Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is urging President Donald Trump to sign a $2.3 trillion spending package to keep the government open, and send billions of dollars in aid to small businesses and individuals suffering financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Toomey said Trump should sign the bill because the COVID relief package is “really, really important.”
He continued to say he does not support sending $2,000 stimulus checks to “people who have had no lost income whatsoever.”
“But, the president’s free to make that case. Democrats will agree with that and see where it ends up, but we’ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate. I think we ought to get that done,” he added.
When asked if he believes there will be a government shutdown, Toomey noted that Trump has not “explicitly said he is going to veto this bill.”
He continued, “I understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks. But, the danger is he’ll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire. So, I think the best thing to do, as I say, is sign this and then make the case for subsequent legislation.”
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Congress passed the massive package on December 21. The latest relief package would send out $600 stimulus checks, as well as extend unemployment benefits.
However, Trump has called for the amount of the stimulus checks to be raised to $2,000 and threatened to not sign the bill unless Congress changes the amount of the stimulus checks.
Two federal unemployment programs, which a reported 14 million Americans were using, have lapsed since Congress passed the bill. Additionally, without Trump’s signature, the planned weekly $300 supplemental unemployment benefits will be on hold.
House Democrats tried to pass a stand-alone bill that would send Americans $2,000 stimulus checks, but that was blocked by Republicans.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the full House will vote on the legislation on Monday. However, she urged Trump to sign the bill in the meantime.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has been pushing for more stimulus checks, called Trump’s decision to potentially not sign the bill “unbelievably cruel.”
“Many millions of people are losing their extended unemployment benefits. They’re going to be evicted from their apartments because the eviction moratorium is ending,” he said, adding, “Sign the bill Mr. President, and then immediately Monday, Tuesday, we can pass a $2,000 direct payment to the working families of this country.”
