Bigger stimulus checks for Americans are back on the table after U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday he wants to make them a top priority for Democrats when they take control of the Senate in the wake of the Georgia runoff elections on Tuesday.
“One of the first things that I want to do when our new senators are seated is to deliver the $2,000 checks to American families,” Schumer told reporters at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
Schumer, who would become the Senate majority leader with 50 Democrats in the chamber and a Vice President Kamala Harris to break ties, declined to say whether other items would be included with the bigger checks. While some senators, and President Donald Trump, favored larger checks in the stimulus package enacted in late December, the stimulus payments were capped at $600 instead.
“It’s one of the first things we want to do once our new senators are seated. They campaigned on it,” he said.
Democrat Raphael Warnock was called the winner in one of two Senate runoffs in Georgia early Wednesday. With 98% of the expected vote total reported, Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff was also leading Republican Sen. David Perdue by just 0.4 percentage point, according to data aggregated by the AP.
See also: With sweep expected in Georgia Senate races, Democrats have high hopes for what Biden can do
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