The massive Covid relief/spending bill has arrived at Mar-a-Lago, but. . .
COVID-19 relief bill in Trump limbo arrives at Mar-a-Lago https://t.co/Bnlvm9JugY pic.twitter.com/uhJmtWQSZZ
— The Hill (@thehill) December 26, 2020
. . .it’s not clear if the president will sign it or not:
Trump, at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach for the holidays, had no events on his public schedule after throwing the future of a massive COVID relief and government funding bill into question.https://t.co/T4XbrtneAy
— KTSM 9 News (@KTSMtv) December 25, 2020
The president again tweeted earlier today that he thinks stimulus payments should be increased from $600 for and individual to $2000:
Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach, Florida. Why would politicians not want to give people $2000, rather than only $600? It wasn’t their fault, it was China. Give our people the money!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2020
Republicans blocked a Democrat measure to do just this on Thursday via unanimous consent and Speaker Nancy Pelosi will bring it up again for a vote on Monday:
Pelosi says House to vote on bigger stimulus payments after GOP blocks increase https://t.co/iPNZD8PGIO pic.twitter.com/dpqQBWixyG
— The Last Word (@TheLastWord) December 25, 2020
As for the bill that’s now at Mar-a-Lago awaiting the president’s decision, unemployment aid is set to lapse on Saturday without action:
Unemployment Aid Set to Lapse Saturday as Trump’s Plans for Relief Bill Remain Unclear https://t.co/v97t9lOgRy
— Christian Hetrick (@_Hetrick) December 26, 2020
And it’s likely that even if the bill did get signed, a disruption would still occur:
Trump has until Saturday to sign the stimulus bill or expanded unemployment benefits for millions of Americans will lapse. But he’s already waited so long that there will be at least a temporary lapse in people getting their next payment. https://t.co/jxVhLzI7xy
— Aman Batheja (@amanbatheja) December 25, 2020
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who golfed with the president today, says he thinks the president is adamant that the bill include the higher amount of relief payments AND Section 230 reform:
After spending some time with President @realDonaldTrump today, I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $2000 per person and challenge Section 230 big tech liability protection.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 26, 2020
Both are reasonable demands, and I hope Congress is listening. The biggest winner would be the American people.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 26, 2020
Over to you, Congress.
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