Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is fighting for Congress to include another round of direct payments in a future COVID-19 relief bill. But in case those payments are left out, Hawley is introducing his own stand-alone legislation that would send “working families” direct payments.
During an interview on Fox News on Thursday, Hawley said, “The most important thing that Congress can do is to send direct assistance checks to every working family who needs them.”
He went on to note that in the CARES Act passed in March, Congress sent out stimulus checks to Americans. Under those checks, individuals received $1,200, couples received $2,400, and there was an additional $500 per child.
“That’s what we did back in March. Every senator voted for it. The president is the one who led the charge for it, he supports that again. That’s what we should do,” he argued.
He continued, “Here’s what I’m going to do if Congress cannot agree in the next couple of days, today I am introducing a bill for direct payments to working families. I will go to the floor and ask for an up or down vote on direct assistance to families.”
Watch the video below:
Today I am introducing legislation to provide direct #COVID19 relief for every working family in need – $1200/ person, $2400/ couple, $500/ child. If the Senate will not include this help in a relief package, I will go to the floor & ask for up or down vote pic.twitter.com/eVeCfFD6RJ
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 10, 2020
His comments come as lawmakers haggle over the details of a new coronavirus relief bill that they aim to pass by the end of the year.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Congress “cannot” leave for the holiday break without passing another relief bill.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a $908 billion relief package, and McConnell has proposed a $500 billion package — neither bill included more direct payments.
But, a growing chorus of lawmakers is calling for a relief bill that includes another round of direct payments. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) penned a letter this week to urge their colleagues to send out another round of direct payments.
Hawley also told Politico he urged President Donald Trump to veto any relief bill that did not include direct payments.
The White House has proposed a new bill that would send out $600 direct payments per person and $600 per child. However, those payments come with a trade-off as it would offer a smaller unemployment benefit.