President Trump’s call to Congress to change the $ 900 billion COVID-19 bill to increase direct payments to eligible Americans from $ 600 to $ 2,000 cannot pass the Senate, according to a top Republican in the United States. body – who said he remains hopeful that the commander-in-chief will. sign the measure.
Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Speaking to reporters on Thursday, warned it would be “a mistake” not to sign the coronavirus control bill.
“There is a clear misunderstanding of what is in the regular appropriation account and what’s in the COVID account, and in general, the regular appropriation law contains things that the government asked for,” began Republican No. 4 of the Senate by saying.
“It took us a long time to get to where we are today. I think it would be a mistake to reopen that bill, ”he continued.
When asked what was the best way to get out of this political deadlock, the GOP legislator replied, “The best way to get out of this is for the president to sign the bill, and I still hope he decides that.”
Blunt’s comments make him the highest-ranking member of the Senate GOP leadership to respond, as President Trump called the bipartisan bill a “disgrace” Tuesday night and called on Congress to change it.
Blunt warned that the GOP wouldn’t budge if the Democratic-led House changed the bill to increase payment amounts.
“If [Democrats did that]”I’d be surprised if we took it up,” said the Missouri senator.
Under pressure as to whether a bill with payments of $ 2,000 could get the necessary 60 votes to pass in the upper house of Congress, Blunt said, “It wouldn’t be.”
The coronavirus emergency relief bill, the subject of months-long negotiations between party leaders and the White House, was packaged along with a $ 1.4 trillion measure to keep the government open until September.
The deadline to avoid a government shutdown is December 29.
But the sprawling 5,585-page bill is still being prepared by Congress, where lawmakers have criticized the lack of time they have to review the legislation.
With pole wires