House Democrats are trying to pin the blame on Republicans as lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives failed to address issues raised by President Trump on the massive coronavirus stimulus bill.
Though the president did not say he would veto the 5,000-page-plus legislation, he did send it back to Congress with a list of problems, including criticism of a $600 relief check to Americans which he felt should be increased to $2,000. But lawmakers from both parties blocked each others’ “unanimous consent” requests on Thursday as the future of the bill remains in limbo over the Christmas holiday.
Democrats tried to quickly pass the bill on Thursday as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. seized on Trump’s request to increase the checks.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly looked to blame Republicans and accuse them of blocking the president’s request – and of depriving Americans of the extra money. She added that the bill would now be taken to the floor with a full up-or-down vote on December 28,
Read my full statement here: https://t.co/u3JFVpo4A8
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 24, 2020
But the president had also called out the “wasteful and unnecessary” spending in the $900 billion stimulus package, specifically pointing to foreign aid that needed to be cut out of the measure which combined year-end spending with COVID-19 relief.
Dems fall all over selves to try to take credit for Trump’s $2,000 stimulus check demand https://t.co/qj0fJw73oW pic.twitter.com/SERIHrKNRZ
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) December 23, 2020
“Mr. President, sign the bill to keep government open! Urge McConnell and McCarthy to agree with the Democratic unanimous consent request for $2,000 direct payments! This can be done by noon on Christmas Eve!” Pelosi tweeted Wednesday, in an effort to taunt GOP lawmakers.
Later Wednesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., announced that Republicans in the House would counter with their own unanimous consent request on foreign aid.
McCarthy calls out Dems’ dirty play, demands foreign aid slashed and ‘America first’ in COVID relief https://t.co/dk2e5mvK6u pic.twitter.com/LgPKePz6bB
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) December 24, 2020
“House Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing. They have conveniently ignored the concerns expressed by the President, and shared by our constituents, that we ought to reexamine how our tax dollars are spent overseas while so many of our neighbors at home are struggling to make ends meet,” McCarthy wrote.
But as lawmakers got to the floor on Christmas Eve, a stalemate soon emerged as it appeared neither Republicans nor Democrats had advanced.
Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia argued the case for removing the foreign aid portions of the bill.
House Democrats BLOCKED @RobWittman‘s unanimous consent request to re-examine taxpayer spending on foreign aid – as President Trump called for. pic.twitter.com/QVKSRqlLwu
— Mark Bednar (@MarkBednar) December 24, 2020
McCarthy made it clear that this was something the president had called for, in addition to the increase in stimulus checks.
House Republicans just moved to re-examine how we spend taxpayer dollars on foreign aid—as President @realDonaldTrump called for.
Democrats blocked it.
Thank you to @RobWittman for representing Republicans on Christmas Eve in the fight for the American people.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 24, 2020
But Democrats, who are responsible for refusing to discuss a relief bill for months as they waited out the results of the presidential election, have zeroed in on the blocked “unanimous consent” related to the checks slated to go out to Americans struggling under the coronavirus pandemic.
“[B]y waiting days before Christmas, Speaker Pelosi tried to use the American people as leverage to make coronavirus relief contingent on government funding — which includes billions of foreign aid at a time when there are urgent needs at home,” McCarthy said in the letter to GOP lawmakers.
“If the President is serious about the $2,000 direct payments, he must call on House Republicans to end their obstruction,” Pelosi shot back after the failed efforts on Thursday.
Unless the president signs the measure, or a new funding bill is approved, the government will shut down on Tuesday.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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