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In rare agreement with Trump, Democrat-led US House approves demand for increasing coronavirus relief amount

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Dec 29, 2020, 08:12 AM IST
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Photograph:(The New York Times)

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US House of Representatives which is led by Democrats on Monday voted 275-134 to meet Donald Trump's demand for $2,000 coronavirus relief cheques. 

US House of Representatives which is led by Democrats on Monday voted 275-134 to meet Donald Trump's demand for $2,000 coronavirus relief cheques. The measure will now be sent to the Republican-controlled Senate. 

Even though Democrats pushed forward to approve Republican stimulus payments, just earlier they vetoed a separate $740 billion defense policy bill. This marks the first veto of his policy if the Senate approves it later this week.
 

Last week, Trump had threatened to block a pandemic aid stimulus package, while asking Congress to boost payments from $600 to $2,000 and to cut other spending. 

As another government shutdown loomed, Trump backed down and signed the aid relief.

In this rare agreement with Trump, Democrats approved the proposal in the House, hoping to bring larger relief cheques to Americans. Trump is leaving office in less than a month from now when President-elect Joe Biden will officially take over presidential duties.

130 Republicans, two independents, and two Democrats opposed increasing the stimulus relief for people.

Even though Trump has signed the $2.3 trillion relief package into law on Sunday, he continued to demand $2,000 cheques. The $2.3 trillion fund includes $1.4 trillion for government agencies and $892 billion for coronavirus relief.

Republican lawmakers have said how a higher amount would add hundreds of billions to the relief bill, and as per the Joint Committee on Taxation, the increase would cost $464 billion.

It is not clear how the measure to increase aid checks will fare in the Senate, where some Republican lawmakers have complained that the higher amount would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the latest relief bill.

On Tuesday, the Senate will convene to approve or reject the suggested increase in the stimulus. Donald Trump has continued to demand more money for Americans, attacking Democrats for approving the current bill.