After the president’s surprising refusal Donald Trump sign this Tuesday, the Congress-approved bipartisan economic aid package, which includes $ 600 aid checks for millions of people, months of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats now seem to be in the air.
The package, which had the backing of Trump’s own Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, should now go back to Congress to be changed, reaching the president’s office again for him to (finally) sign it and distribute the funds starts. But that path is not certain.
In addition, the aid package is linked to a ‘portfolio’ that includes government funding for the following year, which has now also floated after the confusion created by Trump’s refusal.
But what now? Did the aid package fall completely? What will Congress do? This is what we know:
Pelosi says (quickly) yes
After Trump’s speech on Tuesday night, the leader of the House of Representatives, the Democrat Nancy PelosiHe quickly tweeted that he accepted the president’s challenge. And, in fact, he said greater support checks for Americans were just what the Democrats were looking for during months of failed negotiations.
Republicans repeatedly refused to say how much the president wanted in checks for direct payments. The president eventually agreed to make it $ 2,000 – Democrats are ready to bring it to Parliament by unanimous agreement this week. Let’s do it!”, the Democrat indicated in a message on her Twitter account.
This means that the aid package, possibly amended with a larger stimulus check, appears to have the support of the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, which in that case would guarantee consent (accelerated according to Pelosi himself).
On Wednesday morning, Pelosi sent a letter to the Democratic caucus reinforcing her surprise at the president’s sudden refusal and assigning responsibility for determining the amount of the aid check to the Republicans, who were “ in two-pronged negotiations (… they never went more than $ 600, and in some cases they suggested $ 500. “
Ultimately, Pelosi says that “the entire country knows there is an urgent need for the president to sign this bill, both to bring relief from the coronavirus and to keep the federal government open,” said the Univision Noticias correspondent at the Washington Capitol. DC, Claudia Uceda.
Schumer is also taking up the challenge
The leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, also quickly lined up, reinforcing Pelosi’s comments: that the Democrats wanted more money for the Americans, but the Republicans refused and blocked the negotiations.
“We’ve been trying to get $ 2,000 checks for months, but the Republicans blocked it. Trump needs to sign the bill to help the people and keep the government open, and we’re happy to pass on more help that Americans need. Maybe Trump can finally be useful and get the Republicans not to block him again, ” said the Democratic leader.
This opens the doors to democratic support in the second instance, the Senate, where Republicans are in the majority.
All eyes on McConnell
That’s why, after the Democrats quickly “ took up the gauntlet ” after Trump’s speech, all eyes are now on Senate Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell, because without him, things could sink.
As of Wednesday morning, McConnell has not commented.
McConnell could either shy away and accept a much bigger stimulus check than he’d resisted for months (the Democrats’ proposal was 1,200) or reject the whole package and throw it away.
The Democrats ‘immediate “yes” puts additional pressure on Senate Republicans in general and McConnell in particular, who repeatedly rejected Democrats’ proposals for higher scrutiny.
“I’m in. What are you saying, Mitch? Let’s not get bogged down in ideological issues and unrelated elements and LET’S DO THIS! The American people deserve it,” Schumer added, citing his Republican colleague.
The Senate Democratic leader responded to a message from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, who said: We’re going to do it. RashidaTlaib and I have already co-authored the covid amendment for $ 2,000 checks, so it’s ready to go. I’m happy to see the president’s willingness to back our legislation. Passing $ 2,000 checks this week if the Republican Party accepts the Senate, ” he noted
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has expressed his willingness to work with the Democrats to move forward. Graham, a Trump ally who I know has a lot of bipartisan support for this idea. Let’s move on. “
What happens if the package does not advance? What if Trump vetoes it?
And if Congress ultimately doesn’t settle things with Trump’s requests and the president vetoes the spending bill, both houses can enforce it.
How? If the president vetoes the bill and sends it back to Congress, lawmakers could try to override his veto with one-third of each chamber. In this case, the numbers appear to favor a parliamentary maneuver, given the vast majority with which the federal government’s aid package and spending plan for 2021 were approved, although it is not certain that all Republicans are willing to challenge the president.
A congressional official told Univision Noticias Washington DC correspondent Claudia Uceda that “if Trump complies with the veto threat, we technically have the votes to override it. But like NDAA (the National Defense Act, Trump had threatened to veto). , some Republicans may change. If their veto is enforced, we face the closure of a government.
Because, in addition to the stimulus package, this concerns funding for the federal government, which only has money on Monday.
Pelosi will try unanimously to get checks of $ 2,000. Republicans will have to block it or allow it and go to the Senate. If it goes to the Senate, Schumer and the Democrats will support it, but McConnell and the Republicans will are in a difficult position. ” the officer indicated Univision News.
All of this, while still determining who will have the majority of the Senate when the new Congress takes office in January: Republicans or Democrats.
The two races for senatorial seats in Georgia are still pending, which will have a second round on January 5 and will be decisive. How the deadlock on the aid package is resolved could strengthen or diminish the aspirations of the two Republican senators running for re-election.
