in D.C. and focus the campaign on their position regarding the $2,000 checks," Politico went on to report. "Sanders also threatened to shut down the government earlier this month if the coronavirus relief bill did not include direct payments; ultimately it included checks of up to $600 and the government stayed open, though now Trump wants to go much higher."