Hawley's push for standalone stimulus checks shot down by fellow GOP senator

Austin Huguelet
Springfield News-Leader

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley’s push to pass another round of stimulus checks with the same amount of money as last time hit a roadblock Friday with a fellow Republican senator.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said Hawley's proposal was too expensive and too broad as he blocked his motion to pass $1,200 checks by unanimous consent.

Congressional leaders are working on a separate plan to send checks of $600-700 per person as part of a larger stimulus package that will likely also include a new round of loans to businesses as well as extra money for people on unemployment.

Hawley did not object to that idea in a floor speech Friday, but he argued his standalone proposal to simply repeat the first round of checks passed in March would be the best approach for working families.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, insists that "Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud."

Josh Hawley, Ron Johnson clash

Hawley noted that millions are behind on their rent and struggling to put food on the table, and said passing his bill would show those people they're a top priority.

“Let’s send a message to working families that they are first, not last, that they are the most important consideration, not some afterthought," he said.

Johnson, the Wisconsin senator, said he wants to help people, too, but objected to Hawley's "shotgun approach" he said would unfairly burden future taxpayers.

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“When I first got here, I ran because we were mortgaging our kids’ future,” he said. “I’m not heartless. I want to help people. I voted to help people. I voted for the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, but I also am concerned about our children’s future.”

Johnson also objected to a later motion from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to pass the $1,200 checks.

Stimulus package negotiations continue

The rejection did not appear to stop Hawley from continuing to push on the matter.

Later in the day, he briefly threatened to block a bill needed to keep the government open amid uncertainty about whether stimulus checks will be in the larger package leaders are negotiating, according to Politico.

He ultimately relented after top GOP officials assured him they would be.

Hawley also tweeted that he would continue to push for $1,200 checks for individuals with an extra $500 for each child in a household.

On Saturday, congressional leaders continued negotiating that larger package, which close observers expect will be passed sometime before the end of the year.

After six months in action on coronavirus relief, leaders are under pressure to pass something to help people get through the next few months before vaccines become widely available and make the virus less of a drag on the economy.

Data show the economy has improved significantly since the early days of the crisis, when lockdowns idled many businesses, but it remains in rough shape.

The latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor show only about half the 22 million jobs lost in the early days of the crisis had been recovered by November.

Austin Huguelet is the News-Leader's politics reporter. Got something he should know? Have a question? Call him at 417-403-8096 or email him at ahuguelet@news-leader.com.