President Donald Trump is putting Congressional Republicans in a no-win situation.
Democrats and Republicans finally managed to cobble together an agreement on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill, tied to a massive spending package to fund the government that totaled $1.4 trillion.
The measure passed with overwhelming margins in the House (359-53) and the Senate (92-6). President Trump is threatening to torpedo it. His delay puts direct checks to Americans, extended unemployment support, eviction protection and much more in limbo just before the holidays.
In a video posted to social media released Tuesday night, the President blasted the package as a “disgrace," calling on Congress to increase $600 stimulus checks to $2,000.
“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple," Trump said. "I am also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation, and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package.”
Democrats immediately seized on the President’s endorsement of $2,000 checks. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) pointed out that was Democrats’ proposal all along and claims Republicans blocked proposals for checks larger than $600. Now she’s calling for a vote to increase the checks to $2000 putting Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in a box.
McCarthy would need to agree to allow a so-called unanimous consent vote on the issue. His dilemma: He is a loyal supporter of President Trump, but his members do not support increased stimulus payments. McCarthy has to decide to break with his President or put his members in the politically untenable position of opposing bigger checks to their constituents in need.
The President’s demand to get rid of “wasteful” spending actually relates to the omnibus spending bill that funds government, not to the COVID relief package. We know this because he named specific budget items he’d like Congress to zero out including $40 million to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Those items are in the omnibus, not the COVID relief package. It’s worth noting the President previously called on Congress to approve these items; they were in his own proposed budget for 2021.
Why are so many odds and ends included in the Omnibus? It’s called a “Christmas Tree bill” because it includes many amendments unrelated to the main purpose.
These amendments are goodies or pet projects that are meant to get the bill passed; include a member’s pet project and a “no” vote can quickly turn a yes. Some examples Trump cited include funding to count the number of amberjack fish in the Gulf of Mexico, and funding to research the impact of downed trees.
There is no practical way for Congress to do what President Trump has asked and strip these items from the bill at this stage.
The whole spending package now sits with the President, awaiting his signature He can sign it, veto it, or sit on it for 10 days.
If he signs it, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says stimulus checks can go out next week. If he sits on it, the whole thing dies and no checks can move until a new Congress convenes on January 6 and takes up the measure again.
If he vetoes it quickly, Congress can scramble back to Washington and vote again.
Republican leaders would have to muster enough votes to override the president. The clock is ticking.