Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
President Donald Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick all agree on one thing – increasing COVID-19 stimulus payments for Americans to $2,000.
In public statements and through reporting, Trump and Sanders – politicians who often have very different views – have both voiced support for increased stimulus checks for Americans as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the nation, including being to blame for the deaths of 876 Bucks Countians.
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During a vote Monday, Fitzpatrick was among 44 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who supported $2,000 stimulus checks.
The bill would increase stimulus payments to Americans passed 275-134 and was next headed to the U.S. Senate.
Trump upended the Capitol last week when he denounced a bipartisan deal to provide COVID-19 business relief, send a $600 check to many Americans, authorize a new supplemental jobless benefit, and authorize an omnibus government spending bill, which included foreign aid.
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“I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said in a video posted last week to Twitter.
Despite his disagreement with the bipartisan bill that led to uncertainty, Trump ended up signing the bill Sunday.
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“Give the people $2000, not $600. They have suffered enough!” the president tweeted at 1:53 a.m. Tuesday.
Fitzpatrick, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, noted last week he supported the $600 checks, but he said on CNBC that he supported more stimulus.
The congressman, who won re-election in November, called for a new stimulus package as both sides negotiated since summer and leading up to the election. He said during a press conference last week that it was “completely and utterly ridiculous” that it took months to strike a deal.
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