Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to try to take credit for President Donald Trump saying on Tuesday night that he wanted larger coronavirus stimulus checks for American citizens, which came after she praised the $600 checks as “significant” yesterday.
“Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks,” Pelosi wrote on Twitter. “At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!”
However, Pelosi yesterday praised a $900 billion that gave out $600 checks to Americans as “significant,” which comes after she rejected a $1.8 trillion offer from the administration before the election that CNBC said included stimulus checks of $1,200 for adults and $1,000 per child.
Pelosi’s tweet was directed at a video that Trump tweeted out late on Tuesday evening that called for a significant increase in the size of the stimulus checks for American citizens.
CNBC reported that the foreign aid provisions were included in a $1.4 trillion bill to keep the government funded that was paired with the coronavirus stimulus bill. “Trump did not threaten a veto in the video, and he had been expected to sign the legislation into law, along with the bill to keep the government open,” CNBC noted. “The legislation passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities.”
“Despite all of this wasteful spending and much more, the $900 billion package provides hard-working taxpayers with only $600 each in relief payments and not enough money is given to small businesses and in particular restaurants, whose owners have suffered so grievously,” Trump said. “Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists, and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it. It wasn’t their fault, it was China’s fault, not their fault.”
“I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said. “I’m 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.”
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