Yesterday we told you that Senator Josh Hawley would bring his $1200 covid relief check proposal on the Senate floor and ask for a vote. That has now happened and according to reports, it was a Republican who objected and thus blocked it:
“Hawley (R-MO) from Senate floor asked unanimous consent for Senate to pass his bill for $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for couples,$500 for kids in direct COVID-19 relief payments.
Johnson (R-WI) objected to his bill & overall COVID-19 relief package proposal: “It is way too big.””
Hawley (R-MO) from Senate floor asked unanimous consent for Senate to pass his bill for $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for couples,$500 for kids in direct COVID-19 relief payments. Johnson (R-WI) objected to his bill & overall COVID-19 relief package proposal:"It is way too big." pic.twitter.com/BYv8SeNzAX
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) December 18, 2020
Hawley:"This is not the end of this fight.I'm here right now on this floor.Sen Sanders will be back in a matter of hrs to ask again for the same measure..I will keep working with whomever it takes, for however long it takes until we get the working people of this country relief."
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) December 18, 2020
According to CNN reporter Manu Raju, Hawley was frustrated as he left the floor and said he will block the current coronavirus relief package until he knows exactly what is in the bill:
Sen. Josh Hawley came off the Senate floor and was frustrated at the lack of information about the covid relief talks and said he would object to any efforts to pass a short-term continuing resolution until he gets details of what’s in the bill and assurances of what’s in there.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 18, 2020
“Yeah, I think this is reaching a point of it's beginning to reach the point of absurdity…. I’m not prepared to sign off on a CR until I know what’s going on,” Hawley told us
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 18, 2020
Hawley also reportedly said if direct assistance isn’t in the bill, he won’t allow it to pass:
Hawley to pooler @mkraju: I want to see some indication that there is actually a package that is ready to be voted on and I want assurances that direct assistance is in this package and if it is not, I will not agree to a CR.
— Jennifer Shutt (@JenniferShutt) December 18, 2020
This is important because the Senate hopes to speed this through, which I’m guessing is through unanimous consent, and they can’t do that if Hawley isn’t on board.
UPDATE: Below is Hawley’s floor speech after Johnson objected:
Sen. @HawleyMO responds to @SenRonJohnson objecting to his unanimous consent for $1,200 stimulus checks:
"Working people are told they may be last… I just urge members of these bodies, go home and try explaining that to the people of your state."pic.twitter.com/ZVy7NZs16z
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 18, 2020