Trump calls for second stimulus checks 'right now'

Trump calls for second stimulus checks 'correct at present'

(Image credit: Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

President Donald J. Trump once once more affirmed his desire to meet a 2nd round of direct-payment stimulus checks go out to American taxpayers, even as Congress debated coronavirus-relief bills that excluded the checks.

"Right now, I want to see checks going for more coin than they're talking about going to people," Trump told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade during a brief interview Saturday (Dec. 12) at the Army-Navy football game in West Betoken, New York.

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"I'one thousand pushing it very hard, and to be honest with you, if the Democrats really wanted to do the deal, they practice the bargain," Trump also said.

Democrats, Republicans and the White House have been trying to find a compromise on a second circular of economical stimulus since May.

All sides agree that more money, including more stimulus checks, is needed to heave the economy and help American citizens and businesses hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown, but the stumbling blocks are in the details.

Senate Republicans don't want to spend more than $1 trillion, but want liability protections for businesses large and small confronting COVID-19-related lawsuits, a measure Democrats oppose.

Democrats in the House want to send hundreds of billions to state and local governments that are running out of greenbacks, which Republicans oppose.

The White House is willing to spend big, only wants the liability protections without the local-government aid.

Earlier this month, a grouping of centrist senators introduced a $908 billion beak that independent all these provisions -- except for another circular of direct stimulus checks, which would accept put the bill over the $one trillion marker that would doom the bill in GOP-controlled Senate.

The White Business firm last week countered with a $916 billion beak that would include stimulus checks of $600, half of the amount that went to American taxpayers under the CARES Deed last month.

The bill also included both liability protections and some money for land and local governments, but not resumed federal unemployment-benefit supplements that some economists fence are more than important than stimulus checks.

CNN reported yesterday (Dec. 13) that the centrist senators were planning to split their $908 billion bill into two. One would comprise the provisions everyone wants; the other would contain the contentious liability protections and local-government aid. The idea is that the more than desirable one would pass chop-chop, giving Americans some much-needed relief.

It'due south possible that if the 2nd bill dies or languishes in legislative limbo, then Congress might be able to take up a second circular of stimulus checks on its own. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) introduced just such a nib last week, which would ship $1,200 checks to all American taxpayers who received the first round of stimulus checks provided by March's CARES Act.

Just that depends on how adamant Congressional leaders are almost getting their pet provisions passed. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) have until now opposed breaking up stimulus legislation into unlike pieces.

It'due south not clear if Trump's words to include 2d stimulus checks will take any effect. Previous presidential pronouncements haven't had much impact on stimulus-relief negotiations, barring the one time when Trump all of a sudden close downwards negotiations, only to resume them two days later. But he seems to have a amend sense of what ordinary Americans want than Congressional leaders do.

Paul Wagenseil is a senior editor at Tom'south Guide focused on security and privacy. He has also been a dishwasher, fry melt, long-haul driver, code monkey and video editor. He's been rooting around in the information-security space for more fifteen years at FoxNews.com, SecurityNewsDaily, TechNewsDaily and Tom's Guide, has presented talks at the ShmooCon, DerbyCon and BSides Las Vegas hacker conferences, shown up in random TV news spots and even moderated a panel discussion at the CEDIA home-technology conference. You can follow his rants on Twitter at @snd_wagenseil.