Incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told Senate Democrats Tuesday that a new coronavirus stimulus bill, including raising direct payments to $2,000 from the current $600, would be “the first order of legislative business” when the party takes control after both of Georgia’s new senators are sworn in.
In a letter to his colleagues, Schumer, D-N.Y., said “Democrats wanted to do much more in the last bill and promised to do more if given the opportunity.”
In addition to the direct payments, he said the new legislation would provide long-sought aid to state and local governments, more money for vaccine distribution and aid to small businesses and schools.
“As our first order of legislative business, please prepare to address additional COVID emergency relief legislation,” he wrote.
President-elect Joe Biden also has endorsed the $2,000 payments, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris made her own plea for the higher amounts on Tuesday.
Schumer first mentioned last week how the higher stimulus checks were a priority after Democrats captured both Georgia Senate seats and the majority with incoming Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.
Other priorities, Schumer said, included infrastructure, health care, child care, a tax overhaul, immigration and criminal justice.
He also called on outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to call the Senate back into session to hold a trial following the House’s expected impeachment of President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Schumer said during a press conference in New York City that a 2004 law allows the majority and minority leaders to bring the Senate back from a recess and he would support such a move.
“The bottom line is that Leader McConnell has the ability to call us back into session and we can then move to convict Donald Trump, draw on the impeachment trial and try him,” Schumer said. “And that’s what we hope McConnell will do.
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The $900 billion stimulus legislation passed last month included direct payments of $600 to most Americans. The Internal Revenue Service said it sent out more than 80% of the checks by the end of last week, $107 billion by direct deposit, $23 billion by checks and the rest by prepaid debit cards.
President Donald Trump then called for increasing the payments to $2,000, which House Democrats quickly embraced.
But McConnell blocked daily demands from Schumer and other Democrats to consider the legislation.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant.
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