Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham called for a stand-alone vote on $2,000 stimulus checks Thursday, something President Donald Trump has been pushing for and that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been against.
Graham appeared on “Fox & Friends” to discuss the ongoing debate over an increase to the coronavirus relief payments in the latest COVID-19 aid package, raising the payments from $600 to $2,000. McConnell and Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey blocked a stand-alone bill Wednesday afternoon to increase the relief payments.
“I think if you had a stand-alone vote on the $2,000 check, it might pass. Here’s the facts: 70 percent of Republicans don’t want to go to $2,000, they think it’s a $430 billion cost to the treasury,” Graham said. “But I’m with the president on this.”
“McConnell is right. There is no way to get a vote by January the third. The new Congress begins noon, January the third,” Graham said. “Here’s what I’d like. I’d like a stand-alone vote in the new Congress on the $2,000 check. We have seven Republicans who’ve already said they would vote for it, we need five more. I think if we had the vote we would get there.”
The House passed a bill Monday night to increase the coronavirus relief payments. In a 275-134 vote, the House passed the bill, which the Senate will need to approve. The House needed a two-thirds majority for it to pass. (RELATED: These Are The House Republicans Who Voted With Trump On Both The NDAA Veto And $2,000 Stimulus Checks)
McConnell introduced the legislation authorizing direct cash payments of $2,000 Tuesday but tied it to a repeal of Section 230 and an investigation into Trump’s allegations of voter fraud.