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House Votes To Increase Stimulus Checks To $2K, Bill Heads To Senate For Final Approval (Update)

On Monday, the House voted to increase stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000.

After Trump made a request for bigger stimulus checks, it appears that his wishes were granted. At least, with the House, for the time being. Though the bill passed the House with a 275-134 Democrat-led vote, the bill now heads to the GOP-led Senate for final approval.

While some Republicans are opposed to more spending, others joined in and voted for the bill that would increase the checks to $2,000.

“Republicans have a choice: Vote for this legislation or vote to deny the American people,” House Speaker Nancy stated.

The initial additional $600 agreement was a compromise with Republicans over the big year-end relief bill that included $900 billion in COVID aid and $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies.

“The bill will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown that otherwise would have started Tuesday, in the midst of the public health crisis,” according to The Associated Press.

According to CBS News, while Trump did sign the bill in the 11th hour, unemployment benefits lapsed just 18 hours before.

An estimated 12 million Americans lost their unemployment assistance after two key government programs authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, expired on December 26, according to a study released last week by The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank.”

People will still receive the unemployment benefits, but there’s a chance there will be a slight delay, due to Trump’s late signature, according to reports. Because of this, they’re likely to receive back pay for the week(s) of payments that may be missed.

As you may know, Mitch McConnell rejected the request to increase the stimulus checks to $2,000.

In response, Bernie Sanders tweeted, “All of a sudden Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are worried that someone in America might get a $2,000 check ‘who doesn’t need it.”

He continued, “Funny. They had no problem giving a $1.4 billion tax break to Charles Koch and his family with a net worth of $113 billion. What hypocrisy!”

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LaJanee