Progressive Democrats have come out in favor of President Donald Trump’s push to increase the $600 direct payments to Americans to $2,000 in the coronavirus relief bill that Congress passed earlier this week.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., tweeted Tuesday evening: “Let’s do it,” noting that she and Michigan Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib “already co-wrote the COVID amendment for $2,000 checks, so it’s ready to go. Glad to see the President is willing to support our legislation. We can pass $2k checks this week if the Senate GOP agrees to stand down.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., added: “I first introduced a bill to provide a $2,000 direct payment with [Vice President-elect Kamala Harris] & [Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Ed Markey] 7 months ago. Now, Mr. President, get [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell [R-Ky.] and your Republican friends to stop opposing it and we can provide working class Americans with $2,000. Let's do it.”
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, called on McConnell to support the increase, saying, “Mitch don’t be the only reason people don’t get $2000, let’s do this.”
Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Ayanna Pressley added, “The Occupant of the White House taking a hard line in support of what Progressives have been fighting for, literally all year, to spite McConnell. Honestly, whatever gets my constituents survival checks. People’s lives are at stake. Survival checks now.”