Local & Community
House passes measure to increase stimulus checks to $2,000
(CNN) — The House of Representatives on Monday passed a measure to increase stimulus checks for Americans under a certain income level to $2,000 after President Donald Trump championed the effort.
The legislation, which passed with a 275-134 vote, comes a day after Trump signed a sweeping coronavirus relief bill into law Sunday evening. That measure, which was negotiated on a bipartisan basis, provides for $600 in direct payments, but after a deal was brokered and passed out of Congress, Trump railed against the amount as too low and called for $2,000 checks instead, prompting House Democrats to push for an increase.
Democrats have seized on Trump’s 11th-hour complaint over the direct payments in a bid to push congressional Republicans to accept a higher amount, forcing GOP lawmakers to decide whether or not to defy the President after many have argued that the overall cost for a stimulus package should not rise too high.
House Republicans blocked an effort by Democrats to advance $2,000 checks last week, but the House tried again on Monday with a floor vote that required a two-thirds majority to pass since it is taking place under a suspension of the rules, a threshold that means it needed a wide margin of bipartisan support to be approved.
“The President must immediately call on congressional Republicans to end their obstruction and to join him and Democrats in support of our stand-alone legislation to increase direct payment checks to $2,000, which will be brought to the Floor tomorrow,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Sunday evening after Trump signed the stimulus legislation.
“Every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need,” Pelosi said.
The President’s last-minute objections to the stimulus legislation initially threw into question whether he would sign it at all. When Trump finally did sign the legislation Sunday evening, he signaled in a statement that he signed the coronavirus relief bill only after securing a commitment for the Senate to consider legislation to increase stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, did not reference that commitment in his own statement Sunday night praising the President for signing the relief bill.
Now that the bill has passed House of Representatives, it will put McConnell in a tough position of having to decide whether to bring the provision to the floor in the Senate as a standalone bill. While the President has been urging Republicans to up the payments, many Republicans in McConnell’s ranks have made it clear they don’t think an increase is warranted given how much it would increase the price tag of the stimulus bill. A vote on the checks would likely divide the GOP conference and force some members to endure Trump’s ire in his final days in office.
Eligibility for the checks is determined by a person’s most recent tax returns. Anyone who made under $75,000 as an individual or $150,000 as a couple would receive the full amount. The amount individuals receive decreases by $5 for every $100 a person makes over $75,000. In short, that means that individuals who make over $99,000 would not be eligible nor would couples making more than $198,000.
By: NBC Palm Springs
December 28, 2020
Latest Instagram Posts
Alice B. has announced it’s closing its doors. It’s cozy atmosphere and unique seasonal menu made it a must try and even landed it in the Michelin guide. @susanfeniger and @marysuemilliken left their mark on the desert over at Living Out and it will be missed. Here’s a clip from one of our last interviews with Susan.
Cathedral City City Council votes to rename “LGBT+ Days” to “Cathedral City Pride”. The council approved the change in a 5-0 vote during its latest meeting, updating the official name of the city’s annual celebration. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to see what this means to the Coachella Valley Community #CathedralCity #pride #CityCouncil #CoachellaValley #LocalNews
Discover the Coachella Valley with the Everything Palm Springs app. From iconic attractions and hidden gems to local restaurants, shops, entertainment and even filming locations, the map-based app is designed to help both visitors and locals find more of what the desert has to offer. Creator Lindsay Kinkle is also expanding the app with video tours and narrated guides, giving users another way to explore Palm Springs and the surrounding communities. Local businesses like Buena Matcha are also getting a chance to connect with new customers through the platform. As Lindsay says, there’s so much to do and enjoy here — you just have to know where to look. #PalmSprings #CoachellaValley #EverythingPalmSprings #PalmSpringsApp #VisitPalmSprings DesertLife LocalBusiness CoachellaValleyBusiness NBCPalmSprings
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry
What’s next for Palm Desert? Join community leaders, local businesses and regional stakeholders for the 2026 State of the City Address. Topics: • Economic Development • Infrastructure • Public Safety • Community Programs • Palm Desert’s Future CTA: Friday, September 18 | 11:30 AM JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort
Former Silvercrest CEO, William Rodriguez is expected back in court today in connection with the deadly 2024 Cathedral City hit and run that killed a woman. The murder charge was dismissed, but Rodriguez still faces felony hit and run and suspended license charges.
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry
Murder suspect Vicky Kim has once again not been cleared to appear in court. Kim is accused of killing her husband at their Palm Desert condominium complex. Her arraignment has now been delayed three times. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs as we track the latest developments in this case. #VickyKim #PalmDesert #CoachellaValley #BreakingNews #CourtUpdate NBCPalmSprings
Palm Springs is mourning the loss of beloved entertainer James “Gypsy” Haake, who has died at 94. Haake began his entertainment career at just 19 years old as a Broadway chorus dancer. After retiring from the stage, he returned to performing at 82, becoming the host of Carnival Cabaret at Oscars in downtown Palm Springs. A longtime friend of our station, Haake was a familiar and beloved figure in the Palm Springs entertainment community — and his contributions were recognized with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. His career spanned more than seven decades, proving that the spotlight never truly left him. ❤️ Rest in peace, James “Gypsy” Haake. Your legacy will live on in Palm Springs. #JamesGypsyHaake #PalmSprings #PalmSpringsWalkOfStars #CarnivalCabaret #PalmSpringsEntertainment #OscarsPalmSprings #PalmSpringsHistory
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry