$2,000 COVID relief checks still in question

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – On Capitol Hill, despite support from President Trump, Senate Democrats and a handful of Senate Republicans, efforts to raise coronavirus relief payments appear to be going nowhere.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the Democrats’ first attempt to pass a House-backed bill. Then he introduced a bill to raise the payments but included two other provisions – pet causes championed by President Trump unrelated to COVID relief, which Democrats will likely not agree to.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “a blatant attempt to deprive Americans of a $2,000 survival check.”

It sets up a Senate showdown Wednesday on a vote to override the president’s veto on a key military spending bill.

Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders is vowing to block the military bill until senators get to vote on increasing the stimulus checks.

Time is running out. This session of Congress ends on Sunday.

If a stimulus check increase did pass, the Treasury says people who got $600 would get another check or deposit to equal to $2,000.

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