House Republicans refused to allow a Democratic proposal to raise stimulus checks to $2000 from $600 by “unanimous consent” on Thursday. President Donald Trump threatened to veto the stimulus bill earlier this week unless the payments were increased.
House and Senate lawmakers voted Monday on a $1.4 trillion federal omnibus spending package for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, and concurrently on the same bill, on dispensing an additional $900 billion stimulus injection into the U.S. economy to protect the country from further devastation from COVID-19.
The bill had bipartisan support across Capitol Hill.
Late Sunday evening, the House and the Senate each passed a one-day continuing resolution mandating that the government must remain open through Monday at midnight to buy time to vote on the essential spending package.
The deal increases funding for small businesses, stimulus payments for most individuals, supplemental unemployment benefits and vaccine distribution support. The pending law also adds resources for education, child care and housing.
Under intense time pressure, Congress members have compromised on some of the bill’s most thorny issues, including border wall spending, immigration and customs enforcement detention capacity and veterans’ healthcare programs, included as provisions within the drafted law.
On Monday, technical issues stemming from a faulty computer file stalled voting, but officials had the problem remedied.
