Nancy Pelosi Responds To Trump’s $2,000 Stimulus Proposal: ‘Let’s Do It!’, But it’s Unclear if She Means in a Stand-alone Bill

As we previously reported, President Trump requested that each American receive $2,000 in direct payment instead of the slight $600 dollars in the passed COVID-19 relief bill. He also slammed wasteful spending and foreign aid in the recently proposed Covid-19 spending bill.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) released a brief statement on Twitter regarding the matter.

“Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. 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!”

Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. 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! https://t.co/Th4sztrpLV

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 23, 2020

There seems to be some agreement that the American people do need more money as many are struggling to pay their bills and put food on their tables. It is unclear whether she would like the $2,000 direct payment to be in a separate bill or whether she wants Trump to veto the recently passed COVID-19 relief bill so they can tweak the current overloaded one.

Pelosi would be a key role in getting Democrats to agree to a bill in which increase the amount in direct payments as she is the Speaker of the House. However, there will still need to be Republican Senators to help pass this bill in the Senate which would be hard with deficit hawks.

Although Pelosi and Trump agree on the $2,000 direct payment, the excess “waste” in the bill like foreign aid could become a point of conflict in whether another bill is agreed upon and passed with the president’s support.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also seemed to agree with the president’s request for a $2,000 direct payment to Americans but did blame the Republicans for their only being $600 dollars in the previous relief bill. The Democrat leaders are acting like this is somehow a gotcha moment for Trump, but it’s unclear how that would be the case.

We spent months trying to secure $2000 checks but Republicans blocked it

Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we’re glad to pass more aid Americans need

Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 23, 2020

It is unlikely that Congress and the president will be able to agree on a relief bill if they don’t remove the foreign aid to other countries as the president criticized that in his remarks today. The president seems to just want money in the hands of Americans and small businesses while the establishment seems to want it going to special interests and foreign countries.

Many Americans don’t want their money going to other countries in a middle of a pandemic.

Add an amendment to the new covid relief bill ending all foreign aid at least until this pandemic & economic crisis is over.

— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) December 23, 2020

We will have to see if there is a new agreement on a COVID-19 relief bill before the president is expected to leave office on January 20th.