McConnell Blocks Vote on $2,000 Stimulus Checks, Promises to Put Trump Concerns 'Into Focus'

(Photo : Cheriss May/Getty Images)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks to his office after leaving the Senate Floor at the U.S. Capitol on December 21, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday blocked an attempt by House Democrats to increase the amount of the recently passed stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000.

McConnell objected after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked for a unanimous vote on the stimulus checks increase with the House on Monday.

The increase was part of the demands of President Donald Trump who said the current amount allotted for the stimulus checks was too small and should be set at $2,000, reported New York Post.

It was part of the $2.3 trillion pandemic relief and government spending package.

McConnell's refusal to the unanimous passage came after scheduling a Wednesday override vote for the $740 billion defense bill.

It is not yet clear if Senate Democrats will support this attempt from McConnell or if the override vote will push through without McConnell's signature to the deal on stimulus checks.

Read also: Trump Signs COVID-19 Relief Bill After Initial Refusal

The Hill reported that both Schumer and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders tried to get the Senate's approval of the legislation. It was passed in the House with a 273-134 vote.

McConnell did not directly say why he was against the stimulus checks increase.

But he is well within his right to object to it since any one senator can block efforts to set up votes or pass bills.

Trump Pushes Republicans to Support Increase in Stimulus Checks

After McConnell objected, Trump said in a tweet that unless Republicans have a "death wish," they'll back the check boosts, reported Fox News.

 Trump also said that bumping up the amount to $2,000 was the "right thing to do" since the initial $600 was "not enough."

He reminded lawmakers to address Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter from third-party content creators.

He also said Congress should look into election security.

Read also: House Moves To Override Trump's Veto of Defense Bill

"Don't let Big Tech steal our Country, and don't let the Democrats steal the Presidential Election. Get tough!" he said in a tweet.

McConnell Says Senate to Put Section 230, Other Concerns 'Into Focus'

According to Breitbart, McConnell rejected calls from his Democratic colleagues about the increase on stimulus checks.

He said the move was tied to other requests by the president, which included the examination of Section 230 and a look into voter fraud.

He also noted that these issues were of "national significance" that the Congress should tackle together.

McConnell said the Senate wuld "begin a process" this week to bring Trump's concerns "into focus" but did not elaborate on the matter during his floor speech.

More Republicans Show Support for Higher Stimulus Checks

There has been a growing number of Republican lawmakers who showed support for the higher amount on stimulus checks, including Georgia Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.

Their runoff races against Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff will determine if the Biden-Harris administration will have a divided or a unified Congress next year.

Other Republicans in favor of the $2,000 check measure include Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.

They said the rising unemployment caused by the pandemic was enough reason to raise the price of checks.