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Nancy Pelosi concurs with Donald Trump's demand to push stimulus checks in Covid-19 bill to $2K: 'Let's do it'

Trump had blasted the $900 billion coronavirus relief package passed by Congress, calling it a 'disgrace' and had asked for amendments to the bill to increase stimulus payments to Americans

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, December 22, responded to President Donald Trump’s call for a boost in the stimulus funds after the Congress passed a new Covid-19 relief package this week, exhibiting her willingness to push for the $2,000 checks the top executive sought. “Let’s do it,” she said.

The president seemed to threaten to veto the relief package that approved $600 checks for most Americans -- a proposal that all voices across the political spectrum found insufficient. Trump called the amount "ridiculously low" and wanted to raise it to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple. In a tweet, the California Congresswoman said: “Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks.” She added: “At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!”

Earlier in the day, Pelosi praised the Democrats for getting the direct stimulus payments included in the new relief bill despite the GOP pushing back. “We also have in the legislation direct payments, which were not in the Republican bill, to America's working families,” she said. Both the parties initially claimed victory over the passage of the bill that saw delay over consensus. Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took credit over it.

Schumer appeared to call on the president to pass the bill as it stood currently after Pelosi’s tweet came, suggesting the Congress could pass more relief funds in a subsequent aid package. He expressed his approval over the final bill even though it lacked the $160 billion in new state and local aid the Democrats were previously seeking to be included, the Hill reported. 

“Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we're glad to pass more aid Americans need,” the New York senator wrote on Twitter. “We spent months trying to secure $2000 checks but Republicans blocked it...Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again,” he wrote. 

Trump asked Congress to raise 'ridiculously low' direct payment

The Congress on Monday, December 21, passed the package worth $2.3 trillion to provide the long-delayed relief and fund the government. The passage found a favor of 92-6. Trump, who has time until December 28 to sign the bill, however, expressed his reservations. On Tuesday, December 22, he said the legislation contained measures that had little to do with the pandemic and the payable amounts were inadequate for average Americans. 

“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 (direct payment) to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” the outgoing president said in a video posted to Twitter that showed him speaking from the White House.

In his speech, Trump said it had “taken forever” to pass the bill and called the outlined terms a “disgrace”. The response of Pelosi, who is known to be one of the harshest critics of Trump, saying “Let’s do it” was to the same speech by the president.

Trump's words have a rare unifying effect

Trump’s words saw a rare unifying impact among the two parties. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted supporting Trump’s proposal saying: “'Let’s do it. @RashidaTlaib and I already co-wrote the COVID amendment for $2,000 checks, so it’s ready to go. Glad to see the President is willing to support our legislation. We can pass $2k checks this week if the Senate GOP agrees to stand down.”

Senior Senator Lindsey Graham, who initially disagreed with Trump’s tweet, later supported his criticism of the bill and appreciated Pelosi for agreeing with the president. “Appreciate the fact that Speaker Pelosi supports President [Trump's] idea to increase direct payments to $2,000 per person,” he said, adding: “The American people are hurting and deserve relief. I know there is much bipartisan support for this idea,' he wrote, adding: 'Let’s go further.”