The House of Representatives voted on Dec. 28 to amend the #COVID-19 relief bill to increase direct payments to Americans to $2,000 from $600.
A two-thirds majority was required to pass the bill. It passed the #Democratic-majority House in a 275-134 vote.https://t.co/iiYlzIqrSX
— NTD News (@news_ntd) December 29, 2020
The U.S. House of Representatives voted last night to increase the amount of direct payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000. The bill now moves to the Senate where its fate is still uncertain.
The vote comes after President Trump signed a $2.3 trillion Covid stimulus package he had originally instructed Congress to revise. Upon signing the bill, which included the lower $600 payment amount, he pledged more aid would be on the way.
President Trump said along with signing the bill, he will invoke the 1974 Impoundment Control Act to demand “rescissions” be made to wasteful spending measures in question and increases in direct payments.
Under the Act, if the President wants to dispute spending on a specific program allocated by Congress he can seek “rescission” of that program by sending a special message to Congress identifying the amount he proposes to rescind, reasons for it, and the economic effects of the rescission.
“I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. 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,” he said.
Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (NY) said yesterday he will try to pass the bill on Tuesday.